Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru

Chapter 91: Seeker Brigade V & Epilogue

<Seeker Brigade V>

I had gathered my party members at the bar in the Adventurers’ Guild on the 1st floor of the Odoriji spire.

The people present were Rana, Ea, Shuna, Bel(Lys), and the father of adventurers, Medimu.

However, Otou-san wasn't dressed like an adventurer. He was wearing a loose-fitting tunic, and looked more like a merchant. He wasn't even armed. Frankly, he seemed a bit out of it.

「To tell the truth, I was going to quit being an adventurer」

『Huh?』

Went the sisters and Shuna loudly. Otou-san and Lys had no reaction.

「What was your plan for the rest of us?」

I answered Shuna’s question.

「For Shuna and Bel, I had planned to have you guys join Frey's party」

「That's, well, not so bad」

「………………」

His reaction wasn't as bad as I had expected.

I suppose Shuna does like Braves and whatnot after all.

「What about Onee-chan and me?」

I answered Ea’s question.

「I had planned to run away to another continent with the two of you」

「I don't mind that」

Rana accepted it readily……

「I don't want that. Don't just drag me somewhere else as you please」

……but Ea rejected it.

「Onii-chan, I have some unpleasant memories here, but this is my homeland. I've lived here my entire life. If you suddenly ask me to leave this place, I can't just say "yes" and go like Onee-chan」

「Yeah, you're right. That's true. I'm sorry」

I felt depressed at being rejected by my sister.

I had thought that it was the best course of action, but that made me painfully aware that I had been mistaken.

「So, what made you decide to quit being an adventurer?」

Asked Otou-san.

「I was no longer prepared to risk any of your lives in the adventures ahead. No, I think I lost my nerve when Rana was abducted」

「Well, that happens to leaders all the time」

Otou-san patted me on the shoulder.

「It may happen all the time, but it's not just the leader who worries about his party members, you know?」

Shuna punched me in the arm.

「That's right. You idiot! When that thing with Irvin happened, do you have any idea how worried we were?」

「That's true」

I’ve caused everyone worry. During Rana's rescue too, even though there was no choice then, I must have worried everyone.

Ea kicked me in the leg.

「This time too, everyone was worried when you suddenly disappeared, Onii-chan」

「That’s right. In particular, I――」

「I mean, Onee-chan even sent Frey and Lazarissa to the healing temple just so she could go save you, Onii-chan!」

「It’s because they resisted that I had no choice but to do that」

「Rana-san, you’re amazing!」

Shuna was impressed.

I had been wondering why I hadn't seen Frey and Lazarissa around, but they're hospitalized, huh? I'll have to go visit them later. I should at least pay for their medical costs. My heart aches with guilt.

「So, did you gather the party and me just to apologize?」

When Otou-san asked me that, I looked around at my party members.

Time to cut to the chase and ask everyone for their opinions.

「I want to reach the 56th floor, but will you guys come with me? Will you lend me your lives?」

「Isn't that obvious? What are you talking about after everything that we've been through?」

To start, Shuna kicked me.

「I'll go with you. I want to make a name for myself as an adventurer. Besides, Onii-chan and Onee-chan are no good without me, right?」

「I'm your wife, so I'll accompany you everywhere and anywhere for the rest of our lives」

Were the sisters’ responses.

「………No problem」

Lys replied.

「That wraps things up nicely. Well then, I'll take my leave――」

「Otou-san, wait」

When Otou-san got up from his seat, I held out to him the bladed weapon that I had brought with me.

「What’s this?」

「This is a blade made by sharpening Lola's supple twin claws to the utmost, and then forging them between multiple layers of composite metal. It was made by a dwarf in the likeness of what’s called a katana in my homeland」

Perhaps it had roused his blood as a swordsman, but Otou-san drew the katana from its scabbard.

Blade length 72 cm, width at the hamachi 3.5 cm, width at the kisaki 2.06 cm, curve 1.7 cm.[1]

It has a wild hamon pattern that’s a strange red color, which makes it look as if it’s stained with blood. Lemuria's coat of arms, the fox and bull, had been carved into its round tsuba(guard). Its scabbard is also specially made, and when the end of the scabbard is tapped while the blade is sheathed, the inside of the scabbard will be filled with Reika water.

If the damage to the blade is no worse than chipping, that will immediately regenerate the claw that forms its cutting edge. There’s a problem with the metallic parts rusting because of that though, so proper maintenance is a must.

