Chapter 6 (1/2)

6th Episode 〜 Conversing in a Different World

Walking in this place full of bones, I wonder how many days have pa.s.sed……

Well, since I can walk without food or drink for days like this, I’m surely not human.

After all it’s a race whose name includes the characters for light and demon. (TN: When in j.a.panese)

However, ……my throat is dry, I’m hungry, and my body feels kind of worn out.

For the time being, I’ll check my condition.

Stopping my feet,

“Status.”

Name: Shuya Kagari

Age: 20

t.i.tle: Different World Castaway

Race: Lucivault

Battle Occupation: Chain User

Strength 1.5 – Agility 2.5 – Stamina 1.5 – Magic 3.5 – Dexterity 2.5 – Spirit 3.5 – Luck 1.5

Current Condition: Abnormal: Blood Plasma Deficiency Death Illness 15%

Such was displayed.

Hmm, this heavy feeling must be the illness.

“Abnormal” is attached as an entry under condition.

Furthermore, what is 15% plasma deficiency?

I touch Blood Plasma Deficiency Death Illness.

※Blood Plasma Deficiency Death Illness※

→Blood is depleted. Early symptom of mummification.

All ability values reduced by half, Starvation state 5〜30 initial state of hunger.

In this condition blood continues being lost abnormally fast. This state is isn’t affected by an Abnormal Status Invalidation skill. However, when starvation state reaches 100% mummification a loss of spirit causes the consciousness to be forcibly stolen away and enter a rampaging state.

Due to starvation frenzy, any abnormal state undermining the body is canceled, but if blood is not consumed within a few hours after it begin, final mummification will occur.

I feel like I want water.

My body seems to want blood.

This is early mummification.

Abilities are reduced by half, and I’ll rampage if I bleed?

Scary. However, it’s true my body has gotten heavy.

I think it’s because my stamina was reduced to half according to the number.

So I close out the status display.

My hunger decreased too. I’m thirsty and my lips are dry.

I can endure pain, but honestly, this dry throat is hard.

However, I cannot but keep walking.

The sounds of the bones rolling to the ground and being crushed echo.

I walk so as to forget time.

There’s no fatigue in my steps but they are heavy.

To the right side, the vertical cave which was broken, the triangle-ish rock cave was narrow across but tall vertically. (TN: Wut)

Is it a good omen? I stop advancing through the bone sea for a moment, and advance ahead to the hole.

If it’s damp there may be water.

I go into the dark cave without hesitating.

Inside is dark.

But, without minding it I advance.

A narrow rock pa.s.sage…… The rocks feel somewhat damp.

I go ahead through such a cave for a few days.

Honestly, there’s no sense of time anymore, I think several days have pa.s.sed.

Tomorrow, tomorrow, and, tomorrow, and with a stingy gait, everyday life advances.

The narrow rock pa.s.sage continues on.

The point to arrive at was written down for the luck of life, it is t

he end for me?

Oh? It doesn’t seem to be the end.

The moss s.h.i.+ning on the ceiling begins to stand out.

When my eyes grew accustomed to such faint light–

Mm? this is…it feels like cold water, humid air.

I smell a gra.s.sy-smell which smells like a forest.

Oootsu, it’s soft, or rather, the ground is dirt, gra.s.s?

It’s the feeling of stepping on gra.s.s.

–It’s gra.s.s. It’s gra.s.s.

Gra.s.s in such darkness.

Furthermore, this leaf, emits fluorescent light.

Starting from the veins the feint light extends out continuing through the small veins on the surface of the leaf.

The outside edge of the leaf emits a faint light.

This leaf, is it a subst.i.tute for proper light?

I touch the black leaf gra.s.s, and tore off a piece.

Using the light, I can decrease my hunger now, can I eat it?

Already, it’s good. Anything is good. I need to satisfy my appet.i.te.

It may cause my diarrhea to be colored, but I don’t care.

Yeah, I put the leaf in my mouth.

I bit the leaf, chewing. I keep eating the gra.s.s to satisfy my hunger.

Tsu, gu, it’s taste terrible……

It’s gross, but I continued eat until my hunger was satisfied.

Then……power overflowed from the bottom of my stomach, there’s still no taste, yet I’m feel oddly exhilarated.

There’s no stomach pain. I’m lucky.

I grabbed the black gra.s.s which grew on the ground and put it in my mouth.

While numbly chewing, I advance forward. The moment I casually put my hand on the rock wall–tsutsu, cold!

