ã€ŠMetro Labyrinthã€‹


 Prologue

    T/N: So, things to remember:

    ¡°A/N:¡± are author¡¯s notes, and

    ¡°T/N:¡± are the translator¡¯s notes that may or may not include useful information. Sometimes I make comments because I just cannot help it.

    The perspective is usually the main character¡¯s unless you see this ¡°~___¡¯s Perspective~¡± and tells you who¡¯s perspective it is.

    If you see ¡°italicized texts¡±, it means that it is in the third-person perspective. However, it is usually only for short sections. So enjoy.

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    The first people to notice something strange were the workers belonging to the Engineering Department who were inspecting the rails of the Tokyo Metro North-South Line.

    There was a junction there that should not have been there. Without any apparent reason, the rail line split in two, and the rails led into the darkness of a large hole through the concrete wall. Even with all the light bulbs available to them, they could not reach the far end of the hole.

    The rails curved almost at a right angle. There was no way a train could turn at such an angle, and above all, they themselves knew better than anyone that there was no junction at such a place.

    Even though they thought they were dreaming, pinching each other¡¯s cheeks was painful. The touch felt too real to be a hallucination, and too intricate to be a prank.

    ¡°I wonder what¡¯s back there. Should we go in?¡± (Worker)

    As they were discussing such things, a fresh, warm, and very rancid breeze blew through them, making them shudder. They were so frightened that they immediately retreated, which only slightly prolonged their fate.

    By that morning, thirty similar reports had come in from various Metro stations.

    Mysterious holes and the appearance of railroad tracks¨Ca phenomenon so hard to believe that it seemed supernatural, but it was unquestionably real.

    The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism immediately announced the suspension of operations on all Tokyo Metro lines. The reason they gave was ¡°serious defects had been found in the tunnels and rails of the various lines.¡± without mentioning the strange phenomenon.

    More than six million metro users a day were left wondering, angry, bewildered, and saddened.

    Most of the city¡¯s commuters rushed to other modes of transportation. The transportation network, especially in the central part of the city, was in chaos, and accidents occurred one after another in various parts of the city.

    An investigation was conducted later that day, but the officials who went into the mysterious void did not return.

    The Fire and Disaster Management Agency and the Ministry of Defense were dispatched to search for the missing persons, but the search team would also not return.

    Three days later, the number of holes in the ground exceeded a hundred, which horrified everyone concerned.

    The information was leaked to the mass media, and more than 10 million Tokyo residents were terrified.

    What is happening under their feet at this moment?

    ¡ªThe Metro is overflowing.

    Said the actor who became a guest on a wide-ranging daytime TV show.

    Then, a week after the first anomaly.

    The whole of Japan was anxious, fearful, and wondering.

    The end of Tokyo, Japan¡¯s largest and one of the world¡¯s greatest cities, had started.

    ¡°Fungi such as molds and mushrooms are decomposers in the food chain. They have the role of cleaners, decomposing plant matter, fallen leaves, and rotting wood, the producers, back into inorganic matter and circulating it through the ecosystem.  They cant decompose animal matter but that job is exclusively for bacteria, they may have a similar name, but fungi and bacteria are completely different organisms.¡± (Voice 1) [T/N:¾úî/Kinrui/Fungus & ¼š¾úî/Saikinrui/Bakteria]

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference, squeak?¡± (Voice 2) [T/N: It said (¤ê¤¹) Risu or squirrel. I think squeak might be better here.]

    ¡°Fungi are eukaryotes, while bacteria are prokaryotes. Fungi are made up of a network of cells called mycelium, which multiplies by spores. Bacteria are unicellular organisms that increase by division. Mushrooms are delicious, but bacteria are inedible and won¡¯t fill your stomach.¡± (Voice 1)

    ¡°Noa sure knows a lot, squeak.¡± (Voice 2)

    ¡°I know this from hearing it first-hand. One hundred years ago, a super fungus overflowed from the metro, flooding the underground and engulfing all of Tokyo. The city, its people, and civilization were eradicated, and a paradise of mycelium was established. After that, it took several decades to rebuild the Shin-Tokyo where we are now.¡± (Voice 1 => Noa)

    ¡°A hundred years huh¡­¡± (Voice 3)

    ¡°My great-grandfather used to tell me a story before he went to bed, about a country called Japan in ancient times, during the Heisei Era¡­ Shuu-san lived there, didn¡¯t you?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t really feel it, though. But I¡¯ve been asleep for a hundred years.¡± (Voice 3 => Shuu)

 CH 1.1

    A/N: 3/11 ¨C Changed Tamiko¡¯s appearance to match the LN version.

    I feel a faint flash of light through my eyelids.

    Toward the whitish circle of light, the fragments of my fragmented awareness slowly gather.

    My head is heavy. I am too dazzled to open my eyes. I cannot breathe properly.

    (¡­¡­ Me?) (MC)

    (¡­¡­Who am I?) (MC)

    It was such a question that was addressed to no one, finally put into words in my head.

    *Breathe*, *Breathe*, I could only hear the sound of myself breathing.

    Soon, the answer appears, like small bubbles rising to the surface of the water.

    (I¡¯m¡ªAbe Shuu.) (MC =>Shuu)

    In the grayish darkness, I fumbled through the information about who I am.

    Born on January 9, I just turned twenty-three. Never married, no girlfriend.

    Height 175 cm, weight 65 kg.

    Company-employee. Sales department of a web advertising company. First-year freshly graduated¡ªsoon to be second year, I guess?

    Graduated from the Faculty of Economics at a Houji University. [T/N: No Idea where/what Houji University (·¨ÖÎ´óÑ§) is.]

    Born in Gyoda City, Saitama. I¡¯m currently living in Kanamecho. [T/N: He¡¯s living in the northern area near the Tokyo Metro.]

    My father is a company employee. My mother works part-time at a supermarket. I lived with my parents and grandmother until I moved to Tokyo.

    (And then¡­¡­well? What was I doing?) (Shuu)

    Last week, I fell off a balcony and was rushed to the hospital.

    (When I woke up, my dad and my mom were there¡­) (Shuu)

    My right arm and leg were fractured. I was hospitalized immediately. A total of three months of recovery.

    The back of my chest is rapidly becoming colder.

    (I did something stupid. I was so drunk that I fell off the balcony.) (Shuu)

    (I¡¯ve put the company through a lot of trouble, too. I hope they don¡¯t fire me.) (Shuu)

    I strained my eyelids and forced them open.

    A whitish light flashes into my eyes. It is so bright that the backs of my eyelids start to feel irritated.

    It is not fluorescent light. The ceiling and walls are covered with a thick layer of what looks like moss, which emits a dim white light as if it were a special paint. I have never seen such a form of lighting.

    (I¡¯m not in a hospital room¡­ right?) (Shuu)

    I moved my eyes to look around. It¡¯s a space about four-and-a-half tatami mats across a rock wall, a lousy place to call a room.

    (¡­Where am I? What¡¯s going on?) (Shuu)

    The myriad of questions that pop into my head is blown away by the sight of the blue-blackish substance covering my body.

    I was encased in something that looks like a cocoon. It looks like I¡¯m in a chrysalis or now spider food.

    ¡°Woah!¡± (Shuu)

    In a panic, I rip it off. It was sticking to me as if it had roots, and it was stringy, making me feel uncomfortable. I scrubbed it or scratched it with my fingernails to remove it.

    (¡­huh?) (Shuu)

    The right arm is moving normally. My legs, too.

    When it is removed, I can see my pale skin exposed. I am naked, no hospital gown, no underwear. There was no cast that had held the fracture in place, and there were no surgical scars that should have remained on my arm and leg.

    I think I was admitted to the hospital about ¡­¡­ ten days ago.

    My family came to see me. My friends from college, my boss and colleagues came to see me.

    But ¨C I can¡¯t remember what happened after that.

    When did I get better? And with such a clean recovery.

    ¡°What the hell is this¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    Barely audible, my throat seems to be recovering some of its functionality.

    (I mean, I¡¯m really myself, right¡­?) (Shuu)

    Was I reborn as a different person with my memories intact?

    I can¡¯t be certain because I don¡¯t have a mirror, but the shape of the fingernails on my hands, the somewhat crooked middle finger, and the hair on my arms are not out of place. The color and shape of my slack nipples, and my lazily hanging thing has the size and rightward bend that seemed to belong to my own body.

    So, the wound had healed completely without my knowledge, and I was also left alone in a place like this?

    ¡°¡­ doesn¡¯t make any sense at all¡­¡± (Shuu)

    At any rate, I try to stand up. I wobble for a moment, but my thin legs somehow support my body.

    I stagger out of the room through the hole in the wall in front of me.

    There is a hallway where one adult can stand and walk. To the right is a dead end.

    I walk along the wall to the left (it is a rough concrete-like wall), and at the end of the wall is a large pile of rubble with a hole in it that I can bend down to crawl through.

    We crawled on all fours through it and emerged into an open area.

    ¡°¡­The subway?¡± (Shuu)

    It is a circular tunnel. On the ground leading off to the left and right, what looks like the remains of tracks extend into the tunnel.

    The walls are cracked, crumbling, and covered in moss or mold. Horizontal holes, which look like vents, are spaced at equal intervals.

    The room is glowing a faint white light in places, and it is bright enough to see tens of meters into the distance. The light is dim and hazy, and the light is unevenly distributed and unequal in luminosity.

    At the end of the road, where the lights have been cut off, it is pitch black. A fresh gust of air caresses my back and makes me shiver.

    (This is a subway tunnel¡­ right?) (Shuu)

    Let¡¯s leave aside why I¡¯m out in such a place. I¡¯m not likely to find out now that I think about it.

    Anyway, looking at this weathered atmosphere, perhaps more time has passed than I thought.

    (That¡¯s like ten or twenty years? Like Urashima Taro, huh? How old am I now?) (Shuu) [T/N: Urashima Taro is the protagonist of a Japanese Fairy Tale. Who was rewarded for a good deed where he becomes a guest in the Dragon Palace, but when he returns on land he realized that a hundred years have already passed.]

    (No, it makes no sense at all. Someone please explain this to me.) (Shuu)

    In the meantime, is there anyone anywhere? Should I go outside?

    (Can I go outside in the buff?) (Shuu)

    (It¡¯s a sure-fire ticket for an arrest. I¡¯m going to be fired. If I¡¯m still affiliated with the company.) (Shuu)

    *Step* *Step* I can hear footsteps and something that sounds like a growl.

    (Oh no, oh no, that sounds really bad.) (Shuu)

    I try to rush back to the hole I was in earlier, but the sound of footsteps turns into a thumping sound as they kick the ground, closing in on me in the blink of an eye.

    ¡°Grrrawr!¡± (Creature)

    The barking comes directly behind me. I turn around. I¡¯m on all fours, with my ass on full display and neither my butt nor my balls were covered.

    ¡°¡­are you for real¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s a dog or a wolf.

    And a rather large one at that, about the size of a tiger or a lion.

    It has gray, rugged fur, a long tail, and pointed ears.

    Even its sharp fangs and claws are intimidating.

    ¡°¡­umm¡­¡± (Shuu)

    (What the hell is this? It¡¯s a little too big, isn¡¯t it?) (Shuu)

    (I mean, a wolf in the middle of Tokyo? This should be impossible, right?) (Shuu)

    (A dream? A robot? CGI?) (Shuu)

    ¡°Grroar!¡± (Creature => Wolf)

    It turns its bloodshot eyes towards Shuu and drool drips everywhere. It¡¯s completely real. It was reality.

    ¡°Wait, umm, sit down¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    The wolf pounced on me, ignoring my immediate command as a matter of course.

    The wolf¡¯s jaws were wide open.

    ¡°Hii¡ª!!!¡± (Shuu)

    Its fangs sink into my left arm.

    ¡°AAH!¡± (Shuu)

    It hurts. It hurts. I¡¯m dying. I¡¯m really going to die.

    (This is not a dream at all. This is real.) (Shuu)

    Anyway, I frantically shake it off. I hear a crack, and the wolf pulls away. The blood-soaked area around my mouth glistens with each chew.

    The flesh under my wrist is gouged out, and blood is pouring down in a steady stream.

    ¡°Aa¡­¡­AAAAAAH!¡± (Shuu)

    The pain and fear make me feel faint. I feel like I¡¯m going mad.

    ¡°GROAR!!¡± (Wolf)

    Once again the wolf jumps on me. With its big mouth open, as if it wants to take another bite.

    The lunge should have been extremely fast, but it seems to be slowing down.

    £¨I¡¯m going to die.) (Shuu)

    £¨What is happening!?) (Shuu)

    I unconsciously thrust out my right arm. As if to protect my head.

    (I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening.) (Shuu)

    (But¡ªI don¡¯t want to die!) (Shuu)

    At the moment when I thought strongly with tearful eyes, I felt something gathering in the palm of my hand.

    ¡°Haa!!!¡± (Shuu)

    Then, blood splatters¡ª the wolf¡¯s.

    A long, thin, sharp object is thrust into its wide-open jaws.

    It is a pure white sword that has grown out of the palm of Shuu¡¯s hand.

 CH 1.2

    The next thing Shuu knows, the area is silent.

    His bottom that¡¯s against the ground is cold. As he tries to stand up¡ªHe noticed that his left arm, which should have been bitten, is intact.

    There is not a single scar, but a sticky blue-black substance ¨C the substance that had enveloped Shuu¡¯s body in that room¡ªis still clinging to the area around the wound. Something he thought he had peeled it all off.

    Am I dreaming?

    No, there is dried blood sticking to my body and a wolf is lying in a pool of blood. A sword is sticking in the back of its head from its mouth.

    The sword is already out of Shuu¡¯s hands, and the part where it was joined¡ªwhere it meets the butt of the sword¡¯s hilt¡ªThere is also a whitish sticky residue on the palm side of his hand, like the remnants of a torn rope or mushroom pith.

    ¡°What the hell is this¡­¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t understand. This is the first time in my twenty-three years of life that I have been attacked by a wolf or had something like this grow out of my hand. It is beyond comprehension.

    At any rate, I try to get up ¨C and realize that I am starving. It is an unbearably painful hunger.

    (Oh man¡­ I need to eat something¡­ Right now¡­) (Shuu)

    That said, this is a mysterious subway. Not a single blade of grass or tree around.

    I glance at the dead wolf.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah¡ªwait¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I realized I¡¯m about to take a bite of it.

    (What¡¯s wrong with me? I was never this wild.) (Shuu)

    (But truly¡­ this hunger is too much¡­) (Shuu)

    I need to put something in my stomach. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s right or left in this situation, but hunger is making me extremely impatient.

    (I¡¯ve never taken apart an animal before.) (Shuu)

    (There is no water and no fire. Oh no, my hands are starting to shake.) (Shuu)

    (I want to put anything in my stomach, even if it¡¯s raw meat¡­) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡ªThe sporangium, are you going to eat it, squeak?¡± (Voice) [T/N: Sporangium a structure in which spores are produced, especially in fungi, algae, mosses, and ferns. This is from Wiki-sensei.]

    A voice suddenly calls out to him from behind Shuu, and he jumps back involuntarily.

    He turns around, but no one is there.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, squeak.¡± (Voice)

    When he lowered his gaze, he saw a squirrel under his feet.

    Puffy white cheeks, bushy tail. Its fur is tinged pink, and on its head is a reddish spot, or rather, a small jewel. A little strange chipmunk-like creature. So cute.

    It looks up at him and waves its paw.

    ¡°Hunter-san, can I get some of it too, squeak?¡± (Voice)

    A squirrel taps his thumb. Its high-pitched voice clearly emanates from its tiny body.

    The stress in his head has reached saturation point, and his brain explodes.

    ¡°Kyaaa! The squirrel is taking, aaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Shut it you blabbermouth! The other beasts will come, squeak!¡± (Voice => Squirrel)

    In the blink of an eye, the squirrel ran up to Shuu¡¯s body, landed on his shoulder, and slapped him on the cheek. Somehow, it¡¯s a little bit painful, for a squirrel slap.

    ¡°Since you are a hunter then you eat the sporangium all over the Metro, squeak! And I will take the leftovers, squeak!¡± (Squirrel)

    ¡°Huh¡­ Hunter? Metro? Sporangium? I don¡¯t understand what those are. Before that, how can a squirrel talk?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Forget the small details! Cut open the Ghost Wolf¡¯s abdomen and take out the sporangium, squeak!¡± (Squirrel)

    Its squeaking pierces my eardrums

    I have no idea what it is, but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I need to eat something anyway.

    ¡°¡­we are just going to cut up its stomach, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hurry, squeak. The other beasts are coming, squeak.¡± (Squirrel)

    The talking squirrels tell me what to do, but I have no other choice. I¡¯m too reluctant to do it, but I can¡¯t turn my back on it.

    (¡­I guess we¡¯ll just have to do it¡­) (Shuu)

    I¡¯m going to mobilize all the knowledge I¡¯ve read in books, just to see what I can see and do.

    Shuu pulls the sword from the wolf¡¯s head and stabs it into its lower abdomen.

    The wolf¡¯s hide is thick and tough. The length of the sword¡ªabout 50 to 60 centimeters long¡ªwas in the way, making it difficult to cut. Even so, he held it down with his foot and repeatedly pulled and jabbed at it, cutting it open.

    ¡°The ribs don¡¯t need to be removed, squeak. Just reach around the lower abdomen, squeak.¡± (Squirrel)

    Taking my time, I somehow manage to crack open the lower abdomen. The intestines spill out.

    ¡°There¡¯s a round thing deep inside.¡± (Squirrel)

    ¡°Uggh¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Wrenching my hand into its belly, I scramble through the intestines. Underneath, at the back, are two whitish spheres ¨C unnaturally beautiful spheres for organs. They are about five or six centimeters in diameter. With my fingers, I carefully peel off the connective parts and remove them.

    ¡°This is bad, squeak! The other beasts are coming, squeak!¡± (Squirrel)

    ¡°Seriously!?¡± (Shuu)

    Although Shuu can¡¯t feel their presence, it is easy to imagine that the smell of blood and flesh attracts the beasts. He hurriedly went through the first hole and blocked it with a reasonable amount of debris and rubble.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a nice hiding place, large beasts can¡¯t get in here, squeak.¡± (Squirrel)

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there always a hole here?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice, squeak, it must have been the metro changing yesterday, probably, squeak.¡± (Squirrel)

    (The metro changing?) ¡°I was sleeping here just now. Where is this place, anyway?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later, squeak. Let¡¯s eat the sporangium first, squeak.¡± (Squirrel)

    As soon as I return to the first room, the squirrel urges me to eat the Sporangium.

    However, when I look at it again, I realize that it is a raw organ that has just been removed. I am a little reluctant to eat it as it is. As a civilized person, I would at least like to cook it.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t do it immediately, it will lose its freshness, squeak. Gulp it down, you slow-as-molasses pussy, squeak.¡± (Squirrel)

    ¡°Why are you cursing me at the end?¡± (Shuu)

    I decide to do it and take a bite of it. A slightly elastic film on the surface is broken by my teeth, and then there¡¯s something slightly chewy.

    ¡°¡­it just gave in¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It is raw and sticky. Moreover, it is slightly bitter. Like a marshmallow? No, it might be closer to the shirako that my senpai made me eat at a tavern once. [T/N: Shirako is a fish sperm sac.]

    Still, I cannot help but eat it. I am so hungry that my body is urging me to take another bite. I finish one side at a time without worrying about the stickiness around my mouth.

    ¡°¡­Woah?¡± (Shuu)

    Suddenly, all the muscles in my body begin to stiffen and creak. For a moment I suspect poisoning, but there is no pain or discomfort, and after a few seconds it disappears in a breath. Nothing uncomfortable remains.

    ¡°I mean, my¡­ body is¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I am clearly feeling better. Partly because my hunger has vanished like an illusion, but also as if I am flooded with energy from the inside out. I wonder if the spores¡ªSporangium, perhaps¡ªhave a nourishing tonic-like effect. Even the drinks that claim to give you wings in the morning after the last train home don¡¯t do this. [T/N: This might be about Red Bull. I never got wings from drinking Red Bull. It¡¯s a hoax.]

    ¡°You might have leveled up, squeak.¡± (Squirrel)

    ¡°Level up?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The hypha inside your body grew. You, even though you are from the ¡°Nation of Itokuri¡±, you are stupider than me, squeak.¡± (Squirrel) [T/N: Okay Itokuri could mean the spinning wheel or the guardian spirit in Nioh.]

    The (Kinshi) in my body grew? Inhibition (Kinshi)? Thread (Kinshi)? Hypha (Kinshi)? [T/N: The squirrel said kinshi (¤­¤ó¤·) which could mean (½ûÖ¹)inhibition, (å\ôé)thread, or (¾úôé) hypha or the long branching thread-like structure of a fungus.]

    ¡°Thread? I don¡¯t know, and I¡¯m not a hunter. I¡¯m a salaryman.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Salaryman? What a weak name, squeak.¡± (Squirrel)

    ¡°No, my name is Abe Shuu.¡± (Shuu)

    The squirrel is nibbling on the other sporangium. After about a quarter of the way through the meal, it twitched, ¡°Oh yeah!¡± and said, ¡°I have leveled up too, squeak!¡± as it did a guts-pose. [T/N: It did a fist pump.]

    ¡°I guess the leveling system applies to squirrels, too.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m not a squirrel, squeak. I¡¯m a magical beast, squeak. I¡¯m one of the world¡¯s famous Carbuncle, squeak.¡± (Squirrel => Carbuncle)

    (Even though you end everything with a squeak) ¡°A magical beast? A Carbuncle?¡± (Shuu)

    The magical beast sat down flat on its haunches and licked the goo off its face while chewing the contents of its bulging cheek pouches.

    ¡°I¡¯m already quite full, squeak. You can have the rest, squeak. Or I¡¯ll feel guilty, squeak.¡± (Carbuncle)

    ¡°I thought squirrels were herbivores. Or are they omnivores? Oh well¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Even though they are leftovers from the squirrels, they are still valuable food. I eat it up without hesitation. Then again, another physical buzzing occurs, which also disappears in a few seconds.

    ¡°The fact that you happen to level up twice means that you were rather weak for a human, squeak.¡± (Carbuncle)

    ¡°I¡¯m weak, I just woke up¡­ and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on¡­ anymore.¡± (Shuu)

    My stomach is full, and I have more energy, but then my composure returns.

    I was supposed to be in the hospital, but I found myself in the subway, almost killed by a wolf, met a talking squirrel, and ate raw wolf entrails. It was a series of quite extraordinary experiences.

    ¡°Hey, Squirrel-san.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°My name is Tamiko, squeak.¡± (Carbuncle => Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko, where are we and what year is it in the Christian Era?¡± (Shuu) [T/N: Seireki or the Current Calendar Era for the world called the Christian Era (CE) or Anno Domini/After Death (AD)]

    ¡°Where? We¡¯re under the Outsuka Metro, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Outsuka Metro? You mean, 50 stories underground?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What year in the Christian Era, squeak? I don¡¯t know what you mean by Christian Era, squeak. If it¡¯s Tokyo Era, it¡¯s a hundred and twenty years, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tokyo Era? What is that a new calendar era?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The metro system has been in the process of upheaval, and the previous country had a huge earthquake a hundred years ago. I heard from my mom that it¡¯s now called New Tokyo, the nation of Itokuri, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Really?¡± (Shuu)

    Shuu leans against the wall and looks up at the ceiling.

 CH 2

    ¨CThe Metro Flood.

    The words of a talking squirrel named Tamiko bring back Shuu¡¯s memories. Memories from the time he was admitted to the hospital until he lost consciousness.

    A few days after his hospitalization, Tokyo was in turmoil.

    Mysterious tunnels were appearing frequently on the subway lines, and the Tokyo Metro was suspending service across the entire network.

    Thanks to this, my parents complained that it was hard for them to come to visit me. They could not use the nearest station, Shin-Outsuka Station, so they walked from Outsuka Station on the Yamanote Line, but there was a long line of people waiting to board the train that could not fit on the platform.

    ¡ªI heard that the metro is flooding.

    My mother said in a slightly agitated tone said that she had heard something about it from a TV show or something. My father was always saying that it would be better to transfer to another prefecture.

    A few days later. He was dozing off after dinner.

    There was some kind of commotion both inside and outside the hospital. A nurse rushed into his room and woke him up.

    ¡ªEvacuate! Hurry!

    After screaming in a hysterical voice, she looked out the window and her face contorted.

    Shuu turned around with a pang¡ªAnd¡­ then?

    There was a big earthquake. The power went out and it was pitch black.

    There was a sound like a building collapsing. I felt as if the whole bed was falling.

    Then my consciousness was suddenly cut off. That is all I can remember.

    ¡°¡­Aah¡ª-¡­¡± (Shuu)

    If this talking squirrel named Tamiko is not lying.

    If all of it is true.

    The Metro Flood is a real disaster that happened, and it is what brought Japan (or the entire world?) to the brink of annihilation. It means that everything was destroyed. And the country of New Tokyo was founded. Now I¡¯m in the post-apocalypse, the world a hundred years from then.

    No family, friends, company, or anything else is left.

    It is impossible to imagine such a world. Even if this place where I am now is a part of that world.

    ¡°¡­This is impossible, right?¡± (Shuu)

    If I had been asleep for a hundred years, there would not even be a bone left in my body. And yet, I am alive. Not only am I not a skeleton, but I am as healthy as when I was before I lost consciousness, or rather, before I was hospitalized.

    ¡°Abeshuu, you are a human from the previous country right, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I guess so, but¡­ is that even possible?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Do humans even live that long, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think we¡¯d live that long.¡± (Shuu)

    Suddenly, I touch the blue-black sticky substance on the floor of the room. I was sleeping wrapped in it.

    ¡°It¡¯s mold, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Mold? I got moldy?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a Kinnou?¡± (Tamiko) [T/N: Tamiko said ¤­¤ó¤Î¤¦ or Kinnou. But Tamiko might be saying something like a combination of ¤­¤ó fungus and ¤­¤Î¤¦ or function or feature.]

    ¡°A Kinnou?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s tiring to explain things to someone who is ignorant of everything, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯ll give you a belly rub as an apology.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me so easily, you dummy, squeak! I¡¯ll rip your finger off, squeak! Stop, stop¡­ Oh, my gosh, that¡¯s so good¡­!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What¡¯s a Kinnou?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s the ability to control the hypha, squeak. It¡¯s also called a Skill, squeak. ¡­¡­ No, once you start, don¡¯t just stop, squeak! More belly rubs, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    *Rub* *Rub*

    ¡°Hypha huh, like in molds, the hypha of mushrooms. The ability to manipulate the hypha¡­ so basically the ability to control Mycelium?¡± (Shuu)

    Both molds and mushrooms are members of the same family of fungi as living organisms and are roughly classified as ¡°mushrooms¡± that produce fruiting bodies (umbrellas and stems) and ¡°molds¡± that do not. I learned this in biology class. Mycelium is what makes up such fungi.

    What does it mean to have the ability to control mycelium? I can¡¯t even imagine.

    Skills, levels, magical beasts. It is like a term from the world of video games.

    ¡°Me and also humans have mycelium growing all throughout our bodies. That¡¯s why we can use our Skills, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Mycelium inside¡­ means that the whole body is parasitized by fungus, doesn¡¯t it?¡± (Shuu)

    Putting it that way, it is somewhat disgusting.

    ¡°I think Abeshuu was using Skills just now, too, squeak. That¡¯s how you killed the wolf, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, that thing¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Shuu looks down at his palms.

    Earlier, he had been completely unaware and had only wanted to not die.

    He doesn¡¯t even know how to do it, but he tries to remember anyway. ¡°Come out, come out, sword¡ª.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Woah!¡± (Shuu)

    A white thread arises from the palm of his right hand, twists together to form a sharp blade, and then stretches out again. It nearly pierced his face.

    ¡°¡­It really came out¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s a single blade with a slightly milky white tinge. It is slightly warped and has no flange. The handle is thin and rounded. The joint between the handle and the palm of his hand is connected by a sticky spider thread.

    ¡°That¡¯s the fungal skill, squeak. So that¡¯s a [Hypha Weapon] that Hunters can use, squeak. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen one.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°This is mycelium? A weapon made of mycelium?¡± (Shuu)

    The mycelium secreted from the body gathered and clumped together to form a sword, perhaps. This is as crazy as it sounds.

    When did I acquire this ability? How did I acquire this ability?

    (Am I really me?) (Shuu)

    (am I no longer the same person?) (Shuu)

    (Or maybe I¡¯m not human anymore.) (Shuu)

    No answer would come to me even if I thought about it. I had no choice but to grasp the handle and try to pluck it off.

    The blade does not reflect the light from the moss. It¡¯s a rugged, rough, dry blade. I shake it to test it, and it makes a whipping sound. The weight is not so heavy, but the blade and the sharpness of the tip are like those of a real sword.

    ¡°This is¡­ my mycelium¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh yeah, squeak. The hard and pointy thing of Abeshuu, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The way you say it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hunters from the Nation of Itokuri, They raid the metro with their fungal skills, squeak. Eat the sporangium of the Metro Beasts and get stronger and bigger, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Is the sporangium¡­ something like reproductive organs of metro beasts?¡± (Shuu)

    Then that means I ate a wolf¡¯s balls. My stomach is churning, but I can¡¯t throw up once I¡¯ve eaten. Even if it is a pair of balls.

    ¡°It seems that there was a pandemic from the Metro before, and the Metro beasts are the creatures that survived, squeak. How they were able to survive, I don¡¯t know, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Pandemic? That¡¯s some scary word, you know?¡± (Shuu)

    As far as I can tell, it is some kind of bio-disaster that came at the same time as the flooding of the Metro Flood.

    ¡°Well¡­ you mention this place is called Outsuka Metro. Outsuka, as in near Sugamo and Ikebukuro?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, squeak. I¡¯ve never been to the surface, squeak. I learned all about the language of the humans and the world from my mother, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Mother?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°She used to travel together with a hunter too, squeak. She was very knowledgeable, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko looks sad and downcast as she says this. In the past tense, does that mean she is not alive, or at least not here?

    ¡°I see¡­ Is the Metro not the same as the subway?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Subway? I don¡¯t know, squeak. The Metro the is Metro, squeak. It¡¯s the underground labyrinth of New Tokyo.¡± (Tamiko)

    An underground labyrinth ¨C a dungeon, in other words. More and more like a game.

    ¡°We¡¯re on the 50th floor¡­ of the Outsuka hospital where I was hospitalized before¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Does this mean that I was knocked down to such a deep underground level by a disaster like the Metro Flood? And for some reason survived for a hundred years.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t get it¡­¡± (Shuu)

    No good. Any more and the mystery just piles up. It only hurts to keep swallowing the indigestible little bones.

    Let¡¯s think about the future. Instead of focusing on the mysteries, I don¡¯t understand, I should be focusing my attention on the real issues at hand.

    ¡°¡­I need to reach the surface first.¡± (Shuu)

    As soon as possible, I will escape from this too dangerous underground space.

    I will see with my own eyes what this world is like now.

    That¡¯s all I can do.

    For now, I have one goal. I¡¯ll just think about that first.

    ¡°Tamiko, I want to go to the surface, what should I do?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Impossible, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu is really weak for a human, squeak. In this Metro, we have a caste system, you are just a tick within that pyramid, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°How do you know so much about castes?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If you leave here carelessly, you¡¯ll end up getting clobbered all over the Metro by something like the Ghost Wolf just now, squeak! Moreover, it will be an instant kill, squeak. You will just become a victim and pooped out, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be poop.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°To get to the surface, you have to climb a lot of stairs and fight against a lot of Metro Beasts, squeak. It¡¯s impossible for Abeshuu, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Certainly, it¡¯s impossible. I almost died just now.

    ¡°Well, then, what are the chances of someone else coming to the Metro¡­? That person can help me¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The Outsuka Metro is quite unpopular? Hunters rarely go here, squeak. Abeshuu is the first human I have ever seen, squeak. That¡¯s why I was quite excited. I didn¡¯t know they had such a smooth face.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I have a smooth face (My Complex). So, it¡¯s not practical to wait for rescue.¡± (Shuu)

    Escape on my own is not possible. No rescue is coming. I am trapped on all sides.

    ¡°But that¡¯s just the way it is now, Abeshuu.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Improve yourself enough to be able to fight all of the Metro Beasts, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Shuu stares at the sword in his hand.

    After Tamiko¡¯s story, it seems so small, but this is all he has at the moment.

    ¡°Leveling up just means defeating that wolf-like monster from before and eating its guts, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°How strong should I be if I level up?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I heard that my mother¡¯s partner was a super-strong hunter, level 50 or higher, squeak. On this floor¡­ I heard they fought with a lot of nasty Metro Beasts, squeak. I wish Abeshuu can be as good as them.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Level 50 or higher huh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Shuu leveled up twice earlier, so Shuu is currently level 3. Unless those were multiple level-ups going up at once.

    At the very least 47 more¡­ He suddenly feels faint.

    ¡°¡­I-I wonder if I can do it alone. I have no preparation, no equipment, and almost zero knowledge.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯ve never even been in a fight, let alone been on a hunt. I have never been involved in anything rough in my life.

    Even if I was suddenly thrown into a game-like world and told to fight monsters, I would not be able to do so.

    My only weapon was a sword made of mycelium, and I had no clothes, let alone armor, and I was still naked.

    At a loss for what to do, Tamiko stepped up to my shoulder and slapped me on the cheek.

    ¡°I will help you, squeak. I¡¯m going to teach Abeshuu all the knowledge I got from my mother, squeak¡±. (Tamiko)

    ¡°I appreciate that¡­ But why¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I want to go to the surface too, squeak. I¡¯ve never left the metro since I was born. I want to see the city, the sun, and humans, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko puts her hands together and looks up at the ceiling in rapt attention. Her longing for the surface world seems strong.

    ¡°But I can¡¯t do it alone, squeak. My mother has been dead for a while, too, If I don¡¯t do something about it, I¡¯ll end up as a Metro Beast¡¯s snack someday, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I knew that Tamiko¡¯s mother died. The past year means Tamiko has been surviving alone for a year.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I want Abeshuu to become a strong and healthy human, squeak. So we can go out together to New Tokyo, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see. It¡¯s a win-win.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A peen, squeak? I¡¯m female, squeak.¡± (Tamiko) [T/N: She¡¯s mistaken win-win with chinchin (peepee/peen).]

    ¡°No, Um¡­ forget about it. Anyway, thanks for helping me.¡± (Shuu)

    I woke up in this unfamiliar world, not knowing what was right and left, and I don¡¯t know what was going on.

    To be honest, I feel like wallowing in despair for a few more days.

    I want to stay here, mourn the misfortune that has befallen me, and bask in my tragedy.

    However, the situation does not allow it.

    This is a very dangerous place, and there is no water or food. And I am naked.

    If I choose to die, it will be easy. They would come and make it easy for me.

    But if you choose to live, well¡­

    ¡°¡­I guess I¡¯ll just have to try.¡± (Shuu)

    I have to accept reality and act.

    I will try to escape from this Metro or whatever it is called.

    With a mycelial sword in hand and a squirrel as my partner.

    (How utterly comical is this adventure?) (Shuu)

    I almost laughed.

    ¡°But¡­ this is my only choice.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit Abeshuu, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Shuu holds out his index finger to the squirrel on his shoulder. Tamiko grabs it with a tug.

    ¡°I¡¯m in your hands, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Abeshuu! I¡¯m going to give you a good workout, and I¡¯m going to make you tough, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Go easy on me.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s all going to be okay, squeak. With Tamiko here, it will be like a baby manning a boat, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°We are going to sink.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You know, if I get serious, I¡¯ll have you under New Tokyo¡¯s Sun in no time, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    As it turned out, they would spend five years here.

 CH 3.1

    When he wakes up, Shuu finds himself on a bed.

    ¡°¡­eh?¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s a hospital room. That hospital room where he was admitted after a serious injury.

    A middle-aged female nurse comes in and feeds him a white dumpling, saying, ¡°It¡¯s time for your meal!¡± She would shovel the white dumplings into his mouth without hesitation.

    ¡°¡­A dream?¡± (Shuu)

    I feel like I was having a terrible dream. I try to remember while munching on a fairly hefty bowl of dumplings, but there is a haze over my ability to remember and think.

    ¡°¡­What a relief, it was all just a dream.¡± (Shuu)

    I am relieved to be back in reality for now. I swallow all the stuff in my mouth, but I am still hungry. Hospital food is not enough for me; I want something fattier and richer in flavor.

    This time a man, my doctor, comes in and asks, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± and strokes my face with a paintbrush. It tickles, but I am convinced that this is a necessary part of the treatment. I need to get well soon and get back to work.

    ¡°When will I be able to return to the surface?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°When you reach level 50, squeak.¡± (Doctor)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    When I wake up, I am in a small room surrounded by rock walls.

    The surface of my nose is being stroked with a soft tuft of fur. A chipmunk is holding her tail and wagging it from side to side. It¡¯s Tamiko.

    ¡°Good morning, squeak. It¡¯s already morning, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­I wake up and back to another nightmare, huh.¡± (Shuu)

    At any rate, I reach out and rub her fluffy white belly. ¡°Oh¡­ don¡¯t touch¡­ no¡­!¡± Tamiko writhes under my fingers.

    This is the 50th basement floor of the Outsuka Metro. If Tamiko is to be believed, this is the deepest level of the labyrinth that stretches beneath Tokyo.

    Normally, there is no day or night in the underground world, but the glowing moss that grows on the walls and ceilings, which Tamiko says is called [Firefly Moss], indicates the day and night by the color of its light. When the light is whitish, it is daytime, and when it is bluish, it is nighttime.

    I must have slept so much that I grew mold, but yesterday night I fell asleep early, and despite the fact that I was naked on the hard floor, I fell asleep soundly. It was like morning, with a dim white light illuminating the room.

    ¡°¡­Ah¡­ I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I just had a mouthful of that damn sporangium yesterday. I heard a sad sound from my stomach as if it was urging me to give it something.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m thirsty¡­ I need a drink of water¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s a very urgent need, too. I mean, Or rather, it may be more difficult to secure drinking water in this cave than hunting beasts.

    ¡°Then, shall we go to the oasis, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A place where you can drink water in peace, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Really?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko has a good ear, apparently. She seems to have a skill that, in essence, strengthens her hearing, ¡°It¡¯s my Fungal Skills, squeak¡± she said, It is hard to see with the naked eye, but she has a tiny flap made of small threads on the edge of her ear so in short, her skill seems to strengthen her hearing.

    ¡°There are no Metro Beasts nearby, squeak. This is our chance, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡± (Shuu)

    He removes the rubble that serves as a blockade, passing through the hole, and steps out of their hiding place.

    ¡°¡­Ah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    A short distance away from the doorway is the remains of a wolf that has been reduced to nothing.

    After yesterday¡¯s incident, I tried to retrieve the carcass, even though I was prepared for the room to be covered in the stench of decay, but Tamiko stopped me, saying, ¡°There are other beasts here.¡± It seemed that the smell of blood had attracted other beasts, and what was now lying-in front of us were their leftovers.

    ¡°Actually, It already looks like a seedbed.¡± (Shuu)

    There is a long and slender plant that looks like a long and thin Tsukushi (a kind of Japanese radish) or Zenni (a kind of royal fern), and I have never seen anything like it before. Only one night after sprouting, or perhaps photosynthesis is not necessary?

    ¡°That¡¯s a Mycelial Plant, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Mycelial Plant?¡± (Shuu)

    Is it a fungus or a plant? Looks like the latter, but I¡¯m not quite sure.

    ¡°There are a lot of them growing in the oasis, squeak.¡±

    ¡°I see?.¡±

    We¡¯ll discuss that later, but we need to get going.

    I¡¯m too wary to go out unarmed (aside from being in the buff), so I try to arm myself. As I reminded myself yesterday, ¡°Come out, come out,¡± a thread started to form from the palm of my hand, forming the shape of a sword.

    It is a sword made of white mycelium. I am relieved to be able to reproduce it, but at the same time, I cannot help but be surprised.

    (Fungal Skill, huh?) (Shuu)

    (Blue-black mold heals wounds and I can create swords.) (Shuu)

    (For now, these two¡­ are the only ones I can use at the moment¡­ right?) (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Um, let¡¯s go.¡± (Shuu)

    The road, which resembles an abandoned subway line, continues to the left and right. From Tamiko¡¯s stories and Shuu¡¯s memories before waking up here, people would guess that this place is like a labyrinth created by the supernatural flooding and sprawling of the Tokyo Metro. With Tamiko on his shoulder, Shuu heads to the right along the rail.

    The manmade ambiance quickly fades as the small tunnel leads to a pathway, which turns into a cavernous passage surrounded by craggy rock surfaces. The path branches off into narrow paths, and as Tamiko instructed, they turn to the right and left. After two or three minutes of walking, fearing that they might run into a beast, the path suddenly opens up to reveal a clear view.

    ¡°¡­Oh, my¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The ceiling is high and the area is about the size of a school ground. It is as bright as real daylight, probably due to the amount of firefly moss.