「Its sharpness is guaranteed. Even I, who isn't familiar with swords, can cut through steel like butter with it」

「It’s a bit short」

A standard longsword is 80cm to 100cm long. That’s a length that can be a slight hindrance inside the dungeon, but those who can’t work around that are considered to be the worst kind of swordsmen.

「Can you not handle it?」

「Stop joking around. This is the gleam of something that can slay even a god」

His single eye reflected on the blade of the katana, Otou-san basked in its bewitching glow.

This one is a sort of demonic sword.

If it falls into the hands of a madman, it will go down in history as a murderous blade.

When it meets a god, it slays a god, and when it meets a buddha, it slays a buddha. A blade chooses not the demon. [2]

There was once such a saying, and it might possibly be true for this katana.

「Souya, what’s the name of this katana?」

「Arahabaki」

Makina is the one who named it.

It's said to be the name of an enigmatic Japanese god that has been forgotten.[3] I guess it's a fitting name for us to use.

「Well, it’s something that’s too much for me」

「I’m giving it to you」

「………………I’m not going to give it back if I like it, you know?」

Otou-san sheathed the katana into its scabbard with a click and strapped it to his hip. He had snapped out of it, and was filled with spirit and vigor.

He was looking more and more like Toshiro Mifune.

「Otou-san, I still haven’t received a reward from you for subjugating Lola」

「What do you want?」

「I want you」

「An old man like me isn't going to be much use down the road, you know?」

Despite his words, he had a fearless smile on his face.

「Going back to the topic of the 56th floor, there’s a time limit, and I have to reach it within the next 254 days. Can you last until then?」

「I see, that’s a long time for old bones. But it’s just right to cap things off」

「Which means?」

「I’ll go with you. This will be my last adventure」

Otou-san held out his hand to me.

On his hand, I could see the countless scars that marked his years.

I took his hand. With a shake, I had added the father of adventurers to my party.

「Hey, Onii-chan. You realize that you’re doing what you want without discussing it with us again, right?」

「Ah」

I flinched at my sister's remark.

Turning to her, I was met with a sigh and a look of exasperation.

「Ama, amazing! The father of adventurers is joining our party!」

Shuna's eyes were positively sparkling.

I'm really grateful to him for having this kind of response.

「Whoa, I'm just a novice adventurer who's never gone past the 20th floor. Don't set your expectations too high」

In response to Otou-san being humble, Rana said mildly.

「Medimu-sama, you have that uselessly long experience of being an adventurer. So please ease some of my husband's burden, alright?」

「Is that supposed to be some kind of compliment?」

「Now now, Medimu. You can basically pay Onee-chan no mind. That's because the only things inside her head are magic and Onii-chan」

The younger sister firmly supported the older sister.

………Is that really support though?

「Ouch」

I was startled when I felt a small pain on the back of my head.

Before I even realized, Evetta-san was standing behind me. She put my hair into the containers of the regeneration point and shook them.

「Sawyer, here's a new regeneration point for you. You're the only adventurer I know who breaks them this frequently. That'll be two silver coins」

「Huh, has the price gone up?」

I'm pretty sure it was only one silver coin before.

「It’s apparently punishment set by the Guild President for breaking them too often」

「Urgh」

I paid it reluctantly.

Isn't double too much?

「Oh, Souya. This is?」

Though my magic power was still as shoddy as before, the red liquid that had settled in the container was about the same amount as Irvin's.

It’s the regeneration point of a talented vanguard.

It must be because of the second Wild Hunt. I've been covering it up using the polarized mode of my glasses, but the color of my irises had changed to gold and weren't turning back.

I've also acquired such skill with the sword that it's almost as if I had devoted long years into training with it. I recognized these sword strokes. They’re Zamonglass' sword techniques.

Does purifying the curse mean inheriting from the dead, I wonder?

The me of right now still has no idea.

「Well, it’s because I've been training hard too」

I joked, we laughed, and that was that.

I don't have time right now to fear what I don't understand. Because from now on, I’ll be taking on those uncertainties for the rest of my life.

「Anyway, Souya, are you having a party gathering?」

「Yes, that’s right」

「Perfect timing then」

Said Evetta-san, taking out a scroll from her binder.

「From the 20th floor on, the system for managing parties will change. You will need to register a name for the party, so what do you want the name to be?」

「Everyone, is it alright if I decide?」

Unanimously, everyone nodded.

In that case, we'll be inheriting the name.

「Seeker Brigade」

<Epilogue>

A man broke a contract because of a woman, but for the sake of her and the man’s comrades, the man took up the contract again.

It's a pathetic story of tilting at windmills.

