I’m sorry for the rant. That was just my way of blowing off steam. It was late. I was Young. I was stuck indoors for 24+ hours by a feet of snow.
Let me say I hold no animosity towards PROzess, or Krytyk. I like and respect both of their works. With Krytyk, the only thing I really wanted was to clarify my translating methods to avoid misunderstanding. They both do really good work. I’m a fan. As for PROzess, I hold nothing against him/her whatsoever, it just so happened that the comments I wanted to object to were on his/her blog.
Oh yes, and to those of you who don’t know, my icon is Elizabeth.
Chapter 240: Research Material
“Is this supposed to be an old RPG Dungeon…” (Naofumi)
There were plenty of traps, but we managed to destroy them through physical means.
Rocks chased us, and the ceiling fell on us, but Firo and Gaelion dealt with these one way or another.
The rocks were kicked to oblivion.
The ceiling? I acted as a pillar of support while Firo and Gaelion competed in destroying it.
How should I put this. The Justice Zombies and traps made a certain post-apocalyptic game play back in my head.
We’ve been scouting for around 30 minutes, and we’ve managed to proceed quite far.
At one point, we found a passage that led outside. The exit was a cave-like structure.
Could this have been the one that Kiel was talking about?
There were also prison-like rooms arranged in a grid formation. ‘The Devil of the Shield’s Subordinate Asylum’ was scribbled on them.
Finally, we emerge in a room that seems to be a research lab. Looking over the documents scattered around, a certain one catches my eye.
“We did an analysis of their combat strength, but it seems that was all based on secondhand information. Their actual strength is estimated to be much lower.”
Various plans to harass my territory, such as the commandeering of my Bioplant Field, are written, but it seems they’ve been put on hiatus.
There are plenty of test tubes like the ones in Rat’s lab, so it seems that an alchemist has been here.
Also…
“Just how large is this building?” (Naofumi)
“There’s a document about me here too.” (Ren)
Ren begins flipping through a document with his name on the cover.
The problem is that his reading skills are not that high, so he doesn’t seem to understand what’s written.
“Estimated level: 75, but actual level estimated to be higher.
Skill level allows for him to take out a group of twenty level 80 enemies.
Danger level: (Average)”… How sad.
“According to Mald, his swordsmanship isn’t very high.
According to the Princess’s testimony, the possibility that he will help our cause is low. And as such, we will decrease his power by taking any useful equipment or funding he may hold.”
Well, you know… Ren wasn’t really fighting for real, so it’s not like you can estimate his strength from that.
And the Ren of that time really wasn’t particularly strong.
However, just by relying on the power of the legendary weapon, he was without a doubt stronger than Armor.
“It seems that the reason for Witch abandoning you is documented here.” (Naofumi)
“Really?” (Ren)
“Apparently, ‘the possibility that he will help our cause is low’.” (Naofumi)
“Of course… Naofumi is one thing, but if a group wanted to take over the country, I’d probably refuse… I think.” (Ren)
“No, that’s where you should be certain.” (Naofumi)
“Yeah, the me of that time was a little messed up, so I don’t really have confidence that-” (Ren)
“The old you was supposed to be a (self-proclaimed) cool, analytical character, right? You’d probably have left them without saying anything.” (Naofumi)
“Don’t put it so bluntly… but you’re probably right.” (Ren)
My document is next to his. It’s quite thick.
“Estimated level: Impossible to Determine.
Danger Level: (Maximum).
God Class.
Reports indicate that he was able to block the Spirit Turtle’s attacks, but the truth is unclear.
Still, it can be concluded that he has very high defense.
His weak point would be his low attack, but he has been starting to build up forces.
Urgent countermeasures are required.”
“Without careful planning and resources, defeating him will probably be impossible…
Within my forces, the most detailed reports are ones about Raphtalia and Firo.
My forces had planned to have their subordinates dress up as robbers, and attack Raphtalia when she was out training, or Firo when she was peddling. They were to awaken them to the notion of「Justice」. But the plan failed, and their agents’ whereabouts have yet to be determined.”
