Is My Main God Miyazaki Hidetaka?
"Alright, get up," Lynn said crossly.
"Huh?" Patches blinked, seemingly unable to believe he was getting off so easily.
"I said get up and follow me," Lynn shot him a glance. "Or would you prefer to stay in this hole forever?"
"Really? You're not going to thrash me anymore, sir?"
Overjoyed, Patches scrambled to his feet with an agility that suggested he hadn't just taken a beating.
"Keep talking and I'll give you another round."
"No, no, absolutely not!" Patches shook his head like a rattle, scurrying along at Lynn's heels.
One after the other, they emerged from the damp cave that reeked of mildew and schemes. Patches trailed closely behind, sporting two black eyes yet wearing an expression of survivor's relief mixed with a faint, indiscernible spark of shrewdness.
"Sir, where exactly are we headed?" Patches asked, rubbing his hands together in a fawning manner. "This place isn't half bad—gloomy, damp... looks like a prime spot for hidden treasure. Rest assured, my intuition for loot has been forged through a thousand trials!"
"Shut up and just walk," Lynn replied without looking back.
He just wanted to get this troublesome bald man to the surface. Though he was annoyed at being tricked, he viewed it as a necessary interaction with Patches—the lesson had been taught, and that was that.
As the two climbed the stairs and finally emerged from the Dungeon entrance back onto the surface, the blinding sunlight and the sudden roar of the city made Patches squint instinctively.
Once his eyes adjusted and he took in the sight before him, he froze completely.
A white tower pierced the clouds; cobblestone streets were wide enough for giants to walk abreast; crowds of people dressed in various armors and tunics bustled about; the air was thick with the aroma of food and the crisp clatter of metal...
"My... Good lord..." Patches' mouth hung open in a comical 'O' shape. His panda-like eyes bulged, nearly popping out of their bruised sockets. He had lived for more years than he could count and swindled more people than he could remember. From the royal capital where ancient dragons perched to the rot-infested swamps, what godforsaken place hadn't he seen?
But this city...
It was a gold mine built of literal gold and dreams!
Look at those adventurers! Every one of them carried bulging coin purses and gleaming weapons, their faces looking so simple, so... delightfully easy to deceive!
And those shops! Overflowing with goods, teeming with customers—just think of the market share!
Patches' breathing quickened. He could almost see countless Valis sprouting wings and flying straight into his pockets. A divine glow—a mix of greed, ecstasy, and calculation—gradually settled over his wretched face.
"Friend! My best friend!" He suddenly grabbed Lynn's arm, spitting with excitement. "What is this place? Heaven?! We're going to be rich!"
"Hands off." Lynn shook him off with a look of disgust. "And wipe that 'I'm-about-to-turn-this-whole-street-into-a-second-hand-market' look off your face."
It was painfully obvious what the man was thinking.
Lynn had no intention of letting this professional bridge-burner stay too close to him, let alone bringing him back to Eina's house. He led a daydreaming Patches through a maze of complex alleys, eventually stopping at a dilapidated, cheap inn at the end of a secluded, slightly musty lane.
Lynn fished out a few Valis and tossed them to the drowsy owner behind the counter, requesting the cheapest room available.
"You're staying here for now," Lynn said, pointing toward the creaking stairs.
"Huh? Here?" Patches looked around. Cobwebs clung to the corners, and the air smelled like an unwrung dishcloth. He immediately screwed up his face. "Friend, given our history, shouldn't we be in a luxury suite with a balcony overlooking the city? Isn't this a bit..."
"First, our 'history' isn't that great. Second, keep complaining and you can go back to living in that hole," Lynn interrupted coldly.
Patches' cheek twitched, but his face was instantly replaced by a wide smile. "Just a joke! Only a joke! This place is fine—quiet, discreet. Perfect for a low-profile businessman like myself to contemplate my commercial blueprints."
Lynn couldn't be bothered with him. He pulled another small pouch of coins from his pocket and threw it over. "Spend it wisely. Don't cause trouble. I'll come find you tomorrow."
"You have my word!" Patches caught the pouch, weighing it in his hand as his eyes crinkled into slits. "I'm a man of rules! I won't cause you a lick of trouble!"
Hearing that utterly insincere promise, Lynn's eye twitched. He gave Patches one last warning glare and turned to leave. If he stayed another second, he feared he wouldn't be able to resist giving the man another flying kick.
Having settled his unexpected compatriot, Lynn finally breathed a sigh of relief.
By the time he returned to Eina's house, dusk had fallen. Warm light spilled from the windows, chasing away the residual chill of the Dungeon.
"You're back, Lynn."
Eina, wearing an apron, walked out of the kitchen carrying a plate of steaming stew. Seeing him, she offered a gentle smile. "Hard work today. Go wash your hands; dinner's almost ready."
"I'm back," Lynn replied, a wave of warmth washing over him.
This is what life should feel like.
The atmosphere at dinner was relaxed. Eina, acting like a worried older sister, asked about his adventures for the day. Naturally, Lynn omitted the farce involving Patches, simply mentioning that he had practiced a bit on the tenth floor—as part of a party, of course.
