Akatsuki Translations

This blue child is Lean, right? Her eyes were sparkling, reminding me of a chrysoberyl cat’s eye gemstone my dad once gave to my ex-stepmother. Her eyes were just like that jewel.

A third eye, like a giant blue diamond, shone on her forehead. Her body, which had been mostly skin-colored with blue arms before, was now being rapidly covered by something like liquid metal, turning completely blue.

However, before I mentioned it, that blue liquid metal was being used as a shield, leaving her nearly naked. She looked like an elementary school girl, and her appearance seemed to violate all sorts of regulations.

“As expected of Yuuta. Killing a General alone is amazing,” Lean said admiringly.

“Huh? Oh, well…” I stammered.

I had tried to act cool, but the truth was I had killed it with a surprise attack because I didn’t think I could win… I thought about explaining properly, but Lean’s intense gaze made it difficult to speak up. More importantly, there was no time for leisurely conversation.

“Goa!!!” the General roared.

The General’s horizontal slash came at us. I hugged Lean tighter and blocked with Mikamaru. Unable to fully absorb the impact, my feet dug into the ground as we were pushed back. I almost plunged into the magma.

“Yuuta. I’ll fight with you!” Lean declared.

Looking closely, I saw that Lean’s arms had transformed to support me, preventing me from falling into the magma. She had become capable of even this. There was no need to protect her anymore.

“No, Lean. Leave this one to me. Focus on Misuzu and the others,” I instructed.

Misuzu and the others were surrounded by goblins, their escape routes blocked. There were so many goblins, I was surprised there were still this many. A quick count showed about 22. It seemed the General’s presence had drawn them together.

“So many! When did they…!?” Lean exclaimed.

They had formed a formation encircling Misuzu and the others, completely cutting off any escape. Lean started running in a panic.

“Lean! We’ll lose if we fight them head-on! Watch the goblins closely and use the magma to your advantage!” I shouted.

“Understood!” she replied.

“Goa!” the General roared.

The General showed no kindness in waiting for us to finish talking. It slashed upward, sending my body into the air. Even so, I was more worried about Misuzu, Evie, and Lean.

“Lean! Don’t be reckless and almost die again!” I called out.

“Goa!” the General bellowed.

“I got it!” Lean shouted back. “Also, it’s angry at you, Yuuta! It’s mad that you hugged me when it was trying to impregnate me! Sorry, it’s because Lean is too beautiful! I have to help my master, so do your best, Yuuta!”

“Gogoa!” the General roared.

“Haha, you’ve become quite cheeky,” I chuckled.

Still, I was moved by how Lean now understood and acted on what she needed to do. She always had great battle instincts, but before, she often acted on impulse and nearly died.

Well, that hadn’t completely changed, but at least she was thinking more than before. I looked at Lean’s grown body. She had gotten taller, but more noticeably, certain parts had developed quite a bit.

Cheeky adolescent.

An overgrown elementary school girl.

From her appearance, I could tell she had undergone species evolution. Could she change her body like a slime now?

I couldn’t quite understand her body structure. I’d have to ask for details later. But for that, we needed to survive first. I had just encountered another General earlier. The moment I saw it, I thought it was stronger than me.

Thinking I couldn’t win, I ambushed it with all my might and pushed it into the magma to kill it. That was quite exhilarating and fun in its own way.

“But I guess I need to fight properly this time,” I muttered.

I properly sheathed Mikamaru.

“Gogaa!” the General roared.

The General seemed angry about something, but of course, I couldn’t understand its words.

“After hearing Lean say that, I can’t afford to lose,” I declared.

I had to give it my all to beat this angry General in front of me. Even with Ikemoto, he had been stronger. But I had prepared so many countermeasures that, honestly, it was an easy win.

However, I wanted to be able to beat someone stronger without resorting to traps. Without raw strength, I’d quickly hit a wall in the dungeon. Above all, I wanted to be the strongest in the party.

