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Translator: TipToe
Translator (October 7, 2024 Version): Barnnn
After trailing the markers for nearly twenty minutes, Tsutomu came to a stop atop a small sand dune. With a swift gesture, he signaled for the others to crouch down, then reached into his Magic Bag and drew out a pair of binoculars. His gaze settled on two distant palm trees.
“There it is,” he murmured.
Hunkered low against the dune’s slope, Tsutomu’s eyes picked out a pile of fish sinking beneath the sand. Just beyond, the thin, black antennae of a Shell Crab slowly emerged. The antennae swiveled in a complete circle. Once one retracted, the crab beneath the surface began to stir, its movements subtle, almost impossible to discern from afar.
Tsutomu handed the binoculars to the others. After their confirmation, both of them gripped their weapons, their expressions hardening. With a half-smile, Tsutomu cast <<Haste>> on Amy as she dashed forward. The crab, sensing their approach, reacted at once, bursting from the sand in a sudden, violent motion.
Its pale flesh had turned a ghastly hue, and frothy blue foam seeped from its mouth.
[Something’s wrong,] Garm thought, his brow furrowed as suspicion darkened his features. He swung his longsword, slicing through one of the crab’s exposed legs. Dark blue blood sprayed from the wound, staining the creature’s discolored flesh. The crab retaliated sluggishly, its claws swinging downward with little force, and Garm sidestepped with ease.
Amy leaped onto its shell, slashing at the exposed flesh with precision. Thick, murky blood oozed from the gashes, slicking her dual blades.
The creature faltered, its massive form collapsing into the sand, feebly trying to raise itself on trembling claws. But Amy showed no mercy — she stabbed and tore into its body without hesitation. Garm moved in tandem, hacking relentlessly until one of the creature’s legs was severed, the limb cleaving away in a clean stroke.
A guttural screech tore from the Shell Crab as it slumped lifelessly, its convulsions the only remaining sign of life. Dark blood gushed from its wounds, pooling in the sand as its antennae twitched feebly.
Then, in a shimmer of light, its entire body began to dissolve, glowing particles streaming upward like shards of a disintegrating jewel.
“Wait, what…?” Amy muttered, her voice tinged with disbelief as she watched the massive creature fade away.
Garm, still tense, stood frozen with his sword raised.
The glowing fragments drifted toward the sea. Amy, stepping back, continued to stare in confusion. Garm, on the other hand, kept his weapon poised.
Tsutomu, observing the scene, allowed a grin to creep across his face. “Wow, that Swamp poison sure did a number on it,” he chuckled.
As the last of the light flickered from the crab’s remains, a blue Magic Stone dropped with a thud into the sand, its size enormous — easily requiring two hands to lift. Tsutomu’s grin widened, his fists pumping in quiet triumph.
A crack rang out through the air, and suddenly, two Black Gates popped into existence — a pair of portals, one leading deeper into the fifty-first layer, the other back to the Guild. Tsutomu glanced at the gate that went downward into the depths of the Dungeon. With a soft sigh, he stretched his arms.
“Well, that was smooth. Let’s take a quick peek at the Valley before heading back,” he said with a bright, almost casual tone, and proceeded to slip the Large Magic Stone into his Magic Bag.
The others followed him, their steps more hesitant, as the trio approached the Black Gate together. Light enveloped them, their bodies dissolving into a cascade of glowing particles, whisking them to the fifty-first layer. Behind them, the God Eye remained, recording until the last moment.
――▽▽――
During their survey of the Valley — a stunning V-shaped gorge cradled between verdant mountains — Tsutomu and his team confirmed the fatal drop that awaited anyone careless enough to misstep. With nothing more to glean from the landscape for now, they returned to the Guild. As they stepped through the Black Gate, Tsutomu, out of habit, offered a polite greeting to the Dragonewt gatekeeper.
