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Translator: TipToe
Translator (October 5, 2024 Version): Barnnn
By the time Tsutomu returned, the Shell Crab still thrashed its massive claws, as animated as before. Garm stood firm, expertly deflecting a sweeping strike with his buckler, while Amy darted in close, her dual blades flashing as they slashed at the creature’s spindly legs.
The crab’s limbs, once encased in thick shell and ore, now lay exposed in places, several of its delicate joints stripped bare. Even its pincers bore the signs of damage, chipped and dulled from repeated blows. Though the only clear wound was the puncture Amy had driven into its carapace, the steady wear on its armor revealed how systematically the two had whittled away its defenses.
From his vantage point, Tsutomu could discern a faint, ghostly sphere hovering in the distance. The object, like an unblinking eye, hung in the air with the number “9” etched in its depths.
Tsutomu recognized it immediately — Garm had spoken of this before. The camera, known in this world as a God Eye, was silently recording the battle, broadcasting it to the Monitor.
[Ugh, so annoying,] Tsutomu thought, his gaze narrowing at the floating eye.
Though the God Eye phased through the trees, its form apparently intangible, its erratic flitting about was nothing but a distraction.
As if attuned to his thoughts, the Eye suddenly swiveled in his direction, lingering on him for a moment before darting off the edge of his vision. Its perceptive behavior only deepened his irritation, his jaw tightening in response.
Amy, noticing Tsutomu’s arrival, disengaged from the creature and hurried to his side.
“<<Heal>>. <<Protect>>.”
“Thanks — and sorry, I ended up using three Potions,” Amy said, bowing her head in apology as the magic wrapped over her.
Tsutomu smiled gently, an awkwardness creeping into his expression as he motioned for her to look up.
“Don’t worry about it. You two have been holding up well.”
Amy sighed. “…Actually, it was mostly Garm who’s been keeping the line.”
“Maybe, but you’ve been chipping away at its armor — and that blow to the carapace was yours, wasn’t it?”
“Well… yeah!”
A flicker of pride crossed Amy’s face, the sheepish apology giving way to a smug grin. Tsutomu held back a chuckle and proceeded to cast <<Haste>> on her.
“I’ve set the traps. If the Shell Crab doesn’t take the bait at the first nesting ground, we’ll move to the next one. If it evades us again, we’ll retreat.”
“Got it.”
“I’ll let Garm know. Could you handle the Shell Crab while I speak to him?”
“Sure thing!”
Amy sped off toward the giant enemy crab, her figure almost a blur as Tsutomu followed.
“Garm!” Tsutomu called, “I’m casting <<Haste>>! Switch out with Amy!”
The air around Garm shimmered in blue as the spell took effect, infusing his movements with heightened agility. Unlike <<Protect>>, which simply bolstered defense, <<Haste>> sped up the body, changing the very rhythm of the fight. Tsutomu always announced it when casting, aware of how crucial timing was in battle.
Responding to the call, Garm struck the creature’s claw one last time with his sword, then leaped backward until he reached Tsutomu. Even in retreat, his eyes never left the Shell Crab, locked onto the threat before them.
As Garm withdrew, Amy slipped seamlessly into his place. A swift swipe from the Shell Crab’s claw whistled through the air, but she dodged with an elegant slide. Her dual blades slashed at one of its spindly legs. The creature retaliated, its massive bulk launching skyward in a desperate attempt to crush her beneath its weight. Yet Amy, light and surefooted as a cat, darted aside, leaving the creature to crash into the sand.
After watching Amy, Garm turned to Tsutomu and bowed deeply. Tsutomu barely had time to register the gesture before Garm produced two empty Potion vials from beneath his armor.
“I used two Potions. My apologies.”
Tsutomu regarded him with a weary smile — first Amy, now him. Garm’s large, furry tail swayed, his eyes narrowing as he bowed again, the picture of solemnity. Before the misunderstanding could fester, Tsutomu spoke quickly, his words rushing out.
“It’s fine. Amy already told me. You did well, holding the line on your own.”