After dinner, Lynn didn't go straight to his room. Instead, he climbed onto the roof alone.
Orario at night had its own unique charm. The clamor of the day was gone, replaced by the lights of ten thousand homes acting as a terrestrial galaxy reflecting the true stars above. The night breeze was exceptionally cool, blowing away the exhaustion of battle.
The sky was crystal clear, without a single cloud. The dense carpet of stars felt almost within reach. Lynn sat down, gazing up at this alien sky, but in his mind, a familiar, deeper, and more mysterious night sky surfaced.
In his heart, he softly called out that name.
"Ranni..."
The moment the name left his thoughts, the air beside him seemed to ripple. The temperature dropped a few degrees, and a cool, tranquil aura permeated the space. A translucent, star-flecked petite figure appeared silently by his side.
Four arms, pale skin, a closed right eye, and beneath that wide witch's hat, a deep blue left eye gazed at him quietly.
"You always appear out of nowhere."
"I heard your call." Ranni's voice was ethereal and soft, like a whisper in the night wind.
Lynn smiled. His tension evaporated the moment he saw her.
"I have a question." His smile faded, replaced by a serious expression. "Today, in the Dungeon, I ran into an acquaintance from the Lands Between."
He briefly recounted his encounter with Patches.
Ranni listened quietly, her blue eye showing little emotion, as if the existence of a character like Patches was entirely within her expectations.
"So, I wanted to ask," Lynn looked at her, "since both he and I could end up here... does that mean others from the Lands Between might come through as well?"
This was a vital question. If they were friends, it was a blessing. But if they were enemies... or something even more troublesome, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Ranni tilted her head slightly, seemingly in thought. Starlight flowed around her translucent form. After a moment, she spoke.
"It is possible. The power that swept us here is not a simple teleportation; it is more akin to a storm that has ravaged the very nodes of time and space. You and I are the center of that storm, but where the dust kicked up by its edges might land... that is impossible to predict."
As I thought.
Lynn frowned. This wasn't good news; it meant the future was full of even more uncertainty.
Sensing his worry, one of Ranni's hands rose gently toward him.
"Do not trouble yourself overmuch," she said. "Whatever comes, strength remains the foundation. If one is too weak, even in calm waters, one might drown in the shallows."
As she spoke, a speck of starlight condensed in her translucent palm. It eventually formed a crystal-clear shard that looked as though it held a small piece of the night sky within it, floating slowly toward Lynn.
"This is..." Lynn reached out to take it. The shard was cold to the touch but thrummed with a strange rhythm.
"A Starlight Shard," Ranni explained. "While you explore this world, I have been analyzing its laws. I have found that our sorceries are not impossible to recreate here; they simply lack certain key media to reconcile the conflict between the laws of our worlds."
Her gaze seemed to pierce through the roof, looking toward the bottomless abyss beneath the city.
"Those media are hidden deep within the Dungeon. They may be a specific ore, a plant grown in a place where mana converges, or an item of significant meaning."
"This Starlight Shard will guide you to them. It will alert you when you are near such a medium."
Lynn gripped the shard, a sense of realization dawning on him. "I see."
It's basically a treasure radar.
"Thank you, Ranni," he said sincerely.
"It is our covenant." Ranni's voice remained flat, yet Lynn could detect a hint of warmth. "Go and collect them, my King. When the conditions are met, the royal sorceries of Caria shall once again bloom within your hands."
With that, her figure began to turn more transparent, like mist dissolving into the night. Flecks of starlight scattered and eventually vanished. Only the cold Starlight Shard remained in Lynn's palm, flickering quietly.
Lynn looked down at it, then up at the massive Tower of Babel. It seemed he had a new objective for tomorrow.
Early the next morning, after Eina left for work, Lynn also headed out. He didn't rush to the Guild or the Dungeon. Instead, he navigated his way back to the musty alley.
The wooden sign of the cheap inn hung precariously. The owner behind the counter was as lifeless as before, not even bothering to lift an eyelid at Lynn's arrival. Lynn walked straight up the creaking stairs to the corner room and raised his hand to knock.
Knock, knock...
"Who is it?! Don't you know I'm busy with my grand international trade blueprints!" Patches' voice came from inside, full of vigor and a hint of impatience.
Lynn raised an eyebrow. Without a word, he lifted his foot and kicked the thin wooden door with just enough force.
Thud!
The door swung open, nearly smacking a bald head that was peeking out from behind it.
"Yeow!" Patches jumped a foot in the air. Seeing it was Lynn, his annoyance melted instantly into a flowery, fawning grin. "Oh, it's you, sir! Please, come in, come in! You see, I was just about to open the door for you!"
Lynn didn't bother exposing him and stepped into the room. It still smelled terrible, but to his surprise, the place had been tidied up... somewhat.
Patches was squatting over a tattered map he'd scavenged from somewhere, a charcoal pencil in hand, circling and scribbling while muttering to himself.
"...This area is full of fools with too much money, perfect for initial expansion... hmm, the adventurers here look quite naive, high-quality clients..."