    Small insects are flying around. You can hear something like birds chirping. The ground is covered with soft humus, and short grass and trees grow as far as the eye can see. The air feels so fresh that it fills one¡¯ s lungs.

    ¡°Certainly, it feels like an oasis within a desolate underworld. But¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Clutching my sword, I look around nervously. If a wolf suddenly jumped out of the bushes, I¡¯d be scared for sure. Or rather, I¡¯d pee myself.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, squeak. There are no beasts nearby, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There are only rats, bats, and useless small fries, squeak.¡± (Tamiko) [T/N: So feisty.]

    ¡°Um? Okay.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There¡¯s some water over there, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Water gushes from the ground and from the walls, creating ponds several meters wide in some places. Shuu scooped up some water with his hand and smelled it. There was no particular smell, nor were there any impurities in the water. At first glance, the water looks clean.

    I take a sip of the water with trepidation. A cool sensation passes down my throat.

    ¡°¡­delicious¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I may have never had such good water before. No, the taste itself is probably not so different from anything I have ever tasted, but it makes me realize that my body has been craving it. I downed two or three cups of it, though I thought I have to do it in moderation so as not to upset my stomach.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m me, without a doubt¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I catch my breath and look at my reflection on the shimmering surface of the water.

    It is unmistakably Abe Shuu. It is the same me as before I fell into a long sleep. This completely dispelled the theory that I had been reincarnated as another person.

    I slap myself on the cheek. The featureless, pasty, smooth face that I have known for twenty-three years. A plain, flat face that could be called a representative of the plain face tribe. The women I know say he looks ¡°sleepy,¡± ¡°harmless,¡± ¡°somewhat soothing,¡± and ¡°hard to tell what he¡¯s thinking. Is it wrong that I have a single eyelid?

    I feel a little thinner than I remember myself. I¡¯ve gained a few pounds in the year since I started to work, but I look even gaunter than I did when I ran out of money as a student. Is it natural since I have not eaten or drank for a century, or rather, should I be glad that I have not dried up and turned to dust?

    Tamiko is washing her face and body with water. She seems to like to keep clean, just like a girl. She was also carefully polishing the jewelry on her head.

    ¡°Tamiko, what is that red jewel on your head?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It was on my mother¡¯s head too, squeak. It¡¯s just the way we are, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s just the way you are?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Take your f*cking mitts off me, squeak! I¡¯m sensitive, squeak!¡¡Stop, Sto¡ªPat me more¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re so cute.¡± (Shuu)

    Now that I am safely relieved of my thirst, the next step is hunger. I rummage around to see if there is anything edible.

    I am not an expert on flowers and plants, but none of the plants in the oasis looked familiar to me. Some were twisted, some were bushy like marimo, some were oddly sized, and some had blue or black leaves. If I snap off one of the weeds, I find that it is sticky and filamentous inside the stem. I wondered if this was the origin of the name [Mycelial Plant]. [T/N: Marimo are moss balls that are actually algae colonies.]

    Taking Tamiko¡¯s advice, I picked some wildflowers that looked safe to eat. We also pick some mushrooms with strange shapes. Mushrooms are a low-calorie, sugar-free food, but they are better than nothing.

    ¡°Ah! Acorn Dandelion, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko runs up to the yellow flowers. The flower is named after the acorn dandelion, which has a seed resembling a tree nut in the center of its flower. This squirrel is nothing more than a squirrel as she plucks them off and gnaws on them.

    Acorns are also a foodstuff. If you boil it and remove the scum, you can eat it, and if you grind it into a powder, it can be used as a substitute for grain. However, since I have neither the cooking utensils nor the knowledge to process acorns, I follow the squirrel¡¯s example. In other words, I chomp into the whole thing.

 CH 3.2

    ¡°¡­so bitter¡­¡± (Shuu)

    My tongue appeals to me that this is a bad thing for humans to eat raw. I spit out the powdery contents along with the crushed shell.

    I look around for something else. It would be great if there was some fruit, but unfortunately, nothing seems to be growing here that would provide calories. It¡¯s a precious oasis, but it¡¯s not all that perfect, is it? The food situation must continue to be a top priority.

    ¡°¡­Still, this place is really bountiful.¡±

    Not including the water and low-calorie foodstuffs, the resources here are invaluable to Shuu.

    Take, for example, dead grass. The slender-stemmed plant, which looks like a member of the grass family, grows wild. I picked up a piece of dead grass and pulled on it. It is soft but firm and sturdy enough to be used as a string. If I gather enough of it, I might be able to make a bed of straw.

    I also noticed a plant with large leaves like a banana tree. When I touched it, the leaves were soft and the edges were not prickly. This would work.

    I tied a string of dried grass around my waist and hung down a banana-like leaf I had picked. The leaf skirt is now complete.

    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not yet complete.¡± (Shuu)

    My backside is fully exposed and my front is also saying hello through the gaps. In fact, looks-wise, it is more obscene than being naked.

    Well, there are plenty of materials to make a waistcoat. It is not so cold that I have to hurry to make a jacket, but I would like to start by hiding my private parts, leaving the nudity behind, and becoming an Adam of the Outsuka Metro.

    ¡°Tamiko, are there really no wolves coming here?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, not really, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Why? There¡¯s water, and it looks like they can get food.¡± (Shuu)

    In the wild, beasts will congregate near water. Not only as a precious source of water but also for the sake of prey that comes there.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand it either, squeak. My mother says that the smell of the plants here keeps the Metro Beasts away, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The plants repel the beasts, really? Why is that?¡± (Shuu)

    When it comes to meat-eaters, Shuu is one, while Tamiko, despite being a squirrel, was munching on sporangia. But there is nothing repellent about this place. The difference may be due to the presence or absence of intelligence, or to the difference in species.

    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s water everywhere around the Metro, so maybe it doesn¡¯t have to be here, squeak. I like it here because of the beautiful water, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    In the passageway leading up to this location, there were also places where water was flowing out or trickling from what looked like plumbing. Regardless of the origin of the water, it seems that at least in this area (as long as one does not worry about sanitation), one does not have to worry about having to water for a while.

    ¡°So, what do you say we take the plunge and move here?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think we should do that, squeak. It¡¯s not as if they won¡¯t come, and if they do, there¡¯s no way to get out, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Right.¡± (Shuu)

    While a property with a fully equipped kitchen is attractive, a safe house is more secure. There is no substitute for the safety of your life.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to go and pick some flowers, squeak. Excuse me, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, I think I need to go pee, too.¡± (Shuu)

    Let¡¯s build a facility to do our business in the hiding place as well. I think we could pile up dirt and grass at the end of the hallway.

    Survival life has just begun, and the challenges are piling up.

    Starting that time, we will be spending time building our living quarters.

    Traveling back and forth between the hideout and the oasis, making sure there are no beasts in the vicinity. Stockpiling wild plants, mushrooms, and acorns, and making beds out of the dead grass we brought in.

    We sharpened reasonable stones with my Mycelium Sword to make knives and gathered up good leaves to make a waistcoat. And collecting dead branches for firewood¡ªand so on.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to make a fire huh¡­¡±  (Shuu)

    Tried to build a fire, but failed. There are no good wood branches that can be rubbed to create friction, and the wood being used is apparently too wet.

    I¡¯m not sure how long a bed of dead grass would last hygienically, since the environment is so damp. If I could make a fire, I would be able to keep it dry.

    Another issue. I want to secure food that will fill us up with energy. And so¡­

    ¡°Phew!¡± (Shuu)

    The moment he catches it at the edge of his vision, Shuu¡¯s body springs into motion and he grabs the prey in his hands. The captured gray rat squeaks and begs for its life in a pitifully shrill squeak.

    (¡­Just now, wasn¡¯t I really amazing?) (Shuu)

    I have demonstrated agility that surprised even me. I captured a swift wild animal in one try.

    (I could never have imagined such athleticism in the old me.) (Shuu)

    (Are these the benefits of leveling up?) (Shuu)

    On the first day, with the Ghost Wolf sporangium, Shuu went from level 1 to level 3. According to Tamiko, the game-like common sense that ¡°the higher the level, the stronger you are¡± seems to have been true in this situation, which means that his physical ability has also improved by that amount.

    ¡°Now, do it now, squeak! No mercy, squeak! Do it, do it, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    This squirrel relentlessly lords over her partner to finish off its own brethren. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, he mumbles quietly under his breath and then slides his stone knife.

    Fresh meat will have to wait, and this time it¡¯s the sporangia they¡¯re after. He cuts open the belly of the dead rat and, with the help of Tamiko, carefully opens it.

    ¡°¡­so tiny.¡± (Shuu)

    What was taken out was a small white sphere the size of a grain of rice. It was a little too small compared to Ghost Wolf, which was the size of a ping-pong ball.

    Since there were two of them, I shared them with Tamiko. No matter how I try, I can¡¯t help but eat it in one bite. It melts in my mouth in an instant, but the raw texture is very distinctive.

    ¡°¡­Ah, but somehow, I feel a little more energetic now.¡± (Shuu)

    There is a sensation of warmth rising within the body, which had been feeling weak from hunger. Of course, I am still as hungry as before, but I do feel a little more invigorated.

    ¡°Sporangia are the best, squeak. The more you eat, the stronger you become, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­Sporangia are not only found in rats but also in bats and insects, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Of course, squeak¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Maybe we can safely level up by hunting lots of rats and other weaker ones without having to hunt Ghost Wolves and other stronger ones?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. They are very weak, and their sporangium is also very small. Even if Abeshuu is a little bit stronger than them, it will take you many more days to get up to the next level.¡± (Tamiko)

    She disrespected me again, so I retaliated by rubbing her nose. ¡°Aaah¡­ My bad, squeak¡­Kyaaa!¡± she said as she fell and surrender.

    ¡°However, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right, how many tens of thousands of rats is that going to take¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    In other words, a confrontation with the tougher Metro Beasts is inevitable.

    Along with the maintenance work on the safe house, keeping watch in front of the entrance & exit is also a daily routine.

    We will hunt only the weak-looking beasts that come to this area alone ¨C and for this reason, we will stand by ready to spring out at any time.

    ¡°If I have to hunt, it will be either a Ghost Wolf or a Blue Goblin, squeak. Both of them are the weakest among the Merto Beasts on this floor, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Blue Goblins? Oh, there are goblins!?¡± (Shuu)

    The poster child of the fantasy world, a lowly small fry character in the hall of fame of the monster world. So Goblins actually exist in Tokyo?

    ¡°They are the shaggy, shaggy, ape-like creatures, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± (Shuu)

    So, the apes became monsters and are now called goblins. The Ghost Wolves, the Carbuncles, and other Metro creatures are basically an evolved form of the previous era? Mutants? It seems that they have changed.

    ¡°Goblins include Green, Blue, and Red, squeak. The goblins on this floor are Blue and Red, squeak. Blue is stronger than Green, but about the same strength as the Ghost Wolf, squeak. According to my mother, they¡¯re at level 10 or a little higher, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Still, that¡¯s a big step up.¡± (Shuu)

    In any case, they were hoping a Green Goblin would come. Whether Ghost Wolf or Blue Goblin, they are more than three times the level of Shuu at this moment. Even if they were to fight properly, they would have no chance of winning.

    ¡°The Red Goblin is even worse, squeak. They are around level 15, and there are many that can use Fungal Skills, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°For real?¡± (That sounds impossible.) ¡°By the way, what do skills do they have?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°They are all different, squeak. Sometimes it¡¯s a [Hypha Weapon], sometimes it¡¯s [Hypha Ball], squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hypha Balls?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hypha Balls, squeak. If you throw it, it can burn or freeze, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°They can cause burning or freezing?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There are also some that can heal an injury or increase power when eaten, squeak. [Hypha Balls] are the embodiment of dreams, squeak.¡±

    It is hard to imagine, but I guess it is like a sphere of mycelium that has a supernatural effect like magic compared to a straight weapon like a sword. It¡¯s a bit ridiculous¡ªis it too late to still say?

    ¡°Can¡¯t Tamiko use them?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t have one because I¡¯m a¡­ maiden!¡± (Tamiko)

    Squirrel Girl¡¯s crude joke. She is smugly posing with a crooked grin.

    Anyway, a Red Goblin has skills in addition to an overwhelming level difference. I knew that I should not only be careful, but I definitely didn¡¯t want to encounter them.

    ¡°So if a Ghost Wolf or Blue Goblin appears alone outside the ¡­¡­ doorway, I¡¯ll definitely be ready for a fight.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ll pick up your remains, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to help me.¡± (Shuu)

    And so he continued his stakeout in front of the gateway. When hungry, he nibbles on mushrooms, and occasionally wakes up a dozing squirrel by squeezing its cheek pouch.

    It was his third day of the stakeout and his fourth day in this Metro. The moment finally arrives.

 CH 4.1

    ¡°Abeshuu! Wake up, squeak! Get up you sleepyhead!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Huh? Cool it, stop with the squirrel slapping.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko is making noise with a muffled squeak. I am dragged out of my slumber by a smack on the cheek.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming, squeak! It¡¯s near, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Really? ¡­good.¡± (Shuu)

    My heart jumps. My whole body is shaking and my clenched hands are trembling.

    For the first time since the first day, I am facing a Metro Beast head-on. A serious battle, a fight over life.

    Although I was prepared for it, I was terrified to the max. Fear is inevitable.

    ¡°Is it¡­ a Ghost Wolf? Or a Goblin?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Both, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°They are fighting each other, squeak!  Ghost Wolves and Goblins are not on good terms, they fight all the time, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see¡­ they act like cats and dogs.¡± (Shuu)

    Metro beasts fighting each other¡­ it¡¯s like the Kaijuu war for Shuu¡¯s current state, no matter how many lives he has, it won¡¯t be enough if he just sticks his neck out.

    ¡°We will stay until the fighting ends, squeak! We¡¯re going to stab the last one standing from behind!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see¡­ we will take advantage of their infighting.¡± (Shuu)

    After the fierce battle to the death, the winner will be ambushed when they are exhausted, and I will take all the winnings. It¡¯s quite cowardly, but this is the wild new world where the strong eating the weak is the law of the jungle. If I don¡¯t move, I will never escape to the surface. Cowardice is the best, so I have no choice but to do it.

    I concentrate on the palm of my hand. The threads spin and form the shape of a sword.

    If I could keep the mycelium sword out all the time, I wouldn¡¯t need to take it out again, but unfortunately, it has an expiration date. A few minutes? An hour? I don¡¯t know exactly, but after a certain amount of time, it degrades little by little until crumbling to pieces.

    Holding up a brand-new white sword in front of me¡­ my courage was still slumbering from deep within. The pain and fear of having my arm nearly chewed off come back to me.

    With just one swing of this puny weapon, would I really be able to finish off the monsters?

    ¡°Abeshuu, your hands are trembling so fast there¡¯s an afterimage, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I-I-I can do this!  W-w-w-we will escape to the surface!¡± (Shuu)

    Gripping the handle tightly, I close my eyes for a few seconds. I take a deep breath and slap my cheeks.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Tamiko. This is the first step.¡± (Shuu)

    I go left down the path in front of the entrance/exit and stop when I reach an alleyway. Even if my ears are not as good as Tamiko¡¯s, the beasts¡¯ yowls are already close enough that I can feel it in my skin.

    ¡°Graaa!!!¡± (Ghost Wolf)

    ¡°Kyaa! Kyaa!¡± (Blue Goblin)

    Two figures peeking quietly from the shadows, a man and a squirrel, in their position, they saw it. A few dozen meters away, a huge gray wolf and a blue-furred ape are engaged in a battle to the death.

    Compared to the Ghost Wolf, the Blue Goblin is small. It is a little over a meter tall. It is a bipedal ape with its entire body a dusky blue color.

    The goblin is grabbing at it with its fangs bared, with all the quickness and ferocity it possesses. It bites, scratches, and grabs at its fur.

    Still, the difference in size seems insurmountable, and the Ghost Wolf is blown away by the Blue Goblin¡¯s blow. Then, it is bitten on the neck with its big jaws, swung around, and thrown hard against the wall. The Ghost Wolf is more overwhelming than its reputation suggests.

    Eventually, the Blue Goblin collapses on the ground, covered in blood and unable to stand up¡ªbut then¡­

    A second goblin emerges from behind. A red-furred ape¡ªa Red Goblin.

    ¡°Ki-Kyaa!¡± (Red Goblin)

    With a scream, the red goblin runs. The moment it swung its arm as it ran¡ª¡°Gaaauuu!¡± Ghost Wolf groaned, its body contorting and bending backward.

    (¡­A needle?) (Shuu)

    The red goblin released a long, thin, white, wire-like weapon. Probably a [Hypha Needle], just like Shuu¡¯s sword. It is pierced into the Ghost Wolf¡¯s eye.

    ¡°Kikiki!¡± (Red Goblin)

    The Red Goblin keeps its distance and alternately throws needles with both hands. Ghost Wolf, blinded in one eye at the encounter, is unable to dodge and becomes a hedgehog with needles protruding from all over his body.

    ¡°Gaaa!¡± (Ghost Wolf)

    The fight is one-sided, and the Red Goblin kicks the ground just as the moment is ripe. It pounces on it, trying to directly stab it with the needles it holds in both hands.

    The battle seemed to be decided. But¡­

    The Ghost Wolf leaped at the right moment and its fangs clamped down on the Red Goblin¡¯s neck. With a resounding crash, it slams into the ground, snapping the neck. A dull thud reverberates off the rock wall, and a few moments later, as if to break the silence, Ghost Wolf shouts, ¡°Awoooo!¡± A victory battle cry reverberates.

    ¡°¡­That was a totally unexpected plot twist.¡± (Shuu)

    Was the Red Goblin weaker than expected, or was the Ghost Wolf stronger? Probably the latter. That means it¡¯s not the common ones.

    Nevertheless, the winner was also wounded everywhere. Its body is drenched in blood, and needles are sticking out from all over his body.

    (What do I do, what should I do?) (Shuu)

    (Can I really beat a monster like that?) (Shuu)

    (They said a wounded beast is the deadliest¡ª) (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Shuu lowers Tamiko off his shoulders and grips his sword with both hands.

    He closes his eyes, exhales deeply, and in his mind he screams, ¡°Ohhhh!¡± His eyes are red as they flutter open.

    ¡°¨Dman up, you spineless man!¡± (Shuu)

    He leaps out of the shadows and runs at once. The scenery around him is flowing backward at an unimaginable speed.

    An unintelligible yell emanates from his mouth. An adult male, wearing a leaf skirt and carrying a sword with a yell, rushes into the scene. Thinking things about, how the company employees will react and send him to the hospital again. With a smile plastered on the corner of his mouth, he raises his sword above his head and swings it down at the huge wolf.

    ¡°Abeshuu! You¡¯re bathed in blood, squeak! You¡¯re dying, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko cries in a squeaky shout.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ I¡¯ll get better soon¡­ Probably be fine¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It was an epic struggle.

    The opponent, though wounded, was far superior, Super Ghost Wolf. Even so, I took advantage of the fact that it was blind in one eye to move around and slash at it. Perhaps it was the benefit of the level-up, but I was able to demonstrate the finest and sharpest movement I had ever done in my life.

    But the enemy¡¯s counterattack was also ferocious. It was a resistance that made me feel the very wildness and persistence for survival. With a swing of its powerful limbs, I was knocked off my feet, gouged in the side with its claws, and bitten until my left arm was on the verge of being torn off.

    And yet, somehow¡ªbarely, somehow, I was able to snatch up a victory. The wolf smashed in the head over and over again, lay in a pool of blood with its tongue hanging out, no longer breathing.

    I checked my own injuries. I don¡¯t want to look too directly at it, but I can see bone through the flesh that has been gouged out. My gnawed arm is also fractured.

    But ¨C the flesh of the wound is slowly rising up and controlling the bleeding. A blue-black fungus is clinging to it like a scab ¨C apparently, this is stimulating regeneration. In the past few days, I¡¯ve checked the effects of the treatment by hurting myself several times, and even serious wounds like this one, which could take weeks to heal, have been healing stably.

    (This is also a Fungal Skill, huh?) (Shuu)

    (Self-regeneration ability, I think.) (Shuu)

    ((If I messed up, I could lose an arm and it would still grow back.) (Shuu)

    If it were a game, it would be a true cheat-class performance.

    In a minute or two, the bleeding stops completely and I can move, albeit painfully. I feel like I¡¯m more of a monster than the wolf or the ape.

    ¡°Abeshuu, you are amazing, squeak Your smooth as baby¡¯s bottom face is returning to its original appearance, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that with a serious face. I¡¯m so hungry¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I am feeling extremely tired and hungry. As was the case on the first day, regeneration seems to consume a fair amount of nutrition and stamina.

    ¡°Abeshuu, when you get better, let¡¯s gouge out the Sporangium, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I know, I know. (You were crying just a while ago.)¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Stop your dawdling! Hurry! Hurry!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Who are you, my boss?¡± (Shuu)

    ¨DBut suddenly.

 CH 4.2

    ¨DBut suddenly.

    ¡°Guh!¡± (Shuu)

    I quickly jumped forward to protect Tamiko, but I was hit on the shoulder hard and swatted quite far away.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    While Tamiko runs up behind him, Shuu stands on one knee and confronts it.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s still alive¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    The Blue Goblin, who should have been bitten to death by the wolf, is standing there.

    Its blue fur is bloody and tattered, and its left arm is bent in the wrong direction. Breathing heavily on its shoulders, it still stares at us with bloodshot eyes.

    ¡°Ki-ki-kyaa!¡± (Blue Goblin)

    The Blue Goblin shouts angrily. Spittle and blood spray out of its mouth.

    Shuu tries to stand up, but his body is not yet recovered enough. His wounds are still not completely recovered. When he tried to make a new mycelial sword like the one, he dropped, not a single thread came out of his palm.

    ¡°Fuck¨D¡± (Shuu)

    The Blue Goblin jumps at him. He rolls on the ground to avoid the coming fangs and claws, but the short blue creature turned fluidly coming straight at him. The sole of its foot lands squarely on his body. His ribs crack and he is blown away, crashing into the wall behind him.

    He groans in pain and blood spills from his mouth. For a little guy, for someone dying, it still has a lot of power.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko runs in front of Shuu. Standing protectively, she faces the Blue Goblin and cries, ¡°Hisss!¡± baring her fangs.

    ¡°IIIII will do it myself, squeak!¡¡A-Abeshuu, stay behind me, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­but you¡­¡± (Shuu)

    £¨You don¡¯t have any combat skills, is what I want to say.) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s why¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The other party is also desperate. It is no wonder that they stop moving at any moment. Even so, anger, hatred, and fear¡ªthe desire to survive that is a mixture of all of these¡ª manifested in the form of murderous energy.

    Shuu bites down on the weakness that threatens to overwhelm him, and with a herculean effort, he forces his arms and tries to get up.

    I¡¯m also the same. I¡¯ll do the impossible.

    If I don¡¯t do it, I will die. Simple.

    That¡¯s the reality of the Metro, of this world I¡¯m in now.

    Then Shuu looks up and suddenly sees that his fingertips are stained red.

    It¡¯s not blood. It¡¯s a thread. A red thread.

    It arises from his fingertip and forms a shape. It is a red nut-like sphere about two or three centimeters in diameter. There is a white pattern or mark in the center. The mark looks like a drop of water or a Hitodama. [T/N: Hitodama is a Japanese ball of fire that is considered the soul of the dead.]

    ¡°What is this¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hy-Hypha Ball, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko turned around and screamed.

    ¡°This is¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    The form of mycelium that Tamiko was talking about, a form of mycelium that is different from a mycelial weapon¨D

    ¡°Ki-Kyaaaa!¡± (Blue Goblin)

    Was it something that should be thrown, or something that should be eaten for its effect?

    When I first heard that, it honestly didn¡¯t ring any bells.

    However, now that I have it in my hands like this. I can instinctively understand which kind it is.

    It is the former.

    ¡°Tamiko, move back!¡± (Shuu)

    My body moves spontaneously. I know what to do.

    I swing my arm through the air. A centrifugal force, a snap of the wrist, and the will to release.

    Peeling away from my fingertips, a red mycelium ball is released straight into the air.

    The moment the mycelium ball collides in mid-air with the Blue Goblin that jumped toward it crumbles into a ball of mycelium¨CBooosh! With a dull explosion, the blue beast is engulfed in a blinding fire.

    ¡°Gyaaaa!¡± (Blue Goblin)

    The Blue Goblin rolls on the ground, releasing a burning smell. Stunned, Shuu stands up and picks up his mycelium sword.

    ¡°Uu¡­ Aa¡­ AAAA!¡± (Shuu)

    From there, consciousness becomes fuzzy. Anyway, I frantically slammed the weapon down on the target, and the next thing I know, the lifeless corpse of the Blue Goblin, discolored scorched, and reddish-black with blood, is lying in front of my eyes.

    ¡°¡­Haa¡­ Haa¡­¡± (Shuu)

    His breathing, body, and stamina at their limits, Shuu collapses to his knees. Tamiko¡¯s squeaky voice sounded awfully far away.

    ¡°¡­Shuu, Abeshuu! Open your mouth, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Something sticky is being forced aggressively into my mouth.

    I do as I¡¯m told and open my mouth, only to be screwed in the mouth without a pause. In an instant, a raw taste fills my mouth, but my body, which has been desperately craving something, chews it unconsciously and swallows it down.

    The food falls down his esophagus and into his stomach, where it becomes a gentle heat that permeates his body. Energy, stamina, and vitality return.

    ¡°¡­Tamiko¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    In front of me is the weeping face of a dingy chipmunk. As I stare, her body is covered in blood¡ªnot her own blood, but probably due to the sporangium that I swallowed earlier, it was dug out from the corpse.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Sudden tightness attacks my whole body. It is not like it¡¯s pain, but a strong stiffness in the muscles and bones. It disappears in an instant. Without any lingering effects.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m alright, I think I¡¯ve just leveled up.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad, squeak! Waaaah!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko clings to Shuu¡¯s nose and face, crying freely. When I pinch her back to pull her back¡­ a string of Tamiko¡¯s snot and other fluids stretches.

    The bodies of three beasts are lying around us. Ghost Wolf, Blue Goblin, and Red Goblin.

    I poke them with the tip of my mycelium sword. None of the three animals move at all, and they all seem to be completely dead.

    ¡°How amazing, squeak! It¡¯s a huge victory, squeak! There¡¯s a lot, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    The squirrel that just cried is already laughing. Tamiko is squealing and dancing. I would like to dance with her, but I am too tired to do anything but slump down in place.

    ¡°¡­I survived¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It was truly a life-threatening fight to the death. I can¡¯t believe that I am safe now.

    I hardly felt this when I met a wolf on my first day, but this experience was the most exhilarating and violent in the history of my life¨DAnd I¡¯m sure it was the most mentally exhausting.

    A Hypha Ball skill, the [Burning Hypha Ball], activated on the very edge of my life. A literal hidden gem (ball). This victory was, of course, partly thanks to that, but more than that ¨C it was because I was able to keep my will to ¡°not lose¡± and ¡°live¡±. Even though I was scared, even though I was about to cry, it was because I was able to fight to the end without breaking down.

    I never thought that a day would come when an ordinary person like myself, an ordinary citizen living comfortably in the Heisei era, would be able to demonstrate such resilience.

    What I gained through this experience was great. I grew up to Level 4 and got the sporangium I had longed for. Six of them.

    (¡­I wonder why.) (Shuu)

    I chuckled as I realize that I¡¯m having a bit of fun.

 CH 5.1

    The skill [Burning Hypha Ball] that I got unexpectedly, or rather awakened.

    With this, the most important and indispensable task of ¡°starting a fire¡± has been cleared, my life as a survivalist has dramatically developed, and the bells of civilization are ringing loudly.

    No, it doesn¡¯t go that way. The reality is not so kind.

    In the first place, I have no such wisdom as ¡°what can be done using fire¡± or ¡°what should be done with fire¡±. There has been no need for me to seriously think about such things in my twenty-three years of living.

    I tried to dry hay and it almost caught fire and trying to cook rat meat for a few days¡¯ worths of food becomes charcoal mass-production. When I made a fire in a hideout, it became smoky, and Tamiko lectured me. Then I made a fire in the passage or a small room, beasts came near, and we had to leave the place immediately.

    And so, the days of trial and error continued. It was a back-and-forth process, taking one step at a time.

    Shuu didn¡¯t become unmatchable with the battle with Metro Beasts by simply getting a ranged attack. If he faces a beast head-on, they will easily evade the attack using their superior agility.

    He tried to use it as a trap, but they were wary of its smell and appearance, and they didn¡¯t get caught. When faced with a mycelium ball left alone, there¡¯s a human with his face painted in despair.

    In the end, he carefully selects his prey based on Tamiko¡¯s ears, and it becomes his daily routine to engage them in a one-on-one fight. It takes about two or three days to get one fight under his belt.

    His physical abilities have clearly improved as his level of skill has increased. Muscle strength, stamina, and reflexes have all improved. Even his techniques have been honed through training such as swinging his sword in addition to the actual fighting. He is proud of himself to the extent that he has gone from being a novice to being a good fighter.

    Even so, it is difficult to match the strength of the superior beasts. Relying on the [Regenerative Mycelium] ¡ªa blue-black fungus that can heal any serious wound¡ªhe picks up victories with kamikaze attacks, which are the easiest way to get injured. As his injuries gradually become rarer, he can almost feel his growth.

    ¡°If you¡¯re still fighting against a bunch of stupid Blue Goblins, squeak, you¡¯ve got ways to go, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°By the way, what is your level?¡± (Shuu)

    I would have liked Tamiko to help me fight, but she was adamant, insisting that ¡°I¡¯m just a poor little critter,¡± and that she was just a squirrel. It is true that she is as quick as typical Metro Beasts, but her fighting power is really low.

    As for Shuu, it would be unbearable, both practically and mentally, for his only partner to become a snack for wolves, so he has to take on the physical burden alone.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we don¡¯t have any very strong Metro Beasts around here, squeak. If there was even one, Abeshuu would have pooped his pants long ago, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°So, what do you think of me?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko only responds with silence. So, I rubbed her face in annoyance, she cried, ¡°Ah! It¡¯s too much! Too much!¡± until she was woozy.

    A short distance away from this floor, the area is said to be crawling with Ogres, Orthruses, Wraiths, Demon Centipedes, and other Metro Beasts around level 50 or so, which are (to Shuu) the last bosses of the world. From their point of view, Ghost Wolves are just puppies. In other words, like all other small critters, Shuu is at the bottom of the ecosystem in this area.

    The 50th floor of the Outsuka Metro is infested with such super-powerful individuals. So far, we have been able to avoid encountering them, thanks to Tamiko¡¯s careful searching and the risk management policy of ¡°not moving too far from the hideout,¡± but if something like that were to happen, we would be dead in a heartbeat.

    There is no end to the list of things they can do.

    Every day, the future is uncertain, but a day of ¡°Significant Development¡± in terms of fighting ability will come. It was about a month and a half after the start of Shuu surviving, a while after Shuu reached level 7.

    Against the Ghost Wolf, he sacrificed his left hand to win. After receiving the sporangium and pelt with a familiar hand, we made a quick stop at the oasis and then went back to the lair. He and Tamiko stand side by side, clasp hands, and say ¡°Itadakimasu¡± before putting the sporangium in their mouths.

    At first, I was concerned about the nutritional balance ¨C lack of salt and vitamins ¨C but after more than a month, I have not felt particularly deficient. Tamiko says that the sporangium is full of nutrients, but perhaps it is a real complete nutritional super food, even more so than eggs.

    ¡°Oh!¡± (Shuu)

    As soon as I ate it, which was as bad as ever, something strange happened to my body.

    I thought it might be the level up, but then my back started to get hot. It was as if boiling water was poured directly into my spine. I wonder if it¡¯s poisoned or if I caught something serious. But within a few seconds, the heat subsides as if it were a lie, and the strange sensation disappears completely.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I just¡­ felt something hot on my back, is it my imagination?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°For real, squeak? A hot back is the best way to know you got new Fungal Skill, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Seriously? I can now use new Fungal Skills!?¡± (Shuu)

    The lair overflows with a sense of anticipation.

    ¡°¡­What should I do?¡± (Shuu)

    I was given new abilities. But I don¡¯t know how to use it.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good idea to try activating it for the time being squeak. It¡¯s a new skill you can practice using, squeak. Just do it like when you summon a Hypha Ball, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see, I¡¯ll try it.¡± (Shuu)

    Turning my palm face up I stare into it.

    (Get out, get out¨Cmy new skill, get out¡ª) (Shuu)

    (Whisper¡ªpray¡ªchant¡ªremember, squeak!) (Shuu)

    The momentum of my thoughts was so strong that it sounded like Tamiko, but with a weaving motion, the hypha appeared and took shape.

    ¡°Woah! It appeared, it¡¯s here, Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak, squeak! Abeshuu¡¯s new Fungal Skill, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    They were both very excited. The young man expresses his happiness with his whole body and the squirrel does a similar dance.

    ¡°Well, this is¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It is a pot lid-shaped object of the same color and material as the mycelial sword. The front side is roughly circular, and the part extending from the center of the back side is stuck to the palm of my hand. It was stuck real firm.

    I ripped it off by force, put it on the floor, and slashed it with my mycelial sword. The hardness seems to be almost the same, and only a small scratch appears on the surface.

    ¡°It¡¯s like a¡­ [Hypha Shield], right?¡± (Shuu)

    In the next day¡¯s battle, the mycelial shield proves to be more effective than imagined.

    It repels the fangs and claws of a Ghost Wolf and guards against it. It¡¯s a great tool for controlling the enemy¡¯s attack.

    At the moment that it brings them their first almost unscathed victory, the young man and the squirrel express their joy with a dance fiercer than ever before.

    ¡°Well¡­ this is going great.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Haahaa¡­ you¡¯re pretty good at that, aren¡¯t you, squeak? We¡¯re going to take this in stride, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes sir¡­ Well, so what level are you?¡± (Shuu)

 CH 5.2

    Every day since the day I woke up, without fail, I have carved a character on the calendar on the wall of my hideout room.

    Today is the sixth-thirtieth character. In other words, six months have passed since I woke up.

    A human being can do anything if he or she is willing to fight to the bitter end.

    This is what I have come to realize once again. What I have been doing is far beyond the scope of what human beings normally do.

    In the beginning, his legs trembled every time he stood in front of the wolves, and he was barely surviving, just edging enough for a victory, all the while being gnawed and scratched here and there and suffering serious injuries. Now¡­

    Now he is standing in front of a Ghost Wolf. He has outgrown the leaf skirt he wore since day one, and now wears clothing made from the skins of their packmates.

    ¡°Graaaa!¡± (Ghost Wolf)

    The enemy Ghost Wolf howls. It is not the tone someone strong throws at their opponent, but rather a voice that warns, ¡°Don¡¯t come this way.¡± And to prove this, it crouched down and took a stance glaring up at me from below.

    ¡°¡ªI have to do it. No hard feelings.¡± (Shuu)

    Shuu sticks out his left hand. The circular [Hypha Shield], the cornerstone of the defense, appeared from his palm.

    On the tip of his fingers in his right hand is a red Hypha Ball. Holding the shield in front of him, he swings his right hand and with a flick of his wrist sends the Burning Ball flying.

    Ghost Wolf steps to the side. Boom! It explodes on the ground. Not intimidated by the flames that rise momentarily, the Ghost Wolf plunges straight into the ground.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Shuu)

    The jaws of the creature, which are about to bite Shuu¡¯s head off, are deflected by a strike of his shield. The estimated 200 kilograms of its entire body weight is thrown at him, but he only moves back slightly.

    As soon as the opponent lands on the ground, Shuu produces burning balls again at the tips of his three fingers. Flick and throw, three small blasts. Dodging every one of them, Ghost Wolf turns to the side and closes the distance.

    Satoshi produces a mycelial sword. He swings it down in an exaggerated diagonal shoulder slash.

    The Ghost Wolf catches with its teeth a sword slash, which is strong enough to cut off its head with a single swing.

    ¡°Woah!¡± (Shuu)

    Seriously, Shuu falters for a moment. This is the first time he¡¯s seen a wolf block like this.

    The mycelial shield in his left hand is already detached from his palm (Shuu can now do it at will without needing to rip it off). Instead, he tries to summon a second Hypha Sword.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± Tamiko shouts. ¡°Behind¨C!¡±

    My back is tense.

    When I turn around, the second Ghost Wolf is right in front of me, its mouth wide open.

    ¡°Here¨C!¡± (Shuu)

    Almost reflexively, I release a mycelial ball from the index finger of my left hand. The red cocoon is sucked into the mouth of the second one, and boom! Flames rage.

    The first one, having released its fangs, reaches out with its claws. Shuu avoids it and pushes his sword from below. The white tip breaks through the thick skin, shatters the ribs, and passes from the belly to the back. Blood splatters on his face.

    Slowly, with a thud, it falls to the ground. Then stops moving.

    ¡°Oh, I panicked¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I kept it to myself that I was about to pee myself.

    (There¡¯s now an ambush?) (Shuu)

    So far, I¡¯ve only targeted literal loners, and even when I¡¯ve seen them with mates or raising kids, they¡¯ve never attacked me from the other side. It was completely unexpected to have one half lurking around.

    Besides, it could take a blow and block with its mouth, even when it was still at a low level. Maybe it was an elite like the individual who overwhelmed the Red Goblin that day.

    ¡°This guy, during Abeshuu¡¯s fight, squeak, it was silencing its own footsteps and presence, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko, sensing that the situation was under control, came running up to me.

    ¡°I see¡­ I guess the other side was planning countermeasures.¡± (Shuu)

    The second one, which ate the burning ball, is still writhing, although its face is mangled, and its eyeballs are about to pop out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Shuu murmurs and swings his sword down on its neck.

    It is said that the 50th basement floor of this Outsuka Metro is incredibly large.

    So far, the range of our activities has expanded more than several times over the initial period, but according to Tamiko, it is still ¡°just a corner of the 50th floor¡±. I am prepared to be surprised even if the whole area is about 10 km from one end to the other.

    Still, the fact that our lives are centered around the safe house and this oasis has not changed even after half a year.

    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten used to living here, somehow.¡± (Shuu)

    The two of us are chomping down on the sporangium at the watering hole in the oasis. I wonder if it is a good thing that I am getting used to this unpleasant taste. It still doesn¡¯t taste good at all.

    Tamiko¡¯s ears are still up, trying not to miss any approaching Metro Beast. She is truly a squirrel, with her cheek pouches puffing and her head twisting and turning.

    ¡°Nom, nom¡­ Abeshuu is getting stronger, squeak. I¡¯ll do my best today too, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m already on a higher level than you, though.¡± (Shuu)

    After getting the [Hypha Shield] Fungal Skills, the stability of our battle has drastically improved. We continued to target and hunt Ghost Wolves and Blue Goblins for six months.

    I¡¯ve reached level 17. While Tamiko is at 14.

    Regardless of the improvement in his physical ability, his body shape has only become a little leaner and slightly muscular. Clearly, muscle mass and strength are not correlated. Is it not the muscle itself that is growing, but rather the mycelium that is parasitizing my body? And, although I don¡¯t feel it yet, it seems that the power and performance of mycelium also increase with each level up of the mycelium.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m really improving my level, though¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Although I am able to hunt one prey almost every day these days, the pace has obviously slowed down since around level 13, and it has been more than half a month since my last level-up.

    Just as it was not possible to kill a number of rats, wolves may have become less potent as a source of experience beyond this point.

    ¡°Well¡­ it is a luxury to be able to worry about it. Compared to the days when I hunted wolves to the death every time I¡­¡± (Shuu)

    One option is to pick up the pace. However, I feel that doing so might drastically reduce the number of wolves on this floor.

    One of the facts that remind me that this is not a game, but the reality is that monsters, or metro beasts, ¡°don¡¯t just spring up out of nowhere¡± (I don¡¯t know how they originated in the first place). They have reproductive organs, and they reproduce with their own sex. I remember learning in high school biology that fungi also reproduce sexually.

    Once, by chance, I saw a newly-born ghost wolf. The three sticky cubs were calling out to their mother with such a puppy-like sound that I struggled to resist the urge to take one home and name it Chappy or something.

    According to Tamiko¡¯s mental calendar, which she inherited from her mother, it is now October or November (I am not sure how much we can rely on this). Perhaps because we are deep underground, the temperature here does not change much in summer or fall, and the beasts seem to be reproducing vigorously regardless of the season. It seems that their number is not so small that a single person can exterminate the whole species.

    Nevertheless, if the number of beasts was to decrease due to too intensive hunting, it might have some impact on the ecosystem on this floor.

    I am not worried about that from an ecological standpoint, but rather how it will affect the other powerful metro beasts. I am afraid that the monsters, such as Ogres and Orthrus, which are estimated to be over level 50, will start to roam around here.