“I took hits I shouldn’t have. Deduct the cost from my personal reward. I’m truly sorry.”
Tsutomu sighed, feeling the weight of Garm’s unyielding sense of duty pressing on him. “That’s not necessary.”
…But Garm’s expression remained resolute. “Is IS necessary. I insist.”
“…Look, we don’t have time to discuss Potion expenses right now. We’ll settle it later, all right?”
Garm nodded, satisfied with the proposal for now. Tsutomu, noting how Garm’s earnestness could border on self-oppressive, turned the conversation back to the task at hand.
“Anyway, I’ve set the trap. If the crab takes the bait at the first nesting area, great. If not, we’ll move to the next. And if it evades us there too, we’ll retreat.”
“Understood.”
“All right, then — let’s start breaking down its armor for real. <<Haste>> is about to wear off, so we need to move quickly. When it does, use <<War Cry>> to hold its attention.”
Garm’s brow furrowed slightly. “…You mean <<Combat Cry>>, right?”
Tsutomu blinked, then laughed awkwardly. “Ah, yes, <<Combat Cry>> — I got it mixed up. Sorry!”
Tsutomu proceeded to move closer to the Shell Crab. The shimmering blue aura of <<Haste>> surrounding Garm flickered and faded, signaling its end. At once, Garm separated from Tsutomu and unleashed a <<Combat Cry>>. The Shell Crab, which had been fixated on Amy, spun suddenly, skittering sideways toward him.
Its claws lashed out violently, the sheer force of their swing sending gusts of wind that tousled Tsutomu’s hair. Garm met the first blow, bracing himself as the creature’s heavy right claw slammed into his buckler. He sidestepped, deftly deflecting the strike. The smaller left claw snapped toward him, its sharp pincers gaping, but Garm anticipated the attack, slipping just beyond its reach as it clamped shut on empty air.
Amy, meanwhile, eyed the creature’s back, waiting for her chance to strike. The Shell Crab moved with more alertness now, its every turn a defense against the wound she had already inflicted. Each time she drew near, the beast would either spin or unleash a flurry of water needles from its carapace, warding her off.
[There must be a way to exploit that wound,] she thought, her mind racing. The memory of a technique she had once used as an Explorer surfaced, and a plan began to form. As the Shell Crab turned its attention fully to Garm, she sheathed her blades and sprinted toward the nearest tree.
“Garm!” she called as she climbed the tree. From her perch, she waved, catching Garm’s eye.
Understanding her intention immediately, Garm kicked sand toward the creature’s snapping jaws, a deliberate distraction. However, the Shell Crab suddenly turned its back on Garm entirely. For a brief, heart-stopping moment, Garm feared it had shifted its attention to Tsutomu. But instead, the creature crouched low, and with a sudden jerk, it fired another barrage of water needles from its carapace.
Two years ago, Garm would have dodged without a second thought. But the burden of his role — the unwavering sense of responsibility to hold the creature’s attention — slowed his reflexes. He was too late. The needles sliced through his iron armor, embedding themselves in his abdomen and thigh.
A sharp, searing pain gripped him, each needle a jagged spike lodged deep in his flesh. Blood began to seep from the wounds, soaking the sand beneath him, staining it dark and rust-red.
“Gah…”
Despite the agony twisting through his body, Garm did not falter. He had survived far worse during his time as an Explorer. He knew well that hesitation in battle could mean death.
As the Shell Crab’s pincers descended for a finishing blow, Garm narrowly evaded and sprinted toward the tree where Amy had taken cover. A soft green glow enveloped his legs as Tsutomu’s <<High Heal>> reached him, its energy spreading upwards, knitting together torn flesh and mending his internal organs. The stabbing pain in his abdomen dulled, and Garm breathed deeply, his steps quickening with renewed vigor.
Yet as he approached Amy’s position, Garm’s sharp eyes caught the crab’s sudden stillness. Its twitching antennae pivoted toward Tsutomu.
