Yaritsukai to, Kuroneko Chapter 38

Thirty-Eighth Episode~ Magic Labyrinth Sabido Kentsiru

Translator’s Corner: Good chapter today! Enjoy~

Editor’s Corner: Well now that I am the editor and plan to stay, I am looking for a proofreader. The proofreader is needed to help with the fine cleaning of the translation and help find the mistakes that I have missed and other such things.

  Just after the transfer finishes there is a *bua* in my ear.   The change in atmospheric pressure makes it feel like my ears are full of air.   However, such a thing is overwhelmed by the scene around me.   There is a great number of adventurers.   Humans wearing strong looking heavy armor.   A tiger beastman wearing black leather armor with a big sword strapped to his back.   The strong looking adventurers have gathered in the open s.p.a.ce. They are welcoming the adventurers who are appearing from the transfer formation. There are groups that are working out strategies. Although there is fighting and quarreling happening, they are laughing as well. Scenes like this are all around.   The noise is loud…so many people.   There are several merchant stalls too.   Wao, there are places to eat too…   A photosphere of magic floats around the heads pa.s.sing adventurers. This combined with the torches and lanterns it becomes a very bright s.p.a.ce.   It lacks the feeling of a labyrinth and has the feeling of looking at some big surface market.   Rollo reacts to the smell of the food drifting from the stalls. Her nose is twitching as she sniffs and she reaches out a leg.   Moreover, there is a sound of the adventurers’ armor rubbing together and I look around the area restlessly.   This place looks like a gathering and rest zone before entering the labyrinth.   There are some big statues resembling G.o.ds on the far-off wall. The statues of the G.o.ds give off the feeling of watching the brave adventurers advance into the labyrinth.   There are a lot people praying to the statues and I remember that I saw something similar in the Vallaida Insect Shrine.   As I am looking around like a newbie Kuna talks.   “…Shuya, please let me guide you. And then…”   Like that, she approaches and just like a sweet heart is kissing me on the cheek, she brings her face to my ear.   She smells good. She wearing a special perfume?   She whispers like that in my ear. “I know ‘various’ things about this magic labyrinth…so will leave it to me?”   This s.e.xy appearance, it is no joke, she carries the feeling of a woman.   “…Understood.”   I answer shortly, and stare at Kuna who has a cute expression then I try to get a sense of the internal conditions.   Her words are confident, after all, as a B ranked adventurer she would know a lot about this labyrinth.   …Nevertheless, her dimpled face is great and the beauty mark under her lips is seductive too.   Even if I try to understand my feelings and her face is cute. I end up thinking about other things but there is no helping it since I am a man.   To not respond to my gaze, Kuna extends the ring on her left hand.   The ring is made of silver and it is shaped like a level pyramid with lines forming triangles.   A light sphere like a soap bubble appears from the pyramids with a *nyuru*.   Wonderful.   Rollo reacts immediately by turning her red eyes to the light sphere that suddenly appeared. Her pupils dilate, and she begins to stare at the glowing light sphere questioningly.   The floating light sphere seems to have caught her eye and she gets down from my shoulder to chase it.   Kuna moves the light sphere freely and begins to play with Rollo.   On her finger in addition to the silver pyramid ring that created the light sphere, there are several gaudy rings. There is also a bracelet and a chain wrapped around her wrist, jingling.   The rings and bracelet all contain mana.   I remember the ring Zoru had for a moment.   “…Fufu, are you interested in this? It is a magic tool that produces a sphere of light and it can be used without the light magic attribute, so it’s easy to use.”   “That ring is convenient.”   “Yeah, but let’s go now so follow me.” Kuna nods her head in satisfaction and starts to move to invite me.   We join the line of adventures going ahead and begin to walk down the cave pa.s.sage.   However, in the middle of the pa.s.sage we suddenly turn left.   Thinking we turned left, we then turn right and have now begun to advance along a small rocky path.   What kind of thing is this and why are we taking this snaking pathway? It is a different direction than the other adventurers are going.   We advance in a narrow s.p.a.ce between rocks with no one else…   It is difficult to see on the small path due to the darkness.   Kuna has the light sphere lead us and brightly light up the small path. There is no helping it so I continue to follow her.   