 CH 5.3

    ¡°Indeed, squeak, you are a capable companion now, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You have never fought with me, though.¡± (Shuu)

    If her self-assessment of level 14 is true, she could be a good match against a Ghost Wolf. However, I don¡¯t think she is suited for combat, and I don¡¯t intend to let her do it from just imagining it.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been doing this for a while, squeak, and it¡¯s okay to play with the small fries for a little while more, and enjoy it, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You don¡¯t have much ambition.¡± (Shuu)

    Once I got used to handling the fire, I began to find life here more fulfilling.

    Warm foods such as grilled meat and mushrooms are an exquisite luxury for a tongue that is becoming accustomed to the taste of sporangium (the first thing I want right now is neither a refrigerator nor a smartphone, but seasonings).

    Even the fake tea made from dark-green mycelium plants dipped in hot water has added color to my gray Metro life as a luxury item (I made the water heater and other tools by hand-carving stone).

    I made simple jackets, pants, and socks out of dried wolfskin and straw twine. Through trial and error, I also made a bag and a water bottle using a bladder. I am now a capable survivor.

    However, for safety reasons, we cannot use fire freely at all times. Basically, I still live on a diet of weeds, mushrooms, and sporangia, and only indulge in such luxuries as roasted wolf thighs when I am mentally stressed.

    ¡°Even if I continue to hunt wolves at my current pace, how long will it take me to reach level 50? I really don¡¯t want to be in the metro and be in retirement, so I think it¡¯s time for me to take the next step up.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, that kind of mindset can lead to a dangerous situation.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu is getting stronger and more skilled, squeak. The time between a newbie and veteran is the most dangerous, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°As a squirrel, you have the habit of talking a lot.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°When you get a little stronger, squeak, you might want to focus on the Red Goblins, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Ah, those guys¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The image of the individual who was chewed to death by the elite wolf is strong, but still, presumably on the same or higher level than my current self.

    ¡°Goblins are nasty creatures, squeak. They are disgusting, obnoxious, and noisy, and they have a horrible laugh, squeak. They eat cockroaches, wolves, and anything else they can get their hands on, squeak. They have chased me around many times, squeak. I¡¯m so squeaking pissed off that I¡¯m going to squeak them out of existence.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°A personal grudge, but I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to do it though.¡± (Shuu)

    A Blue Goblin is not a dangerous enemy if you are dealing with one, but what about if you are dealing with more than one? Then, there are Red Goblins that have a high probability of having Fungal Skills, I worry about what they can do.

    ¡°The Ghost Wolf¡¯s territory is on the opposite side of the river from the Goblin¡¯s territory, squeak. If you go there, you will be attacked by a lot of goblins, squeak. They are always hunting, so we have to be careful, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m worried that since we¡¯re a little far from the hideout, squeak, we might run into something else that¡¯s stronger, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t want to go without preparing¡­ I¡¯ll have Tamiko check¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, Abeshu, squeak, so I have no choice but to properly search, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I got another one. We¡¯re making progress.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, eat it and don¡¯t worry, squeak. I¡¯m already full, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, you want me to eat the remaining ones. I¡¯ll take it without worry.¡± (Shuu)

    It is an eating habit unbecoming of a modern human to eat the leftovers of squirrels, but common sense and manners are useless in a human-free space. As I finish the rest of the sporangium, my back suddenly feels hot. See, that¡¯s why it¡¯s not stupid.

    ¡°Oh! Hey there Tamiko! My back is hot, I got a skill again!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You did it, squeak! Abeshu, try it right away, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    (Yeah, it¡¯s been a long time and I¡¯m really ecstatic.) (Shuu)

    It¡¯s been about four months since the [Hypha Shield].

    I had stabilized from my initial low-level predicament, and instead, the pace of level advancement had slowed down, and now I was looking forward to the next level up.

    It is cathartic to be able to step up steadily in a tangible way and to have it feed back into one¡¯s own physical body. It is a pleasure that cannot be experienced from the sidelines of the digital world beyond the screen. If there¡¯s a salary increase came every month, it might feel like this.

    ¡°All right let¡¯s get it out of the way. Tamiko, stay away from me.¡± (Shuu)

    Focusing on my palm.

    (Get out¡­ appear¡­ my new skill, get out¡­) (Shuu)

    And then, the mycelium appeared and began to gather together, and a new one emerged.

    ¡°It came out! It¡¯s a mycelial ball again!¡± (Shuu)

    It is a milky white sphere. It is about the same size as the Burning Ball. There is a red cross-like mark in the center.

    ¡°Abeshuu, try it, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Ah, yeah. Throw, consume, feed, right?¡± (Shuu)

    It is possible that it is something that needs to be handled delicately like the Burning Ball, but somehow, I don¡¯t sense any danger. I instinctively know that.

    I let Tamiko step back and release it with a flick to the ground a few meters away.

    The mycelium ball falls to the ground in front of Tamiko and me, who are protecting our heads. And then¡ªnothing happens. At all.

    I get closer and check. The cocoon of mycelium has turned into a shriveled cocoon, and a stain is spreading on the humus. It was as if all the water in the cocoon had been drained out. I poked it with a tree branch, but there was no reaction. I poked and tore at it, but it just crumbled to pieces.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s for throwing.¡± (Shuu)

    So, should we either consume it or feed it to others? If it is poisonous, it would inevitably backfire, so I am sorry to say that I would have to perform animal experimentation.

    We quickly catch a mouse walking around (whether it is a mouse or a cockroach, we can catch it with our bare hands without any mental resistance). I take out the white mycelium ball again and bring it near its mouth. The mouse smells it and bites it. Chewing and munching. It looks a little bit cute.

    ¡°¡­It seems to be fine.¡± (Shuu)

    We return to the lair and continue to observe the rat we brought back. The rat trapped in the wolfskin pouch does not show any abnormalities after more than 30 minutes. On the contrary, they have become energetic and are squeaking and thrashing around. I feel sorry for it, so I let it out of the passageway.

    ¡°By the way, can Tamiko talk to it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t put me in the same room with that little sh*t. You should be talking to a rock you baby-faced sh*thead.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The next animal experiment is us. Here, eat my ball(s).¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Stop it, you¡¯re abusive squeaker! Don¡¯t you dare get those squeaking stinking balls near! Stop, stop¡ªdelicious, squeak¡­!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko who takes a bite of the mycelial ball relaxed.

    ¡°Nom, nom¡­ very juicy, slightly sweet, squeak¡­ Is this is the sweets that Mother told me, squeak¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I doubt it.¡± (Shuu)

    I also try to bite myself. A translucent liquid spills from the mycelium, which tastes slightly sweet. It is certainly not bad, but there is still a mushroom-like rawness to it. It feels strange to be nibbling on something that comes from my own self.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be poisonous, but it¡¯s not very tasty either¡­ What¡¯s this thing¡¯s effect?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But I do get a little bit of energy, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    It certainly tastes a little medicinal, like it¡¯s something good for you.

    I should probably test it out a little more. Incidentally, Tamiko¡¯s face was also stuffed full like a bun with another one of my mycelial balls.

 CH 6

    Now Shuu has mastered the five Fungal Skills.

    The first mycelial ability, [Regenerative Mycelium].

    It regenerates in a few seconds for minor wounds and in a few minutes for serious wounds. There is a side effect of a strong hunger after regenerating a serious wound, but even with that, the performance is so good that you would think it was a cheat or a bug. The limits of his regeneration have yet to be reached (if I had, I would already be not part of this world).

    I have recently come to believe that it is thanks to this ability that I have been able to survive for a hundred years with the way I am. It can¡¯t be completely unrelated to the fact that when I woke up, my entire body was covered in mold.

    My second Fungal Skill is [Hypha Sword].

    It is my main Hypha Weapon. It is a single-edged sword with a blade of about five or six inches in length with a slight curve. The blade is a slightly dull white color like it¡¯s made of a material similar to bone, lightweight, and surprisingly tough. It can be produced from the palms of both my hands or the back of my hand.

    Basically, it is used by holding it in the hand, but it can also be used by stabbing with it in the palm of the hand (the point of connection is surprisingly fragile, so it cannot be wielded as is).

    My third Fungal Skill is the [Burning Hypha Ball].

    It is a valuable long-range attack weapon. When it hits a hard object, the mycelial cocoon collapses and burns rapidly creating a small explosion.

    The ball can be released with a flick from my fingertip (since the connection can be detached at will, there is almost no chance of a misfire), or it can be held in my hand before getting thrown at the target. I have even hidden them on the ground and used them as mine-like traps, but none have succeeded so far.

    My fourth Fungal Skill is the [Hypha Shield].

    A circular shield over 40 cm in diameter and 5 cm thick. Its surface, made of the same material as the Hypha Sword, is surprisingly hard and is not affected by attacks from Ghost Wolves or Blue Goblins. The connecting points are strong even when it is grown on the palm or the back of my hand, and it is an excellent means of defense that can withstand constant use.

    And the fifth Fungal Skill, the white Hypha Ball.

    It contains plenty of sweet-tasting liquid, which oozes out when squeezed or poked. It turns out that drinking the juice itself is comparatively better than eating it. It is not harmful to eat, and from the taste, it seems to have some medicinal effect, but the specific effect needs to be verified.

    The morning after mastering the fifth Fungal Skill.

    While washing my body by the waterside of the oasis, Tamiko suddenly begins to squeak a lot.

    ¡°Abeshuu! The Unicorn, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s here again¡­¡± (Shuu)

    We have been encountering it about once every three days for the past few days. It is a large Metro Beast with pure white fur, a silver mane, and a sharp horn.

    It looks exactly like a horse, and its staple diet is grass and mushrooms. It does not seem to eat meat, and will not attack other creatures of its own volition.

    Its hooves do not make a sound at all, and it approaches as if it was gliding across the ground. The only sound is the faint rustling of grass and vegetation. According to Tamiko, the reason why there is no sound in its movements is that it has such Fungal Skills. So it doesn¡¯t catch Tamiko¡¯s ear, and neither of us notices it until it moves closer to us.

    Without looking at either of us, it stretches its neck to the other waterhole and licks the water. Its mane appears to gleam. Unconcerned with everything else, it takes its time and acts like a king.

    ¡°¡­That Unicorn is strong, isn¡¯t it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m a big fan, squeak. No one on this floor can match them, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Really.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No one threatens it, squeak, and if they do, squeak, it¡¯ll just run away. But if it gets serious, it can one-punch, I mean even one-kick, an ogre, squeak. Not even a trace of Abeshuu will remain, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Neither will a strand of your fur.¡± (Shuu)

    (Can I hunt it?) (Shuu)

    (Maybe by ambushing or poisoning?) (Shuu)

    How much experience would it be if we could receive from its sporangium? Horse meat can be eaten raw, and the horns and manes are high-end materials in many games¡­

    As if sensing my thoughts, the unicorn looks up and glares at me and Tamiko. I shook my head and dispelled those thoughts. The unicorn resumes its grazing.

    We named the railroad track in front of the hideout as Main Street.

    Usually, we head left to hunt wolves, but today we head right.

    ¡°Today we are only scouting the Goblin¡¯s territory, squeak. Let¡¯s not fight them yet, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The Goblin¡¯s village¡­ Yeah, I¡¯m not crazy.¡± (Shuu)

    The main street curves somewhat loosely. After about three or four minutes, the path branches off into four more, which in turn branch off into more complex small rooms of various shapes and sizes. After passing through a cavernous, stalactite-like hall and a narrow passageway with complex plumbing, the goblins¡¯ territory lies ahead.

    We plan to go there today for further leveling and expansion of our area of activity. Of course, there are dangers involved, so I¡¯ll have Tamiko¡¯s scouting be even more vigilant than usual.

    On the way there, we engage in a battle with a ¡°seemingly lost¡± Ghost Wolf. No matter what, we can¡¯t help but sense each other¡¯s presence, and we end up bumping into each other head-on. If we could master the unicorn¡¯s footstep-silencing Fungal Skills, the hunt might be easier.

    It takes about a minute to kill it. I already know all of their tricks, and I am not lagging behind in any physical ability except for their foot speed. I finished it with a woundless victory.

    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten stronger, haven¡¯t I?¡± (Shuu)

    I mumbled that as I ate the sporangium on the spot.

    I¡¯m not in the phase Tamiko described, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to get a little carried away at a time like this. The recent complete victory was from the countless injuries and suffering I had sustained in the past. I have shed blood, sweat, tears, and urine the amount could have formed a river.

    ¡°Wooh! Level up, squeak! Yeah, to go even further, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko, who had been munching on her food, pulled her body into a tight ball. Tamiko is now at level 15 and now has two Fungal Abilities.

    ¡°Congratulations. If I remember correctly, this is the third time in the past six months. That means you were level 12 when we met.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s right, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You finally admitted it, even though it was nothing to hide about.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s more romantic to keep a lady¡¯s age and level a squeak-ret.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What are you a hostess.¡± (Shuu)

    I get Tamiko¡¯s leftovers again. Unfortunately, this time, I strike out. How many times have I struck out since I turned level 17? It was frustrating not to be able to level up.

    ¡°But Abeshuu¡¯s level improvement is fast.¡± (Shuu)

    She said the exact opposite of what I had expected, and I was a bit surprised.

    ¡°I was also overtaken in no time at all, squeak, my eyes were not mistaken, squeak. My hunch is right, squeak. There is no need to be impatient, I am sure Abeshuu will become even stronger, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko smiled at me. It was the first time she gave me compliments in such a straightforward manner.

    I was choked up that my face heats up, and I looks away. I never thought there¡¯d be a day when I¡¯d be so happy to be praised by a squirrel that I¡¯d feel like soaring.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that, you don¡¯t have anyone to compare ¡­ If everything is going well, it¡¯s also thanks to Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well that¡¯s natural, squeak. If you didn¡¯t have me you would have been wolf snack by now, you baby¡¯s bottom, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well the special even has ended early.¡± (Shuu)

    Further on, there is a dark passageway that is just barely passable by one adult. It seems that this passage leads to the goblins¡¯ territory.

    ¡°Abeshu, we will go to the next area, squeak. If there are too many of them, we will retreat immediately, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t overdo it right¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    Some mycelial plants grow along the edge of the entrance to the passageway as if they were decorations. Among them, just about my knee¡¯s height, are a few yellow flowers that I have never seen before. They quite are tiny and cute.

    ¡° This is the first one I¡¯ve ever seen. Tamiko, are they edible?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Uhoh¡ªdon¡¯t touch it!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko stops my hand just in time, but the tip of my fingernail collides with a yellow flower. At that moment¡ª

    Riiiiiiiiiiing¨C!

    ¡°Eh!? Huh!?¡± (Shuu)

    The flower shakes at high speed and emits a ringing bell-like sound. It is like a fire alarm.

    ¡°What!? Eh!?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko jumped out and said, ¡°Evil!¡± and bit off the stem of the yellow flower. Only until the flower part falls off, and then the sound stops.

    ¡°Idiotshuu! You squeaking inbred! I have told you multiple squeaking times that you shouldn¡¯t just touch plants, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    A series of squirrel slaps assaulted my cheeks.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry. It didn¡¯t look like poison or anything¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That was squeaking Bellan! Touching the flower makes it squeaking ring, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Is there such a plant? It has strange Fungal Skills.

    ¡°This is a squeaking big one, the apes are crowding together, squeak! Danger, danger, squeak, squeaking horrible!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I wonder if that will still be around a hundred years from now?¡± (Shuu)

    The bell has already sounded off. And yet, the air around me seems to be buzzing. It¡¯s a hollow sentiment, but my senses, honed over the past six months, are sounding the alarm (even though it¡¯s a little late for that). Something dangerous is approaching.

    ¡°Surely this is one of those squeaking Goblins¡¯ trap!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Damn, I guess an ape¡¯s smarts got the better of me.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°They are squeaking gathering! Let¡¯s hurry to the hideout, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Y-yeah!¡± (Shuu)

    With Tamiko on my shoulder, I start running.

    The distance to the hideout is over a kilometer. It¡¯s just a short distance at full speed.

    ¡°Kya-kyaaa!¡± (Goblin)

    ¡°Kyakyakya! Kiyaaaa!¡± (Goblin)

    High-pitched cries can be heard from behind. I turn my head and see two bipedal blue apes and one red ape running after me. Sure enough, they are Goblins.

    ¡°Damn it, can we take them!?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it, squeak! Even with the current Abeshu, a three-way is too rough, squeak! Especially with the red one, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Surely, especially if it has a Fungal Skills!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Graaa!¡± (Ghost Wolf)

    A ghost wolf jumps out from the side. The timing of the Ghost Wolf¡¯s entry is perfect in that it interrupts the chase between the Goblins and us, preventing the Goblins from pursuing us because of the Ghost Wolf.

    ¡°What, luck¨C¡± (Shuu)

    The bipedal apes and the quadruped, in terms of height, are not so different from each other, but in terms of length and weight, the Ghost Wolf dominates both categories.

    ¡°Graa, graaa!¡± (Ghost Wolf)

    ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± (Goblins)

    But the three goblins boldly jumped and clung to it.

    The Red Goblin creates a white hatchet-like object from its hand and strikes the thrashing, writhing Ghost Wolf. It¡¯s a mycelial weapon, a hatchet-type of my [Hypha Sword]. The Blue Goblin also holds a sharp stone and stabs it quickly.

    The Ghost Wolf¡¯s painful scream echoes and its huge body collapses and crumbles. It takes less than ten seconds. The result was the exact opposite of what had happened the other day, even though it was many against one.

    ¡°¡­Scary¡­¡± (Shuu)

    In the meantime, the goblins are approaching the corner of the corridor, and the goblins raise their blood-red faces and turn their deadly gaze toward us. A chill runs down my spine. I then start running again.

    ¡°Kyaaa! Dangerous, squeak! Squeaking brutal! That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like goblins, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I agree, but please don¡¯t scream in my ear!¡± (Shuu)

    The goblins chase after us, cackling with excitement. If we don¡¯t lose them somewhere, we will lead them to our hideout.

    ¡°Please! Anything!¡± (Shuu)

    I run frantically, out of breath. Just as I am about to pass a few more chambers and reach the main street, a shadow jumps out from in front of me. It is a Blue Goblin.

    ¡°Damn!¡± (Shuu)

    (How did it get ahead?) (Shuu)

    No, this one is holding what looks like a club made of wood. It¡¯s a different individual from the three before. So, there were others in the group?

    ¡°Ki-Kyaaa!¡± (Blue Goblin)

    The Blue Goblin that stood in the way raises its club and threatens us. It was threatening us to leave the area.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± (Shuu)

    I threw a Burning Ball from my fingertips of both hands while stopping that nearly tore my sole. Two red mycelium balls explode, spreading flames. I closed the distance to the frightened Blue Goblin immediately, and with a ¡°whoosh!¡± slashes at it with my Hypha Sword.

    The white blade is blocked by the club, and while I cut it in two, it only cleaves the Blue Goblin¡¯s shoulder shallowly. The Blue Goblin stumbled, but still leaped at me with the broken club in its hand.

    ¡°How annoying!¡± (Shuu)

    I parried it away and bashed it with the Hypha Shield in my left hand. The Blue Goblin rolls on the ground, and this time, I jumped on it and stab it in the chest with my mycelial sword.

    The Blue Goblin groaned in a low voice but still looks at me with hateful eyes trying to reach out. So I twist my sword and cut it sideways. Then the Blue Goblin finally died.

    ¡°Abeshuu! Keep running, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I know!¡± (Shuu)

    I look back and see three of them. They come at me, screaming loudly and leaping up and down.

    (No, we can¡¯t run away.) (Shuu)

    I calm my rough breathing. Stomping my trembling knees, I readied myself with my sword and shield.

    The two Blue and Red Goblins slow their pace and readied themselves, coming as close as about ten meters.

    They stand side by side, weapons in hand, mouths wide open, exchanging short, ¡°kikyas¡± and ¡°Kikis¡± with each other.

    ¡°Abeshuu, I will¨C¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Let me do it! Stay away Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    I gently poke Tamiko, who is hanging anxiously next to my ears, with my finger I poked her to step down from my shoulder.

    The goblins stop. About 5 meters away.

    The expression on their ape faces is gone. Like a child who has been caught in a prank, they shrank back.

    I looked back, too. And then my thoughts froze.

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu, we can¡¯t do this, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko murmurs in a trembling voice.

    ¡°Kyu! Kyu!¡± (Goblins)

    The frightened voices of the Goblins vanished in the distance. They must have escaped, but we cannot turn around to see.

    A tall, pure white shadow stands in front of me.

    I see it for the first time. But I have heard its name from Tamiko, and I immediately recognize it.

    ¨CIt¡¯s a Wraith. Its estimated level is above 50.

 CH 7

    Wraith.

    It¡¯s a kind of phantom monster familiar to some fantasy novels. A good kanji for it would be ¡°Wraith¡±? [T/N: ÓÄ¹í or yuuki meaning ghost,  revenant, the spirit of the dead, or wraith.]

    Of course, what we see before us is not a glowing spirit. It is a living beast. The name is probably derived from its pure white-robed-like appearance.

    A Wraith. Aside from the Unicorn, it is on of existence on the highest level on the 50th floor of the basement of Outsuka Metro, along with the Ogre and the Orthrus.

    According to Tamiko, they are at least level 50. That¡¯s three times as high as me.

    ¡°¡­A mantohihi¡­ like creature¡­?¡± (Shuu) [T/N: Mantohihi or hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas) or sacred baboon.]

    Maybe it¡¯s because I can¡¯t sense any strong killing intent from my opponent. I have the time to calmly observe the other party.

    Its long straight hair is like a white robe draping its whole body. It covers snuggly from its head to wrists and ankles and hangs down limply.

    The face peeking out from the long hair is that of a skinny ape, reminiscent of a skull. Its round eyes look as if only the black ones are visible, or as if they are black holes.

    It looks to be nearly two meters tall. Its physique is hidden by its body hair, but it is probably quite slender. It has unusually long arms. At the ends of its bare limbs are five knobby fingers.

    ¡°¡­I couldn¡¯t hear its footsteps¡­¡± (Shuu)

    If it were a real ghost, but this guy is a Metro Beast, a living creature. Even though the Goblin¡¯s attention was focused on it, neither I nor Tamiko was aware of its approach until we saw it.

    ¨CIt has a Fungal Ability. Similar to the unicorn, it has the ability to muffle the sound of its movements.

    How does it work? I have a feeling that muffling sounds have nothing to do with mycelium.

    The Wraith does not move even a single muscle like a cormorant as they stare at me with their hollow eyes. Not even the rise and fall of breathing. It¡¯s almost as if it is really a ghost.

    ¨DNo, it¡¯s not. This monster¡¯s presence is not an illusion or a trick.

    It is different from the violent intimidation of a strong beast, there¡¯s an unfathomable eeriness lurking in its stillness.

    Its presence is drenching my skin with cold sweat.

    I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before.

    (¨CI don¡¯t like it. I can¡¯t do it.) (Shuu)

    (I definitely don¡¯t want to fight, but¡­) (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t think it will let me get away that easily.

    ¡°¡­Tamiko, you should escape first. I¡¯ll buy us some time¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I kept my eye on the Wraith as I step back

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu, but¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko sounds like she¡¯s about to cry.

    ¡°¡ªBuh.¡± (Wraith)

    The Wraith opens its mouth slightly. Its voice is muffled, like air through an iron pipe.

    Slowly, its long arms rise and its huge body swells.

    ¨D¨DNo, it did not. It just closed the distance in an instant. Without changing its stance, it moved with such speed that I would have thought it was teleporting.

    The long arm swings down at an angle. I quickly raised my shield to catch it, but the impact passes through my shoulder and I am slammed head first into the ground. Bouncing and rolling on the ground, I fell flat on my back.

    The light from the [Firefly Moss] on the ceiling seems as far away like the ends of the universe.

    ¡ªThis is where I¡¯ll die.

    Realize it in my mind and my whole body.

    ¡°¡­*Choke*¡­¡± (Shuu)

    My breath is stuck in my throat as I coughed up blood. But my lungs won¡¯t take in air.

    My shield is shattered. My left forearm is bent like a piece of wire, my bones are poking through my skin. Several ribs on my chest are crushed. I can no longer feel anything but pain.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Even though I heard Tamiko¡¯s voice calling out to me, I could not muster the will to get up.

    ¡°¡ªBuh.¡± (Wraith)

    It grabbed my head and lifted me up. My legs dangle, and my body is suspended in midair.

    ¡°¡ªBuh.¡± (Wraith)

    Wraith pulls back its right hand. Its hollow eyes are staring at me.

    ¡°Hiii¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    My cries are choked with fear.

    Slowly, like a vise, the power is put into your right hand.

    ¡°Aga¨C¡°

    My skull was creaking. As if it was looking for a reaction, the wraith cranes its neck and stares deeper.

    With my trembling hands, I grab at the Wraith¡¯s wrist. I squeezed with all my might, but the arm won¡¯t budge.

    ¡°Ah, ah¨C!¡± (Shuu)

    My field of vision is dyed crimson. There is another ominous sound, and blood spurts from my temple.

    ¡°Ah, ah¨C!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Pigya!¡± (Tamiko)

    With a high-pitched cry, Tamiko jumps on the wraith¡¯s right arm.

    ¡°Squeaking Ape! Get your squeaking mitts of Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Her head is buried in white fur. She seems to be biting it.

    ¡°Ta-Tamik¨C¡± (Shuu)

    With a thud, the Wraith¡¯s palm strikes its arm.

    ¡°¡ªoh?¡± (Wraith)

    Slowly, it raises its hand to reveal a red blotch on its right arm. It was as if it had squashed a mosquito that had sucked its blood.

    A lump falls to the ground from there. Tamiko¡¯s bloodied body curled up.

    ¡°Ah¨C!¡± (Shuu)

    Something suddenly snaps inside me.

    ¡°¡ªBuh.¡± (Wraith)

    ¡°AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!¡± (Shuu)

    I punched the Wraith¡¯s right arm with a strength I thought I never had. I hit it. But its restraints will not loosen.

    I stopped my fists and summoned a red cocoon-like ball on my fingertips.

    ¡°Take this!¡± (Shuu)

    I threw it directly against the wraith¡¯s right arm.

    It¡¯s a Burning Ball. It explodes, with triple the firepower.

    ¡°Boh!?¡± (Wraith)

    The grip strength that grabs the head loosens, and in that gap, Satoshi unleashes with all his might.

    ¡°Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    As I try to scoop up Tamiko¡¯s body, I notice that my hand is blown off starting from my right wrist. As I noticed, severe pain pierced my brain and I staggered uncontrollably.

    I look up and my eyes meet the Wraith¡¯s gaze. The hollow gaze is still there, but wrinkles that look like blood vessels are raised at the corners of its eyes, between its eyebrows, or rather all over its face. The fur near its right wrist, which was exposed to the triad of [Burning Balls], is burnt, but there seems to be little damage.

    ¡°Boooooooooooo!¡± (Wraith)

    It opens its mouth wide and lets out an inorganic howl that sounds like a siren. It is clearly angry. It is emitting a killing intent that can be clearly felt.

    Then, it locks the fingers of its left hand together and shoots it straight out like a lance.

    Shuu evades it but his torso is still gouged out as it stretched and followed him like a big snake. The next moment, however, the impact comes from his back.

    ¡°Geh-fuu!¡± (Shuu)

    A large number of blood spills from his mouth. The Wraith¡¯s finger protrudes from the side of his navel. The arm, he realized, was bent at a right angle, ignoring the structure of its joints, and penetrated Shuu from behind.

    ¡°Buhbuh! Buhbuh!¡± (Wraith)

    The Wraith¡¯s mouth twists into a grin as if it is proud of its victory. Its eyes turn from perfect circles to sharp crescents.

    It pulled Shuu¡¯s slack body up to its face. Then, it opens its mouth. As it plans to swallow Shuu¡¯s whole head in a single bite, it was so wide its ears looked like they are going to be torn apart.

    ¡°¡ªAre you an idiot?¡± (Shuu)

    Pensive spits it out with blood and shoves his left hand, still broken, into the wraith¡¯s mouth.

    And now Shuu laughs. This time, he laughs with rage that threatens to tear his body apart.

    ¡°Eat my balls!¡± (Shuu)

    Before the Wraith can bite off his arm, Shuu crushed the three Hypha Balls that he made.

    From the Wraith¡¯s mouth, nose, and from its hollow eyes.

    Light and flames spurt out with a roaring howl, and the giant Wraith collapsed.

    ¡°Gnbuuuh! Gnbuuuh!¡± (Wraith)

    Surprisingly, Wraith is still alive.

    Its face is torn from the inside out, tears of blood streaming from its eyes, but it is still flailing and writhing, flailing and flailing wildly. At the same moment, the finger that pierces through Shuu¡¯s body slips out, and he is thrown to the ground.

    ¡°¡­Tamiko, Tamiko¡­¡± (Shuu)

    She remains down close by. She does not answer. Her eyes are closed and her tiny body is still in a crumpled ball.

    Shuu somehow lifts her up with his already regenerating right hand and gently puts her in his pocket.

    Where she had fallen, the remnants of a mycelium structure are broken and scattered.

    Tamiko¡¯s second Fungal Skills, [Hypha Shell].

    She creates a hard mycelial shell on her torso, an ability we call [Hypha Shell] because it looks like a turtle¡¯s shell. It seems that just before she was crushed by the Wraith, she activated her Fungal Skills.

    As one would expect from his teacher. She had immediately taken at least some amount of precautionary measures.

    Still, her injuries were deep.

    (She¡¯ll be okay, Tamiko will not die.) (Shuu)

    (She can¡¯t die, she won¡¯t.) (Shuu)

    Telling himself this, he begins to stagger along. Just before turning a corner, he looks back and sees that the Wraith is still thrashing about a vortex of destruction.

    Frantically, he dived into the hole in the hiding place and moved the stone cover with his foot to block it.

    Once in the small room, Shuu kneels down, collapsing to his knees.

    ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    We¡¯re alive.

    I made it back here alive.

    I can¡¯t believe it. I can¡¯t believe I escaped from that monster.

    Once again, my body trembles. But relief, fear, and excitement can wait. Now is not the time to dwell on those.

    With my regenerated hand, I pull Tamiko out of my pocket. I am horrified to see that her back is red and wet, but I realize that it is my blood when I was stabbed through the belly. I lay her down on a fur blanket.

    Her limbs are bent in an unnatural direction. Her tail is slackly thrown out, and her white, shiny belly is smeared with blood. It is obvious that she is seriously injured.

    ¡°Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    I called out to her, but she did not respond. When I gently touched her neck, I could still feel her pulse. Her abdomen is moving up and down faintly. She is alive, for now.

    ¡°Tamiko, hey!¡± (Shuu)

    I raise my voice even more. Still, she doesn¡¯t wake up. She can barely continue to take short, thin, weak breaths.

    ¡°You¡¯re a magic beast! Don¡¯t you f*cking act like a weakling with just that f*cking ape¡¯s fly swatter!¡± (Shuu)

    What should I do?

    I¡¯ve never treated an animal before. I can¡¯t even diagnose their injuries.

    Anyway, I need all the medicine I can get. I gathered all the medicinal herbs I had collected so far under Tamiko¡¯s direction.

    I grind herbs for abrasions, cuts, and bruises, and apply them to Tamiko¡¯s body.

    The juice of the herbs, which is said to speed up the healing of wounds, is put in Tamiko¡¯s mouth. A little goes down her throat, but most of it leaks out the edge of her mouth.

    ¡°Tamiko¡­ Just hang in there¡­ I¡¯ll take care of you¡­!¡± (Shuu)

    I cover her with my palms to warm her up. My hands were trembling.

    ¡°For trying to help me¡­¡± (Shuu)

    You are weak, and you are more cowardly than most people I knew.

    ¡°But because of me¡­ Because I was weak¡­¡± (Shuu)

    My spirit was completely broken at that moment.

    I was so scared that I stopped thinking and accepted that I was going to die.

    In fact, I would have been. If Tamiko had not been there to protect me.

    And yet.

    ¡°F*ck it¡­ We¡¯re going to the surface together, Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    Is there anything else I can do?

    Even if my hand is blown off or my stomach is pierced, it will heal on its own.

    Is there nothing I can do to save my partner who is suffering from her injury?

    Is there nothing else? If I could heal her, I would do anything.

    Wraiths or Ogres, I¡¯ll hunt them down. That¡¯s why¡ª

    ¡°Hey, what should I do? Without you, I¡¯d be ¡­¡­ Tamiko!¡±

    What are my abilities for?

    Why did I wake up in this world?

    In this incomprehensible world.

    What is the purpose of this power if I can¡¯t even save my partner?

    ¡°¡­¡­e¡­¡­?¡±

    I found myself with a sphere growing in my palm.

    My fifth Fungal Skill is the milky white sweet Hypha Ball.

    I did not intend to produce it myself. It was unconsciously made.

    (¡­this¡­?) (Shuu)

    And while still doubtful, I squeezed it.

    The whitish liquid spills out and falls all over Tamiko¡¯s body.

    ¡°Tamiko¨C¡± (Shuu)

    The liquid is absorbed into Tamiko¡¯s body like a sponge.

    Tamiko¡¯s blood-soaked belly is cleansed.

    Her bent limbs gradually return to their proper shape.

    A glob of blood is spat out from her mouth, and then¡­

    ¡°¡­Abe¡­ Shuu¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s eyes flutter open.

    I slumped down and clenched my fists. I bit my lips hard.

    ¡°¡­Why¡­ you crying, squeak¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not crying. I just have some juice in my eyes.¡± (Shuu)

 CH 8

    My fifth Fungal Skill is the white Hypha Ball, or [Healing Ball].

    The liquid that comes out when the mycelium membrane is broken seems to have the effect of healing wounds.

    Its healing ability also seems to be quite high. After a few squeezes of the liquid, Tamiko soon recovered enough to get up on her own.

    ¡°Squeaking squeak. With Abeshu, I don¡¯t have to worry about injuries, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need it myself, but it sure would come in handy in a situation like this. But don¡¯t be reckless, it¡¯s quite tiring.¡± (Shuu)

    My cobbled-together stockpile of edible plants and mushrooms has been depleted by more than half in a single day. This is due to the starvation-like hunger caused by the [Regenerative Mycelium], and I was weakened every time I created a [Healing Ball].

    Fungal Abilities are not inexhaustible. In the early days, Tamiko taught me that ¡°Continued use consumes stamina,¡± but I haven¡¯t really bothered it until now, except for the [Regenerative Mycelium]. The [Healing Ball] seems to consume much more energy than my [Hypha Sword] or the [Burning Ball]. The creation of a Perpetual Motion Device where I can ¡°create it myself, eat it myself, and get rid of my hunger¡± would have been a dream come true.

    Tamiko was hungry, too, and devoured five of her treasured acorn dandelions. It was a stockpile for such an occasion, and it would not be a bad thing if we rewarded ourselves for surviving the desperate situation.

    The next day. Tamiko is completely fine, but we decided to take a break from hunting just in case.

    In the morning, I went to the oasis alone to fetch water, and pick some wildflowers and mushrooms, before returning. We will leave the hideout for the rest of the day. Without Tamiko¡¯s auditory search, I am afraid of meeting any accidents.

    I haven¡¯t spent a lot of time in the room with another person before. If I had a smartphone in such a case, I began to wonder if it¡¯s because of my modern temperament that is rooted in genes.

    ¡°¡­Hey, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What is it, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I somehow never got around to asking this before, but ¡­¡­ where¡¯s your dad?¡± (Shuu)

    To piece together the fragmented personal stories so far.

    Tamiko was born on the 50th floor of this Outsuka Metro. She is now five and a half years old.

    Until last year, she survived with Mother by weaving her way through the gaps of this monster-infested 50th floor.

    Tamiko¡¯s mother, who taught her language, knowledge, and survivalism, passed away a year and a half ago, but Tamiko doesn¡¯t want to talk much about that part of her life.

    Somehow, I thought I could talk about that now.

    ¡°Father is¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°On the Surface?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mother seems to have lived in Nakano¡¯s forest, squeak. I heard that she was living in a forest where she met her partner and that they had a lot of adventures together after leaving the forest, squeak. When he returned to Nakano, she found her childhood friend? Then she and Father got together and married, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°So squirrels can get married?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We¡¯re not squirrels. We¡¯re Carbuncles, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± (Shuu)

    Are you from Nakano? When I think of Nakano Forest, I can only think of Heiwa Forest Park.

    ¡°But then, why are you here? Did she still help the hunter even when she got married?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­It seems that Outsuka Metro was supposed to her last big job, squeak. However, because of Mother¡¯s Partner, Mother can¡¯t get out of here, squeak. So, I was born here, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see¡­ she was pregnant when she went here?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We are not good at fighting even if our level goes up, squeak. Mother is level 38, but she¡¯s only as strong as a Red Goblin, squeak. So¡­ it¡¯s difficult to get back to the surface, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°But you said, according to your mom, the deeper you dive in the Metro, the stronger the Metro Beasts become, right? On the other hand, if you go back up, they get weaker, so it would have been safer to go back up a little at a time, even if it took longer than staying here, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± (Shuu)

    In that sense, even if we can¡¯t beat monsters like the Ogre, Ortlos, or yesterday¡¯s Wraith, if we can at least defend ourselves against them or escape, we should be able to find opportunities to return to the surface.

    ¡°¡­ Abeshu, I¡¯m sorry, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I lied about something, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Lie?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mother¡¯s partner, squeak, he wasn¡¯t squeaked by an Ogre from this floor, but¡­ it¡¯s really different, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°And-I¡¯ve been quiet about some things, squeak. There¡¯s a reason we can¡¯t go upstairs, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well, what do you mean?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko kept her eyes down and paused for a moment before continuing.

    ¡°There is a boss at the top of the stairs. He¡¯s a real monster, a strong monster, someone stronger than an Ogre or a Wraith.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko¡¯s mother and her partner, a hunter, fought to the death with the boss on the 49th floor.

    The boss was far stronger than expected, and the hunter gave up trying to defeat him on the spot, opting instead to flee.

    However, the entrance to the boss¡¯s room was a trap with a door that could only be opened from the outside, so he made a hasty decision and fled to the stairs on the 50th floor. It seems that the boss is only a ¡°powerful individual who has a specific floor as his territory,¡± and that it is not necessary to defeat him in order to proceed.

    On the 50th floor, the two spent time resting their injured bodies and preparing for the next step. To fight the boss once more, win, and return to the ground. The detailed information about this floor, which was later passed on to Tamiko, was gathered by the hunter and her mother at that time.

    A week later, they challenged the boss on the 49th floor again.

    However, the hunter was killed.

    Tamiko¡¯s mother fled to the 50th floor again by herself. And there she gave birth to Tamiko.

    ¡°¡­Mother was sent away by her Partner because he was pregnant, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°By the way, did Tamiko have any siblings born together?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Siblings, squeak? No, I don¡¯t. I am an only child, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    According to what I know, squirrels have a gestation period of about a month or so on average, they could give birth to four or five individuals. The difference between the two is probably due to the fact that they are not squirrels but magic beasts.

    ¡°What happened to your mother after that?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mother has always wanted to meet father, squeak, so she waited for me to grow up and try to take me our with her, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The door can only be opened from the outside, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°My mom said there must be a switch to open the door somewhere. But while we were looking for it, we were ambushed¡­ In the end, she acted as a decoy to let me escape¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko spills a few tears and sniffles.

    ¡°I see¡­ Then Tamiko was on her own for a long time?¡± (Shuu)

    I leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.

    ¡°But¡­ the boss, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Frankly, it was a reality I didn¡¯t want to face. Just yesterday, I had been almost killed by a Wraith, and now an even stronger one was standing in my way. And from what I¡¯ve experienced, it¡¯s not something you can just walk away from.

    ¡°By the way, what kind of boss was it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A Slime, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°A Slime?¡± (Shuu)

    If it were a video game, it would be a synonym for a beginner-enemy.

    ¡°Is something amoeba-like, and does is it have a translucent, watery body?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right, squeak. It is very big and round and is not affected even if you cut it or hit it, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    My guess seems to be correct. In other words, this might be the king or god of the Slimes.

    ¡°Why did you keep that from me?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­When we first met Abeshu said you¡¯ve just woken up, squeak. I didn¡¯t know anything about you, and I thought you were mentally weak, squeak, so I thought if I told you about it, squeak, you might lose heart, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± (Shuu)

    She is quite a good judge of people and very witty, even though she was a bit boorish at times. If she had told me that much at the beginning, I might have given up on trying to survive.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s going to be hard to get above ground unless you¡¯re good enough to defeat not only the metro beast here¡­  but its boss as well.¡± (Shuu)

    Once the conversation was cut off, time passed with both of us remained silent for a while.

    Our wounds seem to have already healed completely, but just in case, the shower of [Healing Balls] to Tamiko continues. Tamiko licks the juice, saying, ¡°Yummy, squeak, squeaking yummy.¡± We will see in future experiments with mice whether it has any medicinal effect when she drinks one.

    ¡°Tamiko, do you want to see your father? Is that why you want to go above ground?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There is that too, squeak. I want to see him, squeak. But¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko lays on her back and looks up at the ceiling.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve heard a lot from Mother, squeak. She says that the surface is very sparkly, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Sparkly?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There are so many humans, squeak, and there is a big town where endless noodles are hanging everywhere, squeak. There¡¯s also so much delicious food that your cheek pouches will squeak off, and there is a big bright testicle in the sky, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s not a testicle.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The ceiling also has a lot of [Firefly Moss] called stars, squeak¡­ I want to see it, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko watches the night sky in her imagination, squinting and entranced.