The Goblin General was quite large. I had to look up to meet its eyes. It must have been about 3 meters tall. Even though Lean had grown, it was amazing she had managed to fight such a huge opponent at all.

As the giant General looked down on me, my legs began to shake. I realized I was afraid. At times like this, I always remembered being bullied. I was always too scared to do anything against stronger opponents.

Had I really changed after killing Ikemoto? My legs were still trying to run away. Annoyed by my cowardly legs, I took out a dagger from my pocket and stabbed it into my foot, pinning it to the ground.

“There, now I won’t run away,” I muttered.

“Goga?” the General grunted, looking confused.

Of course it would. I’d be just as bewildered if my enemy suddenly stabbed their own foot.

“Well, this is about my own complexes. Don’t mind it,” I explained with a smile.

If I didn’t do this, I’d surely want to run from strong opponents like you. The General probably couldn’t understand, but I said it with a laugh. Only by pushing myself this far could I finally manage to smile.

“Goga…” the General rumbled.

As it approached, it held out its hand as if asking to borrow the dagger. I pulled another one from my magic bag and handed it over. Its hand was about level with my face, reminding me just how huge it was.

The General took the dagger and stabbed its own foot.

“Gogaga. Goga,” it grunted, then pointed its greatsword straight at me.

Just that was incredibly intimidating.

“Good. You understand much better than Ikemoto,” I said approvingly.

It sensed my seriousness and was responding in kind. It’s a shame I couldn’t understand what it was saying. That would have made this even more enjoyable.

“【Brute Force】 【Acceleration】,” I cast.

“【Goga】,” the General responded.

If I remember correctly, Generals have two special abilities. One is 【Brute Force】. It must have just used that. I took an iaijutsu stance. As my level increased, I had gained a better understanding of how to move my body.

Now I could perform like a master. Leveling up was breaking through human limits. Thanks to that, I could now assume an iaijutsu stance with the poise of someone who had mastered the technique.

“Here I come,” I declared.

“Guaaaa!” the General roared.

It brought its greatsword down. What an honest opponent, understanding my intention and meeting me head-on. If it didn’t kill humans, I might actually like it.

“【Double Strike】!” I shouted.

“【Gaa】!” it responded.

We both unleashed two sword flashes. 【Double Strike】 was the General’s other special ability. It felt like having two arms. Our swords clashed twice. The impact from its powerful body striking down from above was so intense, I thought my arm might break.

I was the one being pushed back. Mikamaru chipped slightly. If it wasn’t Mikamaru, it would have broken. I felt like Mikamaru was complaining, “You amateur. Use me better.”

“Sorry, Mikamaru. We’ll be clashing a lot more, so don’t break until the end,” I said to my sword.

My Mikamaru and the General’s greatsword clashed repeatedly. I knew if I flinched and made any unnecessary moves, I’d be killed. I lost in terms of power and stepped back. The foot I had stabbed tore further. Hey, don’t back down. Don’t run away, me!

This one’s strong. Really strong. The memories of being bullied flashed in my mind.

“Rokujou, what’s wrong? Are you scared?” Ikemoto’s voice echoed in my head.

That annoying Ikemoto. He remains in my head even after death. I’m not afraid. If I had been as weak-minded as back then, I’d be dead already.

“Liar! Your true nature is a cowardly crybaby!” the voice taunted.

Shut up! Stay dead!

As our swords clashed, the sheer force drove my feet into the ground. Despite how much I used to tremble at being bullied, now I was facing a monster head-on.

But at this rate, I’ll lose in terms of power. If I used underhanded methods like with Ikemoto, it would be an easy win. But unlike Ikemoto, this one came at me fair and square. Against an opponent who faces me directly, I want to win fairly. That’s what my emotions are telling me.

The me who enjoys sneak attacks and the me who wants to fight head-on – both are me.

“【Earth Wall】!” I cast.

An earthen wall appeared between us. It was a new spell that appeared at level 10. The General easily shattered it. I then fired 【Rock Bullet】 five times in succession.

