Chapter 254

Chapter 254: Shiny Black Thing

Translated by Zzonkedd

Edited by Gumihou and Onionpi

The 16th floor is the infamous Centipede Monster floor.

The first Venom Centipede we encounter was half the size of the centipede we faced at the Forest of Ishtam where we completed the mission to collect Venom Tarantula’s Thread for some company who commissioned for them.

Although the dungeon Venom Centipede was smaller than the Giant Centipede it was still incomparably larger than any I’d ever seen in Japan.

[8] Still, after the initial shock, both Giant and Venom Centipedes were either blown, sliced or shot to pieces by my familiars. Naturally, to level up myself, I took part in the massacre too. Of course, it was impossible for me to kill a Giant Centipede, so I’d have to settle on doing my best to destroy the smaller Venom Centipede.

[8] Even so…

[8] The carapaces of these Centipedes were very strong, even with a direct hit from my Fireball, these creatures took a long time to die. Once I managed to damage them enough, I’d have to go nearer and stab them with my spear.

We made our way through the dungeon in this pattern all the way to the Boss Room.

[8] Have I ever told you how much I hate insects?

[8] Especially when they stuck themselves to the walls and ceilings?

[8] It’s so creepy and disgusting.

There was no actual boss in the Boss Room, just loads and loads of Venom and Giant Centipedes. All of which was quickly cleared away by my familiars.

[6] What was that?

[6] Where’s Elland-san?

“Kyaa~ Dora-chan is so awesome!”

[6] While my familiars and I were busy killing off Centipedes, the former S Ranker Adventurer Elland-san, Guild Master of Doran City stayed behind us to collect Drops and cheer Dora-chan every chance he gets.

[6] “Dora-chan! Careful~”

Anyway, the Boss Room was cleared, the Drops collected and so we make our way down to the 17th floor. It’s the final Insect Floor.

Thank goodness for that!

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“Eh? This place is larger than the ones before, right?” [5]

“Yes, the passages on this floor is twice as large as the others. I’ll say it again, my knowledge of this dungeon ends on this floor,” said Elland-san. [5]

“Oh right, because the next one is the Undead Floor, right?” I said, nodding in understanding.

“Yes, but if we haven’t been exhausted and injured on this floor…” [7] Elland-san trailed off and suddenly looked at me with serious eyes. “Listen to me, this last Insect Floor contains the most dangerous insect type monster, so be careful.”

I gulped and nodded several times.

[7] Just as suddenly, the serious look disappeared and Elland-san beamed, “Well, with Dora-chan and the rest here. We shouldn’t encounter too many problems. Ahahahaha!”

“Hahaha…” is it really alright to rely on this guy?

[6] Nevertheless, his eyes were sharp as he made sure to walk in front of me, the weakest member of our party.

“They’re here,” Fer said.

Skitter.

Skitter, skitter, scuttle, scuttle, scuttle.

Shiny black bodies began to appear. [6] They were looked like flat oblong things with thin legs. They were pressed close to the floor, walls and ceilings as they skitter closer and closer. Two long antennas waved at us…

[8] Wait.

Are those…?

“NNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

“Woah! What the- what happened? What’s with that sudden screaming? Giant Cockroaches might be dangerous but we have Dora-chan and the rest! So please pull yourself together!”

“C-c-c-c-”

Why does it have to be roaches? Why roaches? Why Giant Cockroaches??! [7] My heart was about to explode from my chest as my eyes registered the 1.5m bodies. “Impossible! Impossible! Absolutely impossible! No!”

The roaches waved their antennas (I swear they were looking at me!) and began to skitter over in that typical disgusting roach-like behaviour.

“Arrrgghh!! They’re coming! Attack! Kill them all! Complete annihilation! Destroy! Don’t leave even one of them alive!”

“Oi, master, can you not be so noisy? We know what to do.”

[8] My other two familiars also said something, I think. My panic and horror were too deep to even register if the voices in my head were mine or telepathy. However, to my eternal gratitude, all three rushed forward and immediately began the killing spree.

[6] I am never more grateful for a dungeon’s ability to make corpses disappear…

“Oi, we’re done,”

“Mukouda-san, you look a little pale. Are you alright?”

“Y-yes…” I said that, but I’m really not! Why did it have to be… those things??!

When I first entered college and started living on my own. Early autumn was the time when hot summer passes and the weather began to cool down a little. [2] I was sleeping soundly when I felt something tickling my cheek. So I slapped my face, thinking it was just a mosquito.

[8] Something crunchy and squishy crushed under my hand, so I sleepily rubbed my eyes and turned on the bedside lamp. [2] When I inspect my hand under the light… there was a half-crushed thing on it!!!!!

Moreover, it was still twitching!!

I screamed into the night.

That trauma was something that stayed with me until now. [2] To never see any of these things again, I had always kept my room clean, stock up on insecticide and a special black plastic bag just to dispose of them.

I heard that if you see one, there are probably about a hundred close by. I had always lived in fear of these nasty creatures. I could protect my house through thorough cleaning, but what if they come in from outside?! [5]

“W-wait, Elland-san!” I clutched his arm, “th-these things, aren’t they really good at increasing their numbers?”