I don’t know where, but it seems we’ve already had a victory against them.
Raphtalia’s group probably apprehended them and turned them in to the nearest town.
Only people like Atlas would be able to see anything special about that dagger anyways.
There’s also a report of using the Sword Hero to test my ability.
This one seems to be quite recent.
“Estimated Level 100.
If we send a large amount of disposable pawns trained in dealing with his Shield, victory may be possible.
We will send our Trump Card, Mald, to finish him with the strongest equipment.
This is theoretically the most effective measure.”
“This… is…” (Naofumi)
A grave mistake! The work of a fool.
I’m sorry, but it seems your expectations have betrayed you.
I was already able to stop their strongest equipment. I guess that’s something they weren’t expecting.
The next few documents about me seem to be a little older.
They’re things like learning Hengen Musou in order to break through my defense. Apparently, acquisition of the techniques proved to be too difficult, and the plan was put on hiatus.
Well, that martial art required quite a bit of talent and a lot of experience.
They didn’t have that much time, so it was impossible to learn for people who only wanted strength to inflate their own egos.
Besides, the current me can negate a weak defense-breaching attack.
There were many other plans proposed, but in the end, they shifted towards infecting my subordinates with「Justice」.
How troublesome.
Put your useless efforts toward something more productive.
“Master, there’s something strange about this wall.” (Firo)
“For reals? Destroy it!” (Naofumi)
What about solving puzzles? Don’t care.
There’s probably a key somewhere around here, but searching for it is a pain.
An officer of the Three Hero Church is probably holding it, and I don’t need it.
“Ye~s!” (Firo)
“Kyua!” (Gaelion)
Firo and Gaelion competitively reduce the wall to rubble.
It seems there was a secret door somewhere in it, and behind it is a single room.
“It’s more research data.” (Naofumi)
Upon entering the room, I found many more documents piled up.
“What is this? Reproducing… the Heroes’ weapons?” (Naofumi)
I read the document from the start.
… It’s a report on the weapon the pope used.
It spoke of maintenance cost and how to imbue it with magic. They looked at the problem from quite a few angles.
Apparently, these weapons were items of a lost civilization, and reproducing them with modern alchemy was difficult.
Yet, they planned to aim for mass production.
In the end… It ended in failure.
However…
“If we can capture a Hero test subject… Research will advance leaps and bounds?” (Naofumi)
After that was a sketch of… something labeled as a fragment of a weapon.
A sketch of a fragment of the Demon Lord’s weapon.
I’m pretty sure that Legendary Weapons couldn’t be damaged.
So there was something like that?
Also, where the hell did Armor run off to?
He probably proceeded smoothly with a key.
I’m fed up already.
I’ll have the Queen send people to look over this research later.
There’s no end to these stacks of paper.
And, continuing our pursuit, we end up going deeper and deeper into the lab.
We pass by a test tube. It is filled with a strange liquid, and a dagger is suspended in it.
This seems to be the origin of those weapons.
“Atlas, can you see anything?” (Naofumi)
“Yes. The evil aura… is coming from over there.” (Atlas)
Atlas points to the source of the pipeline connected to the test tube.
Well that’s obvious.
“It’s gotten stronger than before.” (Atlas)
“Then the origin may be over there.” (Naofumi)
Should we go over and do some collection?
I think Rat would be delighted here.
I wasn’t able to procure that much funding, so maybe I’ll repossess some of these facilities and recycle them.
“Kyua!” (Gaelion)
Gaelion looks ahead as he tugs on my cuff.
“What is it?” (Naofumi)
“I smell the scent of treasure from over there.” (Gaelion)
“Leave it.” (Naofumi)
In the end, he’s still a dragon.
Later, I’ll repossess that too.
Though I have no idea where they got their treasure from.
“Yay. You got him mad.” (Firo)
And Firo is Firo.
Anyways, while we were messing around as such, we arrive in a wide room.