    ¡°Also¡­ it seems that there are a lot of cool men up there, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re suddenly blushing.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m getting older, squeak, and I¡¯m still here. I think I¡¯ll have to leave for there someday. At that time, squeak¡­ I met Abeshuu, squeak. I thought it might be my chance¡­ But you were a squeaking soft in the head, hairless baby-faced weakling at level 1, squeak.¡±  (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you. And stop focusing on my baby-face.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But ¡­ I¡¯m still happy I met Abeshuu, squeak. Abeshu is a good guy, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    When I turned my eyes in surprise towards her, Tamiko nodded several times in short intervals.

    ¡°Somehow, I found out what Mother felt, squeak. Having a partner is fun and reassuring, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I wonder, I¡¯ve been feeling like Tamiko has been picking being nicer lately. I don¡¯t like to show my embarrassment to a squirrel, so I cover it up by squeezing some of the juice from the Hypha Ball on her. Tamiko licks it, saying, ¡°Sweet squeak, squeaking sweet!¡±

    Night falls, and the light from the firefly moss turns bluish.

    We both lie down on the fur blanket. We are slightly hungry, but our stockpile of food is running low, and eating now makes us thirsty, which in turn makes us want to go to the bathroom. So I try to fall asleep. Sleep is the only way to go.

    ¡°¡­What does Abeshuu want to do on the surface, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko, who is lying on her back next to me, says something like that.

    ¡°Me? First, I have to see with my own eyes what it¡¯s like outside¡­ and then I want to meet someone and listen to what they have to say¡­ I can¡¯t really understand what the world is like outside just from hearsay¡­¡± (Shuu)

    According to Tamiko, a hundred years have passed since the last year of Heisei. The world was once destroyed, and the people from the ¡°Nation of Itokuri¡± live there.

    I would like to see this with my own eyes. I want to meet the survivors and hear their stories. That is my first priority.

    ¡°Then, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Then¡­ Well, I wonder?¡± (Shuu)

    If I don¡¯t even know what the world on the surface is like, there is no way to think about anything outside the box. However, there is a tiny desire within.

    ¡°I think I¡¯d like to eat some grilled meat, ramen, or some other good food, drink beer, and sleep in a bed. I also want to wear better clothes and watch movies if I am given a smartphone¡­ I also want to find a job that isn¡¯t this dangerously Black, and then I want to¡­ you know, get married¡­ Ah, it¡¯s kind of motivating to think about it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Do you want to keep going as a hunter, squeak?¡± (Shuu)

    Is that an option? Can I continue to hunt as a profession?

    ¡°Well ¡­ I¡¯ll think about it after we get out.¡±

    What type of profession is it, and what will the average income be? How dangerous are other Metros? I can¡¯t make a decision without taking into account the opinions of other hunters.

    ¡°Someday, you¡¯ll be able to do more, squeak. Abeshuu will be a great hunter someday, squeak. I believe that, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m flattered, but I¡¯m the first hunter you¡¯ve ever seen, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But you and I are partners, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I involuntarily blushed. I rub her white belly for a few seconds. I¡¯m trying to calm myself, as this magic beast cries, ¡°Pet me more¡­ pet me more¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, as one amateur to the other. We¡¯ve managed to get by in this hell for the past six months. I¡¯ll have to become a great hunter eventually, or we¡¯ll never get out of here.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s true, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Today was a mess, but¡­ we¡¯ll work out the kinks again starting tomorrow. Hunt wolves, hunt goblins. I¡¯m still terrified¡­ but well get revenge on that damn ape sooner or later, so it¡¯s a goal for a long time to come. Let¡¯s just go with this for now.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Don¡¯t just be a yes man.¡± (Shuu)

    I inhale and sigh at the ceiling.

    Frankly, the trauma with the Wraith will linger for a while.

    Still, I have no choice but to do it.

    It will happen, it doesn¡¯t matter how long it takes.

    I¡¯m going to get stronger, beat up anyone who gets in my way, and make it to the surface.

    Tamiko and I will do it.

    ¡°And¡­ Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hmm?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko is holding her own tail and squirming. Does she want to go to the bathroom?

    ¡°Abeshuu¡­ wants to get married, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah, well¡­ if I get to have a chance, I guess?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Unlike me, Abeshuu is smooth and not very attractive, squeak, but you are not a bad person, squeak, *Twinkle* you are someone who is serious and takes care of his family, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hmm?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If Abeshuu really wants to, squeak¡­ If there is no other good male, squeak, we can get married, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that impossible? You¡¯re a squirrel?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko jumps at me squeaking, ¡°Evil!¡±, slapping, biting, and twisting my cheeks. [T/N: Oh no! I died LMAO.]

 CH 8.5

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    It was in the fifth host that something akin to an ego emerged in it.

    At first, it couldn¡¯t even recognize its own existence. The parasite can copy and store the memory and abilities of the host¡¯s brain. The initial host was a cockroach, so it couldn¡¯t hope for higher thinking.

    It perceived the world through the cockroach¡¯s eyes, through its sense of touch, and through all its sensory functions. However, since the host¡¯s principle of action was based almost solely on instinct, it could not know the meaning of each and every thing in the world. Until the end of the host¡¯s life, it simply continued to idly watch the waves of information passing by at high speed.

    The parasite could transfer to another creature that preyed on the host, or to another creature near the host¡¯s carcass. The ability to do so was, so to speak, an instinctive module that required no thought or logic. Everything was handled that way automatically by instinct.

    The fifth host was a wolf. With a host of incomparable brain sizes to the previous ones, the parasite¡¯s ego finally saw the light of day.

    Even though it had not yet attained linguistic thought, the awareness of its own existence helped it understand the boundaries that separated it from the world and grasp the contours of the things that populate the world seen through the eyes of the wolf.

    Food, water, natural enemies, comrades, children, dens and territories, plants, burrows, the darkness, the hard ground.

    Now it could realize the meaning of its own sensations and emotions¡ªhunger, anger, joy, thirst, fear, frustration, pain, sounds, smells, tastes, and so on.

    The parasite could not yet control the actions, thoughts, etc. of its host. It had no power, no intention, no will. It was merely a shadow reliving the host¡¯s life.

    But ¨C one day the host saw something that led to the explosive growth of the parasite¡¯s ego.

    It was a creature of another species. They wore the same fur as themselves, but had no body hair, resembled an ape, and ran on two legs. The host observed it with bated breath.

    The chasing red and blue ones were the natural enemies of its host, the wolf, and they killed and were killed by each other. The hairless ape stopped and faced the enemy. It seemed poised to fight.

    The hairless ape was about to be knocked down and crushed by a huge white-haired ape that appeared before long. As is so often the case in this world, the host only wondered if it would get to eat the leftovers from the carcass.

    The hairless ape¡¯s death was palpable.

    The difference in strength was so obvious that it would not even be able to escape.

    But the hairless ape resisted. Desperately, he fought for his life.

    Even when its head was almost crushed, it blew off its arms and pushed itself away.

    Even when its back was pierced, it retaliated by sticking its hand in its opponent¡¯s mouth.

    Eventually, it ran away. Dragging its battered body behind.

    The white-haired ones left behind did not have mortal wounds, and even in that state, they remained a threat to the parasite¡¯s host. With no more reason to stay there, it silenced its footsteps and left the place.

    One clear emotion was lit among the parasite.

    ¡ªSo beautiful.

    It thought the ape¡¯s way of life, as intense as a dazzling star, was beautiful.

    Even though its host eventually died and it moved on to another host.

    In the parasite¡¯s memory, the image of the hairless ape struggling even as it nears death¡¯s door remained.

 CH 9

    Two and a half years after the Wraith trauma.

    It¡¯s been three years since I woke up.

    According to Tamiko¡¯s calendar, it is now May. It is my fourth spring here on the 50th underground floor of Outsuka Metro, although it does not feel like the season is here at all.

    ¡°Abeshuu, Oldman Uni is coming, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± (Shuu)

    As I and Tamiko brush our teeth in the oasis (their toothbrushes are toothpicks made from a bundle of shrub branches), the unicorn approaches soundlessly from the back corridor.

    It is one with the slightly broken tip of its horn, a.k.a. ¡°Oldman Uni¡± who has become a familiar face to the two of us. As usual, there is no sound of footsteps. It is an effect of the unicorns¡¯ Fungal Skills.

    ¡°Good morning, Oldman Uni.¡± (Shuu)

    Oldman Uni approached the water¡¯s edge and gulped down a drink of water. The distance between Oldman Uni and us was about three meters. It has taken a year for him (a male with a magnificent thing) to get this close.

    However, he has not yet warmed up to us. If we approach him any closer, he swings his horns at us and threatens us, and he does not eat any of the grass or mushrooms that we give him.

    This Oldman Uni is the one we encounter the most often. In fact, I have a feeling that he comes here when we are around. And yet, he never lets us get close to him, so he¡¯s a real tsundere horse.

    ¡°I read in a fantasy novel that unicorns only let pure maidens touch them.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m a maiden, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Sure, sure a pure maiden.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Is Abeshuu a virgin, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Your mother shouldn¡¯t have waste time teaching you useless words.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What do you mean, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Fine, okay, we¡¯ll finish this sooner¡­ What¡¯s with that look?¡± (Shuu)

    The unicorns are mild-mannered and averse to conflicts, but they are one of the strongest fighters on this floor. So, their presence here inevitably makes it harder for other Metro Beasts to approach us. So, the bathing time can also be relaxing. Of course, we have to be at least vigilant enough.

    And then, at the very edge of my senses, a large presence has appeared. It is a Ghost Wolf by the looks of it. Tamiko¡¯s ears perk up as if she has noticed it from the sound, but she doesn¡¯t stop brushing the white fur on her belly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve come to think of it as nothing more than a ghost wolf. It doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m letting my guard down, but¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Sure, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I am now level 54 and I have mastered 13 Fungal Abilities. The Ghost Wolves and Goblins, who were powerful once enemies when I first awakened, are no longer a match for me if we go head to head.

    ¡°Cut them, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°If they don¡¯t come from the other side, let¡¯s leave them alone. Let¡¯s go back, get ready, and go hunting again today.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Okay, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    From the hideout, we take the main path to the right, which branches off at the end of the street. After about an hour of going through the Goblin territory, we come to a vast grassland area that stretches about 1.2 kilometers from one end to the other. This is one of the main hunting grounds after I crossed the level 50 mark.

    It is a paradise for insects and small animals, with green and purple flowers, giant horsetails, royal ferns, and mysterious foxtail-like plants. No matter when I come here, the air is always foggy and humid.

    Thick concrete pillars stand in rows like large trees, and on top of them, ogres are building nests of dead grass. They are the masters of this place, competing for survival all year round with Orthrus and Demon Centipedes.

    The Ogre-a bipedal gorilla with black body hair-is one of the most deadly Metro Beast on the 50th floor of the Outsuka Metro. It is superior to Orthrus and Wraiths in terms of toughness, and its intelligence is also surprisingly high, as expected from a gorilla-like creature.

    Immediately after entering the Ogre Grasslands, I spread spores from my whole body.

    My tenth Fungal Skills, [Sensory Spores].

    The principle behind it is unknown, but I am able to send invisible microscopic particles (I assumed to be spores) from my body and detect the three-dimensional shapes and actions of targets to which they adhere. When I first learned it, I was only able to have a range of about 30 meters, but now I can reach a radius of up to 50 meters. By swinging my arm in a direction, I can also increase the range in that direction.

    The sensed information is very intuitive. It is difficult to explain, but it is another sense, completely different from sight, hearing, and so on. The things behind me and the rocks are directly perceived by my brain like the world captured everything. I can sense them even if I close my eyes or cover my ears. That¡¯s all I can say.

    I have absolutely no idea why information about attached spores is fed back to my brain. To put it bluntly, it is an overpowered skill.

    I learned this eight months ago, but it took me more than two weeks to master the ability. Since then, I have been able to respond to approaching enemies who are not even close to Tamiko¡¯s auditory range, which has increased the stability of our hunts. Among the thirteen Fungal Abilities that I have mastered so far, this is one of the most useful, along with the [Regenerative Mycelium].

    Spreading my hands, I began sensing. Countless invisible spores shoot out, and information about the area flows into my brain. I confirm the presence of an Ogre on a pillar at the far right. There seems to be no one else around.

    ¡°Okay, let us hunt.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, you can¡¯t be too careful, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Lowering Tamiko from my shoulder, I moved in as close as I could without making a sound. When he was about ten meters away, a huge shadow rose up from the top of a pillar. Then, with a quick jump, the shadow leaps down and lands heavily with a thud.

    It was even bigger than the Wraith, a hulking figure that looked to be about two and a half meters tall. It had a massive pectoral, arms as thick as logs, thick black body hair, gleaming eyes and sharp fangs, and a horn on his forehead that is shorter and thicker than a unicorn¡¯s. It looks like it has a lot of hair, but it does not.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a handsome guy¡­ For some reason¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Its face looks sculpted. The face then changes at once to a monstrous expression when it enters into battle.

    ¡°Uho! Uho!¡± (Ogre)

    The gorilla or Ogre slaps its chest with a bam-bam. It is threatening me and Tamiko.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, squeak. It¡¯s a level that Abeshuu can handle, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I summoned my [Hypha Shield] in my left hand and a [Hypha Hammer] in my right.

    My sixth Fungal Skill is the [Hypha Hammer].

    The nearly one-meter-long handle is hard and bone-like, similar to the [Hypha Sword], but the hammerhead is heavy and solid as if it were condensed. Also, it is more effective than the [Hypha Sword] against Ogres, whose body hair makes it difficult for blades to penetrate.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Shuu)

    If it was going to run away, it was going to target another one, but this one seemed to be determined to fight.

    I shouted.

    I had fought many times before, but this was not an opponent I could afford to let down my guard.

    ¡°No hard feelings.¡± (Shuu)

    I leaped at it with my shield in front and hammer on my shoulder.

    According to Tamiko¡¯s third Fungal Skill [Risk Counter], it has ¡°the ability to roughly gauge an opponent¡¯s strength,¡± the Ogre is roughly around level 50 or so (just as Tamiko¡¯s mother had estimated). Therefore, at this point in time, My level is slightly above the average level of Ogres.

    However, the level is only an indicator of the strength of the mycelium that takes root in the creature¡¯s body. The actual ability is evaluated differently depending on the species of the Metro Beast. The other side has power and toughness that defies differences in level.

    ¡°Uwaaa!¡± (Ogre)

    The ogre swings its arm. The speed and force of the swing make the air vibrate, and the accompanying wind pressure alone pushes my body down.

    I am not planning on blocking it, but focusing on evading it. In a contest of raw strength, I am still no match for it.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Shuu)

    I took advantage of the opportunity and delivered a blow, a hammer to the side of its head. My palms feel a numbing sensation, and the impact is absorbed by my compact, flexible muscles.

    The hammer almost makes up for the difference in reach. I dodged my opponent¡¯s attacks and counter with small, steady strikes. The fight would be quicker if I could hit its knees, but its long arms and forward-leaning posture make it difficult to aim for its lower body. It was the next best thing: a body blow.

    Ogre did not care about the body blow and repeated its large swing one-shot KO attacks, but after the seventh blow, it stopped moving for a moment. The area, where I had repeatedly struck at the same spot, seemed to have finally cracked my opponent¡¯s iron wall.

    ¡°Guu!¡± (Ogre)

    The Ogre receives my eighth blow and backs away, its body bent into a crouching position. Once I had taken some distance and I try to recover some of my stamina, I was able to get a good look at my opponent.

    Even with my ability [Regenerative Mycelium], the opponent was a super-strong gorilla, and even a single blow could turn the tables on me. My back was soaked with sweat as I continued to fight my way through.

    ¡°Abeshuu! The other guys may come, squeak! Beat it soon, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± (Shuu)

    Basically, ogres don¡¯t come together, and they don¡¯t feel a sense of camaraderie among themselves, even if they are family members or of the same species. Even so, the smell of violence and blood may attract other ogres. We have to end this as soon as possible.

    Then the Ogre¡¯s fingertips moved, and mycelium forms a sphere at the Ogre¡¯s fingertips.

    ¡°That guy, it¡¯s making a mycelial ball, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    It took the purple, toxic-looking ball of mycelium and puts it in its mouth. It chewed it before swallowing.

    ¡°Wooouuuu!¡± (Ogre)

    It growled and its chest is heaving. Its eyes are bloodshot and drool is dripping on the ground.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a dangerous one?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s doping, squeak! Watchout, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    It¡¯s like a buffing ability in video games. It seems to be mentally sharp as well. The pressure coming from it seems to be increasing.

    An Ogre jumps at me. ¡°Boom!¡± The ground where it landed became a crater. I jumped back just in time and slammed the hammer down its head. The tip of its horn is broken off, but the ogre did not even flinch and swung its arm towards me.

    ¡°Kuh!¡± (Shuu)

    The air pressure rattled my footing. Then a hairy arm is coming down. A direct hit.

    My ninth Fungal Skill, [Enhanced Leaping Ability].

    Kick the ground hard I jump diagonally backward. I landed on the ground sliding, kicking away the grass. The distance between the two of us widens, and the Ogre pauses. Its bloodshot eyes are still there, but it is breathing heavily. It seems to be drained of energy.

    It might be safer to fight a battle of attrition.

    But Tamiko is right, if we take our time, other beasts may come.

    ¡°¡­I shouldn¡¯t be stingy.¡± (Shuu)

    My mycelium shield in my left hand is thrown forward, and a gray mycelium ball appeared at my fingertips.

    My twelfth Fungal Skill is a smokescreen ball.

    I threw it with a snap. In front of the ogre, under its feet.

    Poof! Gray smoke rises. The smoke hangs in the air, obscuring the Ogre¡¯s sight.

    But I can still sense it. Not because of its confused cries, but because of the ability of my [Sensory Spores].

    I gripped the hammer with both hands and bend my knees.

    I feel the power of my mycelium clinging to the muscles of my thighs and calves. [Enhanced Leaping Ability].

    I leaped in a straight line towards the ogre. I plunged straight into the gray cloud.

    A moment before the Ogre notices my approach, the Hypha Hammer reaches the Ogre¡¯s face.

    A blow with the momentum of my dash and full weight of my body. As expected, the ogre¡¯s upper body is thrown back.

    I did not make a peep. The blinding would be meaningless.

    Still, I roared a war cry in my chest.

    With a yell (inside), I slammed the hammer down.

    While dodging the arm that is being swung around randomly, I kept hitting. So, I bear down.

    I scattered blows to its whole body. Hitting its torso and legs with small blows, and hitting its head with all my strength.

    Eventually, the cloud of smoke dissolves into the air, and the figure of the Ogre with blood all over its face appears. It is still standing on two legs, but its consciousness is still there just dazed and shaking unsteadily on its feet.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll make this quick.¡± (Shuu)

    I summoned out my [Hypha Sword]. I pulled the butt of the hilt against my body and thrust with all my might. The ogre stops moving and the sword is plunged into its throat, and the fight is finally decided.

    The flesh of ogres, to be honest, not very good. It is tough, chewy, and smells rancid. Neither grilling nor boiling works, it is inedible.

    I quickly remove its sporangium and climb to the top of the pillar that used to be the ogre¡¯s nest. I feel sorry for it, but I know that another one will soon make a nest here, too.

    I stand back to back with Tamiko, watching my surroundings and chewing on the sporangium. It¡¯s a bit bigger than the Ghost Wolf¡¯s, but both Tamiko and I eat a piece of it. Of course, they don¡¯t taste good.

    ¡°Tamiko, you¡¯ve grown up.¡±

    In the past three years, she has grown at least five centimeters in height. She can now eat one or two of the larger sporangia without leaving any leftovers. In terms of volume, a sporangium should be at least double the size of her stomach, so I can¡¯t help but wonder about that.

    ¡°What is it, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko is eight years old, right? I don¡¯t know how long your life span is.¡± (Shuu)

    The lifespan of a normal squirrel is about seven years, but Tamiko¡¯s mother lived to be at least thirty-five years old. She might have lived as long as a human being.

    ¡°How big was your mother?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I think we are about the same size now, squeak. I¡¯m still not at her level, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko is currently at level 28.

    The reason why her growth speed is slower than that of mine is probably because of the difference between our races or the amount of sporangium we can take in due to our physique. Maybe, it¡¯s both, most likely.

    Incidentally, she has four Fungal Skills.

    [Enhanced Hearing], our key to easily searching enemies.

    [Hypha Shell] which is like a tortoise¡¯s shell armor.

    [Risk Counter] which roughly estimates the level of the opponent she sees.

    And her longed-for offensive ability. It is a super hardening ability of her front teeth, which can even rival my Hypha Swords sharpness. When activated, her front teeth are covered with silver, so it seems that they are coated with metallic mycelium?

    ¡°Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Ghost Wolf, Blue Goblin, Red Goblin, Land Sahuagin, Death Tentacles, Queen Hermit Crab, Demon Centipede¡­ gradually making the targets stronger and stronger, we can now hunt even the tier top-class Ogre and Orthrus.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko and I are getting stronger and stronger, and we¡¯re more than capable of going toe to toe in a fight.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s why. I think it¡¯s time for me to challenge the boss again.¡± (Shuu)

 CH 10

    At present, Shuu has mastered thirteen Fungal Skills.

    The sixth Fungal Skill, [Hypha Hammer].

    It is now his main weapon along with the mycelium sword, as it was used in the battle with the Ogre.

    The seventh Fungal Skill, [Electric Ball].

    It is a yellow version of the burning ball, and when it shatters, an electric current shoots around it. It is a bit like lightning magic.

    The eighth Fungal Skill, [Hypha Great Shield].

    Unlike the [Hypha Shield], which is a small round shield, this is a large rectangular shield that looks like something riot police would carry. It is slightly inferior to the [Hypha Shield] in terms of durability, but it is light for its size and it can protect a wider area. It is a useful ability to protect oneself from flying objects.

    The ninth Fungal Skill, [Enhanced Leaping Ability].

    It can temporarily increase the strength of the leg muscles (or the strength of the mycelium?). The effect lasts only for a single jump, and continuous use requires a lag time of about three seconds. There is also a side effect of slight muscle pain if overdone.

    The tenth Fungal Skill, [Sensory Spores].

    The spores are spread and can detect everything in three dimensions within a radius of 50 meters. Once the spores have been sprayed, they stop feeding back to the brain after about three minutes. The spores are also physically draining, even if in small increments. Although it has some limitations, it is still a cheat ability that sets it apart from other Fungal Skills.

    The eleventh Fungal Skill is the Mysterious Mycelial Ball.

    It is green with a white cross pattern. The effect is unknown; throwing it, breaking it, or eating it does not change it in any way. Animal experiments, including those on Shuu and Tamiko, have revealed only that ¡°it is not poisonous when eaten¡± and ¡°that it has a medicinal, soothing taste¡±. Since it is similar to the [Healing Ball] that also has a cross-shaped pattern, it is assumed that it has some medicinal properties.

    The twelfth Fungal Skill, [Smoke Screen Ball].

    When broken, this ball of mycelium disperses gray smoke. It is useful for escape and distraction, but disaster ensued when it was tested in our hideout.

    Thirteenth Fungal Skill, [Beast Repellent Spores].

    You can feel the minuscule spores being scattered around like [Sensory Spores]. At that time, Ghost Wolves and Goblins Stopped approaching. Since it had no effect on Ogres and Orthrus, it is assumed that the effect is to ¡°scare away Metro Beasts with lower levels¡±.

    ~Shuu¡¯s Perspective~

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be egotistical, but I¡¯ve gotten pretty strong too, and I¡¯ve learned a lot of fungal abilities. I¡¯ve also achieved my goal of surpassing your mother¡¯s partner¡¯s level. Even if I can¡¯t beat the boss now, I feel I can fight a little, gather information, and run away if things get dangerous.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mother¡¯s partner is level 53, squeak, and he still couldn¡¯t beat it, squeak. Abeshuu is surely as strong as he is, squeak, but you could probably beat it if you are a bit stronger, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s the case¡­ I think it¡¯s better to experience battling it once and check patterns and devise countermeasures for the future. Since I have defensive hyphae and [Regenerative Mycelium], I will not die even at the worst-case scenario.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯ve been living in this metro for three years already. I¡¯m not in a hurry now, but I¡¯m more than equal to the Metro Beasts on this floor. It is not inappropriate to set a new goal of aiming for the boss.

    Still, Tamiko seems uneasy. For her, it is a nightmarish opponent who took away her beloved mother before she met me. It was natural that she is still traumatized.

    So I rubbed her belly, and she says, ¡°I¡¯m being serious, squeak! Don¡¯t toy with me, squeak! Stop, stop¡­ don¡¯t stop..!¡±

    So, Tamiko had only one order to give before I challenge the boss.

    ¡°If you can beat the boss of this floor, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°There is a boss on this floor? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Not really a boss, more like a stray monster of a Metro Beast, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Stray Metro Beast?¡± (Shuu)

    According to Tamiko¡¯s mother, it was a Metro Beast that was originally located on a higher floor. It somehow wandered onto this floor, and when it tried to return to its original home, the boss on the 49th floor prevented it from doing so, leaving it alone on this floor. It survived and grew stronger, and now wanders around alone as a so-called ¡°Evolved Individual¡± ¨C an individual that has acquired outstanding strength over the years.

    ¡°That¡­ It feels familiar¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Somehow I feel sympathy welling up. Like we should be comrades rather than enemies.

    ¡°The only thing that I can say is that it¡¯s a good test, squeak. It would be safer to kill it first, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    Then, the story is different. The risk of being attacked by a powerful enemy on the way to the boss challenge should be eliminated in advance.

    ¡°So what kind of beast is it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Gargoyle, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, that sounds familiar.¡± (Shuu)

    You see them all the time in video games and manga. It is a so-called moving demon statue.

    ¡°It¡¯s a big fat bat with a stone arm, squeak. It flies through the air and is very scary, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Bats¡­ In the past I often saw them in the countryside.¡± (Shuu)

    It reminds me of the evening sky in Gyoda. It was somewhat nostalgic. [T/N: Gyoda or Gyouda is a city in the Saitama Prefecture famous for the Oshi and Gyouda Caste.]

    ¡°I¡¯ve hardly fought any flying creatures so far. I¡¯ll have to be careful.¡± (Shuu)

    I think I need to hunt it down in order to challenge the boss without any regrets, or at least to get a head start in preparing for the battle.

    ¡°By the way, how high is its level?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mother said it is about level 53, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Almost equal to my current level. Still, I can¡¯t make a simple comparison, but in terms of ability, it¡¯s at least below the Boss Slime but above Ogres and Orthruses.

    Okay, I slapped my knee and nodded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go tomorrow. If we can hunt that one, the next one will be the Boss Slime.¡±

    The right side of the main street is the domain of goblins and ogres, while the left side is the domain of ghost wolves and Orthrus-wolves with two heads. The main corridor is one of countless connecting paths between both of them.

    The wolf army and the ape army. Except for the goblins, there seems to be little camaraderie between the two species, but the two camps often clash with each other, as if they are still dogs and monkeys.

    It seems that the stairs to the 49th floor can be reached from either side, but we decided to go from the wolf side, which is less troublesome. They are more cautious than the ¡°Ora, ora¡± apes, and they have some intuition to gauge the strength of their opponents. In addition, we have the 13th fungus ability, the [Beast Repellent Spores]. At the very least, the Ghost Wolves are unlikely to attack us.

    Tamiko had only been there once four years ago, so she did not seem to remember the way perfectly. We went in a familiar-looking direction and turned around when we came to a dead end.

    We wandered through rooms strewn with stalactites, narrow passages by waterways, and the nests of insect-type Metro Beasts. We wandered around for more than three hours, landing in all kinds of places. We bump into a few enemies who are immune to [Beast Repellent Spores], but we reach today¡¯s destination unscathed.

    ¡°Here, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Here¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It is a deserted space. The ceiling is high.

    There is a small puddle of water under our feet. And there are huge columns at equal intervals. They are concrete columns.

    The sound of water dripping from somewhere. The air is cool and pleasant. It is dim and musty but has a solemn atmosphere like an underground temple. It reminds me of the underground drainage canal in Saitama.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know such a place existed¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Once again, I am reminded of the insanity of ¡°Metro Flood¡±.

    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be somewhere in this area, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Okay.¡± (Shuu)

    I walk forward, avoiding the puddles of water, sending out [Sensory Spores].

    Nothing moves within a fifty-meter radius. I looked deeper into the room and at the ceiling, but could not see anything that looked like a creature.

    Maybe it is not at home right now. Or perhaps it is somewhere, breathing quietly, watching for an opportunity to attack any intruder.

    I swallow my spit and wipe the sweat from my hands. Hiding behind a pillar, I look around and listen carefully. I brace myself for anything unusual.

    Carefully, quietly.

    The opponent is almost equal in terms of level. But if I underestimate them, the fight is over before I can take on the boss.

    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± (Shuu)

    Large rocks are randomly lying in spots.

    Some look like the wreckage of a collapsed pillar, while others are rugged chunks of rock that seem to have been brought in from somewhere else.

    There was a faint creaking sound.

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko, hide until I¡¯m done.¡± (Shuu)

    The deafening sound is hard to discern its direction due to the echoes. However, I can tell that it is coming from very close by.

    (¡­¡­it¡¯s here.) (Shuu)

    Shuu dodges something that came diagonally from behind without even looking back. At the same time as the sound of the wind passed by, he spun around and threw a [Burning Ball] from his fingertips.

    Boom! A small explosion echoed. The creature that jumped up and dodged it was the creature that had been mimicking a rock lump until a moment ago.

    ¡°Giiii!¡± (Gargoyle)

    ¡°¡­Damn, that¡¯s huge.¡± (Shuu)

    It was larger than I had expected. It was not as tall as an ogre, but with its flapping wings spread out, it could have been seven or eight meters tall. It looks hard to raise its huge body, as it moves its wings up and down.

    It looks more like a bat or a dog with a pointed nose like a Doberman. Its arms are joined to its wings, and its feet are full of sharp, stiletto-like claws.

    Although it is too dark to see clearly, the surface of its body is gray, reminiscent of stone. Only the tongue, which peeks out from the tip of the mouth, is reddish in color. The right eye and ear are covered with scar tissue from a burn-like injury. They might be the scars of a battle it once faced.

    (Uh, it¡¯s scary¡­!) (Shuu)

    (This guy is really strong too¡­!) (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t have Tamiko¡¯s [Risk Counter]. However, I have gained the experience of battling to the death with countless Metro Beasts over the past three years.

    My intuition, based on that experience, tells me that this guy is strong. If I underestimate it, it will easily eat me.

    I hold out my [Hypha Great Shield] in my left hand and my [Hypha Sword] in my right. The terror that sits in the pit of my stomach is replaced by the pain of it cramping.

    ¡°¡­No hard feelings.¡± (Shuu)

    Summary of Shuu¡¯s Fungal Skills (level 54)

    01: Regenerative Mycelium

    02: Hypha Sword

    03: Burning Ball

    04: Hypha Shield

    05: Healing Ball

    06: Hypha Hammer

    07: Electric Ball

    08: Hypha Great Shield

    09: Enhanced Leaping Ability

    10: Sensory Spores

    11: Mysterious Mycelial Ball

    12: Smoke Screen Ball

    13: Beast Repellent Spores

    Summary of Tamiko¡¯s Fungal Skills (level 28)

    01: Enhanced Hearing

    02: Hypha Shell

    03: Risk Counter

    04: Hardened Front Teeth

 CH 11

    The gargoyle, which had been flapping around and above my head, opens its mouth with a snap.

    Just as I thought it was about to let out a high-pitched yell, I felt a sharp pain, as if a needle had been inserted directly into the back of my ear.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± (Shuu)

    Even my own screams are muffled by the terrible ringing in my ears. In the split second that I winced, I noticed that the Gargoyle has vanished from my sight.

    Still, I sensed a huge three-dimensional object falling from above. In the nick of time, I jumped to the side and avoided being trampled. I immediately kicked the ground, ¡°Phew!¡±, swinging down my mycelial sword.

    The gargoyle raised its leg. Its claw clashed with my blade making a dull thud.

    (I made it¡ª) (Shuu)

    The gargoyle forcefully pushes against the sword and jumps up again. Then, swinging its legs in the air, it releases three claws toward me. They smashed against the mycelial great shield but were not able to penetrate.

    (Those are not claws, they are made of mycelium.) (Shuu)

    As proof, the claws grew back on their feet. It seems that this is the true identity of the flying weapons that were hurled toward me.

    While keeping its distance in the air, the gargoyle opens its mouth.

    ¡°Guh!¡± (Shuu)

    Again, sharp pain in my ear. My body flinches. Before I can even think about it, a follow-up attack comes hurtling toward me. This time, its body rushes forward. Still, it hits the [Hypha Great Shield], but the momentum blows me away, and I hit back first against a pillar. The air was knocked out of my lungs.

    (Could this be¡ªan Ultrasonic Attack?) (Shuu)

    A directional sound-type attack? Even if it is nonlethal, it would be dangerous to become slower to react due to pain and losing focus.

    The power of its attacks is also impressive. Even with the momentum of the descent, I was unable to repel it.

    ¡°Another round!¡± (Shuu)

    A gray ball of mycelium is released from my fingertip. The [Smoke Screen Ball]. Boom! Smoke blocked our view of each other.

    I hide behind a pillar and regulate my breathing. I calm my mind and plan my next move.

    A chill runs down my spine. I throw out my great shield and roll to the side. In the nick of time, a huge body that had swooped down smashes against the pillar, making a dull thud.

    (Seriously, even though I threw a smokescreen.) (Shuu)

    (Oh, bats¡­they recognize their surroundings by echolocation or sound, right?) (Shuu)

    (Then it¡¯s useless. Rather, it¡¯s a bad idea.) (Shuu)

    Even though I have [Sensory Spores], the visibility was unnecessarily reduced. I had no choice but to leave the place and run further into the area.

    Kicking a puddle. The whole floor of this area is flooded.

    The Gargoyle is chasing me from behind. As soon as I caught sight of it in an unhindered view, pain strikes my ears again. My vision shakes.

    ¡°Guh!¡± (Shuu)

    The gargoyle dives once more towards me, who has been stopped in his tracks. It was a winning moment.

    ¡ªA claw grazes the side of my head. But as it does so, I turned around and slashed my opponent¡¯s flank.

    ¡°Giiii!¡± (Gargoyle)

    The frightened gargoyle jumps up and moves away. Immediately, I released used [Burning Ball]. Three at once, they miss their target and hit a pillar.

    (Did it get confused? I was able to counter its winning combo.) (Shuu)

    With a faint grimace, [Healing Ball] are squished into my ears.

    Mycelial balls with plenty of liquid, in place of earplugs. It doesn¡¯t go so far as to completely block the mysterious ultrasonic attack, but it is effective enough to deal with the attack that follows.

    (So¡ªwhat to do next.) (Shuu)

    My injuries are already healed. But the damage to the other side doesn¡¯t seem to be serious either. From the feel of the blade, its skin is quite tough. From how it felt, it is almost like a stone. I have to do a full swing to cut through the flesh.

    On the other hand, it is difficult to hit an opponent who is quick to react and move with [Burning Ball] or [Electric Ball] from a distance. The odds are not in my favor in a ranged battle.

    (Then, the only way to win is by forcing it to a melee?) (Shuu)

    Not to insult you, but if I can¡¯t cut you down head-on, I¡¯ll never reach the boss up here.

    I crouched down. Putting strength into my legs, then I leaped up with [Enhanced Leaping Ability].

    ¡°Haa!¡± (Shuu)

    I kicked the pillar and changed direction. Flanking the gargoyle, a slash slightly grazes the Gargoyle¡¯s thigh.

    I then kicked the opposite pillar. This time, the gargoyle reacts in time. Its claws and my bladed intersect. No spark appeared as we pushed each other back.

    I stuck my sword to the next pillar. Its claws flying towards me. I bring out my great shield to defend, then I used [Enhanced Leaping Ability], stepping on the pillar I leaped as it shatters.

    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± (Shuu)

    The Gargoyle tries to dodge but is struck with the great shield. A dull crash echoed. One man and one gargoyle are tangled up in mid-air as they fall.

    ¡°Ngh!¡± (Shuu)

    I braced myself by thrusting my sword against a pillar, and I halted my fall. Meanwhile, the gargoyle tumbled, crashing to the floor, water splashing everywhere.

    (¡ªnow.) (Shuu)

    He flicks at the sky with his left hand. Three yellow balls are released from his fingertips¡ªthe seventh Fungal Skill, [Electric Ball].

    They are scattered haphazardly and fall in the direction opposite of one another. And then¡ª¡±bam!¡± and a momentary flash of light spread out all over the floor.

    That floor is flooded. Electricity moves across the water. The electrocuted gargoyle is making a silent scream. I was right, it seems that this monster is not made of stone, if it was made of stone, electricity would not be conducted.

    Down on the floor, I closed the distance in a heartbeat. With a well-aimed downward swing, I slashed at its left wing, which was protecting its head.

    ¡°Giiiiii!¡± (Gargoyle)

    The staggered gargoyle tries to fly away, but a single wing cannot lift it up. Blood splattered from the tip of the broken wing.

    I immediately and quickly calm my breathing and readied my sword. I felt like I had done something reckless to the extent that Tamiko would later be furious with me, but somehow I managed to stop it from flying. All that remained was to finish it off as usual.

    But then¡­

    The gargoyle¡¯s face, writhing in pain and staring up at me, still showed no sign of giving up. Even though it had suffered a deep wound and lost the advantage of being able to fly.

    ¡°Graaaaa!¡± (Gargoyle)

    It released a shriek so loud that even past my earplugs, my eardrums were vibrating, and then it lunged charging with its whole body. The claws of both legs are outstretched, and the creature swings frantically.

    ¡°Oh!¡± (Shuu)

    The power of its attack momentarily overwhelmed him, but I defended myself with the great shield outstretched in my left hand. Like a martial artist, I skillfully handled the kick, then I took advantage of the opening to strike back with my sword. With a diagonal blow from its waist to the chest, the Gargoyle¡¯s hard skin was ripped open and blood spurted out.

    ¡°Guu¡­ Gaaaaah!¡± (Gargoyle)

    Still, the gargoyle does not cower. It bares its fangs and leans in. Anger, resentment, and vindictiveness. It lunges forward as if to strike with raw emotion. The ferocity and pressure surpassed that of an ogre, the incessant onslaught as if it were trying to squeeze every bit of strength it has.

    ¡°Kuh!¡± (Shuu)

    Sweating with cold sweat and having his skin and hair grazed countless times, I meet the onslaught head-on.

    I blocked and dodged. A volley of counterattack and then and defense cycled on and on.

    We stop, only to immediately attack each other. The dull thud of hitting each other echoed rhythmically. The puddle at our feet is stained with the color of our blood.

    Its right wing and the left leg are torn off now completely unable to fly away.

    Just as I think of another plan, I am attacked by a bite.

    (This guy.) (Shuu)

    It might be breathing heavily, covered in blood, but it¡¯s still growling viciously in the back of its throat.

    (Not ready to give up yet?) (Shuu)

    The gargoyle opens its mouth. A close-range ultrasonic attack.

    But I foresaw it and dodged to the side. I grit my teeth and endured the pain and dizziness of the attack.

    With a shield bashing it, I knocked my opponent off balance and stabbed it diagonally from the flank through its chest.

    Kyuu¡­ A quiet breath escapes from the gargoyle¡¯s mouth¡­ I staggered and almost fell over, but I stomps onto the ground and hold on tightly.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m sorry.¡± (Shuu)

    All of my body¡¯s momentum is transmitted to my back, shoulders, and arms, and I swing down with all my might.

    The blade goes through from the neck to the other side. The gargoyle¡¯s body, which has been stabbed, falls into a puddle.

    Seeing that the gargoyle is completely dead, I exhaled the heavy air that has been accumulating in the depths of my body. Staggering, I leaned against a pillar and my head bonked with a thud, having misjudged my action. It would have been embarrassing if anyone had seen me.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko rushes over to me. In the meantime, I¡¯m going to go and pick out the mycelium ball stuck in my ear.

    ¡°Good job, squeak! Great, you did your best, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so honest about your praise.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But you did squeak your head.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You saw that?¡± (Shuu)

    We both sat down and looked at the corpse. The Gargoyle¡¯s expression, with its tongue hanging out, has lost all the fiery ferocity it had earlier in the day. It was as if the grudge that had haunted the stone statue had been drained from it.

    ¡°¡­How many levels does this guy have in Tamiko¡¯s eyes?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s about 55, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    It seems that its actual level was slightly higher.

    ¡°It was very strong.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A warrior even on land, firing attacks that make your ears ring, it was really troublesome, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right¡­ I felt its tenacity until the end.¡± (Shuu)

    Certainly, it was a troublesome opponent both in terms of compatibility and ability. I suffered only a few shallow wounds because I was just following the strategy to the end. If I was off with just one step, would I reach the same result?

