Otaku Translation: Lone Adventure V5C11

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Chapter 11: Whirlpool Crocodile (Part 1)

I’ll admit it—this battle was a bit of an embarrassment.

While I stood ready, shield raised and heart pounding, fully expecting to be thrown into the fray at any moment, Anser Array and Elegant Strings did all the work. They worked together flawlessly, trading shots and keeping both the Red Hill Piercer and his monstrous hak’tu servitor at bay from a distance. Before I could even get a swing in—or for that matter, be attacked myself—the two enemies were already lying on the ground, defeated with unsettling ease.

It felt like I had been cast as nothing more than an overenthusiastic extra in a show where no one needed me. On the other side of the battlefield, Fei Yin completely outclassed the Red Hill Summoner in their magical duel. And somehow, she still managed to accuse me of not helping her enough—like I hadn't just stood there looking heroic for no reason—and guilted me into giving her a “Blue Diamond Star” ring that boosted ice magic effects as compensation.

Then, almost casually, the three of them lined up beneath the tower and dropped the Red Hill Archer with a double volley. Just like that—battle over.

And once again, I didn’t do anything.

I wasn’t even close enough to land a hit or get smacked around by an enemy. I was just… there. Watching. Rooting for everyone. Feeling entirely useless and awkward. If you really want to count something in my favor, I suppose I did climb the tower after the fight to loot the archer’s corpse. Found thirty-six silver coins and a mushroom growing out of his pack. I handed them over to Fei Yin like some kind of battlefield janitor.

That was my contribution.

The rest of the battles weren’t any better. We kept running into dark elf foes that were four or five levels below us, always coming in small groups—never in numbers that posed any real threat. Honestly, this whole mission should’ve been handled solo by Anser Array alone. From what I’d seen, she was more than capable.

These fights were dull, predictable, and frustratingly easy. Before long, we pushed our way deep into the Red Hill Caverns, following the winding tunnels until we reached an underground river buried beneath the earth’s surface. And there, lurking in the water’s depths, was our target: A’Stain, the Whirlpool Crocodile.

At the sight of that massive beast, I couldn’t help but take a sharp breath in.

I’d never seen anything so huge before.

Its flat, gaping maw was nearly as wide as my waist. From snout to tail, it stretched the length of three wooden boats tied end-to-end. If it wanted to, I’m pretty sure it could swallow me whole without even noticing my shoulders trying to wedge through its throat.

And honestly, I still hadn’t even seen the entire creature yet. The monster—something resembling a lesser dragon—lurked just beneath the surface, casting a vast shadow across the riverbed. It only surfaced occasionally to take a breath, or to slap its thick tail against the water with a bone-rattling thud, sending up sprays of mist each time.

“Oh wow! Look how adorable!” Anser Array squealed the moment she laid eyes on the crocodile, practically bouncing on her heels. If we hadn’t grabbed her by the back of her belt, she probably would’ve leapt into the river headfirst to try and pet the thing. To her, every living creature fell into one of two categories: cute little animals, and even cuter, tinier animals.

“That ‘adorable little croc’ is bigger than a four-wheeled carriage,” I muttered dryly, imitating her overly sweet tone.

“Well, it still counts!” She shot back indignantly, tossing her long hair over one shoulder and refusing to budge an inch in her opinion.

No response could top that sheer level of unshakable optimism, so I just gave up.

“Hey, Anser,” Elegant Strings finally asked, clearly the only one still thinking rationally, “how exactly are you supposed to tame it?”

Anser pulled out a jade-green stone whistle from her pouch and held it up proudly. “The Beastmaster gave me this,” she explained. “If I can blow it continuously for twenty seconds within five feet of the crocodile, it should break free from its current state and become mine.”

Twenty seconds? That was plenty of time for a level-38 Raging monster to snack on me like a fresh seafood platter, then leisurely pick its teeth clean with my ribs. I thought grimly to myself—but wisely chose not to say that aloud.

“But it’s underwater,” Fei Yin pointed out, frowning slightly. “Getting close won’t be easy. And even if we do, we’re not as fast or agile underwater as we are on land. Not to mention how dangerous it would be near something so powerful.”

Anser blinked a few times, clearly not having considered any of that. “Well, I can just swim down to it myself,” she said brightly.

We all exchanged glances and silently agreed to ignore that suggestion.

Watching her enthusiasm grow, Elegant Strings stared quietly at the rippling surface of the river for a long moment. Then, suddenly, he turned toward Anser with unexpected resolve.

“If it has to be done,” he declared, “then I’ll go down instead. Maybe I can lure it to the surface.”

“You're insane!” I practically shouted, unable to believe what I was hearing. “That thing is a level-38 Raging Beast! You’d be food before you even touched the water!”

“What else can we do?” He shrugged, his voice shaking only slightly. “We can’t let a girl go risking her life alone.”

“Little String…” Fei Yin stepped forward and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “…I don’t think I’ve ever seen you act so much like a man since we met.”

Elegant Strings straightened up, trying hard to look noble, though his hands betrayed his nerves by trembling slightly. “You don’t have to stop me,” he said. “If this is for Anser’s sake, I have to see it through.” As he spoke, he risked a glance in her direction—he caught her watching him too, and she immediately looked away, cheeks flushed.

“I’m not trying to stop you,” Fei Yin said gently.

Elegant Strings relaxed slightly.

“I just wanted to tell you,” she continued, voice calm and sincere, “to strip off your gear before diving in. Doesn’t matter if you die—it’s a shame, but acceptable. But if your equipment gets damaged, you’ll have to pay to repair it…”

“…Eh?”

For a moment, Elegant Strings just stood there, frozen in stunned silence.

I don’t think I’d ever seen a more heartbreaking farewell scene in my life.

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