CH 169

TN: Hello, Cipher here, and I am back from my 1 month break! Thank you all so much for your patience. I finished 80% of all my college applications thanks to this break.



TN: Shout-Outs Section!



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Alex Sandoval >>



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A myriad of vines are drawing near us.



The vines’ movements are straightforward and predictable, much like the Slime Jellyfish and the “Flowered” Treant, yet they’re abnormally fast.



A single blow would be enough to reduce us to nothing.



(“Shadow Migration”—No, it won’t work. We won’t make it out in time.)



First of all, I must gain some distance.



I create a barricade in front of us using what’s inside my Item Box.



Then, I retreat backwards.



However, in the blink of an eye, the place where I was standing gets smashed by countless vines.



(H-hey, are you for real?)



All the heavy machinery and the tetrapods have been reduced to smithereens because of the vines’ attacks.



My agility is over 700, but I can barely match its speed…on top of that, they each carry a devastating force behind them.



Really, where did these vines come from?



(I can’t see…!)



The attack just now has heavily damaged some parts of the ground, covering the surrounding area in dust.



It’s fine, though.



By employing both “Wide Range Enemy Detection” and “Terrain Understanding”, I can have a firm grasp over what’s going on around me and where the vines are hiding.



Even so—



(There are a lot of them.)



Their numbers are steadily increasing.



I’m getting more and more “unpleasant” feelings from the ground as well.



I should concentrate.



It’ll be checkmate the moment I let my guard down.



Amidst the dust, I somehow make do by dodging the vines that appear from nowhere.



“Cough, y-you can see despite the dust?”



“Be quiet!”



“Y-yes!”



Igarashi-san quiets down in my arms when I yell at her with a voice that carries a bit of “Coercion”.



I’m currently holding Igarashi-san with both arms in the so-called princess carry.



I would much prefer having her on my back so that Aka could hold her in place and allow me to dodge more freely, but the vines aren’t giving me any leeway to do so.



Hyuuuun!



Hyuuun! Hyuuun!



Countless vines continuously assault us.



(I can’t shake them off—)



Do these vines really belong to a monster of the Treant Race? As in like those“Flowered” Treants?



The speed, power, and number behind the vines are incomparable to the Treants.



Superior Species… no, could these vines belong to a Named Monster like the High Orc and Titan?



(Damn it, there’s no time to think!)



As if to block my thoughts from moving forward, numerous vines emerge from the ground in front of us.



Furthermore, signs of vine activity could be detected from the grounds to our left and right.



(—We’ve been surrounded!)



What should I do?



Even if we attempt to escape using “Shadow Migration”, the vines will strike at us with their tremendous speed before we can fully sink into the “Shadow”.



Considering how much power is packed behind their attacks, constructing a wall with the items in my Item Box won’t earn us enough time.



With how many of them there are, clones alone won’t suffice either.



It’s also uncertain whether Aka would have enough time to expand and apply “petrification” to itself.



(I’m just lacking one decisive card—)



5 seconds—no, 3 seconds is fine.



If someone can give me 3 seconds, we’ll be able to escape back to the “Safety Zone” through the consecutive usage of “Shadow Migration”.



“…I just have to earn some time, right?”



“Eh?”



Suddenly, Igarashi-san, who is still being held by me, speaks up.



Before I can say anything, she stretches her arms forward.



“—Summon, Fire Wall Elemental!”



A wall made from flames manifests around us.



“Huh!?”



Is this—a magic skill?



It reminds me of how a pair of twins tried to ambush me back when we were at the school.



Those stinky brats were capable of bringing forth flames and rocks from their bare hands.



Is her skill similar to theirs?



“Now!”



“!”



Right.



I shouldn’t be distracted by these thoughts.



The flame wall that suddenly appeared stops the vines for a split second, giving us the perfect moment to take action.



“Momo! Aka!”



“Wan!”



“Furu furu!”



The “Shadow” beneath our feet spreads out.



While this is ongoing, Aka swells up, covers our bodies, and “petrifies” its outer surface.



In a moment’s notice, a double layered barrier consisting of fire and stone wraps around us.



(Please make it in time—!)