Despite me showing her such a questioning face, she walks indifferently along the small snaking path.   Sighing, I follow Kuna.   The rock is cold and there are places that cannot be pa.s.sed unless I side step.   I turn left and right through the small pa.s.sages and proceed through.   We advance through the maze-like cave and soon I no longer feel the sign of adventurers behind us. It then becomes only Kuna and I pa.s.sing through.   Coming out of the small rock pa.s.sage we appear in a large cavern where bats seem to have settled down in.   Rocks are scattered across the ground and there is a sunken crevice in ground that stands out. Still, it is a large s.p.a.ce.   Kuna does not pause and walks to the right, but she then looks back as she walks.   “Beyond this point there is a pa.s.sage. We’re going this way because if we went left there is a metastasis formation prepared by the labyrinth.”   “…Labyrinth?”   “Yeah. it’s a little-known place. It connects to an easy hunting ground and there are few adventurers that know about this.”   A little-known spot. I see.   Are these what high ranked adventurers are like?   Maa, I would like to go if it is easy to hunt there.   …However, it is too suspicious.   Is it a trap for newbie adventurers? For now, I should be careful.   Yet, I'm still going to check it out even if it is a trap and I would like to explore the magic labyrinth first.   And, above all Kuna is a beautiful woman, I would like to trust her. (TL: I wonder if she has a d.i.c.k.) [ED: No comment.]   “Kuna?”   “Un?”   Kuna looks at me with a smile.   The surface of her eyes glitter yellow.   -Mysterious eyes.   “No, it’s nothing.”   “Strange~ this way.”   Kuna leads the way and as she said before there is a magic formation carved into the ground.   A metastasis formation created by the labyrinth…   “Beyond this point, monsters appear is ‘swarms’ so be careful.”   My turn.   “Then, should I enter first and be on guard?”   “No, I will go first.”   My manly words…are easily rejected.   Kuna smiles. “It isn’t necessary.” There is such a feeling.   My vanity is sticking out.   Like that, Kuna lifts her staff then steps into the magic formation and disappears.   Now then, I should go too.   Rollo- I move my eyes to the black cat.   “After we pa.s.s through the magic formation be wary of our surroundings.”   “Nya~”   Nya cries as if to say 『Understood, Nya』   Like that, I step into the metastasis magic formation.   Soon after transporting. Just like the time I transferred from the guild there is a sensation of air clogging up my ears. I check my footing.   Oi, this is a bit different from the metastasis formation I stepped into?   The magic formation is a hexagram formation with a dark ominous color. And, there are huge lit candles set up at the six corners. (TL: Not the trap I was thinking, but still really trapish.)   Rather than metastasis, this is more like a magi formation for a ritual.   Along the outer edge of the magic formation but excluding the candle a thin transparent black film is visible.   The film encloses the outer edge of the magic formation and extends to the ceiling.   This film, possibly, is it a trap?   Have I been trapped?   With such impressions, I hear Kuna’s voice from inside.   “…Sabido-sama. I brought a good specimen.”   “…”   It is Kuna and she is higher up on a stone staircase.   Kuna has sunk to the floor on one knee and is lowering her head to a throne.   My eye naturally go to the creature sitting there.   Uhe, it is a big type of person, but…roughly a s.p.a.ce creature. A boss-like character.   I confirm with magic observing eye.   Wow, magic essence is pouring out of the creature sitting on the throne like a raging river.   Kuna is too small compared to this guy.   Rugged dark red skin, a humanoid creature with six eyes.   Catapult like projections rise from his cheeks and shoulders, his muscles and frame swells, a great number of black like cut out and protrude from the middle…like gills, the lines are opening and closing.   Rough violet armor. This is Kuna’s boss.   It is different than what I expected, but…I have been betrayed.   “Kuna? What kind of thing is this?”   I speak in a weaker than normal voice and try to exit the magic formation.   However, I am blocked by the thin black wall and cannot exit.   “Nya!”   Rollo tries to exit the black wall by jumping through it, but she hits the wall and bounces off.   Kuna stands up and turns cold eyes to us.   All too soon, Kuna casts off the dark blue robe.   Yet, there is still the stone return ball I bought from Kuna…   Can I return if I use this?   “It’s regrettable, but can the stone ball of return not be used here?”   She talks as if reading my thoughts.   After all, the stone ball can’t be used here so things will not be that easy.   “…However, you. Baka, coming so willingly… after this, will you work so hard to be useful to Sabido? I think you will become a good specimen and a splendid guinea pig.”   …Maa, I guess I will act like I have been deceived.   “Specimen! Bulls.h.i.t.”   “It’s no use even if you act tough? As I said before you can’t use the stone ball of return in my black prison crest magic. You can never exit unless I dismiss it. Puu, obediently follow your instructions.”   She has a cute face, but it looks disgusting.   Oi, then I should docilely obey because I cannot get out.   However, this magic formation carved into the floor, it is called dark magic.   I am a darkness attribute holder, so I may be able to interfere with it…   However, I should not struggle in this place.   If I resist and cannot get out, then I will be shut in.   “…I should obey your instructions?”   “Ara? You’re obedient…”   Then, the stiff-shouldered creature sitting on the throne speaks for the first time.   “Kuna. This one looks ‘merely human,’ but…”   This guy is the boss of the demonic being. A deep resounding voice.   The difference in the voice, the difference in the dignity it totally incompatible with what I felt from Kuna.   “Sabido-sama. It surely looks like a normal human, but I touched this one and the quality of the magic essence in his body was enormous. I didn’t notice at first because he doesn’t seem to leave magic essence for some reason. But, in addition the human I brought…He has an ancient magic tool ‘ring’ equipped that Sabido-sama once gave to the ‘Magician Zoru Gustave.'”   When the man on the throne hears Kuna’s words,   “Hou, a magician then. It’s stupid to be pleased by a second-hand magic tool, since he has it…did he kill him? N? Aah, it’s such a thing. The reason Mize the bone wings did not return…”   Sabido was leaning on the arm of the throne but as he talks he rises from the throne.   Despite his large build his heavy armor like skin, he steps lightly.   Because of his abnormally swelling shoulders he gives off a powerful aura several times that of an American football player.   His whole body is wrapped in a fleshy meat sh.e.l.l that is reinforced with a dark purple exoskeleton that extends to his ankles.   The armor looks hard.   A black mantle bordered in purple shimmers behind him.   Sabido walks with a light pace and he stops in front of Kuna.   “Kuna. You who has a superior observing eye skill did not notice at first glance? Maa, this is the human that killed Mize. It may be natural, but…”   Sabido talks while looking this way.   “Fumu. With such enormous magic essence, it will be good food for the labyrinth… Rivguraf-sama will certainly be pleased as well.” (TL: Rivguraf mentioned in chapter 10.)   Kuna speaks deferential to Sabido and her face blushes vermillion as she falls silent.   Then, Kuna’s form gradually changes.   Uhaaaa, she is changing.   Her clothes are torn to small pieces and her cute mouth stretches to the sides. She grows taller and her skin also takes on a purple hue. The change finishes with her skin split like scale armor.   It finished…   A “pointed tail” grows from her lower back and for some reason, she is wearing red high-heals.   Her final figure is stinging.   After all, Kuna was a demonic being.   Having an impish beautiful woman transform into a fiendish witch with a heavy metallic heinous atmosphere.   Her dimples do conceal her various defects…   When I stare at the figure of the completely changed Kuna she stares back at me and her mouth splits into a smile when she notices my gaze.   “That’s right. My race isn’t human. I am a Demonic Being Kushanan.”   Demonic Being Kushanan. There are a lot of different demonic beings.   Is this woman the human Zoru got mixed up with in his diary?   At that time, Sabido begins to talk.   “Kuna, that man is the only thing today?”   “Yes.”   “Is that so? Although it is a lot of mana, it’s unexpected of you. Well then, return to work.”   “-Hahau.”   “And then, Kuna. That man is one who killed a demonic being, Mize of the bone wings. Do not neglect caution. Just to be safe, you may even enter the prison.”   “Ha, understood.   Two of Sabido’s six large eyes move *gyorori*, and glares at me. He turns on his heel and disappears behind the throne.   Kuna’s footstep resound steadily as she shakes the hips of her scaly b.u.t.tock and comes down from the stone staircase, approaching me.   Uhaa, her cute face… (TL: d.a.m.nIT SHUYA.)[ED: What an annoying h.o.r.n.y child.]   She transformed so she has a monstrous mouth that contradicts her cute womanly feeling…   “As Sabido-sama said, I will lead you. Fufu, Shuya-kun, you’re looking at me so strongly, perhaps, you fell in love with me?”   That is not the case.   Maybe as a Human, but I do not know about after she transformed.   “However, I think it’s unreasonable…my eyes, are special. Fufu. I caught you with these < perplexing="" star="" magic="" eyes=""> “   Something is being misunderstood…   Magic Eyes?   I think they do not work on me…   They might be the reason why Kuna’s eyes changed to look like demonic eyes before.   It seems that her magic eyes shine yellow.   I might as well “appear” charmed.   “That’s right. So, I will not return to the surface?”   “Ahaha, tooo baaaad, it’s impossible. Well, please put the luggage n your back down as well as your weapon and include the stone ball of return you received. …And then, cross both hands behind your back, turn around, and restrict both legs of the black cat too.”   Kuna smiles happily as she talks and activates the crest magic.   Oh, mana is collecting on her finger tip. Looking closely…I study it.   There is such a sign too…   “Hora, don’t look here, turn around.”   I quietly obey Kuna’s instructions.   I cross both hands behind my back and turn around.   Then, something is tightly fitting around both of my wrists.   Rollo is restricted to, and a small dark hued restrain is stuck to her legs so she falls to the floor.   It is dark magic. I may be able to remove it with force…   “With this, it is good. Just go down the right pa.s.sage.   Kuna releases the magic from the magic formation on the floor.   The dark membrane disappears with a *suu.*   “Ah, the sword on your lower back is a problem-“   Kuna pulls the kukri sword I got from Shisho from my lower back.   She throws it far away. It flies forcefully.   “What will you do to Rollo?”   “I’ll carry her.”   “Nyaaa”   Rollo opens her mouth in a threatening manner and goes to extend a feeler.   “Rollo. Stop.”   “Nya?”   Rollo raises a questioning sound, but she obeys my command and falls quiet.   “Fufu, good quite cat. Saa, good, human man! Go.”   Kuna takes Rollo by the scruff, and yelling out the last word, she kicks- hitting me in the lower back.   Itee, I say so several times.   This woman with the gaping mouth, Kuna is a demonic being. She kicks me many times.   The feeling of being kicked with the bottom of the heel.   Is she a queen? Am I an M?   Patience is called the treasure of life; my ident.i.ty is falling apart.   This person, if I get free later I will kill her… though I am starting to let out a little blood l.u.s.t, I endure it and am made to walk through the labyrinth.   Since I am not blind folded I am able to freely look about the magic labyrinth.   We go down the stairs to the right of the throne and then head right.   I will remember the path now.   A white gas smelling of gold gushes out of irregular slits from the walls on both sides. Liquid runs through the grooves on the pa.s.sage shining with a dazzling phosph.o.r.escent like.   Subordinate monsters of Sabido are “swarming” through the eerie pa.s.sage.   -These are demonic beings.   I discover strange monsters amongst them.   There is a strange monster with countless arms and heads gather together in one lump of flesh.   With the head growing from the palms, the face wriggle like they are alive. Then it moves with a rustling sound and the hands beneath the necks crawl across the ground.   Is this a horror film?…   The next demonic being is the one Kuna chose properly.   It is holding claw like blades in both hands. If I am not mistaken, its name a Hoguts, it is C ranked.   The back of its head is long and sharp.   It is like a youkai…   Its head with its long back has a beast face like a tiger and a fox.   There are three layers of iron helmets to protect the back of its head, the iron helmets hang down its back.   It is soldier like equipment. Their individual body heights seem different.   Generally, they are around two meters, their bodies are also equipped with iron half mail.   I see the long red tail on the lower part of its body that is used as subjugation evidence.   As Kuna and I pa.s.s, the Hoguts bow their heads in greeting to Kuna, and we move to a corner of the pa.s.sage.   They seem to have some level of intelligence.   Other monsters show no reaction to Kuna and climb along the walls to lick the liquid from the wall, behaving strangely.   There is also a monster made of multiple snakes.   Several snakes' eyes look at me like I am food.   As we pa.s.s through pa.s.sages with such monsters a strong sour odor rises.   “Here!”   I stop when Kuna shouts.   It stinks. A prison.   In front of such a bad smelling prison, a monster-like gatekeeper stands.   Moreover, it is the monster of the request.   This strong fellow is called a G.o.do. It is a B rank.   Its body is around three to five meters. Huge with four arms.   Its only weapon is a long metal rod.   It has two rectangular heads.   Nevertheless…it is too strange.   Its eyes are also long thin diamonds; I cannot image how it sees the world.   The mouth is uniquely crafted too.   