Light Novel Volume 6

This page contains **spoilers** from the light novel! Read at your own risk.

## Darkest Before the Dawn

* Japanese
* English
* English Audio Book
* Textless

**"Darkest Before the Dawn"** (明けねばこそ夜は永く, *Akeneba Koso Yoru wa Nagaku*?) is the sixth volume of the *86 -Eighty Six-* light novel series. The volume covers the second half of the fourth story arc of the series, depicting the United Kingdom's and the Strike Package's struggle to finally rid the Dragon Corpse Mountains of the Legion, while Shin and Lena struggle to understand the other.

## Tagline

* Edited
* Original
* Japanese

> "*Change your way of life in order to move forward.*"
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> "*Change the way to live. To advance.*"
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> "*戦わねば、生き残れない。だが戦えば生きられるわけでは、ない。*"
> ― If you don't fight, you won't survive. But fighting isn't the only way to live.
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## Epigraph

* English
* Japanese

> "***For the Eighty-Six, death is a way of life.***"
> ― Eighty-Sixth Strike Package, Miscellaneous Journal Scrawling
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> "***エイティシックスは、しぬものだ***"
> ― 第八六機動打撃群　日誌の走り書きより
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## Synopsis

WE ARE NOT THE SAME.

Live to fight. Die with honor. That was all they knew, and they were proud. But as they saw themselves reflected in the Sirens-slaughtered by the thousands with nothing to show for it-a crack formed in their ironclad resolve. Shin's mind festered with doubt. Lena's heart tore at the seams as she struggled to understand him. Would they find common ground over the course of the United Kingdom operation? Or would they drift further apart...?

## Contents

* **Prologue: Harsh Mistress**
序章　ハーシュ・ミストレス
* **Chapter 1: In the Werewolves' Forest**
第一章　人狼は森に
* **Chapter 2: Life's but a Walking Shadow**
第二章　ライフズ・バッド・ア・ウォーキング・シャドウ
* **Chapter 3: Shoot the Moon**
第三章　シュート・ザ・ムーン
* **Chapter 4: In His Heaven**
第四章　イン・ヒズ・ヘヴン
* **Epilogue: Home Sweet Home**
終章　ホーム・スイート・ホーム

## Appearances

Main Characters

* Shinei Nouzen
* Vladilena Milizé
* Raiden Shuga
* Theoto Rikka
* Anju Emma
* Kurena Kukumila
* Frederica Rosenfort
* Viktor Idinarohk
* Lerche

Supporting Characters

* Brent Bernholdt
* Daiya Irma (mentioned)
* Dustin Jaeger
* Ernst Zimmerman (mentioned)
* Erwin Marcel
* Fido
* Gelda Maika
* Grethe Wenzel
* Guren Akino
* Henrietta von Penrose
* Kaie Taniya (mentioned)
* Ludmila
* Reki Michihi
* Rito Oriya
* Seiei Nouzen
* Shana
* Shiden Iida
* Svetlana Idinarohk
* Touka Keisha
* Yuuto Crow
* Zafar Idinarohk
* Zelene Birkenbaum

## Illustrations

Rabe and Eintagsfliege Schematics (JP)Rabe and Eintagsfliege Schematics (EN)Snowman Photograph (JP)Snowman Photograph (EN)Legion List (JP)Legion List (EN)Character Introduction (JP)Character Introduction (EN)Lena covers Shin as he rests on the transportShin catches LenaLena cries as Shin refuses to confide in herZentaur Schematics (JP)Zentaur Schematics (EN)Anju and Kurena in CicadasGadyuka enters the frayPhönix Dummy System Schematics (JP)Phönix Dummy System Schematics (EN)Theo and RaidenPhönix Final Schematics (JP)Phönix Final Schematics (EN)Ludmila's question to RitoUndertaker's leapShin returns to Lena
## Trivia

* The Japanese title of this volume was probably a reference to a line from the play *Macbeth:* "The night is long that never finds the day (IV.III.240)." It was shortened by the translator owing to the full line's awkward length.

## References

1. ↑ ８６―エイティシックス―Ep.6 ―明けねばこそ夜は永く― Dengeki Bunko
2. ↑ 86--EIGHTY-SIX, Vol. 6 (light novel) Yen Press
3. ↑ Light Novel Translator's Official Twitter Account