The usual jeers of “Lucky Boy” echoed around them, but Tsutomu paid them no mind. He and his companions joined the queue at the reception, the disdainful stares of fellow Explorers brushing over them as always. Yet today, a shift had occurred — members of several mid-tier Clans now watched them with interest.
[They must have watched our broadcast,] Tsutomu mused as he reached the front of the line.
A slip of paper was handed to him, and pressed his saliva against it — a routine necessary to update his Status Card. The bald receptionist took it, disappearing for a brief moment before returning with the team’s newly updated cards.
“So… you guys defeated the Shell Crab, huh?” The man’s tone was grave, his face set in disbelief.
Tsutomu gave a curt nod. The receptionist, his expression softening only slightly, offered a quiet congratulations as he passed the cards to them. Each card had shifted to a pale brown, a mark of their progress.
“Well done, Garm, Amy,” he added with a nod of respect.
“Thank you,” Garm responded, a rare smile lighting his face.
“Y-Yeah… thanks,” Amy whispered, her voice catching as she took the card, eyes glistening with emotion.
They stared down at their cards, the realness of what they had accomplished finally settling over them. Garm’s smile grew broader, while Amy blinked away tears that threatened to spill. Tsutomu, meanwhile, accepted his card with a satisfied grin, his eyes quickly scanning the updates.
======
KYOUTANI TSUTOMU
LV 23
STR D
DEX D+
VIT D
AGI D
MND C-
LUK D+
JOB: White Mage
SKILLS: Heal, Aura Heal, Flash, Air Blade, Protect, Medic, Haste, Raise, High Heal, Area Heal, Holy Wing
======
[We’ll take on the Valley once I hit level 28 and learn <<Fly>>. I’ll need a lot of practice — no chance I’ll master it right away. Maybe I should try out some of those emergency magic tools, too…]
From the fifty-sixth layer onward, the Valley’s landscape transformed, shedding its lush greenery for a harsh, desert-like expanse. The soft cushion of trees and dense foliage vanished, leaving behind treacherous drops where even a minor fall could spell disaster.
There was only one easily accessible way to survive such a descent: the <<Fly>> spell. In the game, it had been simple enough to use, but Tsutomu knew reality wouldn’t be as kind. Just casting it wouldn’t be enough — it would demand control and finesse. The thought drew a faint crease across his brow.
[I’d like us to push through the Valley before the major Clans come off break… But damn, that’s going to be rough.]
For the past month, the moniker “Lucky Boy” had clung to him, as inescapable as it was unwelcome. Whether in the bustling streets, the guild hall, or even at the inn, the nickname followed him like a shadow. The newspapers had run a photograph of him right after the Black Staff auction, and now his face was vaguely familiar to many, even if they didn’t know his name.
Even the innkeeper used it from time to time, and children would point him out in the streets with innocent delight, chanting, “It’s Lucky Boy! Lucky Boy!” While the children meant no harm, the Explorers said it with a sneer, their intentions laced with mockery. Each time he heard it, Tsutomu’s irritation grew. He often fantasized about shaking the innkeeper by the shoulders and shouting, “MY NAME IS TSUTOMU!”
But picking a fight over something so trivial was beneath him; it wouldn’t do any good. So he swallowed the frustration, though inside, it gnawed at him. He was determined to not be stuck with that nickname forever. He needed something to silence it — a feat that would shut everyone right up. There were many paths to such recognition, but Tsutomu had already chosen the most direct: he would see his face displayed on the giant Monitors that loomed over the city’s markets and the ones inside the guild hall.
Of course, simply making it to the later parts of the Valley layers would be enough to earn some airtime — if timed well, outside the schedules of the major Clans. But Tsutomu knew that wouldn’t suffice. Not if he wanted to shake off his unwanted title. He had overheard the whispers of people standing before the Monitors — Clans that faltered before the Fire Dragon were quickly labeled cowards. Only those who kept challening it were lauded as heroes.