Between its two long heads is has a wide vertical mouth tearing its chest open down the middle.   The mouth contains sharp shark-like teeth and a long green tongue grows out of it between the two heads.   “Guna-samaa, are you here on business, dzugaa?   “That’s right. This prison- it is foul as usual. You’re in the way, so get out of the room.”   Kuna waves her hand back an forth in a scolding manner, tell it to leave.   The G.o.do calmly bows its two heads to Kuna.   With heavy footsteps, it leaves the prison room.   Just right.   I am going to kill this wide mouthed Kuna woman, but I would hate to fight such a large enemy like a G.o.do at the same time.   While chuckling, I walk along to prison pa.s.sage.   When I turn right on the pa.s.sage there are multiple young children rooms.   When I approach the room the smell doubles.   My smile suddenly disappears at such a room and I grimace.   I look at the big jail room in the center.   There seems to be a pool where fluorescent water is stagnating.   N? A wave?   …Somehow, it seems like that pool, there seems to be someone-ite!   “h.o.r.e, ero Shuya, this way! Go quickly!”   -I am kicked again.   Almost, I nearly lose my temper, but, ma, I am ero. [ED: I am losing faith in this novel and author.]   After being kicked over and over, I show a *mu* face for a moment, and look back.   “What is it? With such an angry face, do you want to be kicked more?”   Uhaa, she must be an S and her lips are split open dangerously.   Because her mouth is split open to near her eyes, whenever she talks a crumpling sound is made.   Making a *kuchya-kuchya* sound like an oji-san, then becoming like a crying auntie.   Without saying things that would only aggravate Kuna, I take an interest in her strange mouth…I endure the desire to laugh.   I turn back around and immediately walk to the prison.   The prison room…dark, dirty, smells bad, three important requisites.   The winkles on my forehead unintentionally increase.   Filthy black water stagnates in a ditch on the floor, stimulating the disgusting smell.   “Hora, don’t look around, get it.”   I am kicked in the back again, and enter the dark prison as I am prompted.   The black cat is thrown by the scruff of her neck.   “Shyaaa.”   The Rollo that hits the floor is angry…   Later, I will let her hunt freely.   “Impertinent cat, howling.”   While Kuna says that, she touches a round decoration on the bracelet of her right arm and mutters “open.”   It seems…did her left hand disappear for a moment?   No, a light green window is created by the circular decoration.   She touched the window with a finger like selecting a menu. That moment, a ring of keys slowly appears from the window. Kuna smiles and pics up the ring of keys.   What? That bracelet…   “Oi, are you curious? Fufu, staring so earnestly, it’s cute. This article is related to such ancient legends. Would you like to know?”   I nod, ahuh.   “Being obedient is good. I will tell you specially. This bracelet…I bought it in the “underground auction” held in Pernette at the end of last year and I spent my entire fortune to get this. Back then I was told it was an item made by the labyrinth city, but the specifics are unclear. Per appraisal, it seems to be gem that was made so long ago in the ancient days when the 【Empire of Dawn】 prospered. It was explained as one of the great treasure artifacts.   Hoo, underground auction…ancient treasure.   “Even though I thought the explanation was a lie, when I looked at this gem, my entire body got goose b.u.mps. Ancient romance? The sensation of not being able to comprehend something? I’ve already gotten wet! So, I bought it without being able to endure it. Even still, thanks to it several hundred white gold coins disappeared…so even if I have this, I am now poor. Therefore, I try to work hard like this, so that I can save up money again.”   He~is that so. Ma, it is an ordinary story.   “Such a thing…in the form of a bracelet, it doesn’t look like an ordinary bracelet.”   Kuna seems to have a pa.s.sion for ancient items. The shining in her eyes is different.   I nod to her words many times…   “Oh well. I selfishly name it the ‘solar bracelet’, it seems to be an ordinary ‘item box” storage… Unlike other item boxes discovered in the labyrinth city, this bracelet is something that can only be used by a person with the s.p.a.ce-time attribute. Also, even I don’t understand everything about this bracelet? It can’t be helped since I can’t read the characters. If I push a symbol than a strange character appears, yet I don’t understand it. Although I learned the method for inserting and removing the items. It’s mysterious, using it this way…”   It is an “Item Box.”   Ooooh, such a thing. Let’s steal it. I have decided.   “Ngaaaaaa, someone came?”   While I am staring at Kuna’s bracelet a stern voice resounds from a different prison cell.