The man got caught up in all kinds of conspiracies as well as plots involving the world, but in the end, none of that mattered to the man.

The man is a blundering person.

The man rushed into things because of cheesy emotions, made mistakes, got depressed, got beaten down, and each time, the man was toughened and became stronger.

The man is merely a person of no significance who was lucky.

If the man’s pride is borrowed, then the man’s strength is also fake, but the man has the wish inherited from the man’s comrade who had died before he could fulfill his dream. The man had wishes that have been forgotten.

He had said to the man that nothing is impossible.

That they are capable of earning any amount of fame.

His dying words had been muddled by death and had not reached the man.

He had a dream. He had comrades. He had a pride worth risking his life for. He had wealth and fame ahead of him. But he died, and the man lived on.

To live is to inherit.

From now on, the man will live on while gathering up dreams inherited from the dead.

The fantasy of fighting shoulder to shoulder with him.

That’s a dream that comes to the man’s mind from time to time, one that’s akin to a deep longing.

I put on a baldric, and slid the red magic sword and the silver longsword into the back sheaths sewn onto it, and then inserted the visage of my homeland into its place at my hip.

Lastly, I put on my usual poncho, and then hung the containers of the regeneration point and the fishmen's necklace around my neck.

When I stepped out of my tent, I saw my sister, who was wearing a black cloak and carrying a bow, and my wife, who was in a white robe and holding a staff.

When those who wait for our return called out to us and said, "Have a safe trip," we replied, "We're off."

Shoulder to shoulder, we walked towards the plain.

And beyond that, to the Odoriji spire.

It will be difficult, but it isn't the path of the loser. I was standing still yesterday, but I'm moving forward today. So that, one day, all the hardships will be the joke of tomorrow.

And it’s for that reason alone that today, I explore the dungeon.

＜End＞

[1] See diagram. XD

[2] This is a short form of a very long saying with many meanings and applications. To make it simple, surface meaning here is that it can kill anything it comes up against, no matter the opponent and whether the opponent is good or evil, but it isn’t the thing that is choosing what it kills. Implicit meaning is that it isn’t inherently evil or cursed, but because of how powerful it is, it can corrupt its wielder.

[3] Arahabaki is an ancient Japanese aboriginal god from the Kofun period. Before his religion was overshadowed by the Shinto pantheon, Arahabaki was worshiped in Japan's northeastern regions as a god of travelers. He was also worshiped by Nagasunehiko, an enemy of Emperor Jimmu, and as a result, by the Emperor's orders, Arahabaki became a symbol of treachery, rebellion and heresy and his worship was forbidden for a long period afterwards. However, this is only mentioned in the Tsugaru Soto-Sangunshi(A compilation of tales from northeastern Japan that was said to have been compiled in the 1970s) which has been determined to be a fake/forged book.

I’ve not mentioned it much, but to the Japanese, Seeker can be a term that means adventurer. Yup, just like in Talker. What a coincidence, huh? That both of my starting novels use this uncommon term in the same way.

Anyway, do you remember me bringing up Souya’s vows to Misuranika in one of my afterwards in this half? Funnily enough, the author did too in the following chapter after I brought it up. That’s because it’s a hint as to why he inherits Zamonglass’ abilities. Will this make him unbalanced and OP outside of Wild Hunt as well now? Thankfully, the short answer is no. He is no longer a weakling, but I’ll let you find out about his limitations yourself in future. =)

I love how the epilogue is in the same style as that “prologue” from so long ago. And an Irvin gut punch again. In case it wasn’t clear, those “dying words” are a possible continuation to the words Irvin had managed to squeeze out at his death. And then, the call back to HG Wells and Tortch’s words. Btw, those quotes ARE in their original wording, so I hope you can appreciate how amazing it is that author managed to work them into the story pretty well IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE that has vastly different rules. I only had to tweak one of those lines a little bit to make what the author wrote fit the quotes.

Man, I love this epilogue so much. Unlike the others, it’s one of hope and looking to the future. It tells of an MC who found the meaning of an A.I.’s words and once again has a reason for his journey. Who also has two swords Witcher-style and a flying magic sword, which makes it three swords in all...Hmm...6-person party...Hmm...

And the long road that is volume 3 finally draws to a close. After all the heavy plot in this one, next one will be a shorter and lighter volume, though no less important, and then winter will come to Lemuria in volume 5. As for why I keep bringing up volume 5 so early, you see, it’s already been mentioned before somewhere in the story, but something appears in Lemuria before winter sets in…and I’m incredibly hyped for it. Stay tuned!