“Oh, so you know that too? Well, their population is generally stable and small. However, records showed that they have a breeding cycle. At the peak of that cycle, there will be a sudden rise in number. The Rackam Tragedy is a result of a population explosion.” [5]

I know I shouldn’t ask, but, “Wh-what is the Rackam Tragedy?”

“Oh, it’s something most of us long-lived species will know. [5] [4] See, there’s this town called Rackam. I guess it’s middling size, maybe about as large as Neihoff now. About, 130 years ago? It was attacked by a horde of Giant Cockroaches and was gone overnight. Everything, including people, plants, horses and all other livestock were devoured.”

[6] “Hiii!!!”

[4] “I know, right? Anyway, the Krahsen sent their Imperial Army and Adventurers over to subjugate the Giant Cockroaches. However, I heard they ended up with great casualties.”

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[6] “A-are the…” [6] my eyes flicked over to where some of the bodies were still twitching and shuddered, “… those things that strong?”

“A single Giant Cockroach is a B Rank monster,” [7] Elland-san’s voice took on that lecturing tone again. “It has powerful jaws and claws. It could also spray a fog of paralytic poison which makes it extra troublesome. I did not join the subjugation team, but an acquaintance told me that it was quite a fierce battle.”

[4] “Strong jaw? Poisonous fog?” [5] [6] I suddenly found myself missing Japan’s roaches.

“It is unknown whether dungeon Cockroaches are influenced by breeding cycles. However, the record shows that the number of Cockroaches had been increasing in the past few years. I’ve mentioned before that Killer Camel Crickets don’t breed through eggs in the dungeon, right? However, the author of the book mentioned they interviewed an Adventurer who personally witnessed a Giant Cockroach hatching from an egg.”

[4] “Wh- wha…So, so in addition to the ones produced by the dungeons, these things could also breed?!”

Elland-san gave me a strange look, then said, “Why don’t we drop the subject? Let’s just pick up the Drop items and move on, shall we?”

… Drop items from… those Black Shiny Things?

“W-wait, I think we have collected plenty, don’t you think? We don’t need to pick up anything from this floor, right?” I know it’s all money, but I have enough money already, you know?!

“What are you talking about?” Elland-san’s eyebrows raised. “Didn’t I say that Giant Cockroach populations are usually quite small? The materials from them are great for armour making. Money aside, armour and weapons are an integral part of being an Adventurer. As Guild Master, Nadia will never forgive you if she knows you left valuable items down here…”

[4] “Ugh,” [8] Nadia-san vs these Shiny Black Things. Which is scarier? Well, Nadia-san could be quite scary and I can’t exactly order my familiars to annihilate her…

“Alright, alright, let’s quickly pick up everything and get through this floor as soon as we can.” [5] [8] As if to back his words, Elland-san stooped and began to collect the Carapaces, Claws, vials of paralytic poisons and small magic stones off the floor. I reluctantly started picking the Drops too, beginning with stuff that didn’t look too insect-like.

“Umu, be quick about it,” [6] Fer sent a breeze out and swept the various bits and bobs from the hidden corners of the twice as large passage.

““That’s right, I’ll help too!”” [6] Dora-chan zipped around collecting stuff and dropping them near Elland-san, who heaped on praises at every little thing Dora-chan brought over.

““Sui got these~”” [6] Sui split herself up and collected Drops from a different area.

It’s all very helpful and moving, but the thought of having to touch the pile of things that came out of those Shiny Black Things with my bare hands nearly made me gagged. Oh right, I have those barbecue gloves, and tongs! I can pick up these things with my barbecue tongs. [5] [9] I’ll just burn my gloves and tongs later… [5]

Once everything was collected, I sighed with relief. This is not a good floor for me. My trauma… [5]

“Alright! Let’s move forward!” Elland-san exclaimed happily.

[6] Ugh, I forgot that this isn’t the end of it. This is just the beginning!

“Wh-why don’t we return?”

“Hmm? What was that?”

Not only Elland-san, but the rest of my familiars too were looking at me with incredulous eyes.

“It- it’s just, we have collected plenty of Drops, haven’t we? I was just wondering… sh-shouldn’t we just go back out…”

“What are you talking about? After coming all the way here?” Fer sniffed. [6] “Besides, I want to battle more Undead, kukukuku…”

[8] Creepy laughter filled the passageway as Fer walked ahead, followed by Dora-chan and Sui. Elland-san patted me once on my shoulder before joining them.

[6] “… …” I appreciate the sympathy, Elland-san, but you just touched a lot of Shiny Black Thingy’s Drops with that hand!!!

[5]

[Gumihou: I deleted the original ending and replaced it with the above Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ]

[1] Structural Change: Combine 2 paragraphs

[2] Structural Change: Combine 3 paragraphs

[3] Structural Change: Combine paragraph & dialogue

[4] Structural Change: Change passive sentence to dialogue

[5] Delete Repetitive or Pointless Information

[6] Additional Information for Aesthetic Purpose

[7] Add Dialogue Tag

[8] Creative Licence Taken

[9] Gumi added the barbecue tongs, because when you think of barbecue gloves, you should naturally think of the tongs too, right? In the original text, he just picked them up with his gloved fingers and thumb, which I thought is rather childish and not really funny. Also, that’s how Japan’s litter collectors pick up trash, so it wouldn’t be strange for Mukouda to pick up Drops as though he’s picking up trash…