There, Armor is tapping on a stone tablet as if it were a keyboard.
“So this is where you went. Thanks for leading us here. As a reward, I’ll send you to the other world.” (Naofumi) (TL: As in the afterlife)
“Ku… So you’re already here, Demon Lord of the Shield!” (Armor)
“There were quite a few interesting gadgets set up, but we destroyed them all. Didn’t you hear us get here?” (Naofumi)
What is he doing, anyways?
Armor gives a wide smile as he places his finger on the stone tablet.
“But you’re too late. We’ve already fulfilled our purpose!” (Armor)
By this pattern, something’s going to pop out, right?
As I think that, the ground behind Armor splits in two, and something rises out of it.
From the looks of it, it’s another test tube.
“Naofumi-sama.” (Atlas)
“What?” (Naofumi)
“There’s a fearsome, ominous aura emanating from over there. I assume it to be the progenitor of this incident.” (Atlas)
“I see.” (Naofumi)
What’s going to come out?
Usually in these situations, a large monster is summoned.
And then Armor would become a sacrifice and get killed by it.
“Ha ha ha.” (Armor)
I ignore the laughing Armor and gaze into the test tube.
“Wha-” (Naofumi)
The Hero of the Bow, Itsuki, was lying down inside of it.
But he seems a little strange.
“Bufu!” (Itsuki)
His eyes are covered, and a Gag ball is in his mouth, preventing him from speaking.
What sort of joke is this?
He’s probably been forcefully apprehended. The fact that I’m imagining S&M scenarios makes me question my own psyche.
Anyways, it’s not a pretty scene.
I want to laugh.
Just when I was wondering where he had gone, I find him confined here.
“I-Itsuki!? What happened to you!?” (Ren)
“FUEEEEEEEEEE!?” (Rishia)
In a contrast to my amusement, Ren and Rishia seem highly troubled.
But, I guess their reactions are the correct ones here.
I feel that if Raphtalia were here, she would put pressure on me.
“Is that your trump card?” (Naofumi)
Isn’t Itsuki supposed to be a false prophet to this guy?
Did he lose hope and come crying to Itsuki for help?
Then why is Itsuki in a test tube?
“Now awaken! It’s time to annihilate the Demon Lord of the Shield!” (Armor)
Ignorant is a blessing from the god.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hope you’re alright. You know since there’s so much snow in the US now.
LikeLike
Thanks for the chapter man
Third!!
LikeLike
Thanks !! here’s a typo I spotted : Rocks chased us, and the ceiling fell on us, but Firo and Gaelion dealt with these one war or another. -> one way or another
LikeLike
But he sees a little bit off.-> But he seems a little bit off.
LikeLike
“Real? Destroy it!” (Naofumi) -> Really ? or For Real ?
LikeLike
He’s probably been forcefully apprehended. The fact that I’m imagining SM scenarios make me question my own psych. : psych -> psyche
Psyche
(noun) the human soul, spirit or mind.
LikeLike
pronounced sykee
LikeLike
Thanks for the edits
LikeLike
Rocks chased us, and the ceiling fell on us, but Firo and Gaelion dealt with these one war or another.
war->way
Thanks for the chapter
LikeLike
Thanks for translating this chapter! (^-^)
I’ve read about the tranlation debate/rant, whatever you call it.
I just like to share a quote someone told me long time ago.
“A problem is only a matter of the mind. If you don’t mind it, then it won’t matter.”
(I think it’s grammatically incorrect though)
Anyway, thanks again for the chapter.
LikeLike
It’s an old pun using a variation of the phrase ‘Mind over Matter’, but you’ve got the main point down :)
As in ” It’s basically a case of mind over matter. I don’t mind, so it doesn’t matter.”
LikeLike
Sorry.. that’s supposed to be ‘translation’ not ‘tranlation’.
LikeLike
don’t worry when we read our brain will most likely take notice of first and last Letters even if the other letters are out of order we won’t notice it unless its pointed out like now!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow same here in the middle of german so much snow on this rotten mountain (it’s calles Harz) …
Well anyway thanks a lot for translating another chapter
LikeLike
thank ya very much for the translation translators! Many thanks towards the Author!!