The massive creature launched itself forward, barreling across the sand like a truck, its enormous body sending waves of dust into the air. Tsutomu, successfully casting <<Haste>> on himself just in time, glanced up as the Shell Crab’s colossal claw arched overhead, casting a broad shadow over him.
In a heartbeat, Tsutomu threw himself sideways, muscles burning with desperation. He crashed onto the sand, tumbling across the ground in a clumsy roll. Sharp grains stung his face as the creature’s pincer slammed into the earth where he’d stood moments before, gouging a deep crater.
[One hit of that, and I’m done for,] Tsutomu thought, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he scrambled to his feet. His legs trembled beneath him, but instinct drove him forward, even as the crab’s claw swung again, grazing the air just behind him with a chilling whoosh.
“<<Combat Cry>>!” Garm’s voice echoed through the air.
Tsutomu, barely able to register the words, felt an overwhelming wave of relief as the crab’s attention snapped back toward Garm. His trembling jaw stilled, and he raised his staff, forcing his voice to steady as he shouted,
“<<Protect>>! <<Protect>>!”
A warm, earthy-yellow light bloomed around Garm and Amy, wrapping them in a protective aura. The repeated casts, combined with the cost of the prior <<High Heal>>, left Tsutomu momentarily winded, swaying on his feet. With a grunt, he forced himself upright, brushing sand from his clothes. Pulling a vial of Blue Potion from his belt, he uncorked it and chugged it down. The minty liquid coursed through his throat, sharp and invigorating, and clarity returned to his mind.
Stowing the empty vial at his waist, Tsutomu refocused on the battle. His eyes found the Shell Crab once more, now fixated on Garm, who was skillfully retreating toward Amy’s tree, his movements fluid as he sidestepped the beast’s vicious strikes.
At the foot of the tree, Garm positioned the thick trunk between himself and the Shell Crab’s snapping claws. The creature lunged forward, its left pincer opening wide, intent on crushing him. But Garm pivoted at the last moment, slipping behind the tree and launching himself away from it. The claw met wood instead of flesh, the impact splintering the trunk with an ear-splitting crack. The tree shuddered under the force, toppling with a heavy crash.
From her perch high in the falling branches, Amy leaped onto the Shell Crab’s back.
“<<Rock Splitter Blade>>!” she shouted as she drove her dual blades into the creature’s exposed flesh, plunging them deep into the vulnerable white tissue where its shell had been damaged. The impact reverberated through the beast, its shriek splitting the air.
“BEEEEEEEKIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!”
The Shell Crab convulsed violently, its body twisting and thrashing in a maddened frenzy. Even from his distance, Tsutomu could feel the raw fury radiating from the creature. Amy twisted her blades and wrenched them free before retreating, narrowly avoiding the creature’s frantic spasms.
“Niiice~~!” Amy muttered under her breath, her expression filled with satisfaction.
Seizing the opening, Garm rushed forward and drove his longsword into one of the Shell Crab’s jointed legs. The once-resilient shell, now cracked and weakened from the repeated blows, gave way beneath his strike, revealing more pale flesh. The creature reared back, a mixture of rage and pain contorting its body, its retaliation a frenzied assault of claws. Bubbling foam spewed from its maw as it whipped its limbs wildly in every direction, forcing Garm to fall back. But even as he retreated, the Shell Crab continued its thrashing, refusing to relent.
A torrent of water needles burst from its carapace, forcing Garm and Amy to prioritize evasion for a moment.
“We can’t get close right now,” Tsutomu observed. “Let’s focus on dodging. Garm, I’ll cast <<Haste>> to help you avoid those water needles.”
Amidst the relentless barrage, Tsutomu diligently maintained the effect of <<Haste>> on both Garm and himself. The trio weaved through the onslaught of water projectiles, careful not to collide with one another. Even with Garm’s attempts to anchor the Shell Crab’s attention with <<Combat Cry>>, its berserk state made its attacks erratic, striking wildly at anything within range. Tsutomu had to remain on high alert, constantly shifting his position to avoid the lethal needles.