Knowing that, knew he had to shoot for the moon. He set his sights on the sixty-first layer — the deepest the major Clans had ventured. If he could surpass that, the “Lucky Boy” label would be stripped away, except perhaps among the more spiteful Explorers.
Tsutomu could already hear how people would dismiss today’s victory over the Shell Crab — reducing it to pure chance, an accident of fortune. After all, their superstitions mirrored the former selves of Amy and Garm. He had to push forward, his thoughts already racing toward the Fire Dragon that awaited at the Valley’s final layer.
There was no time for rest. After turning in his updated Status Card, Tsutomu turned to Garm and Amy.
“All right, that’s it for today. I think I’ll be grinding some levels on the Beach tomorrow — I’ll need both of you there.”
“Got it,” Garm replied, his tail wagging enthusiastically.
Noticing Amy’s continued sulking, he proceeded to give her a solid slap on the back. She stumbled forward, yelping in surprise before shooting him a glare. Finally, she turned to Tsutomu, her eyes apologetic.
“…Uh, Tsutomu, about earlier. I’m sorry, all right? For calling you Lucky Boy,” she said, bowing her head.
Taken aback, Tsutomu raised his eyebrows but quickly offered a smile, helping her stand straight.
“It’s fine. I didn’t mind.”
“…Really?” she asked, uncertainty lacing her voice. “Because you looked pretty mad…”
Amy, still fidgeting nervously, glanced at Tsutomu. His lips curled in a smile, yet there was something about his expression — a subtle shadow. She tried to gauge his mood, but his face remained unreadable. He scratched his head awkwardly, as though recalling something.
“Ah, that’s right… didn’t you once say you hated being lumped in with those ‘useless bugs’? You even switched to my way of updating your Status Card because of it.”
“Y-Yeah…”
“And YET you still called me ‘Lucky Boy,’ just like them.”
“……”
Amy’s eyes darted away, unable to meet his gaze — it was as if Tsutomu had seen straight through her. Beside them, Garm let out a soft chuckle, clearly entertained by the unfolding drama.
“That’s all I wanted to say,” Tsutomu added.
“…Yup, you’re TOTALLY mad! I’m sorry! Please don’t kick me out of the party! The Guild Master will kill me if you do!”
Tsutomu sighed, shaking his head. “I’m not kicking you out. If anything, I’m asking you to stay. Without you, things would get difficult.”
“Liar!” she cried, clinging to his arm, her voice high-pitched and desperate. “You’re still mad — I can see it on your face!”
Amy dropped to the floor dramatically, tugging at the hem of Tsutomu’s sleeve, her grip tight and frantic. Her loud pleas were starting to draw the attention of other Explorers, making Tsutomu’s expression twitch with embarrassment.
“All right, all right, Amy — if you want to make it up to me, how about I just cancel your share of today’s reward?”
Garm, his tone suddenly conspiratorial like a corrupt police officer, leaned in. “Hold on, Tsutomu. First, we need her to resign from the Guild. Then we’ll split her savings among the staff she’s indebted to. After that, we toss her into the Valley without any gear…”
“Garm, what the hell did Amy do to you to deserve all that?”
“Oh, my list of grievances is endless. This is the perfect chance to settle everything. Trust me — everyone at the Guild’s had enough.”
“Tsutomu! Please forgive me! I don’t wanna be thrown out into the streets!”
“Whoa, whoa — stop pulling on my clothes, Amy! You’re going to stretch them out!”
“You’ll run away if I let go! Don’t leave me! Please, Tsutomu, don’t leave me!”
He let out a strained laugh, glancing around at the curious onlookers. “Ahahaha, this is turning into a soap opera… Look, Amy, let’s step outside! You’re causing a scene here!”
Amy stayed glued to him as they made their way out, her hands gripping his like a lovesick girlfriend afraid of a breakup.
After some more back-and-forth, they eventually reached an agreement: Amy would do anything Tsutomu asked to make up for the fiasco she had started. For now, Tsutomu, unable to think of anything, left the matter unresolved, promising to decide later.
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