It smashed all my 【Rock Bullets】 with its greatsword. Against previous enemies, this would have ended the fight instantly, but not here. If you’re this strong, how powerful is the Emperor? Can I even beat it?

“No, I’ll lose,” I admitted to myself.

I was right to use a sneak attack earlier. Fighting something like this head-on isn’t sane. But I want to win. I want to win this way. My nerves were becoming increasingly sharp.

I swung Mikamaru.

The General’s greatsword blocked it.

At the last moment, I reversed the blade.

I forcefully changed its trajectory, swinging it like a snake. This allowed Mikamaru to graze the General’s cheek slightly, burning it with the sword’s heat. I could tell the General was a bit shaken.

“【Double Strike】!” I shouted.

“【Gaa】!” it responded.

My body moved naturally. I thought, why not do the same thing with 【Double Strike】? It worked perfectly. The trajectory of my Mikamaru undulated like a snake. The General couldn’t respond to it.

I swung Mikamaru upwards, aiming for the gap in the General’s armor at the base of its thick arm, while using the second strike of 【Double Strike】 to somehow block the greatsword. Even so, I couldn’t completely nullify its momentum, and Mikamaru’s armor barely managed to withstand the General’s attack.

My body was sent flying. I rolled on the ground several times. Embarrassed at being made to taste dirt, I hurriedly stood up, bracing myself for an immediate attack.

“Goa…” came a weak growl.

I looked to see the General’s arm was gone, the stump burning from Mikamaru’s heat. My previous attack had successfully severed the arm at its base. Somehow, its armless figure overlapped with Ikemoto’s pathetic image in my mind.

No, that’s disrespectful to an opponent who faced my tactics head-on.

“I’m sorry. You were strong,” I said respectfully.

“Goga! Gogaaaa!” the General suddenly seemed to lose its nerve.

I could tell it had switched from one-on-one combat, turning to give orders to its Mages. If I got support in this situation, the tables would turn. However, Lean was steadily gaining momentum.

“Lean. If possible, remember this. The highest priority targets are the Mages. Always take out the troublesome magic attackers first,” I had told Lean before entering the settlement.

“Understood,” she had replied.

I saw Lean killing the last Mage. The Mages who should have received orders were already dead. The goblins couldn’t keep up with the irregular movements of the magma and Lean’s blue liquid metal.

Meanwhile, Misuzu and Evie were providing support with magic and arrows, visibly reducing the number of goblins. Without the General’s instructions, the goblins couldn’t coordinate their actions in this unusual environment overflowing with magma.

I didn’t hesitate. The General had more raw strength. If I showed an opening, it would immediately turn the tables. I forcibly changed Mikamaru’s trajectory in the middle of the 【Double Strike】 skill. Mikamaru traced a snake-like path.

The General tried to respond with 【Double Strike】, but I swung through the gaps, aiming for its thick neck. I decapitated it. Despite fighting so valiantly, the General’s final expression was miserable.

“I wonder if I’ll make the same face when I die?” I mused.

As I was lost in thought after killing a monster as usual, I heard a voice.

【Skill acquisition notification】

It was the woman’s voice I usually hear during level ups. Skill acquisition? I hadn’t completed a quest or leveled up. Is there such a thing? I tilted my head in confusion.

【Yuuta Rokujou has acquired 【Serpentine Double Strike】 by himself. Acquisition bonus: 【Serpentine Triple Strike】 approved for sublimation】

Acquisition bonus? Do explorers have such a thing? The woman’s voice said “acquired by himself.” Does this mean if you create something that can be called a skill by yourself, rather than being given by the dungeon, you get a bonus?

I’ve heard of 【Triple Strike】. It’s a skill that can be learned around level 20. Though many can’t do it, it’s said to be a skill that often appears for people with sword-related jobs.

But I’ve never heard of 【Serpentine Triple Strike】. Does this mean I created something that could be called a skill on my own? Is this necessary to reach higher levels?

Anyway,

“I’m tired,” I sighed.