Ooooooo–Water. Water.

I can feel the water.

Barely from between the rocks, but water is flowing.

Putting my face on the damp rock, I pressed my dry lips to the cracks the water flowed from.

With a *buchu* I suck the water.

I desperately sip the trickling water.

Without looking. I don’t look, I just quench my thirst.

When my heart has been satisfied, suddenly, a pain ran through my foot.

“It hurts–”

Painful.

When I touched my foot blood was flowing. There’s a cut.

Why? –Ouch.

Again. Why?

I look at the underside, but it was covered with gra.s.s and I couldn’t tell.

Then, an animal like a rabbit broke out from the base of some gra.s.s giving off a slightly florescent color, but I saw it.

Teeth are bared.

But, it’s a rabbit.

A small black rabbit bit my foot.

Ite, my foot was cut.

Mm, the pain is sore, but it’s a rabbit, and this, is it meat? It’s food. Meat is meat. Meat aaah, hiyatsuha–I’ll accept the meat. I won’t let it escape. (TN: Goin’ all scary vamp on us.)

Catch it–

Also I’m trying to pull out my rusty sword to thrust while aiming at the feet, but this black rabbit, moves fast.

It ends in failure many times.

It’s fast. I will catch it.

As the rabbit jumps up and down many times, I stretched my foot out on purpose like bait and invited it.

–It takes it.

It throws itself of on my foot like pole-and-line fis.h.i.+ng.

I leaned forward and caught the black rabbit.

That way, I twist the head of the black rabbit, killing it.

Eh, it’s already completely barbarian.

Parasite like, for a moment, it pa.s.ses over my head but I don’t know.

Of course, I would like to cook and eat it, but I have no tool to create a fire here.

So, I carry the black rabbit I killed to the entrance.

I ate it raw.

The blood in the meat is the first in a long time……the body by the blood.

Yumyum, I was able to replenish my supply of blood……

The meat is a valuable source of protein.

For now, I’ll check it.

Status

Name Shuya Kagari

Age: 20

t.i.tle: Different World Castaway

Race: Lucivalt

Battle Occupation: Chain User

Strength 3.6 – Agility 4.5 – Stamina 3.5 – Magic 7.4 – Dexterity 5.1 – Spirit 7.4 – Luck 3.0

Current Condition: Healthy

I did it. The blood sickness was cured.

Fuu……I’m relieved to eat meat after such a long time.

I start to confirm the pale light in the area again.

The black leaves grow everywhere in the cave. The sound of black rabbits hopping around in the thick gra.s.s can be heard.

How the black rabbits are here too is a question, the meat of the black rabbit is important, there must be a lot inhabiting this area.

For the time being, I’ll live in this area with food……

I’m examining the range of where the strange black gra.s.s that emits light grows, I enlarge my living area little by little.

The range of where the black gra.s.s grows is oddly large.

It’s divided into many layers which branch to numerous caves, I continue deeper into the darkness.

Since I don’t continue going in the depths too much, I return to the cave I originally entered from the bone cave. A relatively large amount of black rabbits live here.

As I want meat, I decided to make this place my base.

I frantically catch the black rabbits for their meat.

However, as the black rabbits are quick I often miss. So I earnestly sip the water flowing from the rock, and the standard becomes living off of black gra.s.s.

Since my hunger is strangely satisfied eating just this leafy black gra.s.s, it became rare that I felt hungry.

Even if time pa.s.ses for a while I have a hard time catching the black rabbit, I was able to subst.i.tute food for bait and was able to catch one somehow.

The dismantling of the black rabbit is smooth too. I drink the blood first, and then after I drain the blood I use the rusty sword on it. I used the skin as a subst.i.tute for a cus.h.i.+on and loincloth.

That reminds me, there’s no stomach pain.

I live mainly on black leaf and black rabbit, but there’s never diarrhea. (TN: I don’t think it’s supposed to be translated as diarrhea but I find the image of our OP main character having diarrhea all the time kinda funny.)

Saying so, number-one comes out, but feces don’t appear.

Is it the help of the <hyper intestinal=”” absorption=””> skill?

If so that’s an amazing skill.

By the way, the s.e.xual urge is vigorous. The emerging thing emerges. (TN: He’s talking about his d.i.c.k.)

Black leaves are always tissue subst.i.tutes.

If there was a <delusion skill=””>, I’m confident I’d be able to acquire it.

