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Translator: TipToe
Translator (November 10, 2024 Version): Barnnn
Discovering the Black Gate hidden behind the waterfall, Tsutomu and his party stepped through, emerging on the fifty-third layer. The moment they arrived, Tsutomu felt the pressure in his ears release, the pain ebbing away. He was relieved to find they had been transported to a lower altitude this time.
“From here on, the Orcs will start coming at us in groups. Stay sharp,” Camille said.
“And the Carrier Birds…” Tsutomu added, his eyes sweeping the sky. “They’ll be a problem too. You should be fine, Camille, but Garm and I will need to stay on high alert.”
Carrier Birds, the dreaded mainstay of the Valleys, were infamous for their savage dives, their talons seizing anything — equipment or people — and carrying them high, high up before letting them fall to their doom. To those unaccustomed to flight, these creatures were nothing short of terrifying, despised by many Explorers.
Tsutomu had already endured the experience once — being snatched up, dangling helplessly in the sky. While Camille had been swift in saving him, there was no guarantee she’d always be able to. Quietly, Tsutomu hoped that if another bird appeared, it would target Garm this time.
As Camille set off to scout ahead, Tsutomu prepared his Potions and then stood in place, his thoughts drifting under the clear expanse of the blue sky. After a while, his eyes caught sight of a small red dot far in the distance — Camille, flying toward them without bothering to shift into her <<Dragon Form>>. As the dot grew larger, he noticed something else — a gigantic avian shadow behind her.
It was a Carrier Bird — it loomed closer, its black wings stretched wide, talons gleaming in the sunlight. Alarmed, Tsutomu gripped his White Staff and glanced at Garm.
“Training time, boy!” Camille called, grinning as she landed beside them.
The Carrier Bird circled above, its piercing gaze fixed on Tsutomu. It seemed to be particularly distracted by his shimmering white robes. And then, with the speed of a thunderbolt, it dove — straight at him. Before Tsutomu could react, he felt its talons clamp down around him, squeezing tight around his torso and lifting him violently off the ground.
“Tsutomu!?”
Garm’s voice faded as Tsutomu was swept high into the sky, the world shrinking beneath him. His vision blurred, and his body, trapped in the bird’s iron grip, felt paralyzed, unable to move. His heart raced wildly, and panic set in.
Tsutomu struggled to clear his mind — and by the time he managed to, the world came into focus again, and he found himself staring down at the ground, far below, like peering over the edge of a Ferris wheel. Then the Carrier Bird screeched, a sound that felt almost like mocking laughter, before it loosened its grip. Without warning, Tsutomu was falling, plummeting headfirst toward the earth.
“What the hell–!?”
Terror gripped him as he spiraled uncontrollably, the ground spinning closer and closer. His vision warped, twisting in every direction like he was caught in a washing machine. Then, through the blur, he glimpsed the White Staff clutched in his right hand. A flicker of hope ignited. He had a way to stop this.
“<<Fly>>!”
A sudden rush of wind broke his fall, slowing his descent for a brief, precious moment. But it wasn’t enough. The pull of gravity persisted, and the ground loomed even nearer. Tsutomu’s instincts screamed that he would not survive the impact.
He tried to cast <<Fly>> again, desperation clouding his thoughts, but it wouldn’t activate properly. The wind caught him, reducing his speed, but it couldn’t stop him completely. His limbs flailed as he fought to steady himself, his mind teetering on the edge of panic.
Then, just as the tops of the trees came into focus and Tsutomu’s breath caught in his throat, he felt something seize him from the side. A familiar voice rang out, cutting through all the noise — Camille. She had snatched him from the air, her red leather armor gleaming as she hauled him over her shoulder. They sailed through the sky, gliding in a graceful, sweeping arc before gently rising, the wind carrying them upward once more.
As the force of Tsutomu’s plummet ebbed away, Camille gently guided them both toward the ground. His breaths came in ragged gasps, but with the landscape finally slowing around him, a deep sense of relief washed over his body.
“Tsutomu. Can you try casting <<Fly>> now? See if you can manage on your own,” Camille said, her face suddenly inches from his.
Startled, Tsutomu blinked and nodded, quickly casting <<Fly>>. The familiar sensation of wind enveloped him, lifting his body once more. He hesitated for a moment, then slowly released his grip on Camille’s shoulder, hovering unsteadily in the air by himself.