It was indeed a formidable opponent. I hope I can win more overwhelmingly next time, but this was close. When I tried to walk, my foot hurt terribly. Looking at it, it was completely torn. I’m amazed I fought in this condition as I took out a potion and drank it.

“Stabbing my own foot to prevent myself from running away…”

I really am too influenced by manga. If the General hadn’t gone along with my suggestion, I would have been killed outright. But it might have been a surprisingly good proposal. With that physique, if it moved freely, even 【Serpentine Double Strike】 might not have hit.

“Well, I had a feeling it would go along with it,” I muttered.

Do goblins have the same sense of beauty as humans? They seem fixated on beautiful women. Seeing how it was obsessed with Lean, I felt I could use that. While thinking about this leisurely, I looked towards Misuzu and the others.

When I last looked, the goblins were being steadily killed by Lean, so I wasn’t too panicked. Indeed, the goblins were shaken by the General’s death, and their numbers had decreased further.

Seven Soldiers. Three Riders. No more Mages. In this short time, they had been reduced from 22 to this number.

“I probably don’t need to help anymore,” I concluded.

From what I could see, the battle situation was in our favor. I sheathed Mikamaru. The magma from 【Lava】 was spreading this way, making it difficult for the goblins to fight.

However, Lean and Misuzu’s group were skillfully using the magma to their advantage. Lean’s movements, in particular, were impressive. Before, she had been overwhelmed by her own power, but now she was mastering it.

The goblins, recognizing Lean as the biggest threat, tried to surround and cut off her escape routes. They attempted to overwhelm her with sheer numbers, but Lean’s blue liquid metal would sneakily approach their feet, tripping them before they were cut down. Then Misuzu and Evie would finish them off.

Lean’s extending arms were transforming at will. The liquid metal, strong enough to withstand a Soldier’s greatsword without being cut, moved freely to ambush enemies.

“Misuzu…” I muttered, worried about her.

Her arrows rarely hit unless it was a surprise attack. Her attacks didn’t connect unless someone else assisted her. Until now, I thought Misuzu was contributing enough because Lean wasn’t that strong.

But now, I could see clearly that if she were alone, she might not even be able to defeat a single Soldier. Her firepower seemed that limited.

“Misuzu’s rainbow capsule,” I thought to myself.

I wondered if it would appear soon. Misuzu herself must be thinking this more than anyone. While I was lost in these thoughts, the battle was nearing its conclusion.

We had almost completely annihilated the goblin settlement. If we wiped out the entire settlement, the Goblin Emperor would appear. So we left a few alive. We did the same thing in four settlements. Lean, Evie, Rai, and I were now level 12. Misuzu was level 11.

Just by four of us reaching level 12, we became able to fight in goblin settlements without using the 【Lava】 magic circle. I’d say we’ve become quite a strong party. My gacha luck is incredibly good, so I get considerable buffs from exclusive equipment.

Evie has also grown stronger. It seems the experience points from monsters Lean defeated are also added to Evie’s total. So Evie is getting stronger too, and she even learned a new spell called 【Teleport Summon】.

It’s a spell that allows a summoned beast to return to its summoner instantly. Thanks to this, Evie could make full use of the strengthened Lean. And Misuzu… she was left behind by our increasing strength.

“…I’m no good without my rainbow capsule after all, am I?” Misuzu said, seeming to have realized this the most during this battle.

“That’s not true. You’re still you, Misuzu, with or without it,” I replied, offering an impromptu reassurance.

“Yuuta, I don’t think that’s what Misuzu means,” Evie said calmly.

“If Lean hadn’t gotten stronger, I would have been left behind by Yuuta’s strength too. The dungeon seems to be allowing Yuuta two pieces of exclusive equipment per floor. That means you’ll be able to equip five pieces by the fourth floor, right? By the fourth floor, your buff might be around +30? If it becomes seven pieces on the fifth floor, the buff might exceed +50, don’t you think? And the skills from the exclusive equipment will probably keep coming too.”

“That’s…” I stammered, at a loss for words.