    And more than that, its ferocity blew up even more, even with one of its wings ripped. The will to fight that will not break no matter how much pain is experienced. And a killing intent that strikes single-mindedly in order to survive.

    I should have been the one hunting it, but on the contrary, I was frightened.

    ¡°It was left alone in this place, in a place surrounded by enemies, but it definitely doesn¡¯t want to die¡­ So I guess that¡¯s why it was able to survive to this day in hell like this.¡± (Shuu)

    Where did this unwavering spirit come from?

    I couldn¡¯t believe it was mere survival instinct. I could sense a kind of strong will that other beasts did not have.

    To be honest, I was afraid of it, but when it was over, I even felt a little respect for it.

    (If I was in its position¡­ I wonder if I would have fought so desperately?) (Shuu)

    (Would I have been able to survive in such a hellish place alone for so many years?) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko is curiously looking up at me.

    (If I was alone, if I didn¡¯t have her, I would have¡­) (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t intend to say anything. It¡¯s a little bit depressing.

    So, I shook my head as if nothing was wrong, and patted Tamiko¡¯s head.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s get to it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The sporangium of this guy. I¡¯m going to have to make sure I get my hands on it and turn it into food for the future.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu is looking forward to tomorrow, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°So?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But you should reel yourself back, squeak. If you¡¯re as clumsy as you were just now, you¡¯re gonna get yourself in trouble again, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°So, you really saw that.¡± (Shuu)

    Putting my hands together in front of the Gargoyle I open up its corpse. Chewing the bitter and sticky taste of victory. For our tomorrow.

    ¡°¡­I know it is an afterthought, but because of this guy.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Itadakimasu. I am thankful for this guy¡¯s life. It¡¯s a bit of an afterthought though.¡± (Shuu)

    I clenched my fist tightly.

    I am aware that it is a selfish thought. Still¡ªthere is something I got. The creature to whom I will be put to the test is right here, right now, just above us.

    Three days after the battle with the Gargoyle.

    It¡¯s finally the day of the challenge to the boss.

    The bag I have over my back is filled with water bottles, mushrooms, and wildflowers.

    ¡°Tamiko, are you ready?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko is still anxious. I took a whole day off yesterday, but she was fidgeting and I repeatedly asked her to calm down. Even if I rubbed her with my fingers, the gloomy expression on her face didn¡¯t clear up until the end.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m just going to try to fight it and try to figure out what¡¯s with it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, you promised not to do anything rash, squeak, right?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I promise. Let¡¯s go.¡± (Shuu)

 CH 12

    We choose the same path we walked three days ago. We take the main path to the left, the route from the Wolf¡¯s territory.

    Tamiko¡¯s [Enhanced Hearing] and my [Sensory Spores] allow us to detect approaching Metro Beasts with near-perfect accuracy. Unless something unexpected happens, we will probably not be taken by surprise.

    However, after a few minutes of walking, we notice that an Orthrus is following us closely.

    ¡°What do we do, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°If we get caught in the middle of the others, we¡¯ll be in trouble, so let¡¯s do it while we easily could.¡± (Shuu)

    I summoned my [Hypha Sword] and [Hypha Great Shield].

    Orthrus is stopping a few tens of meters away. It seemed to be wondering whether to turn back or fight against us.

    I bent my knees and used [Enhanced Leaping Ability] to close the distance in an instant.

    Orthrus¡ªbetween a size, one or two sizes larger than a Ghost Wolf, but their abilities are different. They are heavier, faster, sharper, and more cunning than other beasts, perhaps because they have two brains. With its four eyes, it also overcomes the narrow vision of predators. In addition, it can always breathe fire. Along with the Ogres, they are a candidate for the king of the 50th floor.

    Still, I have fought with them many times and know their attack patterns, and I now have thirteen Fungal Skills. If we were to fight in a one-on-one fight, there would be no problem if I were careful.

    My mycelium sword and its claws exchange a few blows. With my shield, I throw my opponent off balance thrusting my sword between the eyebrows of the right head. One head slouches and stops moving, but the Orthrus does not stop moving. The other head bites down even more viciously.

    With my sword still in my hand, I bring out my [Hypha Hammer] and smash the jaw from below. Then I swing down with all my weight to the point where I leaned forward. With a thud, the Orthrus falls to the ground, motionless.

    Phew, I breathed a sigh of relief. It only took a few minutes, so I didn¡¯t have to fight too hard, but I am always nervous about a battle to the death.

    ¡°If there is an Orthrus, a Cerberus might be somewhere.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Cerberus, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Cerberus. A three-headed dog.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s somewhere further down.¡± (Tamiko)

    According to Tamiko¡¯s mother¡¯s information, the Outsuka Metro has been confirmed up to the 65th underground floor. Simple calculations indicate that there may be Metro Beasts of around level 65 at the deepest level. It is not the kind of place where you can think, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go for a spin!¡±

    I cut the belly of the Orthrus and quickly took out the sporangium. I put it in my bag for future use. I am not hungry at the moment, and my energy use was negligible. Tamiko recommends eating the freshly harvested ones as much as possible, but I have learned from experience that they stay fresh for two or three hours after being removed.

    ¡°We have to prepare for the boss as much as possible. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Right, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    We carefully recalled the path we had taken once but did not spend too much time on it.

    After about two hours, the path suddenly widens and we enter a dark, dank, unlit area.

    The rock walls were sore as if they had been dissolved by acid. The ground was devoid of moss, let alone weeds. It looks like an abandoned underpass, the kind of place that would look good in a zombie movie.

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu, over there, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­Yeah, we finally arrived.¡± (Shuu)

    There is a large tunnel in the back wall, and at the end of it is an ascending staircase. It is a staircase with a width that three or four people can pass side by side at the same time.

    I peeked from the bottom, but could not see what was going on upstairs because there was a landing several dozen steps up and it turned to the side. It is out of range of the [Sensory Spores], and it seems that there are a good number of steps to the upper floor. The walls are dotted with firefly moss.

    ¡°¡­Do they ever come down, from the boss¡¯ side?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I doubt it can get through here¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Is that big¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    I notice that my hands are shaking. A warm moist air flowing from the stairs feels really ominous, perhaps because I know the threat that lies ahead.

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Step by step, we ascend as if we were stepping on a normal floor. The height and width of the step are suited for the size of a human, and except for the lack of handrails and the shiny moss, it looks just like a subway staircase.

    (It¡¯s been three years since I changed my job to a hunter, but going up these steps is like going back to my office worker days.)

    How peaceful and carefree life was back then! I didn¡¯t have to worry about tomorrow¡¯s meal, and no matter how many mistakes I made at work, they didn¡¯t cost me my life. It was only after I lost my job, that I realized how much I appreciated my ordinary, everyday life.

    (If only I could get out of this place, I would be on the ground.) (Shuu)

    I can¡¯t imagine that such peace awaits me again after that.

    Until I see it with my own eyes, I will never know what the world on the surface will be like.

    Still, the only future for Tamiko and me now is a future out under the sun. Because other than that¡ªthere is only one route that we will eventually end up in this Metro.

    On the fifth landing, I stopped and sat down against the wall. I took two sporangia from my bag and handed one to Tamiko.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little tired, so I¡¯m going to take a break. Let¡¯s recover my strength just in case.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m not tired, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯ve been on someone¡¯s shoulders all this time. I want to switch places even once.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I can drag you from behind if you want, squeak.¡± (Tamikop)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just kidding.¡± (Shuu)

    There are twenty-five steps from one landing to another. This was the fifth time he had climbed the stairs, which meant he had climbed up a hundred and twenty-five steps. I felt like I was still in the baseball club. I don¡¯t even know how far it goes, because the structure doesn¡¯t allow my spores to fly far.

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯re halfway there, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Half? Well, let¡¯s go slowly. It¡¯s not funny to be standing like a newborn fawn during the boss fight after struggling on the stairs.¡± (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t have to worry about my physical ability now that I am above level 50, but I want to challenge it in the best possible condition. When we finished eating the sporangium, I felt better. I put Tamiko on my shoulder and stand up.

    Just she said, the tenth landing is no longer a landing, but a room with a high ceiling.

    ¡°¡­we have arrived¡­¡± (Shuu)

    At last, we have arrived. On the forty-ninth floor.

    ¡°Abeshuu, stop now, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I know¡­ there¡¯s a huge one, ahead.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Maybe It¡¯s squeezing itself over there, squeak. It might come down on us as soon as we get to the top, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Probably.¡± (Shuu)

    I picked up Tamiko from behind and put her down the stairs.

    ¡°I¡¯m going alone, and you stay here and watch over me.¡± (Shuu)

    Even though it¡¯s a trial run, I¡¯m not going to cut corners. I¡¯m going to attack it with my everything, assuming I reach a stalemate. I can¡¯t afford to protect Tamiko.

    Anxiously, Tamiko nods.

    ¡°Don¡¯t squeaking mess up. If it gets dangerous, we¡¯ll run away immediately, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    I put forward my [Hypha Shield] on my left hand and looked up at the end of the path.

    Recalling all the information about the boss that Tamiko told me in my head.

    I¡¯m ready.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m going.¡± (Shuu)

    Putting away my bag and running up the stairs.

    Three years after waking up in the Outsuka Metro, I finally stepped onto the 49th floor for the first time.

    The high ceiling is domed. It is a circular hall. It is more than 50 meters from here to the opposite end.

    According to Tamiko, there is another doorway on the wall near the opposite side of the room, but we cannot see it now. But now I can¡¯t see it, because of that thing sitting imposingly in the center of the room.

    ¡°¡­So huge¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Hemispherical in shape, with the so-called steamed bun-like shape. From Tamiko¡¯s point of view, it was a ¡°Giant~ jiggle~ squeak.¡±, but I never thought it would be this scale. It was more than 10 meters tall and 20 meters in diameter across. In other words, it occupied the center of the room.

    A Slime.

    In a video game, it would have been more jelly-like, transparent, and slippery, but in reality, it was much dirtier and more vicious. The surface of the body is a muddy brown like muddy water, and you can see the slowly flowing debris of stones and animal bones that have been stuck in the body. The face, head, organs, limbs, and so on are not visible, at least not from the outside.

    There is no expression on its face. But¡ªjiggle, jiggle, the huge body of the creature jiggles slightly. I realized that this mysterious creature has already identified me as its target.

    ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Just confronting it makes my breathing ragged. I can¡¯t stop sweating. The other party is just a big mud ball, so why do I feel so oppressed and scared?

    For a moment, the Slime shook. A tentacle swings above my head.

    ¡°Woah!¡± (Shuu)

    I quickly jumped back to the side. The floor shatters on the direct hit, and the impact throws my stance out.

    I did not see the moment when the tentacle reached out. Not only was it fast, but there was no winding-up action.

    We choose the same path we walked three days ago. We take the main path to the left, the route from the Wolf¡¯s territory.

    Tamiko¡¯s [Enhanced Hearing] and my [Sensory Spores] allow us to detect approaching Metro Beasts with near-perfect accuracy. Unless something unexpected happens, we will probably not be taken by surprise.

    However, after a few minutes of walking, we notice that an Orthrus is following us closely.

    ¡°What do we do, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°If we get caught in the middle of the others, we¡¯ll be in trouble, so let¡¯s do it while we easily could.¡± (Shuu)

    I summoned my [Hypha Sword] and [Hypha Great Shield].

    Orthrus is stopping a few tens of meters away. It seemed to be wondering whether to turn back or fight against us.

    I bent my knees and used [Enhanced Leaping Ability] to close the distance in an instant.

    Orthrus¡ªbetween a size, one or two sizes larger than a Ghost Wolf, but their abilities are different. They are heavier, faster, sharper, and more cunning than other beasts, perhaps because they have two brains. With its four eyes, it also overcomes the narrow vision of predators. In addition, it can always breathe fire. Along with the Ogres, they are a candidate for the king of the 50th floor.

    Still, I have fought with them many times and know their attack patterns, and I now have thirteen Fungal Skills. If we were to fight in a one-on-one fight, there would be no problem if I were careful.

    My mycelium sword and its claws exchange a few blows. With my shield, I throw my opponent off balance thrusting my sword between the eyebrows of the right head. One head slouches and stops moving, but the Orthrus does not stop moving. The other head bites down even more viciously.

    With my sword still in my hand, I bring out my [Hypha Hammer] and smash the jaw from below. Then I swing down with all my weight to the point where I leaned forward. With a thud, the Orthrus falls to the ground, motionless.

    Phew, I breathed a sigh of relief. It only took a few minutes, so I didn¡¯t have to fight too hard, but I am always nervous about a battle to the death.

    ¡°If there is an Orthrus, a Cerberus might be somewhere.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Cerberus, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Cerberus. A three-headed dog.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s somewhere further down.¡± (Tamiko)

    According to Tamiko¡¯s mother¡¯s information, the Outsuka Metro has been confirmed up to the 65th underground floor. Simple calculations indicate that there may be Metro Beasts of around level 65 at the deepest level. It is not the kind of place where you can think, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go for a spin!¡±

    I cut the belly of the Orthrus and quickly took out the sporangium. I put it in my bag for future use. I am not hungry at the moment, and my energy use was negligible. Tamiko recommends eating the freshly harvested ones as much as possible, but I have learned from experience that they stay fresh for two or three hours after being removed.

    ¡°We have to prepare for the boss as much as possible. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Right, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    We carefully recalled the path we had taken once but did not spend too much time on it.

    After about two hours, the path suddenly widens and we enter a dark, dank, unlit area.

    The rock walls were sore as if they had been dissolved by acid. The ground was devoid of moss, let alone weeds. It looks like an abandoned underpass, the kind of place that would look good in a zombie movie.

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu, over there, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­Yeah, we finally arrived.¡± (Shuu)

    There is a large tunnel in the back wall, and at the end of it is an ascending staircase. It is a staircase with a width that three or four people can pass side by side at the same time.

    I peeked from the bottom, but could not see what was going on upstairs because there was a landing several dozen steps up and it turned to the side. It is out of range of the [Sensory Spores], and it seems that there are a good number of steps to the upper floor. The walls are dotted with firefly moss.

    ¡°¡­Do they ever come down, from the boss¡¯ side?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I doubt it can get through here¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Is that big¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    I notice that my hands are shaking. A warm moist air flowing from the stairs feels really ominous, perhaps because I know the threat that lies ahead.

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Step by step, we ascend as if we were stepping on a normal floor. The height and width of the step are suited for the size of a human, and except for the lack of handrails and the shiny moss, it looks just like a subway staircase.

    (It¡¯s been three years since I changed my job to a hunter, but going up these steps is like going back to my office worker days.)

    How peaceful and carefree life was back then! I didn¡¯t have to worry about tomorrow¡¯s meal, and no matter how many mistakes I made at work, they didn¡¯t cost me my life. It was only after I lost my job, that I realized how much I appreciated my ordinary, everyday life.

    (If only I could get out of this place, I would be on the ground.) (Shuu)

    I can¡¯t imagine that such peace awaits me again after that.

    Until I see it with my own eyes, I will never know what the world on the surface will be like.

    Still, the only future for Tamiko and me now is a future out under the sun. Because other than that¡ªthere is only one route that we will eventually end up in this Metro.

    On the fifth landing, I stopped and sat down against the wall. I took two sporangia from my bag and handed one to Tamiko.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little tired, so I¡¯m going to take a break. Let¡¯s recover my strength just in case.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m not tired, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯ve been on someone¡¯s shoulders all this time. I want to switch places even once.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I can drag you from behind if you want, squeak.¡± (Tamikop)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just kidding.¡± (Shuu)

    There are twenty-five steps from one landing to another. This was the fifth time he had climbed the stairs, which meant he had climbed up a hundred and twenty-five steps. I felt like I was still in the baseball club. I don¡¯t even know how far it goes, because the structure doesn¡¯t allow my spores to fly far.

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯re halfway there, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Half? Well, let¡¯s go slowly. It¡¯s not funny to be standing like a newborn fawn during the boss fight after struggling on the stairs.¡± (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t have to worry about my physical ability now that I am above level 50, but I want to challenge it in the best possible condition. When we finished eating the sporangium, I felt better. I put Tamiko on my shoulder and stand up.

    Just she said, the tenth landing is no longer a landing, but a room with a high ceiling.

    ¡°¡­we have arrived¡­¡± (Shuu)

    At last, we have arrived. On the forty-ninth floor.

    ¡°Abeshuu, stop now, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I know¡­ there¡¯s a huge one, ahead.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Maybe It¡¯s squeezing itself over there, squeak. It might come down on us as soon as we get to the top, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Probably.¡± (Shuu)

    I picked up Tamiko from behind and put her down the stairs.

    ¡°I¡¯m going alone, and you stay here and watch over me.¡± (Shuu)

    Even though it¡¯s a trial run, I¡¯m not going to cut corners. I¡¯m going to attack it with my everything, assuming I reach a stalemate. I can¡¯t afford to protect Tamiko.

    Anxiously, Tamiko nods.

    ¡°Don¡¯t squeaking mess up. If it gets dangerous, we¡¯ll run away immediately, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    I put forward my [Hypha Shield] on my left hand and looked up at the end of the path.

    Recalling all the information about the boss that Tamiko told me in my head.

    I¡¯m ready.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m going.¡± (Shuu)

    Putting away my bag and running up the stairs.

    Three years after waking up in the Outsuka Metro, I finally stepped onto the 49th floor for the first time.

    The high ceiling is domed. It is a circular hall. It is more than 50 meters from here to the opposite end.

    According to Tamiko, there is another doorway on the wall near the opposite side of the room, but we cannot see it now. But now I can¡¯t see it, because of that thing sitting imposingly in the center of the room.

    ¡°¡­So huge¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Hemispherical in shape, with the so-called steamed bun-like shape. From Tamiko¡¯s point of view, it was a ¡°Giant~ jiggle~ squeak.¡±, but I never thought it would be this scale. It was more than 10 meters tall and 20 meters in diameter across. In other words, it occupied the center of the room.

    A Slime.

    In a video game, it would have been more jelly-like, transparent, and slippery, but in reality, it was much dirtier and more vicious. The surface of the body is a muddy brown like muddy water, and you can see the slowly flowing debris of stones and animal bones that have been stuck in the body. The face, head, organs, limbs, and so on are not visible, at least not from the outside.

    There is no expression on its face. But¡ªjiggle, jiggle, the huge body of the creature jiggles slightly. I realized that this mysterious creature has already identified me as its target.

    ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Just confronting it makes my breathing ragged. I can¡¯t stop sweating. The other party is just a big mud ball, so why do I feel so oppressed and scared?

    For a moment, the Slime shook. A tentacle swings above my head.

    ¡°Woah!¡± (Shuu)

    I quickly jumped back to the side. The floor shatters on the direct hit, and the impact throws my stance out.

    I did not see the moment when the tentacle reached out. Not only was it fast, but there was no winding-up action.

 CH 13

    The boss¡¯s tentacles are coming at me from the side before I can regain my bearings. I caught it with my great shield, but I am flung off with the great shield.

    ¡°Damn!¡± (Shuu)

    Rolling on the ground, I  quickly get up, biting back the pain. A line of brown liquid shoots out from the tips of two more tentacles. The second large shield that caught it melted away, and I hurriedly removed it from my hand.

    The tentacles fall on my head. This time, I leaped forward at an angle with my [Enhanced Leaping Ability]. I closed the distance.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Shuu)

    Firing three [Burning Ball] from the fingertips of my right hand. An [Electric Ball] from my left hand without pause.

    The surface of the hemispherical shape explodes. An electric current is sent through the hemispherical surface. The tentacles stop moving.

    (¨CDid it work?) (Shuu)

    The surface is dented, and it smells like something burning. A sticky brown liquid is dripping from it, but with a shake, it quickly returns to normal.

    The tentacles attack again. The tentacles are very long and as thick as my torso, and they move about freely, and now there are four of them.

    Smashing and thrashing, the tentacles raged. The ground shatters and walls are gouged. The wind pressure alone is enough to make you feel as if you have been getting beat up.

    The tentacles reached the walls with little time to spare. In other words, the entire room is within range.

    The tentacles are pushing me away, and I can no longer get close to it. It is not enough to fight back, there¡¯s still enough to dodge.

    ¡°Holy sh*t! F*ck!¡± (Shuu)

    The tentacles¡¯ trajectory is unreadable until they are swung. Since they have no joints, they can bend at will.

    In addition, the slime has no facial expression. I cannot read its emotion. I cannot predict attacks from the direction they look or anticipate their first move.

    It is completely different from the Metro Beasts I have dealt with in the past. It is no longer a creature, but a machine.

    Pulling out my [Hypha Sword]. I dodged a swing from directly above and slashes at the tentacles.

    The sword that slashes at the tentacle breaks through the surface membrane, but as soon as it gets stuck in the slime inside, the blade crumbles and dissolves. What is stuck in the tentacles is the powerful acid itself that was released earlier.

    ¡°Fuck¡ª¡°

    Another tentacle strikes my back as I paused for a moment. I was pushed forward and slammed headfirst into the ground. My consciousness faded away.

    (This is¡ªF*ck!) (Shuu)

    (Move, or else I¡¯ll die¨C) (Shuu)

    A tentacle is coming right at my head from above. I cross my arms to catch it. My kneeling leg was crushed against the ground.

    Just in time, I have a circular shield on both arms, but it still doesn¡¯t kill the impact completely. My body goes numb as if an electric current runs through my spine, and my next move is delayed by one step. Then, six more tentacles descend on him all at once.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Pieces of stone fall down in flurries, and what is billowing in the air is not dust but gray smoke. Those are multiple [Smoke Screen Ball].

    The smoke was pierced through and slashed at. Stabilizing my broken left arm and crushed left eye. I create a [Hypha Sword] in my right hand and throw it at the slime¡¯s body.

    The sword, which draws a straight line in the air, pierces with a thwack. However, it only breaks through the membrane and spills some of the liquid inside. Probably the same as the tentacles, the liquid inside is a strong acid. It starts to quickly dissolve and decay the sword.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± (Shuu)

    By using my [Enhanced Leaping Ability], the distance is shortened in an instant, and I summoned my [Hypha Hammer].

    Driving the butt of the stabbed mycelial sword. The sword is pushed all the way to the base.

    (Did it reach inside?) (Shuu)

    (Did it heat its weak point?) (Shuu)

    Information was passed down from Tamiko¡¯s mother.

    The slime¡¯s weak point¡ªits internal organs deep in its mucus.

    If you destroy that, it will die.

    The question is whether or not an attack can reach there.

    (How¡¯s that¨C?) (Shuu)

    The Slime is momentarily jerked up. Stiffening for less than a second.

    Then¡ªit expands explosively, and countless tentacles are unleashed. Unleashing its anger.

    ¡°Woah!¡± (Shuu)

    I jumped back, but my left leg is swallowed by a tentacle in mid-air. ¡°Shhhhhh!¡± With a scorching sound, my left leg is torn off from the knee down. Unable to land properly, I fell to the ground and rolled.

    ¡°Guu!¡± (Shuu)

    (No, I¡¯m done.) (Shuu)

    I got up on one knee and kicked the ground with one leg with [Enhanced Leaping Ability]. I head for the stairs to the 50th floor.

    ¡°Tamiko, we¡¯ll retreat!¡± (Shuu)

    Striking and devouring by stretching the surface of its body like a tentacle. A corrosive attack by pumping out the liquid inside.

    I was able to experience the attack patterns of the boss I had heard about. I experienced firsthand their speed and strength.

    We were able to confirm its defenses and physical characteristics. We even found a tiny breakthrough.

    Already, the harvest is good enough.

    There was no chance of winning now, even if I continued.

    We knew we wouldn¡¯t be able to beat them. All we have to do now is go back, formulate a strategy, and build up the strength to put it into practice. Or at the very least, I could ask Tamiko to find a switch for the entrance/exit while I am holding it back.

    (That¡¯s enough for today!)

    Jumping on one leg I ran towards the stairs while dodging the tentacles. Tamiko is waiting there.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    I hear Tamiko¡¯s voice and turn around.

    ¡°¡ªHuh?¡± (Shuu)

    A large amount of water covers the scene. It is a column of brownish water.

    I realize in an instant that it is the slime¡¯s bodily fluids. I also know what it does.

    (From above.) (Shuu)

    (It¡¯s like water cannon.) (Shuu)

    (Can I run away to the back of the stairs?) (Shuu)

    (No, I can¡¯t make it in time.) (Shuu)

    (Tamiko is behind me.) (Shuu)

    (No, I can¡¯t dodge.) (Shuu)

    With Tamiko at my back, I bring out the mycelial shield.

    Before the threads can fully take shape, the column of water swallows me up.

    The shield melts and covers my body. As my throat burns, my screams are cut off.

    My consciousness returns.

    The arm is being pulled, and I am dragged on the ground. I felt my body landing on a step. It seems that I am dragging down the stairs in a prone position.

    ¡°Abeshuu! Are you okay, squeak!?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko is in front of me. Crying, ash she slaps my nose.

    ¡°¡­Tamiko¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The boss isn¡¯t here anymore, squeak! We¡¯re going to make it, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    It seems that she bit my hand and dragged him down. My joke had become reality. Thank goodness I was unconscious.

    ¡°So you¡¯re safe? I¡¯m glad¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Thanks to Abeshuu! I¡¯ll be with you until you¡¯re warm again, squeak, so Abeshuu rest once we¡¯re downstairs!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m resting¡­ Ta-Ta-Tamiko-ko¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The words become staccato as they hit the steps. It hurts so bad that I decide to go down with my own two feet.

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    I almost stand up and notice that my left leg, which has lost everything from the knee down, has only regenerated to the ankle. My arms and body are still burnt to a dark brown. I wondered if it had been too long since I lost consciousness.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to say it again, squeak! Just because you¡¯re squeak to get better doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re going to push yourself hard again, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Right¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯ve melted so much that it hasn¡¯t completely healed yet, squeak. It¡¯s like a layer of crusty salt, squeak. It is worse than with the Wraith, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I hope this makes my face a little bit easier to remember¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I remember that my senior at the company couldn¡¯t remember me even after a month.

    In addition, I notice that I am naked. All my clothes seem to have melted.

    (Damn it¡­ at the very end, it did me bad¡­) (Shuu)

    I¡¯m going to wallow in my grudge, you Slime.

    Despite this mess, I gained a lot from it. We will use this experience and reflection the next time, and for that, we will return to the safe house.

    Step by step, we descend, hands on the wall. The hunger is more painful than the intense pain that rumbles incessantly through my body. My legs and feet feel weak, my eyes feel dizzy.

    As Tamiko had said, we soon reach the fiftieth floor. I stumbled and fell flat on my back.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    That¡¯s strange, I thought.

    Tamiko seems to have made a lot of progress while I was unconscious. If that¡¯s the case, I should have regenerated more during that time.

    Breathing heavily, I looked at my burned-out palms.

    ¡°¡­The regeneration¡­ has stopped¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    Guh, I moaned, not from pain, but from hunger.

    (No, this is really bad.) (Shuu)

    (Maybe I¡¯m just too worn out from all the regeneration.) (Shuu)

    (That means¡ªit won¡¯t heal as it is.) (Shuu)

    There must have been sporangium from the beasts we hunted on the way here.

    ¡ªno. I left it on the stairs with the bag. Probably it was dissolved in the acid from the Slime.

    ¡°Abeshuu! Hold on, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­Anything¡­ I have to eat¡­¡± (Shuu)

    At this rate¡ªwhat will happen, if I don¡¯t?

    (I can¡¯t heal.) (Shuu)

    (I can¡¯t move.) (Shuu)

    (What will happen? Will I die?) (Shuu)

    My brain is flooded with fear, and my body rapidly grows cold.

    ¡°Uhh¡­ ooh¡­!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    I don¡¯t care what it is. I want to eat something.

    I¡¯m too hungry. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯m in trouble. I might die.

    I¡¯ll lose my mind before that. I¡¯m going crazy. I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared, scared, scared¡­

    ¡°¨CAh?¡±

    I notice that I¡¯m reaching for Tamiko by my side.

    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s different ¡­ No, it¡¯s not right¨C¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko smiles in front of my absent-mindedness.

    ¡°¡­¡­eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Eat me. If it can help Abeshuu, then eat me, squeak. This time, I will help Abeshuu, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­What are you talking about¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If I don¡¯t have Abeshu, I¡¯ll squeak here anyway. But if it¡¯s Abeshuu¡­ You¡¯ll be able to squeak the boss by myself someday, squeak. So¡­ Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­Tamiko¡­¡± (Shuu)

    My quivering hand stretches out to Tamiko.

    ¡°¡­ Are you joking, idiot squirrel!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡ªGrabbing the stone beside her.

    ¡°If I eat a pipsqueak like you, my belly won¡¯t be full! It¡¯s better to eat rocks!¡± (Shuu)

    I open my mouth and bite a rock. I chew it, swallow it, and swallow my vomit with a big gulp. It¡¯s worse than a sporangium.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°*Cough* *cough*¡­ hah¡­ Tamiko, anything is fine¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Mushrooms or grass¡­ bring me something, anything¡­ please¡­!¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko wipes her tears and nods with conviction.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon! Wait here, Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    As I watched the bushy tail leave in the darkness, my consciousness slowly sinks into a pitch-black fog.

    ¡°¡­Shuu! Abe.. Shuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s squeaky voice. She is once again tapping on my nose.

    ¡°I brought you¡­ mushrooms and goblin, squeak¡­!¡± (Tamiko)

    Opening my eyes, I gasped.

    The body of Tamiko wavered in front of me. Before she falls over, my hand catches her.

    Her belly is stained red. Behind her are several mushrooms and the corpse of a dead Red Goblin.

    ¡°Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ Abeshu, I can squeak it if I want to¡­ I¡¯ll turn red goblins into squeaking rust on my¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko smiles weakly and gently closes her eyes.

    I tried to create a [Healing Ball], but no matter how much I concentrate, it doesn¡¯t come out. I have no physical strength left to use my Fungal Skills.

    ¡°¡­Wait¡­!¡±

    I crawled into the dirt, grabbed the mushrooms, and threw them into my mouth. Without time to taste it, I swallowed and immediately pulls the Goblin¡¯s body. With what little strength I have left, I ripped open the belly with my bare hands, fishing around inside, I dragged out the sporangium.

    I swallow it without chewing. The sporangium, which I had thought so bad, fills me up better than any meal I have ever eaten. The numbness in my hands eases, and I feel my strength gradually return.

    ¡°Tamiko¡­!¡± (Shuu)

    I try to squeeze out all my remaining strength and produce a [Healing Ball]. I squeezed it and pours the juice over Tamiko¡¯s body. The cloudy liquid washes away the blood and seals her wound.

    Tamiko slowly opens her eyes.

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu, are you okay, squeak¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s¡­ taking it too hard! You¡¯re a weakling!¡± (Shuu)

    Gently picking up her body I cradled her.

    ¡°¡­Thank you. Thanks to you, my partner.¡± (Shuu)

    Her tiny heartbeat in my hand, her breathing, conveying warmth to me. It slowly spreads throughout my body.

    I grit my teeth and look up. I look up at the staircase where I tumbled down.

    ¡°¡ªWhen we leave here, we¡¯ll definitely go together.¡± (Shuu)

 CH 14

    For some time after that, every day I would sneak down the stairs to observe the boss for a bit.

    The boss never once leaves that hall. Apparently, he has grown too big to pass through both the staircase and the exit side.

    So how does he get food? The Metro Beast comes in through the doorway on the other side. Every day or two, they wander in as if they had fallen into a mysterious hole. Those poor bastards are the boss¡¯s dinner.

    ¡°Metro Beasts, why are they coming there?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I am not sure, squeak, but¡­ my mother said there are a lot of slimes out there, squeak. That floor is now slime country, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Seriously?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°She said they might be hiding in the boss¡¯s room, squeak. They may be there because of the boss¡¯s scent, squeak. Following their own leader, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    If that is true, they are like worker ants. It¡¯s a black company.

    Incidentally, Tamiko¡¯s [Risk Counter] confirmed that the boss¡¯s level was around 70.

    ¡°Huh!? Is that true!? 70 is a different beast!¡± (Shuu)

    If I had known that before, that scouting would have been canceled for sure.

    ¡°It¡¯s squeaking ridiculous. If it¡¯s just Mother said, it should have been about level 60, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°So that means¡­ the bosses have grown further and further?¡± (Shuu)

    Metro beasts, like us, grow and become stronger by preying on other individuals. They are just like that stray creature, the gargoyle that I defeated the other day.

    It might not be common, but it seems that such well-developed individuals and mutants with unique qualities since birth are different from others and are recognized as bosses as they are.

    ¡°The level of growth differs depending on the type and character of the individual, squeak. My mom says that¡¯s a Superior Slime, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s the pinnacle of slimes, I don¡¯t know about the others, but I think they¡¯ve broken through the race barrier a little too far, right?¡± (Shuu)

    It is also discovered that the boss has been creating smaller individuals¡ªstill, they are as tall as me¡ªand sending them to the lower floors as well. That¡¯s why the area around the stairs on the fiftieth floor was almost barren, with scorch marks on the walls and floor. Although there does not seem to be a lot of them, it is highly likely that they are chasing prey and procuring food from the 50th floor as well.

    We spotted its minions near the stairs and actually fought them. It is commonly known as an Intermediate Slime. According to Tamiko, they are around level 30.

    When we crossed blades with it, we found that its power and speed were far behind those of the boss. However, it is still hard to slash and kill. By the time I kill them, my new wolf clothes are a little melted. Tamiko also gets a little bit of the dissolving liquid on her head, now she has a circular bald spot on the back of her head.

    ¡°Pigya! My squeaking hair is injured!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°A Kappa-squirrel, let¡¯s apply some [Healing Ball].¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Put a squeaking amount of it! Down to my squeaking hair root!¡± (Tamiko)

    The intermediate Slime¡¯s body spreads with fluids like muddy water on the ground, and its internal organs are exposed. It looks like a jellyfish on land.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pain, but it was a good lesson to help us defeat one of its kind.¡± (Shuu)

    Its weaknesses were just as Tamiko¡¯s mother had informed us. If we do the same, we should be able to kill the Boss Slime as well.

    ¡°Well¡­ If I can do it.¡± (Shuu)

    If the boss¡¯s power continued to increase and the number of slimes grew, this floor might eventually be swallowed up by them. It is not a skirmish between wolves and monkeys, but an invasion and massacre by an alien species. Is it an exaggeration to imagine such a thing?

    I don¡¯t know how much time we have left. But¡ªwe must steadily and carefully build up our strength to ensure that we defeat that monster. I have vowed to come back one day to take my revenge, and I have tearfully sealed my goal of leaving the Metro with the two of us.

    From then on, I just kept on hunting the strong enemies on this floor¡ªOgres, Orthrus, Demon Centipedes, Wraiths, and Intermediate Slimes.

    Tired, wounded, and quarreling with Tamiko over trivial matters.

    I almost got my butt hole blown up when I got stuck in a goblin¡¯s pit.

    I fail to control the heat on the BBQ and get caught in a cloud of smoke.

    I got high after eating a mushroom called ¡°Agartake¡± and almost got kicked to death by a unicorn when I unintentionally approached it.

    I almost died when I faced three Ogres at the same time.

    I then fought to the death with my nemesis, the Wraith, a fully-developed individual with burns all over its face.

    In search of an even stronger foe, we advanced to the 51st, 52nd, and 53rd floors.

    They go head to head with powerful Metro Beasts that even Tamiko doesn¡¯t know about.

    The days continue to be more severe than in the previous three years, draining my mind and body even more.

    Still, I feel a sense of accomplishment.

    I feel that my body, which can survive in a deadly place, is accumulating more and more strength.

    MY footsteps are moving step by step towards the surface.

    Half a year has passed since the bitter battle with the boss, and now a year has passed.

    When I mastered my 16th Fungal Skill, I reached level 65. Tamiko is level 40 and has five Fungal Skills, surpassing her most longed-for goal of surpassing her mother.

    I realized that the end of my days here is near.

    In the morning, I add a horizontal bar to the wall of our hideout.

    The daily calendar, which I had been keeping every day, has now reached three hundred and sixty.

    One thousand eight hundred days. That¡¯s about five years.

    ¡°Good morning, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Good morning, Abeshuu, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko, who had woken up earlier than me, was anxious or low-spirited. I was about to tease her but decided not to. The same is true for me who is a little nervous.

    I washed my face in the oasis¡¯ water hole and clean my teeth with a toothpick.

    I have been grooming my beard and hair with my [Hypha Sword] or a stone knife. I shave my sparse stubble easily, and then, with a determined look, I cut my hair roughly and boldly. No need for a mirror, just do it. As long as it¡¯s short and easy to move around in, it¡¯s fine.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it for you, squeak. I¡¯ll give you a stylish smart hair-style, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°No. You¡¯re going make me bald.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t squeak it, just stand still. I¡¯m going to make your ugly head squeaky and clean.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Stop it you idiot squirrel. My face is the only one that should be smooth. Stop making me say it, you damn *sshole.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯ll settle for a very short haircut, an inch short of a shaved head. My head feels light and refreshed. It feels good to the touch.

    And then something comes into the range of my [Sensory Spores]. It¡¯s the soundless Unicorn.

    ¡°Good morning, Oldman Uni.¡± (Shuu)

    A unicorn with a slightly chipped horn tip. In the past two years, the unicorns and I grew much closer. He still won¡¯t let me touch them, though.

    He brings his face close to mine and breathes on me. He seems to be urging me to give him something.

    So I produced a [Healing Ball] in the palm of my hand. He rolls it up with his tongue and puts it in his mouth. He sniffs in satisfaction and bobs his head up and down.

    (In the end, I never had any luck with unicorns, didn¡¯t I?) (Shuu)

    According to the [Risk Counter]¡¯s assessment, I now have the upper hand. I have also mastered the 15th and 16th Fungal Skills and would not be defeated in a head-to-head battle.

    However, for me, we have no intention of doing so. They don¡¯t want to fight either, and this watering hole has taken care of both of us. There was no reason to go out of our way to pick a fight with him.

    ¡°Oldman Uni, maybe today would be our farewell.¡± (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t think he understands my words, but I still tell him.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take revenge on the boss on the 49th floor. I¡¯m confident I can beat him this time, and if I do, we¡¯ll go straight to the top. So we might not come back down here. Well, there¡¯s a chance I¡¯ll get beat up and come back.¡± (Shuu)

    I wanted to give a proper goodbye to him, the only friend I had made in this hellish Metro besides Tamiko.

    ¡°I think this will be the last time I will be able to give Oldman Uni a Healing Ball. I¡¯m a little disappointed since we got to know each other so well, so¡­ take care.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me, Uni-san, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Oldman Uni snaps open his big eyes and then throws his heels back.

    Suddenly, he dashed toward the rock wall. The wall shatters with a loud bam from the crash, and stone fragments fall down.

    ¡°¡­Wait, Oldman Uni¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko and I were stunned. Oldman Uni pulls out his head buried in the rock wall, holding something in his mouth as he returned to us.

    ¡°Oldman Uni, you¡­¡± (Shuu)

    His horn is broken off at the base. He bites at it nihilistically like a cigarette.

    ¡°fun¡±, with a snort and thrust. I sensed their intention, gently extending my hand, and he dropped the horn on my hand.

    ¡°No, this¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It may have been intended as a gift of encouragement, but it was too much for him to offer such a bold and generous parting gift.

    ¡°The horn of a unicorn grows back, squeak. If we ever meet again, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have a big horn that isn¡¯t broken, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Of course.¡± (Shuu)

    Oldman Uni nods his head as if agreeing.

    ¡°Thank you, Old man Uni. I will cherish it. I will come to see you again someday.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°*Neigh*!¡± (Oldman Uni)

    Oldman Uni looked up at the ceiling and let out a loud neigh. It was the first time we had ever heard such a cry.

    Finally, he looks at the two of us with dull eyes and leaves without looking back this time. The two of us leave, this time without looking back. I was about to cry but Tamiko is already crying, so I held it back.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s too uncool for us to lose and return after that.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Tamiko. We¡¯re going to say goodbye to this floor today.¡± (Shuu)

    The first thing to do is to put the horns of Oldman Uni in our bag and leave the hiding place. This will hopefully be the last time I have to crawl in and out on all fours like this. I get out of the hole, standing up, and bowing. Tamiko follows suit.

    After two hours, we reach the stairs. The Heart Breaker 250-step staircase¡ªas the two of us call it.

    (If each step is about 20 centimeters high, each floor down is 50 meters long. Two and a half kilometers underground, by simple arithmetic, right?) (Shuu)

    (Why am I that deep¡­ when I was just sleeping in the hospital in the first place?) (Shuu)

    It¡¯s not much of a load on my current physical strength, but if I had to go up this many steps per floor, my thighs might be the size of a bicycle racer by the time I get to the surface.

    (Once I reached the ground¡­) (Shuu)

    (If I meet someone¡­ what will I do?) (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu¡­ Soon squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko whispers over my shoulder. I nodded and looked up.