Thanks to the agility granted by the <<Haste>> buff, the projectiles — though swift and deadly — were manageable from a distance. The high-speed bursts of water, lethal enough to puncture flesh at close range, lost their momentum as they traveled. Still, Tsutomu wasn’t unscathed. He had been hit four times already, each impact flinging him into the sand or dousing him in the briny tide pools. Covered head to toe in sand, he could feel Amy’s critical eyes on him, her gaze sharp with judgment, as if she were watching a child fumble through a task. Flustered, he brushed at his white robe.
As the Shell Crab’s rampage began to lose its intensity, Tsutomu stopped casting <<Haste>> on Garm and reverted to his usual support routine. He cast <<Protect>>, reinforcing Garm’s defense, and handed him a Blue Potion to drink before signaling the timing for Garm’s next <<Combat Cry>>.
Amy homed in on the already damaged portions of the crab’s armored carapace, while Garm maintained his role as the Tank, deflecting the creature’s blows while jabbing at its exposed flesh. Tsutomu hovered in the background, maintaining their buffs, healing as needed, and occasionally launching <<Air Blades>> whenever he was sure the crab’s aggro wasn’t on him.
With the Shell Crab visibly exhausted, its earlier storm of water needles now reduced to sporadic spurts, the tide of battle shifted in their favor. Sensing its weakness, Amy’s attacks became more audacious, her strikes carving deeper into the creature’s fractured shell. But as her ferocity grew, so too did the risk — Garm struggled to keep pace with the aggro she generated.
“Amy, ease up a little,” Tsutomu warned.
“Why!? We’re on a roll right now!” Amy protested.
“Maybe if we had a Mage, we could push harder. But if you die, the party dies with you. Please — hold back.”
“…Fine,” Amy sighed, reluctant but resigned.
Despite the wear and tear on the Shell Crab, its claws still held enough power to crush Amy and Tsutomu in an instant. And should either of them fall, Garm — even with his history as an Attacker — couldn’t handle the frontline alone.
Amy’s compliance, though begrudging, was a necessary shift in the pace of battle. Under Tsutomu’s watchful eye, Garm resumed his steady dismantling of the creature. Bolstered by the continued support skills, his sword chipped away at the Shell Crab’s armored joints. With three legs now cracked open, the white flesh beneath glistened, vulnerable. One limb, ravaged by repeated assaults, hung by mere strands of tendon.
Sensing an opportunity, Tsutomu shot <<Air Blades>> at the weakened leg, giving a satisfied chuckle as the Shell Crab stumbled, its balance lost. Garm wasted no time in driving his longsword into the weakened limb’s joint for massive damage.
Then, he roared, “<<Mystic Blade>>!”
Garm’s sword ignited with a magical blue light. With a swift, diagonal slash, he cleaved through the air, striking again at the leg. The Shell Crab let out a feeble cry, its strength waning as a fourth leg buckled beneath it. In desperation, it skittered away.
Tsutomu frowned, feeling a ripple of irritation within him. <<Mystic Blade>> was undeniably powerful, but it shouldn’t have been dished out just now. He had instructed Garm to conserve his energy for more essential tools — <<Combat Cry>> and <<Enchant>>. <<Mystic Blade>>, on the other hand, was best saved for when engaging the Shell Crab after tracking it to one of its nests.
Now, with the Shell Crab retreating, the momentum of the fight could have been pushed further, but Garm’s premature use of his most potent ability left an opening.
[He’s getting a little too excited,] Tsutomu thought, noting that Amy had shown similar eagerness earlier. He made a mental note to adjust things accordingly and address this later.
The Shell Crab, now grievously wounded, spat a viscous, milky substance toward Garm. This adhesive secretion, used to cement shells and minerals to its body, would immobilize him if it landed. Yet with <<Haste>> still in effect, Garm sidestepped it effortlessly. The attack signaled a crucial turning point: the creature’s health had plummeted below half.
Tsutomu gave a curt nod. “All right, on to the next phase.”
