HOT NOVEL UPDATES

Log Horizon - Volume 10 - Chapter 4.3




Hint: To Play after pausing the player, use this button


In the chilly morning air, Shiroe was depressed. 
Members of the Round Table Council and the D.D.D. supply division were busily running up and down the broad avenue. They had decided to dispatch a raid unit. The preparations for that, the members they’d selected, and their surroundings were all enveloped in a hurried atmosphere. 
Shiroe sat in the shade of a tree, watching everything. 
There were no people around him. From time to time, he responded to telechats requesting confirmation of prepared materials, but he was deep in thought. 
They’d already finished organizing the capture team. He wasn’t fully satisfied with the formation, but it had been the best he could do. 
The unit was composed of the smallest possible number of select members. This was because they hadn’t been able to ignore the voices that called for them to prioritize guarding Akiba and Maihama. As a result, they’d ended up choosing only Adventurers who were close to Shiroe—including all the members of Log Horizon—and only the ones who’d fought the Eternal Moths and proved their resistance to sleep. This meant they’d decided to take Minori’s group, who were midlevel players, and he felt uneasy about it. 
Yet, the situation was unstable, and they weren’t able to invest their most elite members. 
Even if they decided to prioritize returning home, there was no guarantee that the transmission facilities in the Shibuya ruins would actually prove to be the key. It wasn’t even a question of whether they’d be able to secure them safely. If they did secure them, would they work properly? Even if they were able to use them, would sending a transmission to the moon really lead to a return home? At this point in time, the only answer to all these questions was “maybe.” 
On the other hand, if they made protecting the People of the Earth their objective, at present, they couldn’t be certain the Shibuya raid would help them do that. Soujirou and the other West Wind Brigade members had informed them of the emergency, but there was currently no known solution. They hadn’t yet investigated the interior of the former ruins, now a raid zone known as Fortress of the Call: The entrance was sealed, and even Soujirou’s group hadn’t been able to get inside. 
Because of that, he couldn’t say their forces were sufficient. Still, that Soujirou, Riezé, and other Adventurers with plenty of raid experience had said they’d participate had been a stroke of good luck. 
But all this wasn’t actually the source of Shiroe’s melancholy. 
Shiroe had sunk deep inside himself. His thoughts were torn and confused, but if they could have been summed up briefly, that summary would have been that he didn’t feel quite satisfied. 
An enemy had appeared. They were headed out to defeat it. Put into words, that was all this was. However, it wasn’t a situation Shiroe had created. Danger had appeared, and they were going to eliminate it, so the initiative lay with the danger. To Shiroe, that in itself felt vaguely off. When he traced the feeling of unfocused dissatisfaction back further, it took him all the way back to the words he’d said to Captain Nyanta. 
I think we should go home. 
Of course, he hadn’t said those words thoughtlessly. He’d worried and hesitated before choosing them. However, in the end, no matter how far he went, it was only “should”: Shiroe couldn’t say that he wanted to go home, but he also couldn’t say that he didn’t. He’d simply come to the conclusion that, taking all of Yamato’s present circumstances into consideration, it was probably the correct move, something they should do. 
It was an answer that the circumstances made nearly automatic, and it held nothing of Shiroe himself. The situation had the initiative, and he’d given the only answer he thought was likely to be correct under the circumstances. 
There was a murky feeling inside Shiroe. It wasn’t something unrecognizable; on the contrary: It was an emotion he was very familiar with. There was a situation he couldn’t do anything about, and when he tried to deal with it rationally and logically, the answers appeared on their own. 
There weren’t many answers. In most cases, there was only one. 
This state was practically routine for Shiroe. His parents had both worked, and when they were away at their jobs, he’d had no choice but to eat meals by himself. If they moved house, he’d had to go with them. There was a certain, specific problem or situation, and in it, there was always only one answer that was meaningful and valid. This was sense so common that there was no need to give it any real thought. 
Shiroe’s correctness, common sense, and choices helped the people around him, and there had been many times when they’d headed off trouble before it began. Those choices had made it possible for him to “do well” both at home and in school, but as a result, he’d had to walk for ages over the asphalt late at night. What he was feeling now was the same thing he’d felt back then. 
That common sense was terribly suffocating, but he thought, That’s just what answers are like, in the end; I doubt there’s any help for it. It had always been like that before, and it probably always would be. 
The true shape of his irritation was his anxiety and hesitation. 
He thought he’d said good-bye to those days on that lunar beach, but he was still carrying this pain. Determination alone wouldn’t be enough. 
Right now, Shiroe had no other answer. 
“Master Shiroe.” 
Li Gan, smiling bashfully, had poked his head halfway out and was beckoning to him. 
Standing up from his place in the shade, Shiroe went closer, dubiously. At that, the Person of the Earth sage dashed out of the ruins, spread both arms wide, and spun around, showing off his equipment. 
“What do you think? Does it look good? Am I fully prepared now, too?” 
Li Gan wore an enormous box-shaped knapsack that seemed to be made of metal on his back, and he was smiling. When he reached around behind himself and fiddled with the meters and pipes attached to the box, the pulse of the magic stone grew stronger. 
“Well, you know. The history of Miral Lake is nothing to sneeze at, is it?! We have proper equipment for individuals as well, Master Shiroe. This is a barrier generation device, created during the time of the Alv War. I do believe I’ll be able to accompany you, I do indeed. You see?!” 
As Li Gan spoke, he seemed to be enjoying himself as much as ever, regardless of the circumstances. As if provoked by his words, a little white steam went up from the magical device, as if it were excited. 
“What, you’re coming too, guy?” Naotsugu had been passing by, and as he spoke, he set his large shield down in the square. 
“Yes, I am. There seems to be a special seal set on the entrance to Fortress of the Call. Master Shiroe has asked me to break its spell.” 
Li Gan scratched his head, seeming a little self-conscious. 
Shiroe felt deeply apologetic about this. 