    Not wanting to make the same mistake as last time, I put my bag down on the ninth landing. I also takes off my wolf jacket and cloak, and I was dressed neatly in just a pair of short pants fastened with a straw cord.

    ¡°¡­as usual, it¡¯s there.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ As usual, we¡¯re here, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s [Enhanced Hearing] and my [Sensory Spores] detect that it is at the top of the last twenty-five steps.

    ¡°Tamiko, can you check it with your [Risk Counter]? Sneakily and carefully.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko gets off my shoulder and hops up the stairs, stopping before the last step. She pulls herself up, faces up, and looks toward the back of the room.

    She holds that position for a few seconds, then plops down on her butt, and comes back down again.

    ¡°How was it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I feel like it¡¯s squeaking stronger than when I saw it before¡­ It¡¯s stronger than 70, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡± (Shuu)

    The trauma of the last time comes back to my mind.

    The hands are shaking. The heart rate increases. My back is shaking with fear.

    I close my eyes and breathe deeply again and again.

    (It¡¯s okay. I can definitely win.) (Shuu)

    (I simulated it many times in my head.) (Shuu)

    (I can do it this time.) (Shuu)

    Telling myself this over and over again.

    ¡°A-Abeshuu! Are you okay, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko says while shaking and slapping me.

    ¡°We-we¡¯re gonna squeak it together!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ahhhhhhh I¡¯m going to squeak through it like it was an acorn! I¡¯m even fine wearing a wig, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    With teary eyes, shaking tail, clenching her small hand tightly, and looking up at me.

    I stood up. I then pat Tamiko¡¯s head with my fingertips.

    ¡°I¡¯ll laugh if you become bald again.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Baldness can be fixed, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    I could never reach this day by myself.

    I¡¯ve been able to live for the last five years because there are two of us.

    (Even if I fight alone¡ªI¡¯m never alone.) (Shuu)

    I put my fist in front of Tamiko.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need your help in case of emergency, partner.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko bumps her fist against mine.

    ¡°I¡¯ll squeak it to you, Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    I nod.

    A thread spun from my hands facing forward. A [Hypha Sword] and [Hypha Great Shied].

    Closing my eyes and I focus my attention.

    A sword and shield clad in blue light.

    ¡ªmy Fifteenth Fungal Skill, [Spore Light].

 CH 15

    I stepped in and jump up the stairs for the first time in two years.

    The 49th floor of the basement of the Outsuka Metro, the boss¡¯s hall.

    As before, the boss slime stands stolidly in the center of the room. As usual, it is a dirty, dark brown muddy bun.

    (¡­It¡¯s getting a little bigger, isn¡¯t it?) (Shuu)

    Maybe it¡¯s just my trauma that makes it look bigger. Or maybe it has grown even more in the past two years.

    In any case, it¡¯s the same with me as I also grew. The Slime silently captures my now more confident stride.

    According to our previous research, the slime seems to recognize its surroundings by sensing light and vibration. In other words, it has sight, hearing, and touch.

    And then, a tentacle reaches out. It makes a shadow from above my head and swings down without any preliminary movement. It easily craters the floor on which I was standing.

    ¡°Still no hello?¡± (Shuu)

    Even though I have grown more than 10 levels since the last time I was here, it¡¯s still too dangerous for me to take it head-on. However, as I grew, I can now avoid it a little easier than before.

    I tried to close the distance at once, but in the blink of an eye, five tentacles appeared. They swell and attack simultaneously.

    I dodged them and used my great shield to block the others.

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    With a swing from my Hypha Sword and one of them is cut off.

    The tentacles, perhaps startled, are pulled back. The tentacles sway from side to side as if it is looking over the boss¡¯s body to see what is going on.

    The tentacle that fell to the floor goes berserk, eventually dissolving into a liquid and scorching the floor. An unknown smell rises up.

    ¡°¡­I can work with this.¡±

    The Hypha Sword and Great Shield that I held are then clad in a pale light.

    My fifteenth Fungal Skill, [Spore Light].

    The ability to make the Hypha Weapons created by the fungus ability to be covered with Spore Light¡ªa mysterious light that I named for simplicity-sake. This dramatically improves the sharpness and durability of swords and shields. The sword is now capable of cutting through even the thick flesh of an Ogre with a single swing, and the shield is capable of repelling the flames of an Orthrus. It looks like a magic sword or a beam sword, and it tickles the middle school kid sleeping in my heart. Incidentally, it could not be applied directly to the body, nor could I put it on a stone knife. The only thing that it could work on was things made with mycelium.

    The Spore Light of the Hypha Sword, which had cut off the tentacles, was decreasing. It is probably due to the acidic solution, but the blade is still intact.

    Although the acid might be stronger than that of the Intermediate Slime, the fact that I  was able to cut it off is significant.

    In other words, we are finally at the starting line.

    With this, we were finally in the game. We can now unveil our other secret technique without any worries.

    ¡°Look here you Bean Bun Bastard!¡± (Shuu)

    Then I focus my consciousness on my back.

    The mycelium is produced from a little above the shoulder blades.

    They converge to form a pair of arms. The mycelial arms are long, thin, and bone white, reminiscent of a spider¡¯s legs.

    Sixteenth Fungal Skill, [Hypha Arms].

    It took me two whole months to be able to use these arms as if they were my own. Now I can weave patterns using string, brush my teeth, and play with Tamiko using them (Tamiko made a misleading plea, ¡°Touch me with your real fingers, not with a toy¡­!¡±).

    It is not only a simple increase in my number of hands. These arms can use the same Fungal Skills my real arms could.

    The palm of the mycelial arm produces a mycelial sword. It is an Inception trope to create another mycelial weapon from a mycelial tool.

    Now there are three swords and a great shield.

    I then apply [Spore Light] to both swords. The blade of the swords glowed with a bluish-white light. It is truly a magic sword, now there are a three-swords. I¡¯m ready.

    Now, to continue from where we left.

    ¡°¡ªRound 2.¡± (Shuu)

    The number of tentacles further doubles to eight. An Intermediate Slime had at most three or four tentacles, but this was indeed the boss. If my [Hypha Arms] had the ability to create six arms, my brain might melt.

    Even if I have four arms, the opponent has double mine. I can¡¯t stop my body from trembling.

    (Don¡¯t be afraid, focus. The opponent has no preliminary movement.) (Shuu)

    (Because it has no joints, it can twist its limbs as much as it wants.) (Shuu)

    (Still, there are only a few complicated movements and feints.) (Shuu)

    (Focus and reflexes, remember the time in the table tennis club in junior high school!) (Shuu)

    Tentacles spread out in a flash, and they rain down on me. Then one that delayed its timing chased after me as I jumped sideways. I tilt my shield to my side and cut it off with a slash from my Hypha Arms.

    ¡°Yeah! Come at me!¡± (Shuu)

    I provoke it, but I can only feel dread inside. It was dangerous, and if my defense was even delayed for a moment, I would have been blown away.

    Tentacles attacked from all directions. I detected the tentacles with my [Sensory Spores], ran around with my [Enhanced Leaping Ability], and took advantage of the gaps to cut off a tentacle.

    The fluid leaked from the cut cross-section, but it was quickly covered by a membrane and regained its original mass.

    That¡¯s fine. Because that is my aim.

    After dissecting the Intermediate Slimes, I found that they roughly have three layers.

    The outermost membrane. This is the slime¡¯s own cells, covering the fluid inside. It is a high-performance muscle that can expand and contract freely, and even if damaged, it regenerates itself quickly.

    The second layer is the fluid layer. It is viscous and dissolves anything it touches, the very symbol of its slime-ness.

    The third and innermost organ is the nucleus. It is a sack filled with various internal organs and brain-like sensory organs (although I have no idea which is which). The sporangium was also there, and it tasted worse than the other beasts (it tasted bitter and acidic which can only be stated as unpleasant).

    According to Tamiko¡¯s mother¡¯s information, and as a result of our experiments with the Intermediate Slimes, there was no doubt that the third layer was its vital point. Destroying it would kill the slime.

    However, to do so, the second layer of fluid would be the biggest barrier. This is the armor that blocks and takes in the attacks, as well as the fangs that melt and devour enemies.

    Thinking back on the Intermediate Slimes, with the mass and digestive ability of a Boss Slime, I can¡¯t reach its internal layer with half-hearted attacks.

    It would have been nice if I could have learned a more penetrating long-range Fungal Skill, but I had nothing like that on hand.

    There was no point in begging for something that was not there. I had no choice but to defeat it with what I had at my disposal.

    To do so, I had no choice but to steadily and honestly chip away at the barriers, little by little.

    The target is its fangs themselves¡ªin other words, its tentacles.

    *Whoosh, whoosh!*

    The tentacles that stretch to gouge out my head are slashed down with my Hypha Arms.

    A pincer attack from both the left and right. I dodge to the gaps one by one, weaving and slashing through them. Then I blow up the torn tentacles with my [Burning Ball].

    The tentacles are cut and it stood still. A droplet of liquid appeared on the tip of the tentacle, and a jet of its acid shot out. A tentacle is blocked by my great shield as I thrust it into the ground. Just before the spray comes from behind me, I summoned another shield and leaped back.

    ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It is getting harder to breathe. The air I breathe is acidic and unpleasant. The stone floor around the area is cratered from the acid that has been splashed everywhere.

    My body feels heavy. I cannot replenish my dwindling [Spore Light]. I am running out of stamina.

    I don¡¯t know if slime has the concept of fatigue. Nevertheless, the slime¡¯s body is clearly shrinking as I continue to cut off its tentacles and dodge the dissolving liquid. The volume of the fluid part of its body is decreasing.

    We know from repeated observations and battles with the Intermediate Slimes that it is not inexhaustible and that replenishing it requires time and the ingestion of nutrients. Its weapon and shield are steadily being whittled away.

    I wonder how long it will take to reach its internal organs. But¡ªI too, am at my limit.

    ¡°Ok, end of Round 2! Time out!¡± (Shuu)

    I detached my [Hypha Arms] and moved away across the wall with my [Enhanced Leaping Ability] powered up to the fullest. Releasing a [Smoke Screen Ball] from both hands and I dive straight down the staircase to the 50th floor, hiding behind the smoke.

    ¡°Tamiko! I¡¯m back!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Welcome back, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    With Tamiko and our supplies in paw, I go down one more landing just to be safe. This way, neither the tentacles nor the wave of acid will reach her.

    ¡°*Wheeze*, *wheeze*¡­ I need a time out¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I sit down and take a bite of the sporangium from the bag.

    ¡°You¡¯re good, squeak! Have some water first, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko comes running up to my shoulder with a canteen, shoving the tip of the water bottle into my mouth.

    ¡°Work on your footwork, squeak! Squeak around him with your footwork! And when it squeaks near you, go in nice and deep, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°How about some seconds?¡± (Shuu)

    With each bite of the sporangium, strength returns to my body. The taste and rawness of the sporangium sink in. Oh, no, I¡¯ll need to have another.

    ¡°Tamiko¡­ maybe we should run away.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Their mass is getting smaller, and its tentacles are getting weaker. If I make it a bit weaker, I might be able to hold him down while you look for the exit switch. We don¡¯t have to bother to take the risk of defeating it.¡± (Shuu)

    If I put all my abilities into defense and use [Smoke Screen Ball] and [Enhanced Leaping Ability], I can probably get his full attention. That would buy Tamiko plenty of time to find the switch. In addition, Tamiko has a fifth Fungal Skill, [Camouflage]. She could search for the switch while ensuring her own safety.

    Or we might still try to win the battle even as we continued to fight. But that would entail a certain amount of risk. There was no guarantee that the slime would not have other tricks up its sleeve, or that the slimes under its control would not return from downstairs.

    If we prioritize going out to the surface, now is our chance and not waste it.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s true, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    I know how she feels. The man is the killer of her mother and her partner. She did everything to reach this place.

    However, her own front teeth cannot reach the enemy. It¡¯s sad to stand on the side as I swing my sword. I should have understood it best.

    ¡°¡­If Abeshuu believes it, that¡¯s fine, squeak. It¡¯s best to be able to reach the surface, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko looks to the ground and hugs her bushy tail tightly.

    I grabbed the bag and chewed on my third sporangium. I¡¯m hungry and exhausted like a player on a baseball team. I grabbed Tamiko¡¯s cheeks and stretch them.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m just a timid person, and when I get a little stronger, I get carried away, and I¡¯ve been in trouble and almost died. Tamiko has been angry with me a lot. I got in trouble with the boss because of that, too.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m in good shape again, especially with such a big sporangium in front of us. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s possible to get one or two levels or learn one or two fungal abilities. Isn¡¯t this a great opportunity?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°And if things go as they are, the slime¡¯s territory will get bigger and bigger. After that, the oasis and Oldman Uni may be invaded. We¡¯ve been indebted to them for the last five years, so we have to give back in the end. However, we won¡¯t be able to do it if we don¡¯t win.¡± (Shuu)

    I poured the rest of the water on my head, and I stood up.

    ¡°That¡¯s why¡ªI¡¯ll show you my cool side. Tamiko, watch your mother¡¯s killer¡¯s death.¡±

    Tamiko wiped her eyes. She climbed up onto my shoulder and slapped me on the cheek.

    ¡°Go! Let squeaking go Shuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Say what?¡± (Shuu)

 CH 16

    I sent my [Sensory Spores] to the hall. The boss hasn¡¯t moved from the same position I left it.

    I have never seen it move from that spot before. It is the president of a black company who just sits around and waits for everything to come to him. I don¡¯t want to be his subordinate.

    I have two more sporangia in my bag. I intend to keep trying until I run out of them. If I run out of supply and become exhausted, I¡¯ll have to start over.

    (¡­I wonder how fast he will recover from the reduced fluids?) (Shuu)

    Its main diet is a stray metro beast every day or two. I wonder how much it recovers by absorbing small fries. I don¡¯t think it is unreasonable to say that it can recover on its own over time, ignoring the law of conservation of mass.

    If there is a way to recover in a short period of time, it would be necessary to finish them off at once. Then the odds of winning would go down, and the option of running through the door would come up again.

    (¡­Well, now is definitely the good time to do it, especially with its volume reduced.) (Shuu)

    (I will do as much as I can. Well, I promised to show my partner how honorable I am, right?) (Shuu)

    I then summon my [Hypha Sword] in my right hand, a [Hypha Great Shield] in my left hand, and two other [Hypha Sword] in both [Hypha Arms].

    ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to go with a bang.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, be careful, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    I ran up the stairs immediately. As soon as I exit the staircase, I readied my shield and jumped to the right to avoid being splashed by the acidic liquid.

    ¡°Well, what now¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    The boss did not react at all. The boss didn¡¯t even move or send out a tentacle. It is completely still. Like a dirty lump of sh*t.

    (¡­Maybe it is dead?) (Shuu)

    The boss rippled as I take a step forward. I took a step back in surprise.

    Three tentacles protrude like thorns. Then, with a shriek, the tentacles spit out a thread and wrapped around to the shape of black spines, just like sea urchins.

    ¡°Eh¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    The tentacles are swung down. Boom! The heavy blow shatters the floor as easily as stepping on Styrofoam.

    My Hypha Arm slashed at the tentacles while I flicked off the scattered bits of rock with my shield. The hard thud of two hard objects colliding with each other echoes through the air, and a numbing sensation reached my back. The sword covered with [Spore Light] is stopped in mid-slash.

    (Hey!) (Shuu)

    (Tsk, is this its Fungal Skill!) (Shuu)

    Another tentacle aims at me, once I stopped moving. By using [Enhanced Leaping Ability], I evade to the side and slashed again followed by the Hypha Arms. Bodily fluids spilled everywhere, but I didn¡¯t cut off the tentacle.

    ¡°Damn!¡± (Shuu)

    The three tentacles howled as they are swung through the air. I devote my focus to evading.

    Its Fungal Skills to harden and create spikes? Is it only able to create three at a time, or is it due to the lack of physical strength or mass?

    The movement itself is slower than before because of the increased destructive power. The number of moves is also reduced, and even if the spikes widen the range of the attack, I can still dodge the attacks.

    However, it is difficult to cut them off as before. This does not reduce the slime¡¯s volume.

    ¡°So¨C¡± (Shuu)

    The part of the tentacle covered with its Fungal Skills is only about half of the tentacle. If I close the gap and cut it from the root, I can reduce its mass through there.

    I slipped through the three tentacles, jumping and tearing one of them. At that moment¡ªa jet of liquid shot from its body.

    ¡°Woah¨C¡± (Shuu)

    I immediately clock it with my great shield. My shield clad in [Spore Light] is not immediately dissolved.

    The [Sensory Spores] catch the tentacles approaching from behind. It¡¯s a pincer attack. Even if I use [Enhanced Leaping Ability], I cannot change direction mid-air.

    ¡°Kuh!¡± (Shuu)

    My Hypha Arm released a sword, grabbing the tentacles. And using their momentum to push up my body and avoid the attacks as they flew past me.

    (Crazy! I changed my direction!) (Shuu)

    (I probably look cool right now?) (Shuu)

    While I was thinking of such stupid thoughts, the tentacles began attacking again. I quickly move out of their way.

    The revived tentacle turns into a spike again and comes at me in three waves.

    Time to avoid them again. Tamiko is right, footwork is the key. Dance like a butterfly and scram like a cockroach.

    And then, when there is the slightest opening, close the distance and cut off the tentacles like a praying mantis.

    What I have to do is the same. Steadily, over time, I will chip away at the opponent¡¯s capacity. Finally, to thrust this sword into its core¨C

    ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± (Shuu)

    While screaming and shouting, I run around the boss.

    Even though my skin is burned by the acid splashes and my flesh is gouged by the spikes.

    Don¡¯t stop, keep swinging your arms, keep on slashing.

    My consciousness is distilled to focus only on the battle in front of me.

    The haze of my thoughts disappears and my vision clears.

    I desperately tried to grasp what is waiting for me at the end.

    ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    How long had it been since the start of round three?

    I had stopped counting the chopped tentacles after ten.

    ¡°¡­I can finally see it¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The body of the slime had now shrunk to about half of what it had been at the start. Behind a layer of dirty brown bodily fluid, a faint reddish-brown oval organ is visible. I know that this is the slime¡¯s fatal weakness.

    The tentacles have shrunk to half their initial size and have lost most of their power and speed. There is only one left as if it does not have the mass to sustain three of them.

    ¡ªOne more slash. I can reach it by sticking the sword with my Hypha Arms. That¡¯s it.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s about time¡ª?¡± (Shuu)

    The body of the boss began to shake. And it grows thorns on the top of its body. It turned its body into a f*cking M-O-R-N-I-N-G-S-T-A-R!!! [T/N: Yes, the author wrote it this way.]

    The boss¡¯s body sinks into the ground and then recoils and leaps. It leaps up to just near the ceiling. Then, with the spikes facing down, it falls towards me.

    The floor caved in with a resounding crash. As I jumped back, the impact and wind pressure hit me.

    ¡°This is the last one!¡± (Shuu)

    It compacts itself again and then jumps horizontally. Spikes grow on the side facing me. It¡¯s an attack that says, ¡°I¡¯m making a pincushion out of you no matter what.¡±

    The wall-crushing thrust is so powerful that if it were to hit me, it would not only skewer me, it would tear me to pieces. Even if I try to counterattack, if I carelessly get grazed by it, it will take my entire arm with it.

    The boss compresses and bounces. Compress, bounce. Like a bouncy ball trapped in a tiny space.

    Some of its bodily fluids are splashing around. It, too, is slowly losing parts of itself.

    ¡°Ahhh! Damn it!¡± (Shuu)

    I desperately avoid it. [Smoke Screen Ball], [Burning Ball], [Electric Ball]. I would use all of my abilities to distract the opponent and make it more exhausted. That¡¯s all I can do.

    ¨D¨DI realize that I am enjoying this quite a lot.

    Perhaps it is because I am within reach of victory.

    There was never a moment when I wasn¡¯t scared of this guy. I¡¯m still walking a tightrope, holding on for dear life.

    ¨CYes, I¡¯m alive.

    I¡¯m alive. I¡¯m still alive, just barely holding on.

    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± (Shuu)

    I burst out laughing. I realize once again that I have this crazy side to me.

    In a corner of my mind, I think to myself, ¡°I can never go back to being an ordinary office worker.¡±

    Eventually, the slime begins to slow down.

    The volume of the slime, which has been reduced with each rush and collision, has shrunk to about one-third of its initial volume. The momentum of the rush is reduced by half, and it takes longer for the slime to turn around after it compresses itself.

    My physical strength is also at its limit. My [Hypha Arms], which originally lasted for a couple of minutes, have withered and peeled away from my back. I do not have the strength to create a new one. I can only swing my sole Hypha Sword in my right hand.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko shouted from the stairs.

    ¡°Come back here again, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    It¡¯s a tempting and reasonable suggestion. If I took a break until round four. After a little rest and food, victory would be almost assured.

    If I think about it calmly, I should do this. Now that the boss is exhausted, I can easily escape.

    There is no cowardice in the battle for the survival of the fittest. I understand and accept that much. I have been a weakling for many years.

    (However¡ª) (Shuu)

    It¡¯s not necessary at this moment, and I feel stronger.

    I¡¯m sure I can next blow will be the decisive blow.

    My body is exhausted. However, my consciousness and nerves are now sharpened to the very tips.

    Now is the climax of the battle. I am that confident.

    ¡°¡ªready.¡± (Shuu)

    The boss compresses itself. More and more to get more energy.

    ¡°Come!¡±

    A mud-colored sphere covered with spikes rushes straight at me.

    At the same time, I step forward.

    The floor is cracked. The boss is flying from the crater it left. I slide towards it.

    The boss passed overhead, only a paper-thin gap lies between us.

    The tip of my [Hypha Sword] that I pushed up, plunged deeper.

    The momentum almost takes my arm with it. My arms creaked as if they might break my bones.

    ¡°¨CAhhhhhhh!¡± (Shuu)

    Still, I pushed through with my sword.

    Squeezing everything out of my body.

    Putting everything in and thrust my arm.

    ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¡± (Shuu)

    A silent piercing moment comes at the end.

    A large number of bodily fluids fall down. Behind me, there is a scraping sound on the ground.

    I looked back slowly.

    The boss is halfway to the ground and does not move to make its next move.

    The blow from earlier reached its vital spot. I felt it as I thrust.

    Its fluid-filled body relaxes, as its bodily fluids spill out and make a sizzling stream. And its core is exposed.

    The body continues to twitch as if it is still alive.

    I do not care that the soles of my feet are burning (although it really hurts), and I moved closer to its body.

    Summoning another [Hypha Sword]. I squeezed out another [Spore Light].

    ¡°¡ªNo hard feelings.¡± (Shuu)

    The blue light trails a line. Straight, as if drawn with a ruler.

    Nothing moves in the room, leaving only Shuu in the quiet hall.

    It¡¯s over.

    It¡¯s finally over.

    I slumped down on the floor.

    ¡°¡­¡­I won¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    A sense of accomplishment bubbles up. My emotions are about to explode. The feelings swell in my chest and go out to my throat.

    (I won! But¡­) (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t have the energy to express it. The pain of the wound under the process of regeneration, and the fatigue and hunger that has been lapping at me, are causing a slumping emptiness throughout my body from the relief I felt.

    Tamiko approaches me. She stands before the carcass, the killer of her mother and her partner.

    ¡°¡­How pathetic, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    She stops her foot, which was about to step on the slime¡¯s core.

    ¡°¡­But¡­ I no longer have any regrets, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Her drooping shoulders shook. And she sniffs.

    ¡°Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    She looks back and jumps into my chest. Pressing her head and body against me.

    ¡°Abeshuu¡­ Thank you, squeak¡­!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hng¡­ (You¡¯re drilling my nipples).¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu did it¡­ I¡¯m glad, squeak¡­!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hng. (Sure).¡± (Shuu)

    While patting her back with my finger, I looked up at the ceiling.

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go, Tamiko. Let¡¯s see the sun on the surface.¡±

 CH 16.5

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    After multiple cycles of life and death¡ªthe parasite, who now had the giant slime as its new host, is reunited with that hairless ape.

    He has crossed my fangs with its host multiple times. Inside a wolf, inside a giant ape, and sometimes a white-haired one.

    It has been watching over the death battle between him and its host.

    Each time the parasite met him, his ability to fight has grown stronger and stronger, and each time it has made the parasite¡¯s emotions grow.

    No other creature had ever possessed his sparkling beauty. Each time the host¡¯s fangs drew blood or his blade sliced through its host, the parasite¡¯s world becomes dazzlingly bright and shimmering.

    But¨C.

    (He will not be able to win against me.) (Parasite)

    Within the slime, the parasite was convinced of this, with its unspoken thoughts.

    This time, the host was powerful beyond comparison to any creature that had ever existed before. In the more than one year of its temporary residence, it had been visited by foreign enemies, numerous times, but never once had it felt threatened.

    (¡ªIs he the one?) (Parasite)

    Like many foreign enemies, he would be dissolved and absorbed by the body fluids of his host.

    There was no choice but to envision such a future. It was difficult to imagine anyone being able to beat its host. Especially, with the parasite¡¯s still-developing thinking ability.

    Emotionally, it felt great pity. On the other hand, it was a pleasure to be able to feed on that beautiful creature (even if it was its host).

    At the very least, it would witness his final moments. It will remember his beautiful struggle to live.

    That thought was the only thing the parasite could think of.

    But¨C.

    It was the first time it had ever seen such a scene. The monkey had arms sprouting from his back and was boldly attacking with a shiny shell in his hands.

    Whether he was being smashed by the tentacles or having his skin scorched by the acidic fluid, he was unfazed as he sliced its host open with his glowing blade.

    (What, how¨C) (Parasite)

    His bare killing intent, his roar, his courage that exploded like a flash of light, the supernova of his soul.

    The parasite could not help but be moved beyond all thoughts.

    (He became stronger¡ªso strong that he could destroy this host.) (Parasite)

    Soon the blade reached the vital point and all perception of the host was cut off. The parasite was once again trapped in a silent, lightless nothingness.

    But the light was already burned into the back of its pitch-black eyelids.

    It wanted to see him again, and it strongly thought so.

    Where would he go? It had a feeling that he would go somewhere different from here.

    ~Parasite¡¯s Perspective~

    (¨CI¡¯ll chase after him.) (Parasite)

    His smell. His appearance. His footprints.

    I will follow everything and follow behind him. I will find him.

    Now I have the ability to intervene in the consciousness of any lowly host.

    No matter how many more times I die, I plan on finding him.

    ¨CIt was a clear desire, a dream, and a will that sprouted for the first time within the parasite.

    Will I be killed this time? Or will he kill me again?

    Whatever the case, the next step is to get in touch with him directly.

    The parasite¡¯s heart seemed to leap even in the darkness, looking forward to that moment.

 CH 17

    As expected, the boss¡¯s sporangium raises the levels of both Tamiko and me, letting them learn new Fungal Skills.

    Now I am at level 66 with 17 Fungal Skills, and Tamiko is at level 41 with 6 Fungal Skills.

    The acidic taste of the slime¡¯s sporangium does not dampen our joy. Now that my strength had been restored, the tension between the two of us was at its highest.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s find the exit.¡± (Shuu)

    There was a smooth stone slab on a rugged rock face. It was about two meters wide and four meters high. This seemed to be the doorway.

    There was no sign of it opening, no matter whether I pushed or pulled. I tried hitting it with my [Hypha Hammer] covered with [Spore Light], but it only got a crack on the surface. If I hit it again and again, it might eventually crumble, but it would be easier to find the switch.

    ¡°Abeshuu, there is, squeak! Here, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    After a few minutes of rummaging around in the surrounding walls, Tamiko finally found what looked like a switch. It was a small button secretly embedded in the rock face. The entire rock surface around it was cratered and blackened as if the slime had pressed it with its tentacles. It was a little devilishly hard to find.

    When I pushed the button with trepidation, the wall shook and the stone slab was sucked into the rock wall.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s open¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    At last, at long, long last.

    The door leading to the road ahead opened.

    I spent five years working for this moment.

    I clenched my fist tightly.

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go, Tamiko. We¡¯ll head straight to the surface.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak-yeah!¡± (Tamiko)

    As soon as you pass through and leave, the stone door closes on its own and opens again as you approach. It seems that from the outside, the door is opened and closed by some kind of sensor.

    Now that we have overcome the biggest obstacle, there is nothing to stop us from returning to the surface.

    (There was a time when I thought like this.) (Shuu)

    (I still had it in me.) (Shuu)

    ¡°Pigya! Another slime, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m already sick eating this sour sh*t!¡± (Shuu)

    The 49th floor is almost a den of slime. The Intermediate Slimes are not strong, but my [Beast Repellent Spores] are ineffective. The sporangium is also very, very bad tasting.

    Other metro beasts are also caught by the spores here and there, but they hide in the shadows and don¡¯t come out. It was as if they were hiding from the slimes that were flooding the place.

    ¡°I wonder if that slime was as only just big as the Intermediate Slime at first?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Do you squeak so?¡± (Tamiko)

    The bosses that lurk in the Metro are basically either evolved or mutated individuals. They survive for a long time, grow up through repeated battles and predation, and finally become bosses. Or they are born as special individuals from the beginning, lived long enough, and become bosses. I don¡¯t know which one that boss slime is, but if it is the former, it may have been an ordinary slime at first.

    ¡°I wonder how slimes reproduce. The boss seems to have given birth to Intermediate Slimes all by itself. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s like they simply increase by fission since they have very solid internal organs and sporangia.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°So, you also don¡¯t know.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°At the very least, now that the boss is squeaked, the slimes will probably decrease little by little, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Maybe I could be of some help to Oldman Uni and the guys on the 50th floor.¡± (Shuu)

    Will another Slime Boss be born again on this floor? Or will it follow the gradual decline as a country now that they have lost their king? I have no idea what would happen.

    ¡°Either way, I don¡¯t want to have to deal with that kind of monster again.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t squeak a flag, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    We got lost many times as we traveled. We got into a fierce battle with a swarm of Intermediate Slimes and so I scatter [Smoke Screen Balls] to escape.

    While searching for the stairs to the 48th floor, night falls. The area is tinged with the blue glow of the [Firefly Moss]. Thinking that it would be dangerous to camp on this floor, we gathered our remaining strength and continue on our way. We managed to reach the stairs before morning comes.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m as tired that time during the boss battle¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    The staircase to the 49th floor is almost the same as before. The two of us decide to spend the night on a landing in the middle.

    So, we took turns taking naps because of the possibility of an Intermediate Slime or other Metro Beasts passing by. When I woke up a few hours later, Tamiko¡¯s eyes are fluttering so fast they are leaving afterimages.

    The next day, we reached the forty-sixth floor, and then the day after, the forty-fourth floor.

    After passing the 48th floor, the number of slimes drastically decreased, and mammalian and reptilian species begin to appear. Giant insects and legged fish also appear, but they are all low ranked compared to the top group on the 50th floor. After the slime-free life, the two of us finally had a more comfortable journey.

    On the 41st floor, we had a series of battles with reasonably tough Metro Beasts. They were the same as the gargoyle I had fought before.

    Although they are not as tough as the Boss-like beast on the 50th floor, their attacks are varied, from claws, trident spears, and other Hypha Weapons. They are not simple opponents.

    I fought back with my [Hypha Arms] and [Spore Light] without a second thought. After the second and third battles, I became able to adapt to their movements, and the one I bumped into in front of the staircase took less than a minute.

    ¡°These guys are pretty strong too.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°About level 40, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    After taking the sporangia, I decided to also take the fur and bring it back with me. I felt that they would be great materials for a hunter. I made a sharp cut with my Hypha Sword and Tamiko used her front teeth, and the skinning went surprisingly smoothly. We kept at it on the way, but I had become accustomed to it over the past five years.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to start collecting that might be worth money on our way to the surface.¡± (Shuu)

    In order to keep myself light, I have so far left most of the stuff alone except for the sporangia and some meat. From now on, we have to think about what happens after we go above ground. I don¡¯t know what kind of society we will find on the ground, so I can¡¯t be picky, and I will have to make my choices appropriately.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can carry some squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°If you carry the luggage while riding my shoulder, it¡¯s the same if I just carried it myself.¡± (Shuu)

    I then stuffed the gargoyle pelts and wings into my bag and resumed our travel.

    We lost our way many times and fought with many Metro Beasts.

    We suffered almost succumbed to thirst because it was difficult to get drinking water.

    We were almost flattened by traps of falling rocks.

    Sometimes, I quarrel with Tamiko over trivial things.

    I found a pod of peas that contained pearly white gems.

    A giant clam rolls down the slope.

    We can spend hours idling by the edge of an underground lake, or traversing a swamp of boiling mud.

    While touched by the rapidly changing scenery across the Metro,

    The two of us finally get to the 30th floor and reach the 29th floor. It¡¯s been ten days since the life and death battle with Boss Slime.

    Metro beasts usually do not have the ability to analyze enemy forces as accurately as Tamiko. So, despite the difference in strength, they attack on instinct and appetite alone.

    Even so, if I scatter [Beast Repellent Spores], most of them thankfully back off, sensing the difference in rank. This is clear evidence that the level of Metro Beasts is dropping. This power does not seem to be very fuel-efficient, and it is tiring and hungry to keep spraying, but it is much better than wasting time dealing with the small fries.

    ¡°Well, Tamiko the repellent doesn¡¯t work against them.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t you squeak mess with me you beasts! *Hiss*!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko is not the only one who has been unable to get along with insects and the other creepy crawlies. Perhaps because their predatory instincts are stronger than their intelligence, they boldly attack when they see potential prey. Having dealt with slimes so many times, I have developed a tolerance to the creepy crawlies, and I only have to wince every time I take out their sporangium.

    The area of the floors seems to be shrinking as we go up the stairs. The journey from one stairway to another stairway must have taken around three hours on the 40th floor, but now I can see the next floor in a little more than half that time, partly because I have fewer chances to get tangled up with Metro Beasts.

    From the twenty-ninth floor, it takes one day to reach the twenty-fifth floor at the staircase, and just a single day to reach the twenty-first floor.

    Finally, the goal is visible, and Tamiko and I begin to become more and more elated.

    ¡°Wow¡­ I¡¯m feeling a little nervous¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The moment that I have been dreaming about for the past five years while living side by side with death, is approaching. At this rate, I might start crying once we reach the single-digit floors.

    ¡°That¡¯s right squeak, I¡¯m squeaking excited.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I wonder what is left after a hundred years?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Just a squeak more. We¡¯ve already squeak this far, the goal is near, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­no, we have to be careful at such times. It would be a shame to get carried away, slip up just before the finish line, and get seriously injured.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯ve learned something, thank squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s because I¡¯m Abeshuu¡­ You tell me when I¡¯ve goofed.¡± (Shuu)

    And on the 20th floor where they set foot.

    There is something waiting for the two of them.

    Summary of Shuu¡¯s Fungal Skills (level 66)

    01: Regenerative Mycelium

    02: Hypha Sword

    03: Burning Ball

    04: Hypha Shield

    05: Healing Ball

    06: Hypha Hammer

    07: Electric Ball

    08: Hypha Great Shield

    09: Enhanced Leaping Ability

    10: Sensory Spores

    11: Mysterious Mycelial Ball

    12: Smoke Screen Ball

    13: Beast Repellent Spores

    14: ?????

    15: Spore Light

    16: Hypha Arms

    17: ?????

    Summary of Tamiko¡¯s Fungal Skills (level 41)

    01: Enhanced Hearing

    02: Hypha Shell

    03: Risk Counter

    04: Hardened Front Teeth

    05: Camouflage

    06: ?????

 CH 18

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hmm?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I can hear someone near us.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s ears perked as she stood on my shoulders.

    ¡°What is it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Someone fighting, squeak. I squeak it¡¯s a big Metro Beast.¡± (Tamiko)

    I also listen carefully. There is a faint sound of crashing and a distant yelp. The ground is shaking.

    ¡°I wonder if the beasts are fighting with each other. They¡¯re doing it pretty loudly, maybe we should stay away from them.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That might not be, squeak¡­ No, it is something else, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Something else?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­A human squeak? It¡¯s probably a human, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Seriously!?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m sure! I can hear a human speaking!¡± (Tamiko)

    (No way, I haven¡¯t met one in a hundred years¡­) (Shuu)

    In the past five years, I had never met anyone on the way here. I assumed that would be the case until I reached the ground.

    ¡°I am squeak of it, Abeshuu! A human is being attacked by a Metro Beast, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Are you really sure!? This is bad! I¡¯m really nervous!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We have to get there, squeak! Faster you squeaking blockhead, go go go!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you were in the drill sergeant mode.¡± (Shuu)

    Although I am not prepared for it, the situation seemed to be urgent. The walls of the tunnel seem to shake.

    We move across the walls of the tunnels as I pass through with [Enhanced leaping Ability]. I follow Tamiko¡¯s directions to the branching paths. Ignoring the Metro Beasts along the way, I just plow through them.

    At the end of the path is a room, and the banging noise becomes clear not just to Tamiko¡¯s ears. I stopped just before the room and used my [Sensory Spores] to catch a glimpse of what is up there.

    There is a large Metro Beast and it is rampaging wildly.

    Confronting it is no doubt, a human being.

    A cloaked boy steps back and turns to face me and Tamiko who has rushed into the room. He is wearing what looks like to be motorcycle goggles.

    The Metro Beast facing them is a huge boar over two meters tall with a flabby, jiggly belly. It has purple fur, short legs, a tail reminiscent of a lizard or dinosaur, and sword-like fangs protruding from its lower jaw.

    ¡°Don¡¯t come! It¡¯s a mature beast!¡± (Boy)

    His voice was young but dignified. He is quite young. In his right hand he holds a knife, and in his left a whip or something like a cord.

    ¡°Goaaaah!¡± (Boar)

    The boar roared and charged toward the boy.

    The boy dodges to the side and swings his knife. Perhaps because he is quite light, the knife just slides across the surface of the fur and does not cause any damage.

    The wild boar charged¨CI noticed, the wild boar¡¯s lizard¡¯s tail swell making it turn quickly and approach the boy. It¡¯s an agile movement that doesn¡¯t suit its massive figure.

    It lunges, thrusts its fangs, swings its tail, and strikes. Although its attack patterns are few, they are sharp and seamless. It is a mature individual, and its killing power is exceptional compared to other Metro Beasts in this area.

    Moreover, this boar is also wary of us. While dealing with the boy in front of it, it does not forget to glance at us from the corner of its eye. It seems to be highly intelligent.

    The boy, on the other hand, is also taking advantage of his small size to slash at it with their knife from the side or strike it in the face with their whip from a distance. However, it is not enough to do any damage. The way they were moving, they seemed to be looking for an opportunity to retreat.

    ¡°Tamiko, what are their levels?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hmm¡­ the big one is about 40, the Human is about 20, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Just as we see, the difference in their power is clear.

    ¡°Abeshu, can¡¯t you help, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well, I want to help but¡­ am I allowed?¡± (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t know anything about the etiquette and manners of hunters in this world. I was told ¡°Don¡¯t come¡±, and I¡¯m afraid that they¡¯ll be angry or accused of ¡°You stole my prey!¡±

    On the other hand, it is obvious that the boy has no chance to win. It is dangerous to continue fighting like this. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s just some beast, it¡¯s bad for my sleep to have a person die in front of me.

    ¡°Hey! Do you want me to help!?¡± (Shuu)

    I call out loudly. I¡¯m a little nervous.

    ¡°Huh!? It¡¯s dangerous! Run away!¡± (Boy)

    The boy looks away for a moment and the next moment.

    The wild boar takes a deep breath and goes wild! And spits out a large amount of black smoke.

    ¡°Abeshuu! Duck, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh!¡± (Shuu)

    I involuntarily jumped to the wall. The boy also moves back from a distance before he was swallowed just in the nick of time, but he still inhales some of the smoke and holds his mouth as his upper body heaves.

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t it that bad?¡± (Shuu)

    The boy falls to his knees and vomits. The boar, seeing this, slammed its hooves into the floor and rushed forward with great vigor.

    (Oh damn! Emergency evacuation!) (Shuu)

    I crouched and kicked against the floor with my [Enhanced Leaping Ability]. I then create a [Hypha Great Shield] in my left hand and strike from the boar¡¯s side.

    ¡°Woah!¡± (Shuu)

    The weight of the boar is heavier than I expected, and my body bounced back. However, the boar also flew and fell to its side. It quickly gets up, dexterously wagging its tail as it slides across the floor.

    ¡°Tamiko, go to that kid!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    After seeing Tamiko get off my shoulders and head towards the boy, I faced the boar head-on.

    The intimidating feeling makes my back tingle. My palms feel sweaty. Perhaps because of its size or because it looks scary, it feels more formidable than the level Tamiko evaluated.

    ¡°Goaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± (Boar)

    A menacing roar shakes the room. The difference in level between the two of us is far greater, but whether it¡¯s excitement or recklessness, it seems to have no intention of backing down.