Misuzu spoke up:

“You know, I’ve been thinking lately. If Yuuta had entered the dungeon alone, there might not have been any restrictions on exclusive equipment at all. If that’s the case, then I, being below average, might just be holding Yuuta back.”

“No, no, Misuzu, that’s not true. I don’t want to enter the dungeon without you. So please don’t talk about such hypothetical situations,” I insisted.

“But…”

Impulsively, I pulled Misuzu close.

“I said I don’t want you to, didn’t I?” I said firmly.

“…”

As I gazed directly into Misuzu’s face, her beautiful features filled my vision. She was so beautiful that I wondered if it was okay for me to do this to such a pretty girl. Yet, for some reason, Misuzu looked down shyly.

Come to think of it, my own charm was 80. I remembered Nagumo-san’s face, which had transcended her devilish cuteness. I thought this face of mine must be cheating. Still, if Misuzu liked this face, I’d show it to her as much as she wanted. With that thought, I stepped away from Misuzu and looked at Evie.

“Evie, it’s about time,” I said.

“I know,” she replied, sounding somewhat displeased.

She recalled Rai and Lean. The reason being that Yonezaki had said something about “coming to meet us later.” At the very least, I didn’t want to risk letting that monster-loving guy see Lean and the others.

Evie was staring at me resentfully, noticing how close I was to Misuzu.

“…”

Evie must still be angry about that incident.

“H-hey, are you two fighting or something?” Misuzu asked, noticing something odd about Evie’s demeanor.

“It’s nothing like that,” Evie replied curtly.

“Hmm, well, whatever. More importantly, Yuuta, did you figure out Yonezaki’s homework?” Misuzu asked, perhaps sensing it was better not to pry further into Evie’s mood.

“You mean about the intention of the first floor?” I clarified.

“Yeah.”

“Did you figure it out, Misuzu?”

“Of course not. I told you I leave all the difficult stuff to you, didn’t I?”

“Unbelievable. You should try thinking for yourself sometimes,” Evie scolded, looking at us as if to say, “Why Misuzu instead of me?”

“Of course I tried thinking about it, but I never imagined such a thing existed, and I didn’t have time to ponder it. Did you figure it out, Evie?” Misuzu asked.

“…”

Evie fell silent. It seemed she hadn’t figured it out either this time.

“Is there even such a thing in the first place?” Evie questioned.

“I think there is,” I replied.

Although talking to Evie now made me very nervous, I decided to voice my thoughts.

“Then what is it?” Evie asked, glaring at me with her beautiful blue eyes. I could tell she was angry, but I didn’t answer that. It was strange to me how I could be fine in combat but become so indecisive in situations like this.

“…”

Evie’s beautiful eyes kept capturing mine, and I desperately tried to avert my gaze.

“Stop being so tense, you two,” Misuzu finally intervened.

“Leave us alone. You’re fine since Yuuta dotes on you,” Evie snapped, as if she couldn’t hold back anymore.

“You know, I have my own worries too. Don’t act like you’re the only one with problems,” Misuzu retorted.

“…”

“Evie, no matter how much Yuuta cares for me, if my rainbow capsule doesn’t appear, I won’t be able to keep up with you all. In fact, if it weren’t for your summoned beasts helping me, I might have already been useless here.”

“…”

“So, Evie, I’m grateful to you for that.”

“You all seem to be in quite a predicament,” a voice suddenly interjected.

Somehow, a hunched man in a white coat was sitting beside us, even though no one had been there a moment ago.

“Y-Yonezaki!?” I exclaimed.

He was sitting there as if he had been part of the conversation from the beginning.

“Kyaaaaaaah!!!” both girls screamed simultaneously. I wanted to scream too, but I held back.

“How rude of you all. Please don’t scream as if a pervert just showed up,” Yonezaki chided.

Both girls opened and closed their mouths wordlessly. They probably wanted to say a pervert would be better, but reason seemed to prevail, stopping them from saying such a thing to Yonezaki.