This Person of the Earth researcher didn’t have very much HP. He wouldn’t be able to be part of the raid capture unit; Shiroe was planning to have him come with them in a safe position. He thought this dungeon, the broadcasting station ruins, would be relatively safe compared with ordinary raid zones. From what he could gather from the attacks, most of the monsters would probably be Party rank, not full Raid rank. Still, naturally, that didn’t mean there would be no danger. 
“This sort of situation is unprecedented in the history of this world. As one who has inherited the name of Miral Lake, I have a duty to see it through to the end.” 
That was how Li Gan responded when Shiroe had apologized. 
Even though he was beaming, there was strength in his expression, and it told Shiroe that he wasn’t doing this out of a mere sense of obligation. Li Gan had things he wanted to do and learn, too, and he felt it was worth risking his life to do so. To Shiroe, right now, that attitude was dazzling, and it made him a little jealous. 
“Well, and in any case…” 
Possibly because he was embarrassed, Li Gan scratched his head repeatedly, smiling awkwardly. 
“I did admire this sort of thing, just a little. They’re called ‘dungeons,’ aren’t they? And it’s ‘exploring,’ correct? And ‘adventure’! I call myself a Lore Master, and as you’d expect, we scholars have a particular, instinctive desire to see things we haven’t seen before. My research into world-class magic has made progress, you know. I tell you, strange things really do exist. There are moments when research you thought was unrelated suddenly connects, out of the blue. It’s possible the maximum and the minimum in magic may be—” 
“I’m in full equipment, too, hon!” 
“Well, I’m in full armor, Naotsugu!” 
With an unspeakable metallic noise, Marielle and Tetora crashed into Naotsugu from either side. Naotsugu, crushed in the middle, couldn’t shove them away with his full strength, and he turned pale, looking like a guy who’d been in a car accident. Even if Guardians boasted the highest defensive abilities of all twelve classes, if they let their minds wander when they weren’t in the middle of a fight, this sort of thing could happen. Not only that, but both of the others were Clerics, and they weren’t inferior to any of the other classes in terms of equipment or physical strength. 
Smirking, Li Gan murmured, “Excellent synchronization. Now, there’s a fine example of teamwork.” All Shiroe could do was smile wryly at the comment. 
“What about that’s full armor, huh? You’re wearin’ your best outfit.” “How rude! Idols are always at their most adorable in front of their fans. This isn’t my best outfit; it’s my best effort!” The pair had begun to argue. Caught between them, Naotsugu looked flustered and tried to say something, but it didn’t seem to be going well. If it had been just Tetora, he could have argued fiercely, but even for him, this was a rough battle. 
The thought made Shiroe laugh a little. 
There were problems for which it was hard to find answers. 
“Only time passed in the midst of illusions”: The world probably held questions for which that was the correct answer. However, anxiety burned coldly in Shiroe’s chest. He knew he’d thought it through logically and chosen the right answer, but even so, his feelings were still clouded. 
The terror that something precious was being lost washed over his back like waves over a shore. He held his breath, forcing strength into his emotions. If he didn’t do that, it felt as though his fists and knees would start trembling. 