    I hide half of my body behind the great shield, and in my right hand I began to create something, I summon a [Hypha Hammer]. Whether it is the effect of leveling up or the evolution of my Fungal Skills, the length of the hammer¡¯s handle, which was initially fixed at about 1 meter, can be adjusted. It can be extended up to about 2 meters.

    The wild boar rushes. It¡¯s like a cannonball.

    ¨CStill, compared to the boss slime¡¯s spike tackle.

    ¡°Oh, oh, oh¨C¡± (Shuu)

    The back of my spine tingles. The handle of the hammer in my hand makes a creaking sound. The tip of the hammer is covered with the bluish-white [Spore Light].

    Then, I swung it from behind, overhead, and straight down.

    Smash! And the skull of the wild boar caves in.

    Its whole head sank to the floor, its body sliding on the floor to my feet, before stopping.

    Its eyeballs popped out, and its almost torn-off tongue loosely hangs down. However, I can still see its body twitch and jerk.

    ¡°No hard feelings, I hope there¡¯s no grudge between us.¡± (Shuu)

    I throw away the hammer and summoned a sword. The boar finally stopped moving when I chopped off its neck with my sword.

    I relaxed my shoulders and took a sigh of relief. The result was a one-punch victory, but it was the first time in a long time that I felt a little scared in a fight.

    I headed toward the boy. He is lying on his side, breathing shallowly, and his consciousness is fading. Tamiko calls out to him and pats his face.

    ¡°He¡¯s conscious, squeak, but he can¡¯t move squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well, what should we do? ¡­I¡¯d like to take her to the hospital, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll make it¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Will she last long enough to get to the surface?

    The first thing to do is to feed him some of the herbs that Tamiko knows have detoxifying properties. I¡¯ll have to get him to eat it first.

    ¡°Abeshuu, I¡¯ll try to give her some of that, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Are you sure¡­? I wonder if it will work.¡± (Shuu)

    My eleventh Fungal Skill, The edible Mysterious Mycelial Ball.

    It is green in color and contains a lot of juice like the [Healing Ball]. It is a light green, medicinal-tasting juice (Tamiko doesn¡¯t like it much, apparently).

    The effect of the juice is still not well understood, but there is an experience where a rat on the 50th floor who had eaten poisonous mushrooms and was in a state of poisoning was given the juice and became well again. Tamiko speculated to have some kind of detoxifying effect.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing else we can do¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Placing the boy¡¯s head on my lap and lifting his face upwards. I put the goggles on his forehead.

    Looking at his face properly, I was shocked.

    ¡ªI think he¡¯s cute. My subconscious said.

    He is probably in his mid-teens. He has neck-length black hair and slightly pointed ears. He has long eyelashes, thin but shapely eyebrows, a slender nose, and full, glossy lips. He has an androgynous figure¡ªif he were a girl, he would be called a beautiful girl.

    The object of my sexual desire has always been women (at least when I was living in my original life). Now, however, my thought is shaken by the sudden appearance of a super beautiful boy.

    After five years in hell, this is the first of my kind that I have encountered. Perhaps it is only natural that he appears more beautiful than necessary, but I can¡¯t help but ask myself, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±

    ¡°Abeshuu, what are you doing, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Nya!? None! Nothing!¡± (Shuu)

    Now is not the time to be nervous. I produced a green cocoon-like ball in my right hand and squeezed it tightly. I let the juice overflow into his mouth.

    Gulp, gulp, and it flowed down his throat.

    (This image looks really dangerous.) (Shuu)

    He¡¯s drinking my own juice. I didn¡¯t think anything of it when I fed it to Tamiko and Oldman Uni, but I felt a strong sense of immorality.

    His deathly pale complexion slowly turns pink and flushed. His breathing becomes deep and relaxed. The closed eyes flutter open, and he moans softly, ¡°Nnn¡­ ah¡­¡±.

    Our eyes meet. They blink for a moment, and then he jumps up and says, ¡°Kya!¡± As he jumps up.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s better for you to not move yet¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Just as I had said that he clutched his chest again and vomited. He had just vomited earlier, so all that came out was bile.

    ¡°¡­You¡­ [Detoxification]¡­?¡± (Boy)

    ¡°Eh? You mean this?¡± (Shuu)

    Once again, I produce a green mycelium ball in my right hand, and he snatches it up. Like a cat, with the same destructive power in my heart as the image of a cat licking the palm of your hand.

    As he gnaws frantically at it with his head down, I have a suspicion that he might be a little boy.

    (Maybe this child¨C) (Shuu)

    ¡°Umm¨C¡± (Shuu)

    The boy, who has finished eating, sits down in front of me. The color of his face is much better.

    ¡°Thank you very much. Thank you for helping me.¡± (Boy)

    The boy bows his head deeply.

    At that moment, his heart was about to burst.

    It was my first encounter with a human being in five years. A conversation with another human being for the first time in five years.

    ¡ªMy goal has been achieved even though I have not reached the surface yet.

    It feels like all the hell I have been through until this moment has been rewarded.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, wait a minute¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I turn away as my shoulder shake.

    ¡°Abeshuu, not here, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it.¡±

 CH 19

    T/N: Okay, so like before ¡°Itokuri¡± could mean the spinning wheel, weaving thread, or the guardian spirit in Nioh literally meaning ¡°thread weaver¡±. The title could mean ¡°Sir Itokuri¡± or ¡°Sir Thread Weaver¡± if you want a full English translation.

    ¡°My name is Ikari Noa. I am a hunter of the Ikebukuro Tribe.¡± (Boy => Noa)

    The boy says his name. He used ¡°Boku¡± too. [T/N: Boku is the male form of I/me. Usually, young boys use this form of I.]

    (Ikebukuro? Does Ikebukuro still exist? Also, what is a tribe?) (Shuu)

    ¡°Umm¡­ you are¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ah, um¡­ I¡¯m Shuu Abe.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m Tamiko, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    He noticed Tamiko and looks a little confused, but not as confused as I was when we first met.

    ¡°You are a Carbuncle¡­ Right¡­?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°You know about my kind, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°No, I have never seen your kind before. I have only heard about you from my great-grandfather.¡± (Noa)

    The existence of magic beasts¨Canimals that can talk¨Cseems to be rather common knowledge to the humans of this world.

    ¡°Um¡­ Abe-san¡­ where is your tribe?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh well, about that¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I remember that ¡°tribe¡± can mean ¡°race¡± or ¡°tribe¡±. I was born in Gyoda City and currently reside in Toshima Ward. My favorite food is the Tokyo specialty, Abura Soba. I don¡¯t know if I can answer that question as it is. [T/N: He is pondering on what Noa means by ¥È¥é¥¤¥Ö or toraibu or tribe, for Japanese it could mean ·N×å or shuzoku or tribe/species/family(phylogeny) and ²¿×å or buzoku or tribe/clan/family(genealogy). Abura Soba or soupless ramen is ramen that uses sauce instead of broth/soup.]

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that was rude of me. But¡­ it¡¯s amazing that you could defeat a full-grown Catoblepas solo¡­¡± (Noa) [T/N: Catoblepas is a mythical buffalo-like creature that breathes fire or poisonous smoke.]

    Is that called a Catoblepas? It was a grotesque-looking cow or pig that breathed a poisonous breath.

    ¡°Oh, sorry for taking down your prey¡­(Shuu)

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it! couldn¡¯t have killed it on my own, and I didn¡¯t have any chance of escaping¡­ You really helped me thank you very much.¡± (Noa)

    I feel relieved. For the time being, it seems that this will not start a string of complaints or escalate further. Risk reduction is the favorite word of all working people no matter what era.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to ask you for more, but if we don¡¯t dismantle this first, I won¡¯t be able to thank you¡­ Would it be okay to go there at the water side there?¡± (Noa)

    Noa pulls out a string from his hand and attaches it to the hind legs of the Catoblepas. It¡¯s a string of mycelium twisted together, so it seems that he¡¯s trying to pull and drag the beast.

    ¡°¡­Ngii¡­!¡± (Noa)

    Noa pulls the rope over his shoulder and drags it making his whole face bright red. It is probably not just a few kilos, but about a ton, not the weight even a hunter can easily carry.

    ¡°Let¡¯s help me too¨C¡± (Shuu)

    When I move in front of Noa, my eyes grew wide open.

    He¡¯s tiny, probably around 150 centimeters. His body shape is difficult to see because he wears a dark green cloak that extends from his neck to his knees.

    But¡ªthe rope from his right shoulder to his left hip is digging into his body.

    The taut string perfectly presses between the mounds on his chest. They were quite voluminous.

    Stop looking. I know it in my mind. But my body refuses to look away. The lens and cornea, the ciliary body and retina, grasp the scene as if to say, ¡°This is our destiny! We will not let go of such a sight.¡± The loyalty to the desire is insane.

    ¡°¡­Um¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Kya!¡± (Noa)

    Noa hurriedly hides her chest. Her face grew redder by the moment.

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re a girl¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The same is true for me. My face is so hot as if a hot water bottle was stuffed in my cheeks.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t plan on hiding it¡­ No, I did hide it¡­ but¡­¡± (Noa)

    Well, it¡¯s not hard to guess her circumstances of deciding to pretend to be a boy. Probably, as long as a profession of a hunter is established, there is no doubt that the world has become more dangerous than before.

    But¡ªif so, why is she doing this dangerous job alone?

    ¡°I am also female, you know, Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Uhuh? Uhuh.¡± (Shuu)

    I can¡¯t bear to have a girl carry such a large load, so I pull the cord and ask Noa to push me from behind. As expected, even with a level 66 body, it is hard to pull a truck without wheels. Even so, the massive body begins to move.

    (But this cord is quite sturdy.) (Shuu)

    (It¡¯s made of several cords, but it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s going to tear at all.) (Shuu)

    It¡¯s an ability that could be useful in various ways. Even for professions other than a hunter.

    Looking back¡ªmany of my abilities are more focused on killing others, especially the Metro Beasts. Thanks to that, I have survived for five years, but how should I make use of them in the future?

    (If I go to the surface, I have to think about the next step.)

    Noa leads the way. Perhaps it was the smell of blood or the sound, but the metro beasts came close to us along the way, but I chased them away with [Beast Repellent Spores].

    After about five minutes, we reach the waterside she mentioned.

    The water is flowing from right to left. It is more like a river than a canal.

    The riverbank is lined with glittering soft sand, and colorful and wild mycelial plants reminiscent of the deep sea plants that appear through the gaps. The water¡¯s depth does not seem to be deep.

    When Noa weaves hypha from her palm, they come together forming a knife with a blade length of about 20 cm. It¡¯s a shorter version of my [Hypha Sword].

    She used it to pierce the lower abdomen of the corpse of the headless Catoblepas, She drags it under the skin with certainty and familiarity.

    ¡°Um, Ikari-san.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Huh, yes?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°May I help you?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, yes, thank you.¡± (Noa)

    Noa turns to the corpse and continues to dismantle it. Shuu is still standing up.

    ¡°Oh, that¡­ Ikari-san.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Huh, yes?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What should I do?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Noa)

    Noa looked at me blankly. She must wonder why a hunter who is older and more capable than herself is waiting for instructions like a newbie. My bad.

    I have my own way of doing things that I have been experimenting with for the past five years. However, that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that I have completely deviated from the attitude I had in my old profession. I am afraid of her being taken aback or offended if I make a bad move.

    It would be horrible if it happened to a cute younger girl. She also has to heal her wounds in a super public area she can call back and say, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well, so I¡¯m taking a day off from work.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just trying to go along with your way of doing things. I¡¯ve never beaten a Catoblepas before¡­ Tell me anything you see wrong.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, then¡­ can I have you hold down this side?¡± (Noa)

    From there, work goes smoothly. Noa quickly opens up its abdomen and scrapes out the internal organs. She deals with the blood and offal without any hesitation, even if she¡¯s probably just around the age of a high school girl in my era. I eventually pulled out two sporangia from deep within the lower abdomen and hand them to Noa.

    ¡°Because it is a prey that you have killed, please feel free to eat it.¡± (Noa)

    After a little hesitation, I took one from Noa.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind sharing half with Tamiko. This one is yours.¡± (Shuu)

    Speaking only at their estimated level, I have eaten a lot of things that are better than this one. I wouldn¡¯t be troubled if I skip one or two now and again, and it would be more beneficial for her to eat it herself.

    Noa¡¯s eyes light up and he bows his head, ¡°Thank you!¡± And she energetically bites. I looked away from the high school girl eating as she eats sloppily while juices drip from her mouth. If I stare at her, I am sure to get arrested, or if you look at her thinking of that, I¡¯m out of the picture. Modern people must be sensitive to sexual harassment in order to survive.

    ¡°Ahh!¡± (Noa)

    Suddenly Noa cried out.

    ¡°What happened!? Are you okay!?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh no. I¡¯m sorry. My level improved¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good news. Congratulations.¡± (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t want to tell her that I was a bit nervous when I heard her sexy moaning voice.

    ¡°How many levels is Ikarinoa, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko, I don¡¯t think you should ask so casually.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m around 24.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh.¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s almost exactly what Tamiko estimated. I don¡¯t know how much it is in the hunter profession.

    ¡°I am 41, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko easily reveals her level without being asked. She has the higher one, I guess. She was puffing out her chest to prove it.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s amazing¡­ It¡¯s a lot higher than me since you are past 40¡­ By the way, what about Abe-san?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯m around 66.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa nearly drops her sporangium.

    ¡°¡­Over level 60¡­ Isn¡¯t that Master Class¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ah, yeah? Probably (a master?).¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko¡¯s mother¡¯s partner was an ¡°excellent hunter¡± at level 53, so maybe, me at 60+ is also rated that high. In reality, though, I am just a naive amateur.

    After finish they eating, they continue dismantling. Noa says she wants to bring the hide and meat home.

    ¡°The skin of the Catoblepas will be used to make clothing for hunters. It¡¯s a rare individual, so I think it¡¯s going to be a good material. And its meat has a lot of fat and has a very rich taste. Here. Let¡¯s salt it and make bacon on the surface.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ba-ba-bacon!?¡± (Shuu)

    Such a culture still exists here? How fascinating it sounds. The aroma of seared bacon and the taste of beer in my mouth is just irresistible. I can¡¯t stop my mouth from watering.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, isn¡¯t meat poisonous? You were spitting out poison earlier, weren¡¯t you?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We just have to avoid the parts close to the internal organs, but since it has such a huge body, we can eat as much as we want.¡± (Noa)

    Noa is momentarily startled, but he shows me the parts I could cut into pieces. Tamiko, who had been watching with great interest until about halfway through, gets bored and makes a bed of water plants and begins to take a nap. The sound of her lightly snoring begins to play a regular rhythm.

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re amazing, Abe-san.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°At your young age, you¡¯re already above level 60¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well¡­ is it really that amazing?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t be humble. Besides, the Fungal Skills from [War Hammer] to [Long Sword]¡­ Then there¡¯s [Great Shield] and [Detoxification]¡­ Is your Fungal Class a [Holy Knight]? As you can see, mine is [Craftsman]¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Fu-Fungal Class? Holy Knight?¡± (Shuu)

    I hear some words that I¡¯m not familiar with. They get stuck in my mind, spinning and confusing me.

    ¡°¡­oh, I¡¯m sorry. I asked about your Fungal Class without permission¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, what¡¯s that¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    I couldn¡¯t help but think with my arms closed.

    This hunter¡¯s words, I don¡¯t understand most of them? If it happens frequently, I will look suspicious.

    At this time, I don¡¯t want to reveal my full circumstance. I want to ask about all the questions that I have accumulated in the last five years.

    The question is how will she react.

    A human being 100 years ago. A human being from an old civilization. I¡¯ve lived inside the underground Metro for five years. If I talk about that, she¡ªwhat will the inhabitants of this world think? I can¡¯t imagine.

    She is the first human I met after I woke up. She looks very nice and cute.

    It would be fine if she snickered at me and said she doesn¡¯t believe me. It¡¯s okay if she gets angry at me for making fun of her. If I imagine it, it¡¯s cute, so I¡¯d rather see it.

    But if she thinks I¡¯m suspicious, crazy, or cut off our budding friendship, it¡¯s going to be hard. I¡¯ll probably cry.

    ¡°¡­Abe-san¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    (¡­But, can I really avoid it?) (Shuu)

    (I¡¯m her benefactor, she¡¯s not going to hurt me, right?) (Shuu)

    I scratched my head, and as I raise my face. Noa looks a little concerned.

    ¡°Well Ikari-san. I have a story I want you to hear.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I may say a lot of strange things during then, but I will be grateful if you don¡¯t stop from listening.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Strange things?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m from maybe a hundred years ago? I¡¯m from a time when the hunters and the Metro Labyrinth were different. I¡¯m a person who lived in the old world, where there were no hunters and no Metro Labyrinth.¡± (Shuu)

    And then, as if I had been released from the weight on my shoulders, I begin to talk. I tell her who I am. Over the past five years.

    I was working for a company in a world where there were no metros or metro beasts. After a minor accident, I was hospitalized in a hospital in Outsuka, where I was greeted by the Metro Flooding¡ªsome kind of natural disaster. I woke up on the 50th floor of this Outsuka Metro.

    Tamiko wakes up in the middle of the day and adds to the story. I¡¯ll deny the saga of the great show of heroism that she single-handedly turned an Ogre into rust of her front teeth.

    After five years of living next to death and training my abilities, I was finally able to defeat the boss and escape the 50th floor. On his way to the top, I met Noa, and here we are today.

    Noa was sitting down on the floor, looking stunned. She didn¡¯t interject or ask any questions. As a speaker, I am grateful, but inwardly I am nervous about how she is taking my wild tale of adventure.

    When the story, which lasted about ten minutes, is over, Noa covers her face with her hands and sighs heavily.

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s just the way it is¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­so many hunters have tried to defeat it so far, and no one has been able to defeat¡­¡­ that Satan Slime¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Really? So it was called a Satan Slime?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s all true, squeak. I¡¯ve witnessed it all, squeak. Abeshuu squeaked the mother¡¯s and her partner¡¯s killer.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­ Is it okay to check one thing?¡± (Noa)

    Noa stretches out her hand and grabs my hand. She then cuts the palm of my hand with her Hypha Knife.

    ¡°Hey! What are you doing!?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Please let me see how well it heals.¡± (Noa)

    Maybe she is some Yandere? Despite my suspicion of her proclivities, my wound is covered with blue-black fungus and heals on its own.

    ¡°Blue-black mycelium¡­ much faster than [Self-Regeneration] ¡­ I-[Immortal] Fungal Skill¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Immortal?¡± (Shuu)

    Noa looks up and looks straight at me.

    There¡¯s no expression on her face and she looks pale. I can¡¯t read what kind of thoughts are behind her mind.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s true. You¡¯re from the old civilization, an inhabitant of Tokyo¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Tokyo¡­ yes, and you believe me¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    Noa releases my hand and mutters in a daze.

    ¡°¡­The thirteenth person¡­ A [Itokuri-Shi].¡± (Noa)

    T/N: So, should I use ¡°Itokuri-shi¡± or ¡°Sir/Lord/Lady Thread Weaver¡±. Both titles sound super cool so I really don¡¯t know which to use.

 CH 21

    Fatigued but my sleep is shallow, so I tossed and turned several times.

    When the Firefly Moss turns into a whitish glow, Noa wakes up with a start and rubs her eyes, ¡°Good morning,¡± she says.

    ¡°Good morning, Ikari-san.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯re up early.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep much, thinking about how it¡¯s finally going to happen.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko is lying on the floor next to me, snoring softly. Her hand was twitching as if she was grasping the air. When I rub her belly, she wakes up immediately with a ¡°Nnnya!?¡±

    ¡°Be-beast! To disrupt a maiden¡¯s sleep! Stop it, stop now¡­ is this the squeak-uel of the dream¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Don¡¯t go back to sleep.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave after having breakfast. I think we can get out while there is still daylight.¡± (Noa)

    A simple breakfast of dried meat and crusty bread was still a luxury after five years of my previous diet. After finishing their post-meal tea (hojicha [T/N: Type of Japanese green tea.], which even Tamiko can drink), the three of us leave the room of the hideout.

    There is still half a day to go on the Metro. We can¡¯t afford to worry about any accidents that might occur on the way here, so I constantly spread the [Sensory Spores] around. Tamiko¡¯s ears were twitching.

    ¡°I wonder if there are any other hunters here beside us?¡± (Shuu)

    It seems like there should be more people on the upper floor, but we haven¡¯t seen any of them or any dead bodies (not that I want to see one).

    ¡°The Outsuka Metro is somewhat far from town and not very popular with hunters because of the lack of resources it gives. In the past, there were some brave souls who tried to take on Satan Slime, but they were either killed or barely escaped with their lives, adding to the bad reputation of the place¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Is it such a scary boss?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I heard that they couldn¡¯t subdue it even a multi-person party of over level 50 hunters or a famous duo of master class hunters. So honestly¡­ Forgive me for having a hard time believing you beat it alone¡­ I¡¯m just shocked¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Understandable, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. You have a reason.¡± (Shuu)

    If you convert the level as the fighting strength, it seems that the probability that a multi-person party can subdue the boss is higher than that me and Tamiko.

    No, it may be a matter of the compatibility of Fungal Skills rather than the level, and the characteristics of that slime. It might have been impossible to win without [Spore Light] and [Hypha Arms].

    Noa continues on her way through the complex maze of paths without a second thought. While scattering [Beast Repellent Spores], I occasionally blew away the occasional small fry with my [Hypha Hammer], and I was rewarded with the sporangium. Noa looks happy.

    ¡°Mmmm! This white, thick, bitter thing! I just can¡¯t get enough of this luscious stuff!!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that good.¡± (Shuu)

    We pass through a meadow of mycelium plants, cross a rushing waterway, cross a hill of stalagmites, and crawl on all fours through a pipe.

    Twelfth floor, eleventh floor, tenth floor. And then the ninth floor, we¡¯ve finally reached the single-digit floors.

    From there, I struggled to contain my excitement, my heart racing with each step, and I have no time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Metro. Tamiko, on my shoulder, is constantly fidgeting and flicking her tail.

    And then, reaching the second floor.

    A path that resembles the main path on the fiftieth floor and reminds me of a subway line. It has several branches. The smell of the air has changed, and I noticed it.

    The mustiness that was felt everywhere in the metro from the 50th floor to here has diminished considerably. I can feel a slight current of air on my cheeks.

    ¡°¡­are we almost there¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko starts sniffing. I stroke her head and wipe my tears.

    ¡°¡ªLet¡¯s go, Tamiko. It¡¯s the promised place.¡± (Shuu)

    The first floor is a large space reminiscent of the subway station. It is dimly lit with few firefly mosses, but there is light peaking at the back of the room. It is the final staircase.

    It was the 1814th day since Abe Shuu had awakened to the Outsuka Metro.

    A dazzling light envelops Abe and Tamiko as they pass through the staircase.

    ¡°Dazzling, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko got down on my shoulder and is looking up at the sky.

    ¡°That¡¯s the sun¡­ It¡¯s making my eyes water, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko-san, don¡¯t look too directly at it. You¡¯ve been in the dimly lit metro for a long time.¡± (Noa)

    It¡¯s sunny. There is a faint haze-like cloud, but there it is, the brilliant sun of the afternoon.

    ¡°Woah¡­ beautiful, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko spills a few tears as her tail and tiny back were quivering.

    ¡°The sun is high in the sky¡­ Beautiful, squeak¡­ blue, squeak¡­ That is the sky, squeak¡­ This is the surface, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko-san¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa gently touches Tamiko¡¯s back and rubs it gently.

    ¡°Mother¡­ I did it, squeak¡­! I finally got out, squeak¡­!¡± (Tamiko)

    I was¡ªI¡¯m stunned. Standing with my eyes and mouth wide open.

    I thought my heart would shake even more. I thought I would be in tears.

    Of course, I am moved. I am trembling with a sense of accomplishment. My body feels light as if it has grown wings, freed from the pressure of being bound to the underground world.

    But¡ªI¡¯m awed by the sight around me.

    ¡ªWhen I went above ground, the streets of Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, were not there.

    I was prepared for that.

    There were no asphalt roads, no rows of buildings, no streetcars. No electric wires cutting through the sky, no cars running on the street, no people walking on the street. They were not there.

    Tamiko¡¯s mother used to say. Earth¡¯s surface is a beautiful place.

    The sky is endless, the greenery is abundant, the mountains are high, there are big rivers flowing, and there are shining human cities. She told her that many people and many beasts lived there.

    I did not know how much I could believe in that story. Perhaps it was just a way of cheering Tamiko up.

    I doubted that there was any possibility of a continuation to the devastated, debris-strewn city. Or perhaps a barren desert, a surface of the dirt.

    Because Tokyo had been destroyed and civilization had collapsed.

    Here we are standing in front of the entrance to the Outsuka Metro¡ªa staircase leading underground.

    The area around us is covered in a blanket of green.

    ¡°This is¡­ is it really Tokyo¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    After passing through the Metro Labyrinth, I was in a forest of bizarre mycelial plants.

    A/N: ¡°Outsuka Metro Arc¡± is done.

 CH 22

    A/N: 5/27 ¨C Various sentences were revised. The content is almost unchanged.

    A short walk to the north leads to a small hill from which one can see the surrounding area. I follow Noa into the forest.

    The area was overgrown with strange mycelial plants, much like the ones in the metro. However, they are all massive.

    A giant cattail that is as thick as a human arm, a leopard-printed foxtail, a sponge-like perforated marimo, and a thin tree with three eyes that resemble a traffic signal. Then there are colorful flowers, mushrooms, and ferns.

    *Chi~**chi~**chi~*I can hear the cries of small birds. The flying insects are rather creepy, at the very least they are things I have never seen in Tokyo or Gyouda.

    Tamiko, who is sitting on my shoulder is fixed, constantly looking around above her head with her mouth hanging open. Earlier, she had been calling out one thing after another that caught her eye, but now she too is silently observing, perhaps concerned about my lack of words. I feel sorry that I may have dampened her excitement.

    Soon, the trail becomes steeper, and I have to move by grabbing a tree. It seemed to be an ¡°ordinary tree¡± with a solid trunk, which I thought it might be. Then, I wondered if there are mycelium within the tree if I cut and split it.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, Abe-san.¡± (Noa)

    We finish the climb in about five minutes. I stood at the bottom of the hill alongside Noa.

    ¡°¡­what is this¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s not a very high point, but you can see the whole landscape.

    As far as the eye can see, a vivid forest stretches out in the sunlight. There are large undulations and glimpses of the river running between them. To the east, there are high mountains with exposed rock surfaces.

    ¡°The land is full of trees, squeak. Is this the whole forest, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes, it is. This is the Tokyo Sea of Trees. It is a mycelial forest that covers almost the entire area of New Tokyo.¡± (Noa)

    The whole area of Tokyo. This is it.

    I crouched down and held my head in my hands. All I could do was laugh.

    ¡°What part of this is¡­ Tokyo¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    The concrete jungle has become a real jungle. It¡¯s not a funny joke.

    ¡°How can it change so much in a hundred years? ¡­I mean, Tokyo was destroyed, wasn¡¯t it? Why is it like this? ¡­What happened in that one hundred years¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko rubbed my cheek with worry.

    Noa sits next to me.

    ¡°He told me that a hundred years ago, Tokyo was as gray and crowded as this green forest and that many more people lived in this city compared to the present.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Great-grandfather?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A person who lived from the old world.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Really!?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes¡­ He died eight years ago¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right¡­¡±

    It should be the 107 in the Tokyo calendar now. Even if he was just barely old enough to have a developed memory in the Heisei era, he would have been over 100 years old. That¡¯s a long life.

    ¡°You don¡¯t remember what happened on that day one hundred years ago, do you, Abe-san?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah¡­ just vaguely.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa took an old notebook out of her pocket. The leather notebook is almost white and faded.

    ¡°This is the notebook my great-grandfather used when he was young. It contains information about that time. The handwriting is so dirty that I can only read bits and pieces of it¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Seriously? A notebook from the same era as mine?¡± (Shuu)

    The paper you flip through is also wrinkled and yellowed and looks as if it will decay at any moment.

    There, the characters that made his great-grandchildren say are terrible are scribbled over many pages. It is so bad that it looks like a cipher to my eyes.

    ¡°I only know about it from my great-grandfather¡¯s bedtime stories. But my great-grandfather remembers the ¡®Tokyo Judgment¡¯ very vividly.¡±

    Mysterious happenings, some of which could be called supernatural phenomena, have been occurring in the subway tunnels of the Tokyo Metro.

    Unnatural horizontal and vertical holes and fissures. The appearance of impossible branching paths. The leakage of gas that seems to be toxic gas, the shadow of a huge creature that does not seem to exist, and the disappearance of a Metro employee who went missing while out investigating.

    At the time, the Internet and television were full of mixed information as to how much of it was fact and how much was fake. For me, it was only five years ago, but it feels like a distant memory.

    And one week after the first incident was discovered.

    (One week after the first incident, Two major catastrophes later called the ¡®Tokyo Judgement¡¯ struck Tokyo. The first was called the ¡®Metro Flood¡¯.)

    A large local earthquake struck Tokyo.

    Buildings were knocked down, and the surface of the Earth crumbled, sank, and raised.

    It was caused by a sudden shift in the subway railway system that runs beneath the city. The metro overflowed explosively as if an embankment were about to break from the small and gradual changes that had occurred until then.

    The collapsed Tokyo is said to have been surrounded by a wall.

    ¡°A wall?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The air is a little murky today with spores flying around, but can¡¯t you see it faintly in the distance?¡± (Noa)

    If you strain your eyes, you can indeed see it. A whitish wall, so faint that it blends into the sky, rises out of the forest ridge and stretches horizontally as if it is tracing the horizon.

    ¡°What¡­ isn¡¯t that wall really massive?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s a massive wall that¡¯s over 500 meters high. It surrounds New Tokyo. It¡¯s also said to be part of the Metro.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Is that part of the Metro? I mean, it goes all the way around Tokyo?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Or, more precisely, ¡®the old central part of Tokyo¡¯? They say that it surrounds the center of the city. The explosive flooding of the underground metro, the collapse of Tokyo, the rising of the wall, and the separation from the outside world. And that it all happened in just one day.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­ then the people who were there¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°According to books, millions of people were killed in that one day.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°How¡­¡± (Shuu)

    According to her great-grandfather¡¯s notebook, more than 10 million people still survived and were waiting for rescue from the outside world.

    But instead of salvation, they were visited by a second disaster¡ª

    ¡°That is, ¡®Super Fungal Contamination.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Super Fungal Contamination.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s sometimes called a biohazard or a pandemic, but in essence, it¡¯s a massive flood of organisms and the destruction of civilization because of a ¡®Super Fungus¡¯.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Is that what Tamiko was talking about first?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± (Shuu)

    The spores of an unknown fungus overflowed from the depths of the flooded metro. It quickly covered the inside of the walls. The spores were like a dense fog, so thick that it was impossible to see ten meters ahead. And then it destroyed everything.

    ¡°The fungi destroyed everything¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°According to my great-grandfather¡¯s notes¡­ ¡®It was completely different from the existing fungi that are known as decomposers. Later named [Super Fungi], they decomposed everything on earth. It decomposed machines, paper, metal, electrical wires, glass, plastic, buildings, houses, infrastructure, knowledge, history, art, and communication networks. All of science and culture. It was truly a Decomposer of Civilizations.¡¯¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Decomposer of Civilizations¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°More lives were lost to the [Super Fungus] infection. Machines broke down, lifelines were cut off, knowledge was lost, and food was eaten by the fungi. It was not until ten years later that the fog of spores lifted, the fungus disappeared, and the [Super Fungal Contamination] came to an end. By then, Tokyo had completely collapsed.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ten years ¡­¡±

    The [Super Fungus] decomposed Tokyo, and the mold that had finished its work turned to dust to form soil, and Tokyo was covered with an abundance of mycelium plants. This is the Tokyo Sea of Trees that now spread out before us.

    There were almost no traces of past civilizations left behind. Only a few graveyards of rubble and debris were found in various places. Tokyo thus died once and was reborn as a completely different world.

    ¡°But that means there were survivors, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right. There were many survivors, including my great-grandfather, who were forced to flee their homes into the Metro after the [Super Fungal Contamination] occurred.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°In the metro? The [Super Fungi] came out from the depths of the Metro, right? Was it really safe?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they were safe. The death toll continued to rise due to infectious diseases and food shortages. Still, some people survived. Somehow they had developed a resistance to the [Super Fungus] and adapted to the environment, which was on the verge of collapse while being parasitized by mycelium all over their bodies. They are the ancestors of our people, the beginning of the [Thread-spinners].¡± (Noa)

    They survived by hiding in the vast metro area. They formed colonies, preyed on mycelium and metro beasts, drank the groundwater that flowed through the metro, and endured the long ten years.

    ¡°I also lived in the Metro for five years, but¡­ the did it twice mine¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s a little daunting to imagine if I had lived that life for another five years.

    ¡°By the time the ground was free of the fungal contamination, the population had dwindled to about 300,000.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± (Shuu)

    If there were about 15 million people trapped in central Tokyo, that means only a tiny percent survived.

    ¡°Nevertheless, they survived the harsh and barren period and began to rebuild under the sun in an effort to bring the Earth back into human hands again.¡± (Noa)

    And so began the recapture and settlement of the earth. Winning the territorial battles with the Metro Beasts, which were advancing on the surface at the same time, they cleared the land and built their homes.

    Deep in the Metro, there were plants and animals for food, many valuable resources, and above all, the power derived from the sporangia was essential for some people. The Metro was both the source of the disaster that had befallen the place and the foundation of its reemergence on the surface. The people who took the initiative to conquer the Metro were the pioneers of the hunting profession.

    ¡°The people joined forces, gathered knowledge, and gradually rebuilt their civilization. In the process, they developed into several large settlements, which came to be called tribes.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Tribes.¡± (Shuu)

    As a result of the increase in the number of tribes in each area, there were not only friendly exchanges among the various groups but also conflicts over territory and resources. Some of the tribes were thus destroyed by human hands.

    ¡°More than a decade after the return to earth, an organization called the [Metropolitan Government] was established to unite all the tribes, and this place was renamed New Tokyo.¡± (Noa)

    Conflicts gradually subsided and people focused more and more on the stability and development of their lives. They used decades to the fullest and slowly and carefully moved forward.

    ¡°¡­is the history of the end of Tokyo and the beginning of New Tokyo as described here. I don¡¯t think my great-grandfather understood the whole story, but I think this is probably the way it was written. My great-grandfather himself was a living witness.¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko¡¯s mouth has been hanging open for some time now. It seems that comprehension has not caught up with her.

    But, for me, I feel the tides of emotions. My head may be able to understand, but my heart has not caught up.

    Still, there are a few things that bother me.

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on in the outside world?¡± (Shuu)

    In Noa¡¯s story, there is no mention of the world outside the walls.

    Suppose the [Tokyo Judgment] is a localized disaster only within the wall, and the outside world is safe. If the outside world were safe, this would not be a fantasy new world, nor would it be New Tokyo, but a restored Tokyo Metropolis of Japan.

    In that sense, there are several possible answers. The question is which of them.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Umm, what do you mean you don¡¯t know?¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s an unexpected answer.

    ¡°We have no way of knowing what is out there. We can¡¯t go to the other side, and they can¡¯t come in from the other side. We can¡¯t go beyond the wall.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Can¡¯t you climb over it?¡± (Shuu)

    It is true that it is impossible to climb a 500-meter cliff. But even if it were difficult to build helicopters and airplanes from scratch after the end of scientific civilization, it would be possible to build something easier, like a balloon or a drone.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s impossible for a flying bird to go over that wall. It¡¯s not just a wall¡­ We don¡¯t understand it either¡­ Anyway, it¡¯s considered one of the impossible things in this country, that is, to try to interfere or go over the wall.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, does that mean you can¡¯t go over the wall and get information about the outside world?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what it means.¡± (Noa)

    Birds can¡¯t cross. If this is true, does it mean that it is physically impossible to pass over the wall?

    Is there some supernatural force at work? An invisible barrier or electromagnetic waves? I¡¯d like to say it¡¯s absurd, but the premise of the Metro, [Super Fungus], and the like is so far off reality that there¡¯s no way to deny it now.

    ¡°¡­By the way, does Ikari-san know what an airplane or a helicopter is? Have you seen them?¡± (Shuu)

    Even if the residents inside cannot go outside, it should not be surprising that there is interference from people outside. The ¡°Super Fungal Contamination¡± that degrades even machinery has already ended, even more so.

    ¡°Yes, I know what they are, but I have never seen one. ¡­I don¡¯t think it has ever been confirmed that such a thing was flying in the sky outside. Maybe the Metropolitan Government or the Metro Church might know something about them.¡± (Noa)

    Noa seems to be a little apologetic. She knew what the answer means to me.

    ¡°¡­Thank you, Ikari-san. I understand.¡± (Shuu)

    I breathed deeply and nodded a few times.

    I¡¯m almost certain.

    It may be due to the same event as [Tokyo Judgement]. Or it may be the aftermath. Or it may be due to a completely different event.

    Either way¡ªthere is no civilization in the outside world that has any aircraft.

    In fact, it is not even certain that the human race survives.

    Or¡ªin the worst-case¡­

    ¡°¡­I see¡­¡± (Shuu)

    (Maybe it¡¯s all gone¡­ Gyouda and my parents¡¯ home.) (Shuu)

    One hundred years¨Cthat¡¯s a tremendous number of years.

    The world in which I lived has returned to the earth.

    The place where I was born, the place where I lived, everything is buried in the earth.

    In my head, I should have been prepared for this long ago.

    But hearing it again, seeing it with my own eyes.

    ¨CIt¡¯s all gone.

    Everything that had nurtured me. The things I loved. Some that I didn¡¯t. Everything.

    ¡°¡­Aaaah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The only bit of emotion that spilled out of my eyes was the one where I¡¯ve lost everything about myself.

 CH 23

    11-14 minutes 22.07.2022

    Support the translator on lazytranslations.com

    ¡°Pardon me, Abe-san.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hmm?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯d like to get to town by the end of the day if possible, so I¡¯d like to leave soon¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, sure.¡± (Shuu)

    I wiped my face while nodding before standing up.

    ¡°Of course. Sorry, I got to go tho the surface with you. And I showed you a messy scene.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. I¡¯m sure we can talk more about it when we get to town.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Are you going to the town, squeak!? Will we go to the human town, squeak!?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko puffed with gusto. Her eyes lit up as if she were the youngest child whose mother had suggested that they go to D*sneyland next Sunday.

    ¡°That there on the right¡­ Can you see the gate and the buildings between the trees?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah¡­ oh, I see it.¡± (Shuu)

    When she told me, I could barely see it. But I¡¯m sure it is a man-made structure. Tamiko also wanted to see it, so I put her in my palm and held her above my head.

    ¡°I see it, squeak! Is that the town, squeak!? Pigya!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Calm down.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡° Yes, that¡¯s Sugamo City. And on the opposite left side¡­ you can see a little more clearly, there is a big tower. That¡¯s the Ikebukuro Tribe¡¯s territory.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Wow, Ikebukuro!¡± (Shuu)

    The nostalgic name restores the tension in the air. If the names of Sugamo and Ikebukuro are still around, it is only natural that they should also remain with the name of Outsuka still remaining.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Ikari-san, I heard you said you belong to Ikebukuro Tribe, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes¡­ I am a member of the Ikebukuro Tribe according to my family register. A hunter must belong to one of the branches.¡± (Noa)

    A slight shadow passes over Noa¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Then, are you going to go to Ikebukuro now?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh no¡­ let¡¯s go to Sugamo City.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ikebukuro is closer, and the town is bigger, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Still, I think going to Sugamo is better for Abe-san¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa paused. I wonder why.

    Sugamo, also known as Harajuku for Grannies.

    Ikebukuro is a town where the youth and Saitama Prefecture residents gather.

    The distance from Outsuka is almost the same. It¡¯s just one station away, and you can easily get there on foot. In fact, Ikebukuro is just a little closer.

    At a glance, it seems that Ikebukuro is a larger town than Sugamo, and that hasn¡¯t changed in this day and age.

    So why does Noa recommend Sugamo? Why is it ¡°better¡± for me and Tamiko?

    (¡­Oh, I see. I get it now.) (Shuu)

    It¡¯s because of this outfit. It¡¯s because this full-body wolf look is too immodest.

    As a former citizen of Gyoda, the only things I can be proud of are lotus trees and ancient burial mounds. I think it¡¯s too early for a wild child who just came out of a hole to have an audience with Ikefukurou [T/N: a great horned owl statue in Ikebukuro]. I thought the Jizo-san [T/N: Street in Sugamo] of Sugamo would warmly welcome me no matter what I looked like. Is that what you mean?

    ¡°Yeah, I understand. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Eh? Ah, yes. Then let¡¯s get going to¨C¡± (Noa)

    At this time, Tamiko was still in my palm.

    And I have not sprayed any [Sensory Spores]. Tamiko is also in high spirits, completely caught off guard.

    ¡°Woah!¡± (Shuu)

    Woosh! Something passes right in front of my eyes. It flies out from a complete blind spot and soars high into the sky.