“Well, how was it?” Camille asked with a teasing smile. “Did you enjoy your little skydive?”
“……”
Tsutomu didn’t respond. Instead, he fixed her with a long, silent glare before turning his head away, the sting of unshed tears blurring his vision. He lowered himself slowly, with Camille trailing behind him, a playful hand ruffling his hair as they descended.
“Think of it as a rite of passage,” she said, her tone just a little apologetic, though still lighthearted. “Everyone in my old Clan who comes to the Valley for the first time goes through it. Sorry if I scared you, but if you don’t learn to handle this now, the Carrier Birds will keep targeting you.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right…” Tsutomu muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Thank you so much, MISS Camille, for saving me.”
Camille grinned at his exaggerated politeness, leaning in close to whisper into his ear.
“See, it was a fun little tradition of ours — whenever some cocky newbie joined us, we’d let them get snatched up by a Carrier Bird. We wouldn’t rescue them right away, though. We’d watch them squirm, flailing around up there, crying out for help. Then we’d get close — real close — and drag out the rescue for as long as we could. They’d be begging by the end of it. And I have to admit, it was adorable seeing their arrogance vanish.”
“Uh, r-right!” Tsutomu’s face drained of color. He shifted the conversation hastily, his unease plain in the way his words stumbled over one another. “Let’s, um, hurry back to Garm, Camille! It’d be bad if something happened while we’re gone!”
“Sure, sure,” Camille replied with a sly grin. “But don’t worry. Garm needs his turn, too.”
A chill crawled up Tsutomu’s spine as he quickened his pace, eager to return to the safety of the ground. When they finally reached Garm, he was standing there, brow furrowed in confusion as Tsutomu approached with a burst of energy that hadn’t been there earlier.
――▽▽――
After that, the Carrier Birds swooped down relentlessly, plucking both Tsutomu and Garm into the air time and again. Garm’s first attempt was clumsy, with it resulting in his leg being injured, but he did manage to land on his own. Tsutomu, meanwhile, found himself needing Camille’s rescue on several more occasions — each time leaving him embarrassed… in more meanings than one.
But through these harrowing moments, Tsutomu began to adapt. Slowly, with each heart-pounding flight and near-crash, he eventually learned to land on his own. Camille had remarked that near-death experiences were the fastest way to learn — an idea Tsutomu almost agreed with as they pressed deeper into the fifty-third layer.
They were ascending a narrow mountain path, with Garm leading the way, when a sound broke through the silence — heavy footsteps, pounding the earth behind them. Tsutomu exchanged a glance with Garm, who nodded and silently shifted to the rear, taking up a defensive stance. Tsutomu cast <<Protect>> on both his companions.
Then the threat came into view — three hulking, green-skinned Orcs barreled up the path. Larger than Garm, they were clad only in brown loincloths, each brandishing crude weapons — worn-out short swords and bucklers, cudgels, and the like.
“<<Combat Cry>>!”
Garm’s voice boomed as his red aura flared, drawing the Orcs’ attention. Provoked by the challenge, they charged. The first Orc swung its sword, its massive arm like a battering ram. Garm braced himself, slamming his tower shield into the ground to absorb the impact. The blow echoed like thunder, but Garm stood firm, retaliating with a swift jab of his short sword, embedding it in the Orc’s thick arm. Not particularly fazed, the monster roared and rammed Garm with its shoulder, but Garm lowered his stance, digging in as the impact rippled through his shield.
The two other Orcs lunged from the sides, trying to flank him.
“<<Shield Bash>>!”
With a powerful thrust, Garm slammed his shield at the Orc in front of him, sending it careening down the slope. He spun swiftly to meet the two oncoming Orcs, blocking one with his shield.
On his right, Camille had already moved into position, her greatsword raised high above her head.
“<<Power Slaaash>>!”
Camille’s sword cleaved through the Orc’s skull, splitting it as effortlessly as a heated knife through butter. The monster’s body disintegrated into shimmering particles, leaving behind only a Magic Stone. Without a second thought, Camille dashed down the slope to finish off the Orc Garm had sent tumbling. Meanwhile, Garm fought the remaining Orc, blocking its wild strikes with his shield, then forcing it off balance with a well-timed shove.
