Chapter 37: Aerial Investigation

I sighed, and climbed up from the bed and sat opposite to the chair, giving a simple explanation to Shiki-san who has been looking at me.

「Is that so?」

Shiki-san’s color turned bad. Is it because there is a higher existence than the elite orc, so she felt uneasy? Or is it the presence of another fellow other than orcs, causing her to feel the sense of danger?

「How strong is it?」

「You are referring to?」

「The general orc.」

「I am not sure, but the oppressing feeling….. it is so high that the elite orc cannot even compare with it.」

「If the whole elite party move out, what are the chances of victory?」

「With our current strength, I guess even if it’s a 4 against 1, it will be hard.」

I said my feelings honestly. If the elite orc’s level is 5 and the Skill is Pigman Rank 4……

Then the general orc is at least Pigman Rank 6, or perhaps even Pigman Rank 7.

Pigman Rank 7, which means if it concentrate on raising 1 skill, the level will be 14 if counted in the same way as us. From its oppressive aura, having such a level of strength is not surprising.

No, in actuality we are not sure if the other party only leveled 1 skill, it could have a secret weapon. Anyway, Arisu and Tamaki’s weapon skill Ranks are only 4. From the current state, the chance of us obtaining victory is very low. I told Shiki-san of this opinion.

「Can I say out my views honestly, Kazu-kun?」

「Please.」

「You naming the skill as Pigman, it gives off a bad feeling.」

「Mmm, I think so too.」

Shiki-san shrugged her shoulders.

「In other words, Arisu and Tamaki’s weapon skill needs to reach Rank 5, if not there is no way to even compete.」

「Ah—— it should be so, without Rank 5, it will be hard, even if I use buffing magic to raise their ability, there is still a limit to it.」

And we have to consider its underlings, even if Skill Rank is 5, it will be harsh. If the aim is to reach Rank 6……

Their weapon skills took a bit of effort to get to Rank 4.

「Arisu’s level need to raise by 6 while it is 4 for Tamaki.」

「To attack the main school building within today, seems like an impossible mission?」

I said so in low spirits. But Shiki-san hugged her arms, and said in a lower tone in a reluctant way:

「If it is possible, I hope that we can do something by today.」

「Why?」

「If tomorrow comes, those captured girls could all die.」

I see—— I nodded, I understand her worries.

Those girls are captured by the orcs for nearly an entire day. If during this period, they have been continuously used by the orcs…… enduring until this time, it is already a miracle.

「Other than that, there is something that is troubling me, can I say it?」

「What is it?」

「In the girls’ dormitory, the girls alive plus the corpses in each room, there are roughly about 80 people. According to what you said, even if we count the corpse in the campfire, the total number of boys and girls are at most 150 people right? If the situation is the same at the boys’ dormitory, and you count in the students that participated in the societies…… don’t you think that the number is a bit too little?」

Argh—— 80 plus 80 plus 150, means there are around 300? But the middle school section should have at least 700 people……

「Eh, that’s right. Don’t tell me more than half of the students…… all went to participate in clubs and societies?」

「Our school’s societies are not that flourishing, and there are also no other places to play at. 」

We looked at each other.

「I will go and ask the juniors who are keeping watch.」

The 10 girls that we saved from the girls’ dormitory, 4 of them have already raised to level 1, and they are currently standing guard at the main entrance in turns, for us who are already exhausted.

Shiki-san wanted to stand up quickly……

But she tripped.

I quickly got up from the bed and supported her shoulders.

Soap smell permeated from her body. Yes, they had just taken a shower. Later I should go wash up too, now the smell of sweat on my body should be very strong.

My thoughts only lasted for an instant. Shiki-san pushed away my hands, as though she is very afraid. She panted as though she is out of breath, and kept shaking her head strongly.

「So..sorry, I……」

Is she still afraid of being touched by guys? This is also natural.