It was likely that this raid would change the destinies of many Adventurers and People of the Earth. The idea was right in front of him, not as a premonition, but as a realistic possibility. Under these tense circumstances, Shiroe hadn’t been able to find sufficient options. He hadn’t prepared enough. This wasn’t his field of expertise. He might be wrong. He might not be able to make up for that. The premonition of failure clung to his back, trying to submerge his spirit in cold, pitch-black water. Intentionally suppressing that feeling put a significant strain on him. 
“Shiroecchi. It looks like we’re all ready.” 
“Okay, Captain.” 
Glancing up at Nyanta’s words, Shiroe stretched and looked around the square. 
A full raid was assembled there. Twenty-four people, all in expedition equipment. 
Shiroe’s friends: Naotsugu, Akatsuki, Nyanta, and Tetora. His guild’s younger members: Minori, Touya, Rundelhaus, and Isuzu. 
From the Crescent Moon League: Marielle and Henrietta, Shouryuu and Hien, plus Serara. 
From the West Wind Brigade: Soujirou and Nazuna, with Isami the Samurai, Kurinon, and Olive. 
From D.D.D., participating at their insistence: Riezé, Richou, Yuzuko, and Koen. Then there was Kushiyatama, a high-level “ranker” Healer with ties to D.D.D. 
With the addition of Shiroe and Li Gan, that made twenty-five members. It was a small unit. 
In the end, Shiroe hadn’t been able to muster a group that consisted entirely of free hands in the truest sense of the word. His own guild, Log Horizon. The Crescent Moon League and the West Wind Brigade, with whom he had longstanding relationships. D.D.D. (or rather, Riezé, its unit leader), who’d offered to help. That was all there was to this capture unit. 
He thought saying he was “bad at relying on others” was a kind way to put it. He couldn’t help but despair, wondering whether his ability to build human relationships might be completely hopeless. 
Shiroe had thought he’d foreseen all sorts of things and taken appropriate steps, but it still wasn’t enough. Reality is always merciless, isn’t it? he thought, and his shoulders slumped. Even so, it probably wasn’t all bad. Isaac and Calasin had supported Maihama. Even if it had all been according to some unknown entity’s plan. 
However, the monsters wouldn’t wait. Geniuses were too much for Shiroe to handle. He was just an ordinary person. Still, even now, the sun was traveling across the sky, and night, when the Eternal Moths would take flight, was bearing down on them. 
“We will watch to see what sort of decision the Adventurers hand down.” 
Nodding to Kinjo, who had come out to see them off, he exchanged glances with the Round Table Council guild masters, who had all assembled behind Kinjo. When he spotted Ains, who looked highly concerned, a small, wry smile found its way onto his face. Shiroe didn’t hate the guild master; it was likely that they were trying to reach the same place. The man had thoroughly gotten off on the wrong foot, that was all. 
For that very reason, with the idea that even feigned confidence was better than nothing, he raised his voice and announced their departure. 
“Our destination is the raid zone Fortress of the Call, in the depths of the Shibuya dungeon. We will destroy its antenna, stop the Eternal Moths’ numbers from growing, and wipe them out.” 
Nine thirty-two. 
Shiroe and the rest of the Fortress of the Call capture unit left Akiba. They were bound for the player town of Shibuya. 
With this, Shiroe had ended up taking a seat at a new table. But this time, the stakes of the gamble were high. And what’s more, even he didn’t know what “victory” would look like this time around.
 



Share This :


COMMENTS

No Comments Yet

Post a new comment

Register or Login