Beside him, Amy could barely contain her bubbling excitement, her fingers fidgeting impatiently around the hilts of her dual blades.
“Whoo, yeah baby! This is what I’ve been waiting for!” she cried, her voice giddy with exhilaration.
With a sudden burst of speed, Amy launched herself forward like a cat pouncing on a mouse. In a flash, she had vaulted onto the Shell Crab’s back, her blades plunging deep into its gaping wounds. The creature attempted to unleash its water needles in retaliation, but its reserves were drained. Struggling, it turned toward the tide pools to replenish, but Tsutomu unleashed a series of <<Air Blades>> aimed at its exposed leg, causing the creature to flinch.
In that moment of hesitation, Amy tore into its shell with unbridled glee, stabbing again and again. The crab let out a high-pitched scream, writhing violently beneath her. Yet Amy clung to her swords, laughing as blue blood splattered across her face, as if caught in the throes of some frenzied amusement. Tsutomu frowned, sensing her growing recklessness; he decided he had to keep an eye on her as well.
As the battle dragged on and the Explorers’ upper hand became more certain, the Shell Crab slammed both its enormous claws into the earth. Foam bubbled violently from its maw as it gouged its way through the sand.
“Tsutomu! It’s getting ready to move!” Garm shouted, his shield raised to block the incoming wave of sand kicked up by the creature’s flailing limbs.
“Right. The foam is white, and its shell’s starting to peel — it’s retreating to heal.”
Tsutomu cast another well-aimed <<Air Blade>> as he kept an eye on the Shell Crab. Amy, sensing the shift, hopped off the crab’s back and dashed toward Tsutomu.
After another moment, the Shell Crab reared back and leaped high into the air, its hulking form spinning like a massive drill. Both pincers drove into the sand with terrifying speed, and it burrowed down, flinging sand in every direction as it vanished beneath the earth. A low rumble echoed as its frenzied movements grew distant, and soon the battlefield was silent.
Tsutomu drove his White Staff into the sand to free his hands and catch his breath. Garm wiped the blood from his longsword before sheathing it. Nearby, Amy hastily stowed her dual blades, though her eyes still gleamed with excitement, the thrill of the fight lingering.
“Judging by the sound of it, looks like it went the opposite direction of the trapped nests,” Tsutomu remarked.
“Should I chase after it? I’ve got a feel for it now — if I find it, I can finish it off fast!”
Amy’s cat ears twitched with anticipation, her whole body buzzing with energy. She had inflicted more damage than expected and was itching for the thrill of the kill. But Tsutomu shook his head slowly, knowing the creature still had around thirty percent of its health left — as indicated by the white foam spewing from its mouth. If it was any weaker, the foam would have been either purple or blue — which marked twenty and ten percent health, respectively.
“No, we’ll check on the trapped nests. If we can’t spot it from a distance, we’ll retreat.”
“But it went that way! I know it! Shouldn’t we–”
“Amy, listen.”
Before she could argue further, Garm’s large hand clasped the back of her neck. With surprising ease, he lifted her off the ground. Her legs kicking in protest, she shot him a glare as he gently set her down, unbothered by her fuming expression.
“Tsutomu is the party leader. We follow his orders.”
“…You can’t assume the leader’s always right,” Amy muttered, her voice quiet but filled with conviction. “Even the big Clans make mistakes. And this is Tsutomu’s first time at the Beach. Sure, he’s watched the broadcasts, but you and I have been here, Garm. Seen it with our own eyes, fought it with our own hands.”
Garm folded his arms, frowning. “I understand how you feel. We did make progress. But orders are orders.”
“I know! But it’s almost dead — I can feel it! We can take it down!”
Amy’s eyes gleamed with raw excitement, and the calm demeanor she had tried to maintain shattered as she turned back to Garm, voice rising with urgency. Garm, too, seemed unsettled, rattled by the looming possibility of victory over the Beach’s boss — a previously insurmountable wall.