Our bodies start entering the “Shadow”.



At the same time, the vines effortlessly break through the wall of fire—



“Furu furu!”



Bakkin!



—and penetrates the surface of Aka’s “petrified” body.



Then, they begin closing in on us.



Fortunately—it appears we made it in time. Just barely in time.



It seems we were faster by a small margin.



We slip into the shadows just in the nick of time, leading the vines to rain down on an empty field.



*****



“Huu…huuu…we’re safe now…”



We managed to return to the “Safety Zone” by moving from one “Coordinate” to another with Momo activating “Shadow Migration” in rapid succession.



That was dangerous.



It was really a close call.



If we were a moment too late, the vines would’ve reduced us to minced meat by now.



(In the end, what were those vines…?)



The presence they exuded made me believe that they were from a Treant, but their size and strength clearly suggest otherwise.



If those vines are meant to be like the roots of a “Flowered” Treant, how ginormous would their main body be?



(I’ve placed a “Tracker” on them.)



I should be able to find out where their main body is by tracing the vines.



I immediately get to “tracking”.



Information regarding the whereabouts of the vines flow into me.



With this data, I can figure out the location of its main body.



(…? Huh…? What the heck?)



I tilt my head.



I’ve been trying to trace the vines back to their origin, but I can’t seem to reach their main body.



I’ve already passed the city center, crossed the suburbs, and entered the forest outside the prefectural border, but I have yet to arrive at their main body.



How much have these vines grown?



I continue to trace, trace, and trace some more.



Signs of the monster’s main body finally begin appearing after my consciousness arrives at the neighboring town.



(Now,—)



Just as I’m about to follow the “signs”—



Something akin to an electric shock courses through my body.



It’s as if I’ve been connected to something.



And then—



—I want to eat.



“!?”



What was that?



I think I heard something in my head just now.



—Hungry.



This is…a “voice”? No, a will?



Whose could it be?



—I want to eat.



Messages continue to flow in.



—I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat.



The opposing side’s “will” is flooding in through the path which was formed by my “Tracking” skill.



—I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat.



They persistently try to enter my head like a muddy stream.



Stop! STOP! Don’t come into my head!



I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to eat. I want to—



“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?”



I instinctively turn off “Tracking”.



“Haa… haaa.. haaaa…”



“Wan!?”



“Kyu!?”



“Furu furu!?”



Surprised by my sudden outburst, Momo and the others experience a jump scare.



“Sorry for surprising you guys…”



“Kyuun?”



Are you okay?



Momo licks my cheeks in concern.



Kiki and Aka also snuggle up to me and stare worriedly at my state.



“I’m fine, thanks for worrying…”



…But what was it that I just went through?



Actually, I can pretty much guess.



That was probably what the main body of the vines was thinking.



Could it be that… I can read the thoughts of those that I actively “Track”?



That must be it.



I experienced it myself after all…



(Nonetheless…what kind of creature was that? Things like those exist?)



I shiver in fear.



The fear I’m feeling right now is completely different from the fear I had confronting the High Orc and Titan.



It’s the type of fear that can erode people’s hearts. A physiological disgust that induces nausea.



My back is drenched, and the simple act of recalling what happened makes me want to vomit.



That thing is dangerous.



It’s by far the biggest menace among all the monsters I’ve encountered.



For a monster like that to be in the neighboring town…



“E-excuse me..”



“Eh?”



I hear a voice.



It’s from a girl.



Who could it be?



I turn and see Igarashi-san standing there.



Oh, right. I completely forgot about her.



“…Ah, Igarashi-san. You were still here?”



“Of course I’m ‘still here’…”



I was so baffled that I completely forgot she was here.



Now that I think about it, we couldn’t have survived without her assistance.



I should thank her for her help.



“You helped out greatly. Thank you.”



“S-same here…”



Seeing that I’ve lowered my head, Igarashi-san bows as well.



“Was that a magic skill or something?”



“Yes, it’s a skill that calls forth Spirits. By consuming MP, I can summon Spirits that have fire, water, earth, or air attributes. At the moment, I can erect walls made of flames, shoot water bullets, create muddy swamps, and fire blades of wind.”