「Don’t tell me that you didn’t let Arisu cast 《Cure Mind》 on you?」

「Because I do not want to lose this pain.」

Shiki-san shook her head with a sorrowful face.

「This pain is necessary. The hatred towards the orcs, and the regrets for the kids who died in front of me, these 2 emotions supports the current me.」

Such a troublesome girl—— I thought so. I did not have any meaning of belittling her, because I do not plan on denying her way of fighting.

But facing her stubbornness and fool-headedness, I still not suppress the emotions that surprised me. Shiki-san seemed to have understood my feeling and revealed a bitter smile.

「This is fine, I do not have the value for gaining your pity. The past me, the me who abandoned you, is without a doubt also part of me.」

「You are tired.」

「Perhaps.」

Shiki-san laughed lonelily.

◆ ◆ ◆

Shiki-san expressed that she is going to ask the people whom we rescued from the girls’ dormitory and left. While I summoned another crow and cast 《Remote Viewing》 on it.

There is no need for the main school building, I intend to let it scout out another area. The me from the crow’s viewpoint, flew out from the window on the Cultivating Centre level 3, and follow the airflow into the blue sky, then glide in the air, flying past the main school building, with the front as target.

First I head to the staff office. Even if there are a few, it’s fine, if there are adult survivors……

But that false hope was broken very easily.

No, the staff office is originally beside the main school building, even if there are survivors, knowing that the orcs are gathering nearby, they will also not stay there.

If there are survivors, they should have already escaped to the places where the orcs can’t reach. That is what I had thought……

But, the staff office no longer existed. More correctly, the building that was once the staff office had collapsed, becoming a pile of broken bricks.

My instincts tells me that it should have collapsed during the earthquake. I remembered what Arisu said yesterday, the staff office is the oldest building in the middle school section, and it was decided to be renovated recently.

From this scenario, it will be hard for the teachers and staffs to survive the earthquake. Because of this, the students in the middle school section had to fight with the orcs without any help from adults.

No, even if there are adults, how much can it change……

Even so, the ending could have been a bit better. If there are adults leading, the students could have gone to escape.

But the reality is not so. The students have to face the threat of the orcs alone, and nearly all of them failed to escape successfully.

According to Tamaki’s words, Mia is a survivor from the students who escaped by themselves. It was Tamaki who saved Mia and another companion who have escaped from the main school building. Will the good fortune that Mia have, also be given to the other students? I feel that the chances is quite small.

Ah, forget it, it is better to scout first.

The crow followed my instructions that was given earlier, and flew past the staff office, toward the next destination—— the boys’ dormitory.

Honestly speaking, I desperately need guy companions. In mangas or animes, a guy who stays alone with a group of girls, will hence cheer because of the harem situation, but to me who is realistic, I could not cheer up.

Whether it is being concerned about others, or being concerned, all these made me feel uneasy.

And even if I use support magic to raise my muscle strength, digging holes is still a very energy consuming work, and currently there are no girls whose speed is even ⅕ of mine.

Argh~ perhaps it is partly due to me being used to digging, but if it is a guy’s muscle, the situation should be better, that is what I hope.

Because of this, I placed my hope on the guy survivors…… Only that the truth is not as I wished.

The boys’ dormitory has been burnt.

I don’t know the ones who set the fire are the orcs or the students who sunk into confusion.

A word of notice, there are many corpses of the students stacked in a pile at the tragic scene, all of them are boys, there could be roughly around 200 people.

After that, I had the crow to survey every building in the middle school section.

None of the buildings are safe. Other than the Cultivating Centre, the other buildings are all occupied by the orcs.

A few thinkings have already surfaced in my numbed heart.

Like「like this huh」,「the situation is now in despair」etc.

No one will come and help us, we have to fight with our own abilities. The ones who can resist are only the few of us in this Cultivating Centre.

The crow returned to my side.

There is still a lot of time for 《Remote Viewing》, hence I sent a few more orders to the crow.

The crow flew to the sky again.