“<<Shield Throw>>,” the skill’s name left Garm’s lips in a near whisper as he flung his massive shield at the staggering Orc. The sharp edge of the shield pierced the monster’s chest, and before its body had fully dissolved into particles, the shield flew back into Garm’s hand.
“<<Holy Wing>>!”
Tsutomu, standing back but never idle, cast his attack skill. Glowing wings of light materialized before him, and with a swing, a flurry of shining feathers shot forward, striking the last of the fallen Orcs. The monster gave one final groan before dissolving, its Magic Stone landing softly on the dirt.
Tsutomu moved to collect the small green stone just as Camille climbed back up from below, having finished off the last Orc. But before she could reach them, a loud crash erupted from the nearby bushes.
A Red Grizzly burst through the underbrush, its massive form lumbering toward the group. The beast reared up on its hind legs, towering over the group, its red-furred belly catching the sunlight. Even larger than the Orcs, it was a fearsome sight, and it wasted no time, dropping to all fours and charging toward Camille.
Ignoring the beast’s approach, Camille sprinted toward Tsutomu and Garm. The Red Grizzly sped after her with shocking agility for a creature of its size — faster than any human could hope to outrun.
Tsutomu, catching Garm’s glance, nodded and pointed toward the beast. Garm slammed his shield and sword together, the loud clash reverberating through the valley, catching the Grizzly’s attention just as it closed in on them.
The Red Grizzly let out a fearsome roar, its long snout gaping wide as it barreled toward them, the sound reverberating through the trees like thunder. The bellow rivaled the intensity of Garm’s <<Warrior Howl>>, but he and the others stood unflinching, preparing to fight.
Garm, knowing he couldn’t endure a direct blow, sidestepped just as the Grizzly lunged. His shield crashed into its flank, sending the creature off balance. Camille darted forward, her greatsword ready to strike, but the Grizzly recovered quickly, swiping at her with a massive paw. She narrowly leaped back, avoiding what would have been a bone-shattering hit.
Even with Garm’s robust defenses, one solid strike from those claws could easily leave him with broken bones. Gritting his teeth, he inched closer, his shield raised, eyes fixed on the beast’s every movement.
Tsutomu, meanwhile, had pulled back to assess their surroundings. The dense brush lining the mountain path blocked much of his view, making it impossible to tell if other monsters lurked nearby. As Garm held off the Grizzly’s brutal strikes, Tsutomu cast <<Protect>> on both his companions. All the while, the thick undergrowth continued to nag at his mind — he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. It was times like this that he wished he had access to some scouting skills himself.
The Grizzly charged once more. Though Garm braced and blocked with his shield, the force of the blow was immense, sending him skidding backward several meters. The beast followed up immediately, driving its paw toward Garm like a spear. He blocked again, but this time the sheer power drove him down to one knee.
Before the Red Grizzly could capitalize on Garm’s moment of vulnerability, Camille rushed in.
“ORAAAAAA!”
With a mighty upward slash, she tore into the Grizzly’s exposed belly, the blade cutting deep. Blood and entrails spilled onto the ground as Camille lifted the massive creature off its feet. As the Red Grizzly slammed back down, she followed up with a swift, decisive strike to its skull, reducing the beast to particles. A Medium Magic Stone clinked against the dirt where the Grizzly had fallen.
Just as it seemed the battle was over, an eerie silence settled over the path. Then, without warning, the underbrush rustled, and several camouflaged Verdant Wolves slunk from the shadows, circling the trio with predatory intent.
“I wouldn’t mind stopping for lunch soon,” Camille remarked dryly.
“They’re probably here to join us,” Tsutomu quipped, though his eyes were already scanning further down the path. His weary gaze settled on three more Orcs charging up the slope. Sighing, he quickly snapped back into focus. “Garm, take half the Wolves and the Orcs. Camille, prioritize the Orcs. I’ll cast <<Haste>> on you. I’ll handle some of the Wolves myself.”
At Tsutomu’s command, Garm’s red aura flared with the activation of <<Combat Cry>>, provoking four Verdant Wolves and three Orcs into a frenzied attack. Camille, now enhanced by Tsutomu’s <<Haste>>, shot forward like an arrow, heading straight for the Orcs.