Continuing living underground like this, when I thought I had completely adapted myself to the darkness–

※Pikon※  ※<night vision=””> Skill Acquired※

※Pikon※  ※<night crawler=”” adaptation=””> Permanent Skill Acquired※ (TN: The permanent skill is actually “darkness person” but that translation is lame so I’m changing it.)

<night vision=””> skill was acquired.

When I use it, there is a feeling of my sight suddenly expanding out, I begin to see a clear image.

This is amazing. I can catch a black rabbit easily.

I checked my status for <nigh crawler=”” adaptation=””>.

※Night Crawler Adaptation※

A skill which is only fit for races adapted to dark worlds in obtained. Various abilities improve only in darkness. The effect of the <reclusive hidden=”” body=””> skill increased. (TN: Changed Reclusive Body Hide à Reclusive Hidden Body.)

Darkness completely becomes my home after I acquired these two skills.

As expected it’s possible to easily catch black rabbits, I become able to eat meat very day.

It’s not altogether bad to live in this underground world.

And, time is money, I who forgot the words of opportunity cost.

My thoughts completely became those of a primitive man.

To catch a black rabbit today, while stepping on the mixed fluorescent colored black gra.s.s I advanced deeper into the dark cave.

Such a time, a dazzling light illuminated a corner, taking away my sight that was accustomed to darkness.

–Hiee, what? It’s dazzling, a torch?

Furthermore, a strange sound throbs in my ear.

The sound of dry hands clapping in prayer roared repeatedly.

What, what is it, I run in the cave where the black leaves grow thick–approaching the origin of the light and the mysterious sound.

Ah, is that a person? Uwa, they’re awfully short……

Approaching closer, trying to see.

While rubbing my eyes, I move with <reclusive hidden=”” body=””>.

I stoop down to hide myself in the dark cave where the gra.s.s grows thick.

I slowly approach the source of the brilliant light.

There is one of the short race.

Their height is about 120 cm? They are short and stout and a beard connect to the hair on its head, but the muscle quality.

Holding a torch in one hand, their head is moving looking for something.

Oh, by any chance, are they a member of the dwarf race?

The race which often appears in fantasy works.

The dwarf put the lantern which continued emitting a strange purple light on his hip. Dead black rabbits also hang there.

Now, if I reveal myself he’ll be frightened……

How to do it……

I think that’s a dwarf, but it’s an intellectual race in a different world.

This rusted sword shouldn’t last……

Before I could come out, the Dwarf opens his mouth.

“Fuhhahahahahahaha. Thank you “Paddock-sama,” I’m revived with this. A blessing came at last, both here and there was enough to grow. Hiyatsuhiyatsuhiyatsu,  a bitter experience was caused by the【Second King Meeting】, on the contrary, exile–It’s that worth of celebration? No, I’m glad. At this rate……the whole area where black kotokubi gra.s.s grows, goes to the bone sea.”

He says a soliloquy with heavy tension.

The first word, can be understood.

He has weapon……Eeei, however.

I yell with spirit, and jumped out of the gra.s.s.

When the Dwarf sees my figure, he comes to a complete stop with a dumbfounded expression.

“–Oh, oh, excuse me, zu,”

Ah, a voice but……

“Hiiaa, Nannayiaaaaa, This is my yiaaaaaa” (TN: I dunno, I’m bad when it comes to translating yelling.)

–The Dwarf’s eyes become bloodshot and showers me with threats, pulling a mace and axe out of his waste.

I struck first.

Dual wielding specializing in fear–

“–Jiyo, w-w-w-wait, stop, I, don’t intend to do anything.”

While retreating back, banzai, I put up both hands. (In j.a.pan when people go “Banzai!” they raise their arms up)

As it had been a long time since I last spoke words, my tongue was dry and I stuttered.

“Nuo, the words of a Dwarf with the accent? There’s no feathers on the back either……you aren’t “Garubana?”

He seems to have listened to my words.

Is it thank to the Language Comprehension skill? The dwarfs hears me with the proper accent.

Simply, it may be the result of my having stuttered.

But what is “Gurenba?”

In the Dwarf’s right hand is a mace, holding an axe in his left hand, the eyes are still scary.

I talk politely trying to be aware of my mouth and tongue.

“…That, what’s a Gurenba?”

“Nu? You can talk normally.  A gurnepa is a monter. The monster that appears in the bone sea. It’s said that black gra.s.s grows around the area of 【Great Guranpa Hallway】spreading out towards the sea of bones. The “Ancient Black Ring” exists there, it’s said that it appears around that area.”