LikeLike
eh what? whats up with Krytyk?
LikeLike
There was some hubbub about some TLers and their critic of MTLers and MATLers.
LikeLike
Apparently acquisition of the techniques provedto be too difficult, and the plan was put on hiatus.
provedto -> proved to
LikeLike
~Thanks!
LikeLike
Thx for the chapter
LikeLike
waaa update already.. thanks alot Yoraichi, keep up the good work
LikeLike
As always, thanks for the chapter. You rock :)
LikeLike
And Firo’s Firo.
should it not be writen and Firo is Firo?
And can´t wait for more xD
LikeLike
‘s can be a contraction of is rather than denoting possessiveness
LikeLike
Hahaha
LikeLike
SIXTH!!!
and thanks for the chapie.
LikeLike
****PACEPALM****
LikeLike
I’d edit that for you, but I think everyone needs to see your epic fail. Unless you’re being sarcastic… you’re 18th XD
LikeLike
Thanks for the chap Yorai sama~
I also thought about SM play when I read the part about Itsuki with ball gag and blindfold plus bondage in my imagination, look really disgusting though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes a new chapter Thank you Yourai
LikeLike
Arigatou gozaimasu!
LikeLike
I shouldn’t have read address this is not much Fun anymore
LikeLike
Yorai can I get your opinion on what you think about this two Novel
http://ncode.syosetu.com/n2077bu/
http://ncode.syosetu.com/n9781bh/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s see… Let’s see…
Snow Wind – The Maritime Defense Force’s Otherworldly Struggle
The description isn’t really helpful, and I haven’t read it,so I can’t say anything to it.
Before My Assignment, I’m sent to another world!?
The story actually seems to be interesting. But I haven’t read it. I don’t like the Main Character, but that’s just a first impression.
LikeLiked by 1 person
SM Itsuki LOL
LikeLike
Blast you trap in your snow and here I am looking at rain, I haven’t seen snow in over a year (if it already on the ground and frozen like ice it does not count as snow) I mean come on how am I suppose to build my snowman army if there is no bloody snow. Woohoo for Oregon rain -_-. Side note thank you for the translation so early in…the afternoon.
LikeLike
You guys at least have snow frozen as ice on ground. We might be lucky to see snowing during morning on December.Though where I live, the weather is quite nice. But still its nice to see snowing occasionally…..
LikeLike
Thank you for your hard work :) — Hopefully you have a snow day today & can get some game time in.
LikeLike
Why are these people so stupid in the story……. Every other villain gets stupider every time a new one shows up
LikeLike
There’s a reason for that, it seems Sheildbro is battling down the ranks of enemies for now. So instead of coming across more talented vile enemies he’s having to defeat the lackies of the bad guys he fought previously. I’m just hoping we don’t dive through the ranks to find the one who thinks eating the biohouses would damage him in any way.
LikeLike
Thank you for your good work yorai-sama (Musn’t turrrrrn in..to brainw@w@w@w@w@shed … 4 )
LikeLiked by 1 person
Experiments seem to yield positive results. Increase the brainwashing wave output to 98.765 the next time and record the results.
Chendu. Hey, Chendu. Are you ready to do i̶n̶justice for Yorai-sama?
LikeLiked by 1 person
If we send a large about of disposable pieces trained in dealing with his Shield, victory may be possible. about -> amount
LikeLike
oops somehow missed this : make me question my own psyche.
make -> makes
LikeLike
Pieces -> pawns (the western common word)
LikeLike
Either one works, though pawns works better.
LikeLike
Maybe Yoraikun should make you editor -_- You definitely wake up earlier than me, and I even woke up early for school! Must be the time zone…
LikeLike
I woke up… To a day without school.
LikeLiked by 1 person
…So…where is Rat?
