Otaku Translation: Lone Adventure V4C14

Please support the translation by reading the translation and commenting on otakutl official site.

Thank you.

Everyone from Otaku Translation

Chapter 14: My Death (Part 2)

It was a darkness both eerily familiar and profoundly terrifying, as if the entirety of existence had collapsed into a single, bottomless void that pressed itself against my very eyelids. Or perhaps it felt like the world had suddenly become vast, empty, impossibly infinite, stripped of everything. In this heavy, monochromatic expanse, I couldn’t say I was fully conscious—but neither was I completely unaware. Through the haze, I sensed myself dissipating, bit by bit. Yet this dissolution wasn’t akin to the death of flesh; when the body dies, something remains—a corpse for worms to feast upon, rotting slowly over time. But what I felt now was far more absolute: an utter vanishing, as though I were being erased entirely.

The soul known as "Jeffrey Kidd" seemed to no longer exist. It had dissolved into the darkness, becoming one with the endless void. There were no elegant grim reapers here, no stark black-and-white landscapes glimpsed in some ethereal state, no weightless passage through death’s embrace. None of the things my Planewalker friends had described from their own experiences existed for me. My death was not a doorway but a finality—a complete annihilation. Nothing would remain, and there would be no second chances.

My memory insists that death came in an instant. One moment, I closed my eyes; the next, they fluttered open again to reveal the same dank, filthy underground tomb where Tauren shaman Clado stood before me, finishing the ritual of “Soul Imprint” that brought me back to life. But my feelings told a different story altogether. The tide of death that swept over me was so violent, so overwhelming, that its despair defied measurement by mere moments or seconds. It was as though I’d just emerged from a tunnel stretching toward eternity—a journey that might have lasted only seconds in this world but felt eternal to me.

Only then did fear truly take hold. This fear was unlike anything I’d experienced while facing powerful foes earlier. It was absolute, crushing, swallowing courage whole and freezing the soul. It transcended even the concept of fear itself, leaving behind only apathy and desolation. My mind churned in confusion, still entangled in the suffocating web of that boundless darkness. My limbs grew cold and rigid, unresponsive—not because they were restrained, but because I simply didn’t want to move them. A monstrous beast called despair loomed large in my thoughts, gripping my consciousness tightly and rendering my mind blank. Only one thing became painfully clear: I am not like my Planewalker companions. If I die, I will vanish forever, never to return, unlike them, who can rise repeatedly from the ashes of defeat.

Clado’s bulky form danced anxiously before me, his wide mouth flapping incessantly, producing a jumble of unintelligible sounds. He slapped my shoulder and gestured toward the battlefield, where the fight raged on. Perhaps he was saying something—though I couldn’t tell. Before, I’d often failed to understand him, but this time was different. His voice drifted past my ears like a baffling breeze, never reaching my eardrums.

The resurrection spell caught the attention of Marquis Menewal, who roared furiously and charged forward with thunderous steps, closing in on us. Dazed, I watched the monstrous figure approach, immobilized by terror. At that moment, he seemed ten thousand times more fearsome than during our earlier battle. What frightened me wasn’t the creature himself, but what he represented—the obliteration of every last trace of my soul in the abyss. This terror paralyzed not just my limbs, but my heart as well.

I could feel my legs trembling beneath me, beads of icy sweat trickling down my neck and spine, tracing jagged lines of dread across my skin. All I wanted was to flee—to escape this place of death and run anywhere else. I didn’t want to stay here, couldn’t bear to remain another second. Yet I was trapped, unable to move, as though caught in a nightmare you desperately try to wake from but cannot.

“Jeff… Kidd… warrior…” Longbow Sunshot called out to me, switching between names in his urgency. “…Get over here and tank the monster!”

Without my participation, our dwarf priest once again rushed to the front lines, though this time out of necessity rather than choice. His magical shield, “Jeet Kune Do,” packed a punch and offered decent defense against physical attacks, but it provided little resistance to magic. Whenever Marquis Menewal unleashed his vampiric spells, Longbow Sunshot found himself scrambling to keep up.

“I…” I tried to respond, meaning to assure them I was on my way, but only managed a whisper so faint that even I couldn’t hear it.

“…What are you doing? Hurry up!” Another spell struck the faithful servant of the High God, and Longbow Sunshot shouted at me in desperation.

I must have disappointed them all. When they needed me most, I faltered, weaker than even a timid snail, which at least has its shell to retreat into. I stood there, limp and useless, my spirit shattered.

“…Longbow Sunshot, fall back and heal the warrior with the shaman. He might be lagging. Protect him, don’t let him die again. I’ll hold the line!” Long Triangle’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and clear. A sudden warmth flooded my chest, thawing the ice of my fear.

Even in this dire moment, my friends hadn’t mocked my cowardice. They trusted me implicitly, refusing to believe in my failure, instead attributing my hesitation to some kinder explanation.

Wave after wave of healing magic washed over my stiffened body, restoring my vitality until it surpassed halfway. By then, the towering vampire marquis had already reached me. The rogue in leather armor and the mage, clad in even lighter gear, had fought valiantly to delay him, but their efforts bought only precious seconds, leaving them perilously close to collapse.

The orc rogue staggered to my side, afflicted by some curse that drained his life steadily, though not fatally. However, the true danger lay in the fact that the constant bleeding prevented him from using his stealth techniques, forcing him into direct combat with Marquis Menewal—a losing proposition. After relentless battles, his health had dwindled to a critical level, making him vulnerable to a single devastating blow.

And just then, Marquis Menewal swung his massive sword, bringing it crashing down toward the orc’s head.

The blade whistled through the air with a mournful howl, reminding me of the death I had just endured. As it bore down on Long Triangle’s skull, I felt my scalp prickle. My mind raced, two voices swirling inside me. One urged me to flee: Leave this dangerous place. Even if Long Triangle dies, Longbow Sunshot and Clado can revive him. And even if they all perish, they can resurrect themselves. But if I die, it’s over. The exit to the upper tomb is visible now, just beyond the giant vampire. Run while you still can.

He was right—I knew it. For me, running was the logical choice.

But the other voice whispered softly: What is death?

Death, perhaps, is the destruction of life. For anyone, death stands opposed to existence, regardless of how extraordinary their abilities may be—even if they possess the power to rise anew.

Yet death is still death. No one welcomes it, no matter their form of life. Its meaning remains universal.

This stout orc beside me had placed himself in mortal peril to protect me. Wasn’t that an act of bravery, a noble deed?

A question formed in my mind:

Does the fact that he can resurrect diminish the significance of his sacrifice?

Does the fact that I can only die once make my life more valuable than his?

No, that’s wrong. Regardless of how he perceives it, for me, it’s the same. Death should never be an excuse for cowardice, nor fear a crutch for weakness. This man is giving his life to save mine—that is the essence of this moment.

He has done his part. Now it’s my turn.

Something within me seemed to unlock, opening wide and flooding me with clarity. Though panic still clung to me, it loosened its grip as my resolve hardened. My heart trembled, my muscles remained stiff with fear, but to my astonishment, I found myself standing boldly before Long Triangle, sword in hand, blocking the deadly strike with every ounce of strength I possessed.

Sparks flew as steel met steel!

Once again, in Marquis Menewal’s crimson, bloodthirsty gaze, I saw the reflection of my own fighting figure.

https://www.novelupdates.com/series/lone-adventure/

If you like this project, please vote for this novel through the above link, thank you.

Join our discord you will receive update notification

If you would like to support this translation, you may choose any one of the options below.

All the tiers provide an off-line reading experience

Tier 1: 5 Advance chapters

Access fee $3.00 Monthly