“Well, even if it gets away, we’ve only used five Potions so far. We can afford to try again,” Tsutomu said, trying to ease their tension. “The Cursed Magic Stone we got from the Wasteland more than covers our expenses.”
Amy’s disbelief was instant, prompting her to step forward. “What!? You’re being way too cautious!”
Garm, however, unfolded his arms and said calmly, “…Actually, Tsutomu has a point. Five Potions, even from the Forest Apothecary, aren’t a huge loss. And we haven’t tested the trap yet — it could work.”
“Garm, not you too…” Amy groaned “We’re letting this chance slip! Those traps never work! Even the major Clans failed with them!”
“And you want to leave it to fate again? Remember how that worked out for your Clan.”
“That–!” Amy’s words faltered, her fists clenching. “That was NOT my fault!”
Her golden eyes flared dangerously, and her white hair seemed to shimmer with tension, giving her an almost feral aura. For a brief, chilling moment, Tsutomu felt as though he were standing in front of a monster. Instinctively, he took a step back, a cold shiver running through him as Amy’s fury radiated.
Garm, startled by Amy’s sudden outburst, drew back for a moment, his expression faltering. But he quickly regained his composure, his voice unwavering as he confronted her.
“I don’t know all the details of what happened with your Clan, but let’s not pretend our stories are all that different. We failed to clear this layer because we didn’t have a strong enough Attacker to finish the job.”
“…Don’t lump us together like that.”
“Tsutomu’s plan to use a trap is… well, something major Clans have tried and failed, that’s true. But my Clan? We never even tried. We just hoped — we thought luck would guide us, that only the Clans blessed by God would find the Shell Crab and get led the rest of the way by divine favor. We didn’t strategize. We chased after the creature like fools, relying more on prayer than reason.”
“……”
Back then, a rumor had swept through the Guild like wildfire: only Clans chosen by God could find the Shell Crab. The belief was seductive in its simplicity — that once the creature was located, they would know divine intervention was in their favor. It was an excuse to stop thinking critically — a surrender to fate.
Both their Clans had fallen victim to that easy path, crumbling before they could try something more thoughtful, more deliberate.
“Our LUK ratings weren’t enough to depend on divine favor,” Garm continued, his voice softening with regret. “That’s why I–”
“…Heh, maybe you’re right. Maybe we just didn’t have it in us to make it happen. But now we’ve got the ‘Lucky Boy’ with us, right?”
Amy’s tone was bitter, laced with self-mockery.
Tsutomu’s grip tightened on his staff, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if holding something darker at bay.
Garm’s eyes flared with anger as he moved to grab Amy by the collar, but before his hand could close the distance, Tsutomu’s staff interceded.
“Heh. So you’ve figured it out, Amy? I factored that in from the start. My LUK rating just went up to D+ recently — It’s higher than yours AND Garm’s now.”
Tsutomu cracked a smug grin and placed a hand on Amy’s shoulder in what should have been a reassuring gesture. But as she turned to face him, a sudden chill ran down her spine. His smile was as gentle and familiar as ever, but his eyes — they looked at her not as an equal, but as a kitten, a creature far beneath him. It was almost the same look he gave the Explorers at the Guild who called him ‘Lucky Boy,’ as though they were no more than insects.
Amy froze under that gaze, a cold sweat trickling down her back. She had never felt so small, so reduced to something other than herself in his presence.
Releasing his grip, Tsutomu turned and walked ahead, his footsteps crunching on the sand.
“Trust me, Amy,” Tsutomu said softly, “We’ve got this. But if we don’t move soon, the Shell Crab will start to heal. Let’s go before the markers I’ve put down expire.”
With that, Tsutomu patted Garm on the shoulder with his usual carefree demeanor and broke into a light jog. Garm spent a moment to cast a glance at Amy before going after Tsutomu. Amy lingered behind, trying and failing to sort through the conflicting thoughts that filled her mind, before beginning to follow them.
The God Eye, watching all three from afar, hurried to keep pace with them.
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well well well what do we have here ? will crab die ? we will see in next episode of dragon ball Z