Otaku Translation: Lone Adventure V5C13

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Chapter 13: How to Lure You, Little Croc (Part 1)

After dealing with the foolish elven archer who had gotten himself into trouble, Fei Yin dusted her hands together lightly and strode over to us with a casual smile. Her demeanor was calm, as if she hadn’t just finished scolding someone moments ago.

“Since this guy can’t go underwater,” she said, stopping in front of me and tilting her head slightly as though seeking my approval, “it looks like it’s up to you and me to lure that giant crocodile out.”

“Uh… sure, whatever you say,” I replied. I have to admit, when her gaze swept over me—warm yet calculating—my heart sank like a stone. The bloody lesson from Elegant Strings’ recent misfortune still hung heavy in the air. Unless I’d suddenly developed dementia, I knew compliance was the safest option.

“You two better not hurt little A’Stain…” The long-haired elven girl pouted wistfully as she watched us prepare to dive beneath the surface. She cast a sorrowful glance at the shadowy form of the massive whirlpool crocodile lurking below. Her mournful expression made me feel almost guilty, as though we were about to attack some docile lamb instead of facing off against a monstrous predator.

I stared at the silhouette of the beast in the water—just its head was larger than my entire body—and couldn’t help but wonder where her misplaced pity came from. From any angle, it seemed far more reasonable for us to be worried about our own survival rather than fretting over the wellbeing of the colossal reptile.

With minimal preparation, Fei Yin and I slipped into the water one after another. Beneath the surface, the light dimmed considerably, and the initial shock of cold left me disoriented for a moment. But soon enough, my eyes adjusted to the murky depths, and shapes began to take form around me.

Underwater, A’Stain—the whirlpool crocodile—appeared even more enormous than he did above the surface. His half-lidded eyes gave him an air of lazy indifference as he prowled through the water with slow, deliberate movements. His body was wide and bulky, his limbs resembling four thick tree trunks. His elongated jaws hung slightly open, revealing rows of sharp, unyielding teeth. Most striking of all was his tail—a monstrous appendage longer than a grown man, covered in rough scales and bristling with jagged spines. Despite its bulk, the tail moved with surprising fluidity, propelling him through the water with graceful sweeps that put human legs to shame.

I didn’t want to imagine what it would feel like to be struck by that thing.

Fei Yin and I swam cautiously closer, maintaining a safe distance until we broke the surface briefly to catch our breath before diving back down. As we submerged again, Fei Yin signaled to me with a swift hand gesture, then fired an ice arrow directly at the hulking creature.

Before the projectile could hit its mark, Fei Yin grabbed my arm and yanked me backward, swimming frantically toward shore. There was no time to hesitate; one wrong move, and we’d become dessert for the ravenous beast. Fortunately, aiming wasn’t an issue given the size of our target. The ice arrow struck A’Stain squarely on the back. Though his thick hide rendered the attack laughably ineffective, it succeeded in drawing his attention. With startling speed, the crocodile spun around and charged straight for us, his limbs and tail churning the water into chaos. The once-calm underground river erupted into frothing waves, scattering fish in every direction and turning the currents wild.

A’Stain moved faster than we anticipated. With only a few powerful thrusts of his tail, he closed the gap between us alarmingly quickly. Thankfully, we weren’t far from the shore by then. Summoning every ounce of strength, I kicked hard and surged forward, pulling myself onto dry land with trembling arms. I rolled onto the ground and immediately reached back to grab Fei Yin’s hand, hauling her out of the water just as the crocodile’s shadow loomed dangerously close behind her.

“Get ready—he’s coming!” I shouted hoarsely, my voice barely audible over the roar of the water. Even now, I swore I could feel the force of A’Stain’s wake pressing against my spine.

Anser Array stood nearby, clutching a whistle tightly while watching the scene unfold with wide, curious eyes. Beside her, Elegant Strings stood poised with bow in hand, ready to defend their position.

The crocodile’s massive back emerged from the water as he barreled toward the shore. Just as we braced ourselves for him to lunge onto land, however, he abruptly dove back beneath the surface mere inches from the bank. His stubby hind legs and enormous tail flailed upward comically before slamming back down into the water with a thunderous splash, sending sprays of white foam cascading into the air.

We watched in stunned silence as the colossal shadow beneath the water lazily readjusted itself and began drifting back toward the center of the river.

Fei Yin and Elegant Strings exchanged glances, their faces falling in unison. Judging by the way they looked at me, I guessed my own expression wasn’t much better.

We’d risked life and limb to lead the creature to the edge of the water, hoping to subdue him once he ventured ashore. Instead, the cunning brute had proven too cautious to leave the safety of his domain.

“What do we do now?” I groaned, rubbing my temples in frustration.

“Why don’t you two try going back in?” Elegant Strings suggested innocently.

“Why don’t you try?” Fei Yin snapped, glaring daggers at her.

“I… uh…” Elegant Strings stammered, looking sheepish. “…I can’t swim…”

“Well, I’ve got an idea,” I interjected dryly, crossing my arms. “We could tie a rope around your waist and toss you in as bait. Alive or dead, it doesn’t matter—you won’t need swimming skills for that.”

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