That’s one convenient skill she has.



The level of her skill shouldn’t be low either.



I didn’t know that Spirits existed in this new world.



I haven’t come across many magic skills yet, so it’s quite refreshing when I watch one.



Then again, my “Ninjutsu” should be something similar to magic.



(I should contact Ichinose-san first…)



Opening up my mailbox, I find—yup, a bunch of unread mails.



They’ve really piled up.



For now, I’ll report that I’m safe and tell her about the monster in the neighboring town.



I’ll provide her with further details when I return.



It’s crystal clear that that monster poses a threat to us.



It’s highly likely that it will target the “Safety Zone”.



(Its main body is in the neighboring town…Hmm, could that be the monster which annihilated the Self Defense Force?)



That sounds about right.



Facing a monster like that, even the Self Defense Force would be helpless.



…Huh? Wait, how exactly are we supposed to beat it?



Not to mention that its main body is in the neighboring town, there will be countless vines blocking us along the way.



How are we meant to defeat a monster like that?



“Um…”



“Yes?”



Igarashi-san calls out to me worriedly.



“Uh…what’s going to happen to me from now?”



“Huh? What do you mean?”



“I-I’m asking you what you’re planning on doing to me! You cast a curse on me, right? All so that I will be at your mercy!”



Igarashi-san hugs her arms tightly, nibbles on her lips, and stares at me with teary eyes and a blushed face. She’s shaking.



…Why are you acting as if you’re a female knight that’s about to be assaulted?



Oh, does she think I’ll lay my hands on her?



(…Well, taking into consideration everything that I’ve done to her, it makes sense that she misunderstood.)



I become convinced after remembering the scene from earlier.



“I’m not planning on doing anything weird to you as long as you leave us alone, you know?”



“I knew it. Do your wors…Pardon?”



“That said, I ask for your cooperation in searching for ‘Treasure Chests’. I would like to have my team be as strong as possible.”



“U-understood…”



Igarashi stares at me blankly.



Also, didn’t you just blurt out something disturbing? Not that it matters, though.



“What’s wrong?”



“No…uh… will that be all?”



“What else did you expect me to say? As long as you don’t get in our way, I won’t do anything to you.”



“…….What…”



Igarashi-san reveals a relieved and exhausted expression.



She sighs loudly before slumping down on the spot.



“I… wish to ascertain one thing.”



“What is it?”



“The Kudou-san that tortured me and the Kudou-san right now. Which one reflects your true nature?”



“…?”



I frown, confused as to what she’s asking.



“It’s as if you’ve become someone else …Previously, you glared at me with such cold eyes that I honestly prepared myself for the worst.”



“That wasn’t my inten—”



Actually, I’d be lying if I said that such an idea wasn’t on my mind.



If she proved herself to be a “cancerous” individual, I might have disposed of her.



In the end, however, I chose not to discard her.



“If that was my intention, I wouldn’t have bothered bringing you back here with us.”



“…That’s true…”



It would’ve been easier for me to escape if I had thrown her away.



Am I too naïve not to have done so?



Others are others. That should’ve been my code of conduct.



Well, it’s all good as long as she doesn’t overstep her boundaries anymore.



(Nishino-kun will have an easier time moving about if she doesn’t interfere.)



In the face of a threat known as monsters, I don’t want to see an internal discord that might bring about our own destruction.



“I take it that the Kudou-san in front of me right now is the real one?”



“You think so?”



People’s behaviors and attitudes are always subject to change.



This is especially true for people in the workforce.



People in the workforce have to bow in front of their superiors even if they don’t want to do so. They sometimes have to scold their favorite juniors as well.



I think it’s natural for people to change how they act and behave based on their circumstances.



That’s why we should hold dear those that we can reveal our true selves to.



“Understood. I look forward to working with you.”



“Eh?”



A voice echoes in my head.







“…”



Such is the announcement.



I glance at her.



For reasons unknown, she appears expectant.



In addition, she seems to have come to some sort of a decision.



“…I see.”



I make a prompt decision. There’s no reason for me to hesitate.







It’s only natural.