Garm, facing the combined force of two Orcs and four wolves, stood firm with his tower shield, fending off their wild attacks. He activated <<Shield Bash>>, slamming his shield into one Orc, buying himself a moment as the creature stumbled back, momentarily disoriented.
The wolves, however, were more cautious. They circled Garm, closing in little by little. Garm remained still, his shield ready, waiting for any one of them to make a move.
Finally, one wolf snapped its jaws and lunged, teeth bared. Garm raised his shield, slamming it into the wolf’s snout with a sickening crack. The beast yelped and vanished into the underbrush, but the remaining three didn’t hesitate. Two of them leaped at him from opposite sides while the third rushed from behind.
Garm managed to deflect one with his shield, but the others landed their attacks. One sank its fangs into his armored leg, the other scrambling onto his back, jaws snapping at his neck. Though his leg armor held, the wolf clinging to him posed a serious threat, its teeth dangerously close to his throat. Garm grunted as he used one arm to fend off the beast, pushing back against its snapping maw.
“<<Air Blade>>!”
A sudden gust of wind sliced through the air, striking the wolf on Garm’s back. The force knocked the beast off him, sending it tumbling away. Free from its weight, Garm kicked the other wolf hard, shaking it off his leg. The creature yelped in pain, momentarily disoriented as it staggered back.
Behind the clashing Orcs, Camille swung her greatsword with deadly precision, her every strike sending tremors through the air. Garm, quickly sizing up the situation, decided to leave one of the Verdant Wolves alone for the moment. His priority shifted to the two Orcs lumbering toward him. One, hefting a cudgel with both hands, launched a brutal swing. Garm raised his tower shield just in time, absorbing the blow, though the sheer force made his knee buckle slightly under the strain.
Before he could fully recover, another wolf lunged at him, sinking its fangs into his side. With no time to waste, Garm thrust his short sword into the creature’s throat. It let out a strangled yelp, blood pouring from its mouth as it crumpled to the ground, its body dissolving into particles soon after.
But Garm’s victory was short-lived. Just as he pulled his sword free, an Orc’s cudgel came crashing into his side with bone-crushing force. The impact sent Garm flying off his feet, crashing into the dense underbrush.
Tsutomu, battling the remaining Verdant Wolves a short distance away, caught sight of Garm’s fall from the corner of his eye. His mind raced, calculating their situation.
[Garm should be… right over there. <<Protect>> still has 20 seconds left, <<Haste>> is active for 40 more. The aggro levels are under control… We’re holding steady.]
With precise movements, Tsutomu brought his White Staff down on one wolf’s head, stunning it just long enough for him to cast <<Heal>> and <<Protect>> in Garm’s direction. The healing aura washed over Garm as Tsutomu sidestepped another wolf’s snapping jaws.
By then, Camille had already dispatched the Orc that had knocked Garm away. Garm, grimacing through the ache in his ribs, forced himself to his feet. Tsutomu’s healing had mended the worst of his injuries.
The wolves that had pursued Garm were swiftly felled by Camille’s relentless attacks. Garm rejoined the battle alongside Tsutomu, who, after quickly assessing that Camille was uninjured, cast a fresh round of <<Haste>> and <<Protect>> on her to ensure she remained boosted.
Then, with the last of the Verdant Wolves vanquished, silence fell over the mountain path once again. Tsutomu took a moment to scan the surroundings, then, while Garm and Camille stood guard, he moved quickly to gather the scattered Magic Stones.
[What a hassle…] he thought as he scrambled down the slope to collect everything. Many had rolled into awkward spots or hidden themselves within the thick foliage, making retrieval slow and tedious. Monsters being blasted away so dramatically always left him with this troublesome clean-up duty.
As he knelt to retrieve some particularly evasive Stones, Tsutomu found his mind drifting — perhaps it was time they hired a dedicated luggage carrier. They still had two vacant slots in their party, after all.
Once all the Magic Stones were gathered, he made his way back to Garm and Camille, who remained vigilant the whole time.
Silavin: Sorry guys. The Translator is caught up with school assessments and test so he’ll be dropping this. I’m currently looking for translators to join. If you know Japanese and you are keen to try, do contact on Discord
Regardless, there will only be one chapter this week and one more the next week.
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Thanks for the chapter!
“Shield Slow.” Uhh, shouldn’t it be throw instead of slow?
Thanks.
Sad to hear the news😔
Thanks for the chapter!!😉