That sea of bones.

But, it’s my own explanation time.

Aimu, I speak to the short dwarf in a friendly manner.

“It’s a monster……does the monster talk in this way?”

While repeating a gesture where I carefully raise and lower both arms, I loosen up and smile.

“…….Humu, the monster doesn’t do such a thing. It seems there isn’t a *ryogoru* sound in the realm of the dead, the face and there’s no feathers on the back, possibly……Maguru? But, I’ve seen it for the first time. Impossible……you don’t have the appearance of either and wear strange dirty clothes? Don’t Gnomes and Dark Elves use magic to disguise themselves?” (TN: Maguru might mean magic, not sure. The magic system in this novel is really f.u.c.kin’ complicate but you won’t learn about it till the second story arc.)

Ryogoru is the sound of h.e.l.l? What is Maguru?

Gnome and Dark Elf are other races.

Well, apart from that……

“That Maguru, I don’t understand, but I think I’m a person. So, together with you……”

“After all, on the cover, Maguru. As for me, I’m a dwarf. Because I was separated, I don’t give the whole family name. The name is Loirr”

The word Maguru means a person. (TN: Okay, it has nuthin to do with magic, but the conversation up till now makes a lot more sense.)

“Stray dwarf……Loirr-san. My name is Shuya Kagiri. Please call me Kagari or Shuya, whatever way you favor.”

“Loirr is fine. So, Shuya. You who are a Maguru, why, are you underground? Also, where this raw “Black Kotobuki Gra.s.s” grows, why are you here?” (Okay, judging by the coming conversation Maguru is a person from the surface.)

Asking, Loirr’s eyes were glaring.

Extremely cautious.

Are Magurus dangerous to dwarfs?

“That is……”

I have no choice but to make up a suitable story.

“I have no memories. I fell from a huge hole in the ceiling into the sea of bones, but I managed to escape unharm.”

“When it’s that……did you fall from the cover at the top? And you’re safe? Well, aside from that, did you walk through the dangerous sea of bones? The territory of Guranba without the sound of Ryogoru……”

Are Guranbas and Ryogoru monsters in the sea of bones?

“I didn’t encounter any “Guranba.” Though I met a corpse that moved like a person.”

“It probably so. If you met them you’d “be eaten” and “die.”

I don’t understand, so I’ll agree.

“Eeh, yes.”

Loirr wracks his head, while scratching his beard with a dirty hand he opens his mouth.

“Chi, I’ll check, but 【Langur Empire】is the biggest city, 【Underground City Sauzantomaunten】and 【Underground City Rindo】or the Dark Poison capitol 【Underground City Daumerazan 】, do any of the cities ring a bell?”

Like that, I have no way of knowing.

“What are those? Are there underground cities and countries?”

“……As expected. You don’t seem to know about other underground communities where dwarfs live in this world. In that case “Being Separated”, I don’t know the meaning either.”

The dwarf guesses, and falls silent.

“Eeh, what is it to be separated?”

“It’s when a dwarf is thrown out like me. Labeled as a criminal. I was exiled from Langur empire. It’s a breakdown in the power struggle by Ririumu in the 【Second King Society】. Being exiled outside the wall, I’ve been traveling as normad for months. Because I had the divine protection from Ryogoru, I was able to survive in this underground world.”

Becoming separated?

Wandering……if required, was this oyaji dwarf destroyed in a power struggle?

Even if he’s called a criminal because Loirr’s eyes are sharp I’m convinced.

The beard has grown untidily into his hair, his hair is full and disheveled……

“I see……”

“Haha, be relieved. It’s okay if you don’t put yourself on guard. There’s no worry and I feel like eating. I don’t know if you’re starved? But, fortunately, the whole area where black kotobuki gra.s.s grows spreads out from here. This “Jiji” has been eating black kotobuki gra.s.s in large quant.i.ties.”

The black kotobuki gra.s.s, it seems to be the black leafy gra.s.s growing below.

The jiji probably means a black rabbit.

“Is that so. I also want to eat, jiji.”

“Haha, I see, our mutual luck may be bad, I understand.”

The old dwarf, with a smile on his wrinkle filled face, charming.

Next, I’m interested in what Loirr said about “Ryogoru” just now, I’ll try to hear about it.

“Eh, indeed. And, it’s sudden, but what is Ryogoru?”

My expectation, is the lantern attached to the waste.

The item which produced a purple and bluish white light.