“Why!?”



“Rather, why not?”



I don’t need a dark-hearted girl like you.



Unconvinced, Igarashi-san complains.



For once, her behavior matches her age.



Somehow, I’m starting to think that this girl won’t pose a “threat” to us anymore.



*****



“Ah, please wait a minute.”



Igarashi-san stops me as I’m about to return after turning down her party request.



“…What is it?”



If I don’t return soon, the sheer number of “Mails” from Ichinose-san might become problematic.



“There’s one thing that I can tell you regarding the vines.”



“? I thought ‘Appraisal’ failed?”



“Yes, I wasn’t able to see through its stats or skills.”



“However,” she continues, “I was able to see its ‘name’.”



“Really?”



In response to my surprise, Igarashi-san says, “By narrowing down the target, I can acquire precise information about someone’s skills and status using ‘Appraisal’. On the contrary, if I were to try and analyze multiple targets, I’ll only be given the most basic information. Usually, it’d be things like ‘A Wall’, ‘The Ground’, people’s names, or the race of monsters.”



Hoh~ I never knew that “Appraisal” had such a function.



“Although the targeted ‘Appraisal’ was blocked, the skill itself remained activated. That’s why I was able to see its name just as we were sinking into the ‘Shadow’.”



“…So what was its name?”



“—‘Peony’. That’s the monster’s name.”



“…Isn’t that quite a cute name? There’s this fluffy feeling about it that reminds me of a flower.”



“That’s because it is a flower. ‘Peony’ is the German word for a certain type of flower.”



“…You’re so knowledgeable. It’s as if you’re a professor who studies peonies.”



“….I-it’s nothing amazing. I know a little about them because I like flowers.”



Whatever you say.



…So those vines belong to a Named Monster…



Anyway, Igarashi-san claims that she saw its name just before she entered the “Shadow”.



Hmm…



Could things be that convenient?



(…Could it be intentional?)



That’s the feeling that I’m getting.



By allowing us to know its name, by allowing us to track it back to its main body, and by allowing us to hear its thoughts, it might be trying to convey some sort of a message.



—You’re within my grasp.



“Peony”, the vine monster, might be trying to tell us that.



If it is, then we have ourselves a very troublesome enemy.



Why are we always targeted by all these powerful monsters?



“But then…”



“Is there something worrying you?”



“No…it’s nothing important…”



Igarashi-san enters deep contemplation.



“The name of that vine monster is ‘Peony’. Wasn’t ‘Titan’ the name of the Golem which attacked the City Hall?”



“Yes, it was. What about it?”



“Are you aware of what nicknames peonies have?”



“Nicknames?”



“Peonies are called many things. They’re most renowned as the ‘King of Flowers’, but they’re also called the ‘Plant of Forgetfulness’ and the ‘Name-Taking Grass’. Could this be a coincidence?”



“——”



“Treants can deprive people of their memories and existence. Their Named equivalent is called ‘Peony’, which means the ‘King of Flowers’, the ‘Plant of Forgetfulness’, and the ‘Name-Taking Grass’. ‘Titan’ means ‘Giant’ in French and ‘Titanium’ in German. All these words and phrases accurately describe their respective monsters, correct?”



“You’re right.”



The name of the High Orc was “Rufen”, and according to my research, “Rufen” means “To Roar” in German.



A “Monster that Roars”.



There isn’t a better way to describe that monster.



“However, isn’t that weird?”



“Hm? What is?”



“Their naming system, of course! Why are their names based on the languages of ‘this world’?”



“———”



Hearing what Igarashi-san says, a light bulb goes off in my head.



What she says make a lot of sense.



If the world we are in right now was formed by the merging of two worlds, there should be languages from both our world and the world of monsters.



In other words, two types of languages should exist in this world.



I never thought about this in depth since skills and occupations were all displayed in Japanese.



I thought that was how the system was designed.



I assumed that the language was unified into one.



But what if that was never the case?



“…”



A crazy notion passes through my head.



No, that can’t be right.



That would be too much of a leap in logic.



I vehemently deny the possibility that comes to my mind.



—Both our world and the monsters’ world use the same languages.