LikeLike
thanks for the chapter
LikeLike
Appreciate the work you do, its easy to read and understand without having to go back and re-read or look stuff up for further clarification
LikeLike
Hahah Rock chasing (insert Indiana Jones reference)thats a phrase I have never seen before. “For reals?” Cracks me up you can’t say that out loud with a serious face… Seriously though faith make people do crazy things the amount of planning commendable and where did “Bitch” disappear to apparently she was supposedly the final blow but is nowhere in sight… Instead Itsuki may have more potential though he still does not have strengthening methods? Or maybe its in the papers Naofumi did not read though I do not think he would miss that. The ninjas must be busy to not even be looming around Naofumi… I expect the damage to the other location maybe huge… For the ones who attacked Raphtalia they have definitely underestimated Granny (its over 9000).
LikeLike
Thanks for the release!
LikeLike
thank for new ch.btw about leecher selfclaim as diehard Krytry fanatic,just ignore them.a least i know your hard work to deliver this ch.i also try to translate so i know it goddamn hard to do just 1 day like you so i really respect u.u still young and still can improve to become like good translator like them.take their teaching to improve n it good thing if they willing it.learning never end until we die.
LikeLike
I miss Raphtalia.
LikeLike
don’t worry. she’ll return as a justice zombie
LikeLike
Why do you have to spoil?
LikeLike
“Rocks chased us, and the ceiling fell on us, but Firo and Gaelion dealt with these one way or another.” -> “Rocks chased us; the ceiling fell on us, but Firo and Gaelion dealt with these one way or another.”
LikeLike
The “However, he was without a doubt stronger than Armor.
Just by relying on the power of the legendary weapon.”, is this how it’s really written? the second sentence lost the subject who is relying on the power of the legendary weapon -> “However, he was without a doubt stronger than Armor, just by relying on the power of the legendary weapon(if the sentence refers to Ren, but if it refers to Armor it should be “Armor, who just relies on the power of the [fake] legendary weapon”).”
LikeLike
Ren is stronger.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right, then who is “relying on the legendary weapon”?
LikeLike
Ren.
LikeLike
I understood it as Ren relying on the legendary weapon at that time. I might reformulate the sentence as : ‘However, just by relying on the power of the legendary weapon, he was without a doubt stronger than Armor.’
LikeLiked by 1 person
The online version of wordpress won’t let me reply like this, so this reply is by app. And I like what you did here.
LikeLike
I had changed it to
“However, without a doubt, he was stronger than Armor just by relying on the power of the legendary weapon.”
but I like yours better someguy
LikeLiked by 1 person
I used to live in Walled Lake, MI.
Now in Seattle:) You should move here. It’s 50F here with rain drizzles 😜
LikeLike
Hey now, there’s nothing wrong with living in Michigan, other than stepping out of your garage into waist deep snow that wasn’t there the night before in temps of 2 degrees… ok scratch that, what’s cost of living like out that way?
LikeLike
“This. is.” (Naofumi) -> “This is…”(Naofumi)
LikeLike
In the original text, it split up the syllables into individual sentences to stress every single one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Understood thanks.
LikeLike
So? According to the wiki about ellipses to make it western it would be “This… is…”(Naofumi)
LikeLike
O shit Yoraikun, you and I just edited at the same time and you ended up reverting mine XD
LikeLike
Should we go over and do some collection?
I think Rat would be delighted here.
I wasn’t able to procure that much funding, so maybe I’ll repossess some of these facilities and recycle them.
I really laugh hard XD
Nice word to use other than stealing/looting XD
BANZAI SHIELD BRO!!!!
ALL HAIL YORAIKUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LikeLike
Well to repo something is to “(il)legally” steal it back for the original owner ahahah.
LikeLike
Re-reading this whole thing, and being considerate of the author’s artistic license. There are places that can be “edited” for English fluency, but I feel like that could potentially take more away from the personality (writing-translated wise) of the author. It is more like I am Peer-Reviewing not editing. Is it wrong to have this mindset?
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re not wrong.