“Haha, it’s this wonderful light. It caught your eye. Indeed. “This” is Ryogoru. It’s a special magic tool. It’s an old legendary item.”

Mm, a special magic tool.

“What kind of effect does it have?”

“When it’s slapped on top it releases a sound into the area, it produces a special musical field. This sound is effective at keeping away monsters living underground. As I said earlier, I was able to survive and arrive here thanks to it.”

Ah, so just now, that strange dry sound.

“I see. It’s an amazing item.”

“That’s right. I don’t do it, if I’m going to touch it, I do it myself with this axe head……” (TN: Threatened to chop MC.)

Loirr doesn’t seem to have liked my eyes.

If that the case I want to say “don’t show it so proudly”, but I’ll try to be friendly.

“I won’t do such a thing.”

“Okay. Is that so, ah, don’t be sorry. It’s a thing where I haven’t encountered a friendly person in a long time, so.”

“……It would be like that in an underground world. Well, does such an item exist elsewhere?”

“What do you think? It seems there were scores of them in the city I came from. At any rate, it’s said that a part of Ryogoru is sealed living in hades.”

Ryogoru is living in hades?

Is there such a monster-ish thing in this world?

“However my luck is certainly improving. …….Because I finally found it. The place where black kotobuki gra.s.s rows all around……. I have to hurry tomorrow or it will escape.”

What.

“Leave here?”

“Ah, return to Langur empire. If there’s a bunch and the black gra.s.s is harvested by the Ririumu upstart, I’ll become rich. On the contrary the 【Second King Society】will be crushed. Bribing the guards and members of parliament becomes easy. Besides, it’s not just that……hyuhyuhyu.”

Dirty teeth were bared with a laugh.

The charming face has become a creepy smiling face.

However……do I go.

I came to this world with great efforts, for the first time I’ve been able to communicate, although in pa.s.sing……an unpleasant person……

“……Will you take me?”

“It’s no good.”

Hayatsu.

“Eh? Why is that?”

“Langur is the country of dwarfs. Maguru aren’t seen there. In fact this is my first time seeing one too. The people of Langur are prejudiced to Maguru and the world of Maguru, if I take you, there’s no talk of even bribing the guards if I’m caught.”

Eeh, also alone.

Mm, it’s unpleasant. Once again, I’ll try asking……

“Is it really useless?”

“Ah, it’s no use.”

Crestfallen.

This fellow won’t hesitate to attack if I try to follow either, his face says it.

There’s no helping it……

I’ll only hear terminology and get information.

“Is that so. It’s regrettable……however, please tell me. What are the ‘Maguru’?”

“……You’re asking a question? Well it’s fine. The world of Maguru is the surface. It refers to people living on the surface world. As for us dwarfs, there seems to have been a foothold on the surface long ago, but probably because war continued for a long time, our ancestors cut off exchange with the surface. Nowadays for a long time the Maguru, interchange with surface races including humans like you is prohibited.”

Loirr pointed a finger to the ceiling and explained.

“Mm, in underground Langur, there’s no humans.”

“Of course.”

There’s no humans underground.

“Then do you know a way to the surface?”

“I get it, I get it. There are some stone pipes called “G.o.d Towers” which seem to lead directly to the surface. It’s said they were made by the ancestors of dwarfs.”

Wao, there’s such a stone pipe.

With this, I may be able to get to the surface!

“There’s such a thing…where?”

“For example, it think it won’t be usable even if it’s found, but……”

“Please. Please tell me.”

The dwarf looks at my desperate face, and opens his mouth while scratching the hair on his cheek.

“……Well. Although a Maguru, having met in such an absurdly remote underground place, it must be fate. It may be discovered with the guidance of ‘Paddock-sama.'” I’ll tell you.”

“Oh, thank you.”

I have a smile floating on my face, and when I hear it extends ear to ear.

“What I know is there’s a ‘G.o.d Tower’ in 【Underground City Sauzantomaunten】 which is in the center of 【Langur Empire】. It’s said that it’s broken after several thousands of years pa.s.sed. Other than that……it seems they’re scattered about in the distant far away parts of the underground world. But, even if you find a G.o.d Tower, there’s a particular way to use it. I think it won’t work because it’s broken. In the first place the technology used to make it has already been lost. Great Paddock, the great ancestor-samas know the way to open the path, just, for what sake was it made……”

Gahn.

Knowing the location of the dwarf country.

Ma, if it’s broken there’s no point.

Well, the G.o.d tower, I imagine it as a stone pipe, is it a box thing like an elevator?