"Commercial blueprints?" Lynn glanced at the scribbled-over map, asking with a thin smile.
"Cough! Your eyes are as sharp as ever, sir!" Patches quickly rolled up the map and hid it behind his back, rubbing his hands as he approached. "I'm just getting my bearings, thinking of starting a small business to contribute to our great Tarnished cause! Rest assured, it's strictly legitimate business!"
Looking at those darting little eyes, Lynn knew the man was brewing some kind of scheme. He didn't waste words. He held up his right hand and, right in front of Patches, slowly clenched it into a fist. His knuckles let out a series of crisp cracks.
"I don't care what kind of business you do," Lynn said calmly, though the sound of it made Patches break into a cold sweat. "Remember three things. First: no digging pits. Second: no setting traps. Third: no kicking people off cliffs."
He paused, his cold gaze locking onto Patches' bald head.
"If I hear about some poor soul in this city being scammed by a bald merchant, I will come back personally and let you experience what true 'Gravity' feels like."
"I... I understand! Absolutely not!" Patches nodded his head like a woodpecker, his posture as humble as could be. "I, Patches, have turned over a new leaf! I am determined to be the paragon of integrity in Orario!"
"It better be that way. I'm warning you, this place actually has Gods in charge. It's not a lawless land like the Lands Between."
Lynn gave him one last warning look and turned to leave.
Watching Lynn's decisive silhouette disappear down the stairs, the fawning smile on Patches' face slowly faded. He touched his still-throbbing eye socket, looked at the charcoal in his hand, and let out a long sigh.
"Ah, what a rocky start. It seems... the business model needs a bit of adjustment."
With the unstable element that was Patches temporarily suppressed, Lynn headed straight for Babel. He had more important things to do today.
He entered the Dungeon, following the familiar path. He descended rapidly, his pace barely faltering. It wasn't until he reached the thirteenth floor—the entrance to the Middle Floors—that he found a relatively safe corner to stop.
"Alright, let's see what you can do."
Lynn pulled the crystalline Starlight Shard from his coat. It was cold in his palm, glowing faintly like a captured star. Holding the shard, he continued deeper into the lower floors.
Floor fourteen... floor fifteen...
As he went deeper, the Starlight Shard began to react. At first, it was just a slight, nearly imperceptible vibration accompanied by a faint, airy chime.
Lynn's spirits rose. It's working!
He slowed his pace. Instead of following the main paths carved out by adventurers, he followed the increasingly strong guidance of the shard, turning into a secluded side path.
The shard in his palm vibrated more violently. Its glow shifted from a soft glimmer to a visibly bright aura, acting like a pale blue guiding lantern. It pointed toward a wall at the end of the path.
Lynn stopped, looking at the ordinary, moss-covered rock face. He knit his brows.
"A dead end?"
He reached out and tapped it. A dull, heavy sound echoed back. It was solid stone.
Yet the Starlight Shard was practically jumping out of his palm. The light was blinding and the humming urgent, clearly indicating that his goal lay behind this wall.
"Heh, the old routine."
Lynn muttered a sarcastic comment to himself and stepped back. He recalled the hidden paths in the Lands Between—the ones hidden behind waterfalls, walls, or even thin air.
"Hidden path ahead, therefore, try attacking."
Muttering the familiar slang, he didn't draw his sword. Instead, he simply raised his hand and delivered a sharp, clean slap to the stone wall.
Slap!
A crisp sound echoed.
The entire rock face began to shudder violently. Moss and debris crumbled away. Countless complex blue patterns surfaced on the rock, resembling an activated magic circle.
Then, to Lynn's stunned amazement, the solid rock melted away like ice, receding to both sides to reveal a deep passage radiating a chill and the scent of magic.
The passage wasn't long. At its end stood a grand, double-leafed iron gate that looked far beyond human craftsmanship. The gates were ancient and solemn, carved with intricate, elegant patterns. Two lifelike stone carvings of cuckoo birds stared down coldly at the visitor with their hollow eyes.
The moment he saw those gates, Lynn's breath hitched. For the first time, a look of unbelievable shock appeared on a face that had seen countless storms and had always remained composed.
"Raya Lucaria... Academy?"
Lynn whispered to himself, his eyes reflecting a hint of nostalgia—and an even greater desire for battle.
Shouldering the Bloodhound's Fang, Lynn stepped into the light beyond the gates without a moment's hesitation.
As he crossed the threshold, it felt as though he were passing through a cool curtain of water. The scene before him opened up instantly.
He wasn't in a grand hall or a library, but a courtyard so vast it bordered on the absurd. Beneath his feet were smooth white stone slabs, surrounded by towering buildings in the same style as the gates. In the center of the courtyard, a massive fountain stood silently, though no water flowed from it.
The sky was a dull gray—no sun, no moon—only a uniform, shimmering canopy covering everything. The space was terrifyingly quiet, with only the sound of his own footsteps echoing in the void.
The moment he stepped into the courtyard, the massive gates behind him groaned and slowly swung shut, cutting off his retreat entirely.
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Danmachi: My Primary God is Hidetaka Miyazaki? (Simulpub – Ongoing)
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