That conflict is something that will always happen in translation, and each editor/translator has their own way of balancing it.
For example, I bought the official English translated Sword Art Online novels, and the English was great!… so much so that it no longer felt Japanese… but it’s great English!
Find a balance you’re comfortable with is what I suggest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Then I would like to continue contributing my editing “opinions”.
LikeLike
Of course
LikeLike
don’t worry yoriakun the FFF inquisition will steel your happiness and protect you solitude so keep up the good work and feed the unpopular, if you are ever need a picture to sooth your heart you know who to call
love FFF executioner
LikeLike
To sum it up
a wild shield devil has appear
“Itsuki, I choose you” armor
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it seems like Itsuki was being tested on….Brainwashed? Captured? Did they enhance his abilities or something? It looks like from the text, he was scared or shocked somewhat. So he may or may not have went willingly. Well, thanks for the chapter!
LikeLike
Thanks for the new chapter.
LikeLike
Thanks for the chapter!!
White penguin from gintama :)
LikeLike
“for reals?” haha i just cant imagine our Demon Lord of the Shield to say that
LikeLiked by 1 person
I definitely read it as “Fo realzies??!!”
LikeLike
“Of course… Naofumi is one thing, but if a group wanted to take over the country, I’d probably refuse. I think.” (Ren) -> refuse… I think.
“Yeah, the me of that time was a little messed up, so I don’t really have confidence that…” (Ren) -> confidence that- (because Naofumi is cutting him off?)
I read the document from the start.
… It’s a report on the weapon the pope used. (totally feels like this was the author doing it) -> Westernized grammar: I read the document from the start; It’s a report on the weapon the pope used.
Random fact something I learned was when you put [these brackets] it becomes your words/edit/peer-review. Whatever you put inside should not take away from the authors originals words only improve its fluency to future readers. For example “but if a group wanted to take over the [rich] country”.
My Goodness the overhaul of editing amazing work(Not what I wrote above right now, I mean the one done on the page itself).
LikeLike
My take on period vs ellipsis is:
A period is a short break, and an ellipsis is a long break–it’s three periods after all.
So it’s like:
“I’d probably refuse… I think.” is like a couple seconds have passed
whereas
“I’d probably refuse. I think.” is a very short break.
The difference imo is if Ren said it, and then thought about it, and then decided he was not sure vs Ren said it and already knew he wasn’t sure, and then immediately added “I think” as a caveat.
For your first revision, I think you are correct because the ellipsis after “Of course” suggests that Ren is unsure of himself.
I also agree about your second revision. Good attention to detail.
I disagree with the third revision however, because the ellipsis shows a pause.
‘Naofumi read it … and then realized it was a report about the pope’ is how I understood it as. You’re not wrong, but it’s a stylistic thing.
I’ll put in the first two edits and leave the third one up to Yoraikun.
LikeLike
Thanks for the input about the ellipses thing I use the ellipses as a way to keep it as one sentence… the period breaks the sentence and “I Think” becomes its own sentence grammar wise IMO.
Third revision my issue was it was a sentence then the ellipses so to keep ellipses it would end up from “I read the document from the start.
… It’s a report on the weapon the pope used” -> “I read the document from the start … it’s a report on the weapon the pope used” Periods break sentences apart is what I am used to… definitely overusing ellipses here >.>. I might double check https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ for corrections.
I learned as a bi-lingual but I realize I can’t beat Native-English-Country speakers.
LikeLike
Purdue owl is a great source! I use it all the time for my essays.
As I said, this is a style thing. In my opinion, Purdue is great for strict grammar, but when writing fiction, which is somewhat like writing poetry, words become more obscure and grammar less important. Everything you said is correct, but I don’t think strict grammar describes the situation accurately.
LikeLike
I agree the authors artistic license should allow for informality in their writing. A hard copy publication would definitely put a lot of strict grammar, but it is an Web Novel. I have also re-read the Third revision and yeah it finally makes more sense and didn’t bother my Spider Senses. Thanks again for the response.
LikeLike