    ¡ªIt was a bird.

    ¡°Eh, Tamiko!?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko has disappeared from my palm.

    ¡°Pigyaaaa! Help, squuuueeek!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s scream is heard from above her head. Tamiko seems to have been snatched by a bird.

    ¡°Here! I¡¯m in the air, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko-san!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Seriously?! Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    The bird was gaining altitude and moving further and further away.

    (No, no, Tamiko is going to be a snack for the baby birds.) (Shuu)

    ¡°Sorry, Ikari-san! Please do this!¡±

    Handing over my luggage and cloak, I get ready.

    Focusing my consciousness on my back. A thread extends around my shoulder blade and forms a pair of arms. [Hypha Arms]. By the way, only that part of the jacket is torn off. My jacket became backless and sexy.

    ¡°What is that¨C¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯m going ahead!¡± (Shuu)

    Crouching down, I jumped up using [Enhanced Leaping Ability]. Just before hitting the tree in front of me, I clung to the branch with my [Hypha Arms] and pulled myself up.

    I then leaped again. Like this, I moved across the tree tops like a ninja. With my level 66 physical ability and [Hypha Arms], I can do things that ordinary monkeys can do in an instant.

    The bird comes closer and closer. When the bird overlaps with the sun, I involuntarily hold up my hand¡ªit sways in mid-air.

    (Eh?) (Shuu)

    Then something happened as it flapped its wings. It began to shake and there is a scream, ¡°KyuiIi!¡±

    Eventually, the silhouette in the sky splits into two as it falls. The bird with limp wings and a tiny ball of fur.

    ¡°Seriously!¡± (Shuu)

    I kicked up with full force against the tree trunk. Then I run through the treetops using my [Hypha Arms], leaping high and stretching out my arms. Tamiko, the furball, falls into my hand.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh! That was a nice catch!¡± (Shuu)

    Not thinking about how I would land, I plunged straight into a tree in front of me. The ball of fur, Tamiko, was caught by the branches of the tree and fell to the ground like a ripe apple.

    ¡°So¡­ Tamiko, are you okay?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Pigyaaa! I¡¯m squeaking scared!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko began crying as she clings to my face. I cannot see in front of me.

    ¡°Why did you fall?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Just look at that, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t see it.¡± (Shuu)

    When I look up, I see the bird I saw earlier, caught on a branch. It was hanging down, and blood was dripping from its neck.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to turn that bird into rust on my squeak! Sh-sh-sh! Don¡¯t you dare squeaking mock me!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah, I see that.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko might look like this but she is a level 41 squirrel. Although her race is not suitable for combat, she has the power to kill a Metro Beast of level 30 on her own. She¡¯s not a cute little animal that would be a treat for a chicken wing douchebag.

    ¡°But he¡¯s pretty big. It¡¯s like an eagle or a hawk. Oh, man, I want some fried chicken.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Fried chicken? What is that, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Chicken is fried in oil. It becomes crispy but the meat inside is still soft and juicy.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Wow¡­ The sl*tface has fried chicken, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    She might have said the wrong words, but she is not wrong for being happy. If I feed her the real thing, she¡¯ll be happier. [T/N: Chijo (Female pervert) sounds like Chijou (Above ground/surface).]

    We retrieved the dead bird, and soon after, Noa, out of breath, came running up to us. How did she manage to see us within this sea of trees?

    ¡°That was a¡­ a Tetra Black Kite.¡±

    This is a black kite? But she called it a tetra(hedron), it certainly has a triangular head.

    ¡°It¡¯s a dangerous Metro Beast on the ground¡­ but as expected, Tamiko-san.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°It¡¯s just around level 5, squeak. It¡¯s nothing against me, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    I once saw on a TV show a video of a black kite snatching a tourist¡¯s hamburger, but this one caught a beast of prey.

    ¡°You were caught and you peed yourself, though.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I did not pee, squeak! You virgin boy, squeak! I¡¯ll squeaking rip your fur off!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m not a virgin! You piss-squirrel!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but raptor meat is not very tasty. The beak, talons, and windpipes can be used as ornaments, so let¡¯s keep them. Are you listening to me?¡± (Noa)

    Whether it was Tamiko¡¯s fault or my own carelessness, we have strayed from the path. The sun was slowly setting in the west.

    ¡± I hope the commotion earlier didn¡¯t attract the attention of bandits¡­ It¡¯s a bit of a detour, but let¡¯s take the southern road. That way we can get to Sugamo in relative safety.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°OK, let¡¯s go.¡± (Shuu)

    I once walked from Outsuka to Sugamo when I was a student. It¡¯s less than a kilometer away, and even if you discount the fact that it¡¯s in the middle of the sea of trees, you can easily get there in an hour.

    (But¨C?)

    As far as I could see from the hill, it didn¡¯t seem that close. Was it my imagination?

    Noa led the way, and we walked on the shaded animal trail for a little while. She has a compass, but we keep moving along without looking at it.

    I kept walking while spreading [Sensory Spores] so that there is no such recurrence of the black kite. Soon, however, I realize that the sensation is different from before. The spores are not spreading in the way I would like.

    (Is it because of the wind?) (Shuu)

    In the metro, where there was almost no air flow, the spores were scattered in a circular pattern around me. On the ground, however, there is wind. The microscopic spores are affected by the direction of the wind. They cannot fly in the direction they are supposed to, and the area I can detect is distorted.

    (This is a blind spot.) (Shuu)

    (Even though there is hardly any wind now.) (Shuu)

    While inside the Metro, it boasted cheat-level convenient performance, it has a surprising weakness.

    On the ground, it seems to be good enough if it can maintain a radius of about 10 to 20 meters. It might be a step behind in dealing with enemies who come at me at high speed in a straight line, especially If I am not careful.

    Still, it is better than nothing, so we walk while I continue to spread it. Tamiko¡¯s ears perked up as she stood on my shoulders as if she didn¡¯t want a repeat of the mistake she had made earlier.

    ¡°Oh, we finally got out. This is the highway.¡± (Noa)

    After walking for about 30 minutes, we finally reached an open road. It was a simple road with two lanes of cobblestone pavement. The direction of the road is roughly north-northeast and south-southwest.

    ¡°If you go south from here, you will find the Myogadani Metro, and to the west is the Gokokuji Metro. Both metros are for beginners and are the gateways to success for new hunters in the Ikebukuro Tribe. I trained there myself.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°So, Gokokuji has also become a dungeon?¡± (Shuu)

    When I was a student at a university in Iidabashi, I usually rode my bicycle to school to save money on train fare, but I would take the Yurakucho line when I went out drinking with friends. The only time I ever got off at Gokokuji was when I got sick from drinking too much and had to run to the bathroom. I remember that I ran out of steam only a meter from the toilet.

    ¡°It¡¯s a straight road from here to Sugamo, and I think we can get there in three hours.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Wait a minute. Three hours? To Sugamo?¡± (Noa)

    I don¡¯t feel like walking through the woods, just walking on a flat road.

    Noa stared at me, then made an apologetic face and said, ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right, it was certainly written in my great-grandfather¡¯s old notebook.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What is?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°He said that the distance between the old days and the present is very different.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What?¡± (Noa)

    Noa takes out her notebook and flips it open.

    ¡°[Tokyo Judgment]¡ªAfter the Tokyo metro¡¯s collapse due to the Metro Flood, the metro continued to move and expand slowly. A hyper-localized crustal shift¡ªas if the entire Tokyo metropolitan area above it were expanding its territory, or it is indiscriminately extending its mycelium. By the time the [Super Fungal Contamination] ended and people returned to the surface, the area inside the wall was estimated to have expanded more than a hundred times.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hundred times? That¡¯s not just Tokyo! It¡¯s the whole Kanto region! No way!¡± (Shuu)

    Once again, Shuu was exposed to the same unreasonableness that he had experienced over the past hundred years, and he fell to his knees in shock and despair.

    Noa looks apologetic, even though it is not her fault. Tamiko is absorbed in a roadside acorn dandelion, while her partner is wallowing in despair.

 CH 24

    14-18 minutes 15.07.2022

    Support the translator on lazytranslations.com

    A/N: 5/27 ¨C Various sentences were revised. The content is almost unchanged.

    A short walk to the north leads to a small hill from which one can see the surrounding area. I follow Noa into the forest.

    The area was overgrown with strange mycelial plants, much like the ones in the metro. However, they are all massive.

    A giant cattail that is as thick as a human arm, a leopard-printed foxtail, a sponge-like perforated marimo, and a thin tree with three eyes that resemble a traffic signal. Then there are colorful flowers, mushrooms, and ferns.

    *Chi~**chi~**chi~*I can hear the cries of small birds. The flying insects are rather creepy, at the very least they are things I have never seen in Tokyo or Gyouda.

    Tamiko, who is sitting on my shoulder is fixed, constantly looking around above her head with her mouth hanging open. Earlier, she had been calling out one thing after another that caught her eye, but now she too is silently observing, perhaps concerned about my lack of words. I feel sorry that I may have dampened her excitement.

    Soon, the trail becomes steeper, and I have to move by grabbing a tree. It seemed to be an ¡°ordinary tree¡± with a solid trunk, which I thought it might be. Then, I wondered if there are mycelium within the tree if I cut and split it.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, Abe-san.¡± (Noa)

    We finish the climb in about five minutes. I stood at the bottom of the hill alongside Noa.

    ¡°¡­what is this¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s not a very high point, but you can see the whole landscape.

    As far as the eye can see, a vivid forest stretches out in the sunlight. There are large undulations and glimpses of the river running between them. To the east, there are high mountains with exposed rock surfaces.

    ¡°The land is full of trees, squeak. Is this the whole forest, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes, it is. This is the Tokyo Sea of Trees. It is a mycelial forest that covers almost the entire area of New Tokyo.¡± (Noa)

    The whole area of Tokyo. This is it.

    I crouched down and held my head in my hands. All I could do was laugh.

    ¡°What part of this is¡­ Tokyo¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    The concrete jungle has become a real jungle. It¡¯s not a funny joke.

    ¡°How can it change so much in a hundred years? ¡­I mean, Tokyo was destroyed, wasn¡¯t it? Why is it like this? ¡­What happened in that one hundred years¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko rubbed my cheek with worry.

    Noa sits next to me.

    ¡°He told me that a hundred years ago, Tokyo was as gray and crowded as this green forest and that many more people lived in this city compared to the present.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Great-grandfather?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A person who lived from the old world.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Really!?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes¡­ He died eight years ago¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right¡­¡±

    It should be the 107 in the Tokyo calendar now. Even if he was just barely old enough to have a developed memory in the Heisei era, he would have been over 100 years old. That¡¯s a long life.

    ¡°You don¡¯t remember what happened on that day one hundred years ago, do you, Abe-san?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah¡­ just vaguely.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa took an old notebook out of her pocket. The leather notebook is almost white and faded.

    ¡°This is the notebook my great-grandfather used when he was young. It contains information about that time. The handwriting is so dirty that I can only read bits and pieces of it¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Seriously? A notebook from the same era as mine?¡± (Shuu)

    The paper you flip through is also wrinkled and yellowed and looks as if it will decay at any moment.

    There, the characters that made his great-grandchildren say are terrible are scribbled over many pages. It is so bad that it looks like a cipher to my eyes.

    ¡°I only know about it from my great-grandfather¡¯s bedtime stories. But my great-grandfather remembers the ¡®Tokyo Judgment¡¯ very vividly.¡±

    Mysterious happenings, some of which could be called supernatural phenomena, have been occurring in the subway tunnels of the Tokyo Metro.

    Unnatural horizontal and vertical holes and fissures. The appearance of impossible branching paths. The leakage of gas that seems to be toxic gas, the shadow of a huge creature that does not seem to exist, and the disappearance of a Metro employee who went missing while out investigating.

    At the time, the Internet and television were full of mixed information as to how much of it was fact and how much was fake. For me, it was only five years ago, but it feels like a distant memory.

    And one week after the first incident was discovered.

    (One week after the first incident, Two major catastrophes later called the ¡®Tokyo Judgement¡¯ struck Tokyo. The first was called the ¡®Metro Flood¡¯.)

    A large local earthquake struck Tokyo.

    Buildings were knocked down, and the surface of the Earth crumbled, sank, and raised.

    It was caused by a sudden shift in the subway railway system that runs beneath the city. The metro overflowed explosively as if an embankment were about to break from the small and gradual changes that had occurred until then.

    The collapsed Tokyo is said to have been surrounded by a wall.

    ¡°A wall?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The air is a little murky today with spores flying around, but can¡¯t you see it faintly in the distance?¡± (Noa)

    If you strain your eyes, you can indeed see it. A whitish wall, so faint that it blends into the sky, rises out of the forest ridge and stretches horizontally as if it is tracing the horizon.

    ¡°What¡­ isn¡¯t that wall really massive?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s a massive wall that¡¯s over 500 meters high. It surrounds New Tokyo. It¡¯s also said to be part of the Metro.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Is that part of the Metro? I mean, it goes all the way around Tokyo?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Or, more precisely, ¡®the old central part of Tokyo¡¯? They say that it surrounds the center of the city. The explosive flooding of the underground metro, the collapse of Tokyo, the rising of the wall, and the separation from the outside world. And that it all happened in just one day.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­ then the people who were there¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°According to books, millions of people were killed in that one day.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°How¡­¡± (Shuu)

    According to her great-grandfather¡¯s notebook, more than 10 million people still survived and were waiting for rescue from the outside world.

    But instead of salvation, they were visited by a second disaster¡ª

    ¡°That is, ¡®Super Fungal Contamination.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Super Fungal Contamination.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s sometimes called a biohazard or a pandemic, but in essence, it¡¯s a massive flood of organisms and the destruction of civilization because of a ¡®Super Fungus¡¯.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Is that what Tamiko was talking about first?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± (Shuu)

    The spores of an unknown fungus overflowed from the depths of the flooded metro. It quickly covered the inside of the walls. The spores were like a dense fog, so thick that it was impossible to see ten meters ahead. And then it destroyed everything.

    ¡°The fungi destroyed everything¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°According to my great-grandfather¡¯s notes¡­ ¡®It was completely different from the existing fungi that are known as decomposers. Later named [Super Fungi], they decomposed everything on earth. It decomposed machines, paper, metal, electrical wires, glass, plastic, buildings, houses, infrastructure, knowledge, history, art, and communication networks. All of science and culture. It was truly a Decomposer of Civilizations.¡¯¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Decomposer of Civilizations¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°More lives were lost to the [Super Fungus] infection. Machines broke down, lifelines were cut off, knowledge was lost, and food was eaten by the fungi. It was not until ten years later that the fog of spores lifted, the fungus disappeared, and the [Super Fungal Contamination] came to an end. By then, Tokyo had completely collapsed.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ten years ¡­¡±

    The [Super Fungus] decomposed Tokyo, and the mold that had finished its work turned to dust to form soil, and Tokyo was covered with an abundance of mycelium plants. This is the Tokyo Sea of Trees that now spread out before us.

    There were almost no traces of past civilizations left behind. Only a few graveyards of rubble and debris were found in various places. Tokyo thus died once and was reborn as a completely different world.

    ¡°But that means there were survivors, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right. There were many survivors, including my great-grandfather, who were forced to flee their homes into the Metro after the [Super Fungal Contamination] occurred.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°In the metro? The [Super Fungi] came out from the depths of the Metro, right? Was it really safe?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they were safe. The death toll continued to rise due to infectious diseases and food shortages. Still, some people survived. Somehow they had developed a resistance to the [Super Fungus] and adapted to the environment, which was on the verge of collapse while being parasitized by mycelium all over their bodies. They are the ancestors of our people, the beginning of the [Thread-spinners].¡± (Noa)

    They survived by hiding in the vast metro area. They formed colonies, preyed on mycelium and metro beasts, drank the groundwater that flowed through the metro, and endured the long ten years.

    ¡°I also lived in the Metro for five years, but¡­ the did it twice mine¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s a little daunting to imagine if I had lived that life for another five years.

    ¡°By the time the ground was free of the fungal contamination, the population had dwindled to about 300,000.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± (Shuu)

    If there were about 15 million people trapped in central Tokyo, that means only a tiny percent survived.

    ¡°Nevertheless, they survived the harsh and barren period and began to rebuild under the sun in an effort to bring the Earth back into human hands again.¡± (Noa)

    And so began the recapture and settlement of the earth. Winning the territorial battles with the Metro Beasts, which were advancing on the surface at the same time, they cleared the land and built their homes.

    Deep in the Metro, there were plants and animals for food, many valuable resources, and above all, the power derived from the sporangia was essential for some people. The Metro was both the source of the disaster that had befallen the place and the foundation of its reemergence on the surface. The people who took the initiative to conquer the Metro were the pioneers of the hunting profession.

    ¡°The people joined forces, gathered knowledge, and gradually rebuilt their civilization. In the process, they developed into several large settlements, which came to be called tribes.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Tribes.¡± (Shuu)

    As a result of the increase in the number of tribes in each area, there were not only friendly exchanges among the various groups but also conflicts over territory and resources. Some of the tribes were thus destroyed by human hands.

    ¡°More than a decade after the return to earth, an organization called the [Metropolitan Government] was established to unite all the tribes, and this place was renamed New Tokyo.¡± (Noa)

    Conflicts gradually subsided and people focused more and more on the stability and development of their lives. They used decades to the fullest and slowly and carefully moved forward.

    ¡°¡­is the history of the end of Tokyo and the beginning of New Tokyo as described here. I don¡¯t think my great-grandfather understood the whole story, but I think this is probably the way it was written. My great-grandfather himself was a living witness.¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko¡¯s mouth has been hanging open for some time now. It seems that comprehension has not caught up with her.

    But, for me, I feel the tides of emotions. My head may be able to understand, but my heart has not caught up.

    Still, there are a few things that bother me.

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on in the outside world?¡± (Shuu)

    In Noa¡¯s story, there is no mention of the world outside the walls.

    Suppose the [Tokyo Judgment] is a localized disaster only within the wall, and the outside world is safe. If the outside world were safe, this would not be a fantasy new world, nor would it be New Tokyo, but a restored Tokyo Metropolis of Japan.

    In that sense, there are several possible answers. The question is which of them.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Umm, what do you mean you don¡¯t know?¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s an unexpected answer.

    ¡°We have no way of knowing what is out there. We can¡¯t go to the other side, and they can¡¯t come in from the other side. We can¡¯t go beyond the wall.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Can¡¯t you climb over it?¡± (Shuu)

    It is true that it is impossible to climb a 500-meter cliff. But even if it were difficult to build helicopters and airplanes from scratch after the end of scientific civilization, it would be possible to build something easier, like a balloon or a drone.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s impossible for a flying bird to go over that wall. It¡¯s not just a wall¡­ We don¡¯t understand it either¡­ Anyway, it¡¯s considered one of the impossible things in this country, that is, to try to interfere or go over the wall.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, does that mean you can¡¯t go over the wall and get information about the outside world?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what it means.¡± (Noa)

    Birds can¡¯t cross. If this is true, does it mean that it is physically impossible to pass over the wall?

    Is there some supernatural force at work? An invisible barrier or electromagnetic waves? I¡¯d like to say it¡¯s absurd, but the premise of the Metro, [Super Fungus], and the like is so far off reality that there¡¯s no way to deny it now.

    ¡°¡­By the way, does Ikari-san know what an airplane or a helicopter is? Have you seen them?¡± (Shuu)

    Even if the residents inside cannot go outside, it should not be surprising that there is interference from people outside. The ¡°Super Fungal Contamination¡± that degrades even machinery has already ended, even more so.

    ¡°Yes, I know what they are, but I have never seen one. ¡­I don¡¯t think it has ever been confirmed that such a thing was flying in the sky outside. Maybe the Metropolitan Government or the Metro Church might know something about them.¡± (Noa)

    Noa seems to be a little apologetic. She knew what the answer means to me.

    ¡°¡­Thank you, Ikari-san. I understand.¡± (Shuu)

    I breathed deeply and nodded a few times.

    I¡¯m almost certain.

    It may be due to the same event as [Tokyo Judgement]. Or it may be the aftermath. Or it may be due to a completely different event.

    Either way¡ªthere is no civilization in the outside world that has any aircraft.

    In fact, it is not even certain that the human race survives.

    Or¡ªin the worst-case¡­

    ¡°¡­I see¡­¡± (Shuu)

    (Maybe it¡¯s all gone¡­ Gyouda and my parents¡¯ home.) (Shuu)

    One hundred years¨Cthat¡¯s a tremendous number of years.

    The world in which I lived has returned to the earth.

    The place where I was born, the place where I lived, everything is buried in the earth.

    In my head, I should have been prepared for this long ago.

    But hearing it again, seeing it with my own eyes.

    ¨CIt¡¯s all gone.

    Everything that had nurtured me. The things I loved. Some that I didn¡¯t. Everything.

    ¡°¡­Aaaah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The only bit of emotion that spilled out of my eyes was the one where I¡¯ve lost everything about myself.

 CH 25

    It is too dark to see clearly, but the [Sensory Spores] captured one in front, three on the right, two on the left, and one behind. There are seven of them.

    If it were a work of fiction, they would have attacked us with a strange cry, ¡°Hyaha!¡±, but they have remained silent and merged into the darkness. Are they accustomed to attacks, or are they simply not ready? If it is the latter, I am glad.

    I sense an arrow that is shot again and blocked with my great shield. I quickly dispatched the two that come at me from the opposite side with my sword.

    ¡ªslow. From my current reflexes, I could have blocked it with a paper-thin margin. They don¡¯t even reach the feet of slime¡¯s tentacle attacks.

    Creating a [Burning Ball] at the fingertips of my right hand I threw it forward. Boom! A red fire explodes, and a short scream ¡°Waah!¡±

    As soon as their attention is diverted to that direction, I moved down to the right side and closed the distance at once.

    One has a bow and two have a stone ax. I slash at the archer whose reaction has been delayed due to the diversion.

    As I tried to cut them down, our eyes meet.

    It is a man. He is a man in his thirties, dirty-looking, with a full beard and stubble.

    ¡ªI hesitated. A moment¡¯s pause.

    The archer takes the opportunity to pull a knife from his waist.

    (Damn it!) (Shuu)

    I flipped my sword and hits his neck with the flat of the blade. With his back falling without even a moan, the remaining two people who were approaching me were blown away together a blow from my great shield. They hit their back against a tree and got knocked out.

    Wiping off the sweat on my forehead.

    Just one more step and I would have had to kill them.

    (Well, humans are too weak, you know?) (Shuu)

    They can¡¯t respond to my movements. They are far inferior to Ghost Wolves and Blue Goblins.

    ¡°¨C*Hiss*! I¡¯m here, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    One of the men in the back is trying to get into the back of the truck. Noa and Tamiko seem to be fighting back.

    I rush around to that side¡ªand see a man falling with blood spurting from his neck.

    Noa is leaning out of the back of the cart, holding a mycelial knife. Her face is bathed in the spray of blood.

    (¨CSeriously?) (Shuu)

    (You killed him.) (Shuu)

    ¡°Abe-san!¡±

    While I was standing there with my eyes wide, the two men on the left turned and come toward me. One of them holds a spear and shouts savagely, ¡°Oh, oh, oh!¡± Behind him, an archer draws an arrow.

    The spear is just a wooden stick with a sharpened rock attached to it, and a light stroke of my sword can cut down both arrows. I kicked the frightened man in the face, and swat away the flying arrow. Before he could try to ready an arrow again, I closed the gap and struck him in the jaw with the butt of the pommel.

    ¡°The one in the back is retreating, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Should he let him go or chase him? I hesitated for a moment, but just before he was about to flee into the woods, I caught up with the attacker with my [Enhanced Leaping Ability] and slashed at him. I slashes down my opponent, who was despairing. Of course, with the back of the blade.

    The situation is under control and calm returns to the forest.

    I let out a puff of heavy air from my body.

    The result alone was an easy victory. Even if there were twice as many people, it would have been no problem.

    Even so, there was a completely different kind of fear than in previous battles with beasts. It was a fear that came from knowing a human so well. And the fear of having to deal with them. The sweat on my forehead was wiped away with the palm of my hand.

    ¡°Wow¡­ brother, that was amazing¡­ almost by yourself¡­ it¡¯s quite the inhuman skill, that was a compliment¡­¡± (Konno)

    Konno is in the back of the truck with his eyes wide. Next to that, Tamiko has a sloppy grin for some reason.

    ¡°Um¡­ what should I do with these guys?¡±

    One was killed by Noa, but the other six were just knocked out. It is hard to judge how to deal with the captured bandits, especially me who is not familiar with the common sense of this world.

    ¡°We can either take them back to town or kill them here. Well, it¡¯s safer to kill them.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Eh? You will kill them?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, we have no choice but to do that.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That sound¡¯s bad for the humans, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    The five thieves, still unconscious, are carried away and gathered in the back of the cart.

    ¡°Ikari-san¡­ Is it natural to kill bandits on the roads?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, it is. As a hunter, you can kill or capture them, but I think killing them is the surest way. The corpses won¡¯t fight back, and they won¡¯t do anything bad ever again.¡± (Noa)

    Noa is unperturbed. Just now, this eighteen-year-old girl has killed one of the wild thieves. The blood is still sticking to her cheek.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t murder a crime? No, of course, it¡¯s completely done in self-defense.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There is a provision for the crime of murder in the Tokyo Law established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The target is the residents of each tribe, the registered townspeople, and the ¡®good Free Folk¡¯.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®good¡¯?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s a little vague, but I guess that¡¯s up to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.¡± (Noa)

    That¡¯s cunning.

    ¡°What about me? I¡¯m not a bad person, right, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko was shivering.

    ¡°The Magic Beast tribes that have signed a friendship agreement with human society, including the Carbuncle tribe, are considered a ¡®good neighbor¡¯ under Tokyo law and have the same rights as humans in society. Any person who harms a Carbuncle is also subject to punishment, although it is not the same level as murder.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I know that squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Liar.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°On the other hand, the rights of criminals, such as brigands and ¡®wicked free folk,¡¯ are not protected. The Hunters Guild also has an article in its code that says, ¡®A hunter must do their best to protect the public order.¡¯ For the sake of justice and to keep the peace in New Tokyo.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­so bad people have no human rights?¡± (Shuu)

    I couldn¡¯t help but scratch my head.

    It¡¯s just good or bad, and it can become a problem if it¡¯s judged arbitrarily.

    Well, I¡¯m sure these guys who attacked are ¡°bad¡±.

    ¡°They shot arrows at Abe-san and Konno-san without question. In other words, they were going to kill them and take their car. I don¡¯t think there is any need to show them mercy.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I understand, but¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Rats, moles, and ghost wolves kill and eat a lot, squeak, and they kill and eat humans, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°No, well¡­ they don¡¯t eat them, but¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Do you kill them even if you don¡¯t eat them, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko, even when you are full, if a beast attacks you, you fight it off, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s the same thing. People who attack humans are more wicked than beasts, and they never learn their lesson. If left alone, they will attack someone else.¡± (Noa)

    As expected, Tamiko became mystified.

    ¡°But, aren¡¯t we about to reach town? What about catching them, putting them in jail, and putting them on trial?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°They will still get hanged. No town will allow bandits. The difference between dying here and dying later.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°Is there anything else besides the death penalty?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard that since the trial involves the church¡­ if a man is found to be penitent, he can be imprisoned or even converted. But since they are the kind of people who would suddenly shoot at others, chances are almost zero.¡± (Noa)

    Do I have to admit it? I have to admit that my values are a relic from the moldy past, from a hundred years ago. That this set of morals is rooted in that era and not this one.

    After all, the humane morality of putting human life first at all costs is only a prerogative if you have the capacity to embrace a complex system. I have only touched a small part of this world, but it seems that more primitive concepts are prevalent here. A simple justice that fits this world and protects this world.

    ¡°But still¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯ve killed many beasts in order to live and to eat.

    (What is the difference between killing to eat and killing to protect?) (Shuu)

    (Is it wrong to say that it¡¯s okay to kill beasts but not humans?) (Shuu)

    (Then, what about Magic Beast like Tamiko? Do I draw a line depending on whether they can communicate or not?) (Shuu)

    (What is right? Who decides what is good or bad?)

    When dealing with Metro Beasts, I have always faced the situation with a mindset of ¡°no hard feelings.¡± For the other party, I would say, ¡°I don¡¯t care! I¡¯ll haunt you the rest of your life!¡± But at least, I, myself have always been prepared to take a life in order to live and to have it taken away from me.

    If we apply that logic, killing these people who attacked us with the intention of killing us may be no different in the end.

    But¡ªthey are no match in the beginning. Still, do I dare to stab them without intending to eat, is that okay?

    ¡°Let¡¯s just get it over with and go back to the town. We don¡¯t know if there are others out there.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (Noa)

    At Konno¡¯s urging, Noa creates a [Hypha Knife] out of her hand.

    The tip of the knife seems to be trembling slightly, or is it my imagination?

    She takes a breath, swings it,

    ¡°Wait, Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    I stopped her.

    ¡°¡­Still. I¡¯m not slicing the neck of a guy who has lost his ability to fight, and who isn¡¯t even awake.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Then what are we going to do?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°We¡¯ll hand him over to the people of the town and let the law do its job. Let¡¯s let them do their job from here on out.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Brother but that¡¯s¡­¡± (Konno)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Noa)

    I know it myself. It is no longer a matter of logic but of emotion.

    The bottom line is that I just don¡¯t want to get my hands dirty.

    I just don¡¯t want to see someone die in front of my eyes.

    It¡¯s my ego that doesn¡¯t want to make her do it.

    ¡°But¡­ I can¡¯t say it well, but I think it¡¯s better this way¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Even if those are values that don¡¯t fit in today¡¯s world.

    Noa lowers the knife and takes a breath.

    ¡°¡­I see. It was Abe-san who caught them, so I will obey.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hey, kid.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Konno-san. I¡¯ll restrain them and take them to Sugamo. Please let us carry them in your car.¡± (Noa)

    Konno shrugs and shakes his head in disbelief.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a good-natured hunter before.¡± (Konno)

 CH 26

    Noa produces a string of hypha, and I bind the limbs and mouths of the bandits. Konno, who is in the back of the truck, pulls them up. Tamiko, who has become bored with her work, sits on the partition in the back of the truck and watches over us working.

    If there is a guy who wakes up on the way, she hit them and knows them back to sleep. Tamiko¡¯s conscience isn¡¯t affected by that.

    ¡°That string thing is very useful, isn¡¯t it?¡± (Konno)

    ¡°It¡¯s the Fungal Skill [White String]. It¡¯s not really suited for combat.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°But I think it¡¯s suitable for a hunter¡¯s job, but I feel like I can do business with that alone.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Because it is a hypha string, it will decay in about an hour.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± (Shuu)

    The same goes for the swords and shields. If there were no such restrictions, I thought I could create a weapon shop on the surface, but the world is not that nice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ikari-san. I know you¡¯re in the right.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abe-san is a kind person, huh?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°No, umm¡­ I think it¡¯s not so much about kindness but my petulance.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­do you think I¡¯m a terrible, murderous person, Abe-san?¡± (Noa)

    I stopped my hands and raised my face. Noa is looking straight at me.

    ¡°That guy had a Fungal Skill. He attacked me with the same [dagger] as mine. I couldn¡¯t afford to catch him alive¡­ That¡¯s an excuse I thought about later.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    The body was certainly holding the same hypha knife as Noa.

    ¡°The fact remains that I killed him¡­ In your world, am I a murderer just like them?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. Really.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa is a good kid. And she is serious. I think she has the will to see the right in the values of this world.

    She just rejected the attackers according to her will. As a hunter.

    I don¡¯t think I have the right to say anything about it, at least not from the sidelines.

    It¡¯s a logical result, but if you look at it from an emotional point of view, it¡¯s true that I was in a bit of a shock, but even so, I couldn¡¯t hate Noa. I know that she is not the kind of person who would do such a thing for pleasure, even though we have only known each other for a day.

    Or, if it had been me a hundred years ago, if I had not spent five years crawling through a bloody hell, I might have felt differently.

    In that sense, I am no longer the same person who can judge by the values of those days.

    ¡°My great-grandfather used to say, ¡®In the old world, life was valued much higher than it is today. Like a bird in a nest, like a jewel in a treasure chest.¡¯¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I agree.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Death is near and dear to the hunter¡¯s heart. It¡¯s scary, but it¡¯s something we have to accept. But for my great-grandfather¡¯s sake, I have to live. That is why¡­ I will continue to kill those who try to kill me. Still¡­ will you not despise me for that?¡± (Noa)

    I scratched my head and nodded a few times.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t despise¡­ you at all. If Tamiko or Ikari-san were in danger, I¡¯d do it too, I think. Life has the same priority for me, both now and in the past. I will still be scared if that actually happened.¡± (Shuu)

    If I could, I would be sorry, but it seems that the world is not peaceful enough for me to say such a thing.

    ¡°Rather, I think I was prepared to do that in this world. Yeah. So, just in case something like that happens, I have to make sure I don¡¯t get scared. So that when I have to protect Ikari-san and Tamiko, I won¡¯t get lost.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa¡¯s cheeks were faintly tinted, and she looked down in embarrassment.

    ¡°¡­Thank you. Just Noa is fine.¡± (Noa)

    This time, she blushed. In a world like today, never have I thought that a beautiful high school girl will ask me to call her by her name.

    Suddenly, my eyes meet Tamiko¡¯s, who is resting on her cheekbones in the back of the truck. She has a somewhat baleful expression.

    ¡°Abeshuu I didn¡¯t know you have that kind of habit, squeak, but you are a squeak of a manwh*re aren¡¯t, cha?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I told you before, but your mother has taught you a lot of strange words.¡± (Shuu)

    We finish loading the six into the back of the truck. Some of them are awake and flailing about, but they are tied so tightly together with the sturdy string made by Noa that it would be impossible to untie themselves by only the strength of their arms. I give them a punch to the solar plexus to stop them from moving.

    ¡°I was surprised at how weak these guys were. I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ve even leveled up enough to be bandits. Can¡¯t they even use their Fungal Skills?¡± (Shuu)

    If they can use Fungal Skills, I will not be relieved even in their restrained state.

    ¡°Um¡­ Tamiko-san, can you see their level?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°A little bit¡­ around 3 to 5, squeak. (Tamiko)

    ¡°After all, everyone is a [Peasant] except the one I killed.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°[Peasant]?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No matter how hard they try, their level cap is 10, and they can¡¯t use any Fungal Skills. In the first place, there are only a small number of people who will fall to the level of banditry in among other Fungal Class other than [Peasant].¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hmm¡­ So, what are Fungal Classes? I¡¯ve heard you talk about my Fungal Class before. What about the [Itokuri-Shi]?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s it you guys¡ª¡± said Konno in the back of the car. ¡°Can we start going now? No matter how many lives we waste time in such a place¨C¡± (Konno)

    A shiver runs up and down my spine.

    A presence breaking through into the range of my [Sensory Spores].

    ¡°Abe¨C¡± (Noa)

    A moment faster than the reaction, Noa who was in front of me was snatched at a speed that left an afterimage.

    (Huh!) (Shuu)

    A shabbily dressed man slides roughly to the edge of the road and slams on the brakes.

    Both arms were missing from his elbows. He is bandaged and has what looks like hooks or claws attached to him. He is holding Noa by his side.

    He clamps Noa¡¯s neck between his elbows and squeezes, and she collapses helplessly. The man grins at me.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯ve responded to my movements. No wonder my boys can¡¯t stand up to you.¡± (Kidnapper)

    He also has [Enhanced Leaping Ability]. That¡¯s why he snatched Noa from the side in an instant. The narrow range of the [Sensory Spores] outdoors has become a problem.

    ¡°Hey! Give her back!¡± (Shuu)

    I tried to fight back using [Enhanced Leaping Ability], but before I could, the man spits out something from his mouth. The moment it touches the ground, puff! Then smoke spreads everywhere.

    (Smoke screen!) (Shuu)

    It doesn¡¯t matter, even if I can¡¯t see, I have the [Sensory Spores]. At the same time, I feel a numbing pain in my eyes and nose.

    (This smoke is poisonous!) (Shuu)

    ¡°Hee-hee. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at my hideout, and if you want him back, come alone. See ya later.¡± (Kidnapper)

    ¡°Waa-it a min¨C!¡± (Shuu)

    I ignored the smoke and tried to chase after him, but I heard Tamiko and Konno coughing from behind me, and when I was distracted by them, the man disappeared from the range of my [Sensory Spores].

    The smoke cleared. The man and Noa are gone.

    ¡°¡­Damn it!¡± (Shuu)

    Shuu slammed his foot against the pavement with a bang. The paving stones of the road break with a dull crack.

    The smoke¡¯s toxin, perhaps due to my [Regenerative Mycelium], dissipates without much ill effect in my body. I gave Tamiko and Konno each an [Antidote Ball], and they too quickly recover.

    When I throw them into Wanyuudous¡¯s mouth, which also cracked open, they let out a low growl of ¡°boohoo!¡± Both express their gratitude with a low growl. If you look closely, you can see that the eyes and nose are just patterns, making the face look like a human¡¯s face, which seems to be a simulacra simulation, but when I feed them like this, they look a little cute, which is weird.

    ¡°OK. Tamiko, I¡¯ll chase after them. I¡¯ll rescue Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Wait a minute. brother. Don¡¯t say stupid things, you should go back to town and call for help.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t have a lot of time.¡± (Shuu)

    His tone becomes a little strained.

    ¡°You saw that guy, right? Udeochi, that one¡¯s a former hunter. He¡¯s not the same as the lowlifes lying around here.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°Former hunter?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s the result of a wicked hunter who had his arms cut off and banished for his misdeeds. If you lose your arm, you lose most of your abilities, right? And then they throw you in the Metro, which was the execution method used by some tribes until recently. He¡¯s a demon who survived.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    A demon, even. I¡¯m a little scared.

    Tamiko scurried over to my shoulder.

    ¡°Tamiko, can you follow their scent and sound?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ll try, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, didn¡¯t you hear? It¡¯s not safe to go alone. He must be the leader of the gang, and he might have others in his hideout.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°I heard that. To tell you the truth, it¡¯s scary¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯m even more pissed off than that.

    Noa was snatched right in front of me. I let that man slip away.

    I am angry not only at his victorious smiling face, but most of all, I am angry at myself.

    I was careless. I was overconfident in my own strength.

    I defeated the Boss Slime that no one could touch, saved Noa from a Catoblepas on the 20th floor, and easily drove away a gang of bandits. I was overconfident that my power would be enough to move this world.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little scared, but I¡¯m even more pissed off than that¡­ I¡¯m afraid my brain is going to boil over if I don¡¯t do something. I¡¯ll save Noa, I promise.¡± (Shuu)

    Konno laughs in disbelief.

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll turn them over to the military police in Sugamo, and then I¡¯ll tell them about you. Maybe the military police or hunters will make a move. It¡¯s nighttime and outside the city, so it might be hopeless.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°Thank you very much. That¡¯s enough. Take care.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Thank you, too. I wouldn¡¯t be alive if it weren¡¯t for you guys. In order to repay you for your kindness, I will try to persuade the military police somehow. So don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± (Konno)

    The Wanyuudou car began to roll along, shouting ¡°Boo!¡± as if cheering us up.

    ¡°Boo!¡± and I return the call. ¡°Boo, squeak!¡± Tamiko follows suit.

    And so, we enter the forest.

 CH 27

    The moon is not out. The forest remains pitch black.

    Still, with [Sensory Spores], there is no way to hit a tree. We proceed by sensing the newly trampled animal path.

    Tamiko¡¯s sense of smell is not as good as her hearing. Even so, she seems to sense that Noa¡¯s scent continues to follow the path in the direction Tamiko is taking. She is not mistaken, Noa and the man are truly up ahead.

    (Or maybe he¡¯s doing it on purpose.) (Shuu)

    That man said he was waiting in the hideout. In other words, this is something like an invitation¡­ or most likely a trap.

    (Ugh, Scary!) (Shuu)

    (Humans are seriously scary. Scary in a different way from Metro Beasts.) (Shuu)

    (¡­10,000 times crazier than beasts.) (Shuu)

    After walking fast enough, I see a faint orange light ahead. The trees, which had been lit up like a blazing fire, suddenly cease to exist past this point, and the view suddenly opens up.

    ¡°¡­Hey, you¡¯re here early, aren¡¯t you? Heh~ heh~.¡± (Kidnapper)

    It is a circular depression, like a plaza.

    There are two campfires. A bird, skewered from mouth to rump, is roasting. Surrounding them are a group of disheveled men. They are bandits, ten in all.

    I signaled Tamiko and me there alone.

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you something? I can¡¯t believe you came alone, just like I told you.¡± (Kidnapper)

    In the middle of the square, where the man from earlier is sitting on a rock. A few meters behind him is Noa.

    She is stripped of her cloak and jacket. She is lying on her face, bare, with her hands tied behind her back. She seems to be unconscious. Her smooth, porcelain-like back is exposed.

    ¡°I thought it was a little boy, but it¡¯s a little b*tch. If you had come a little slower, we would have had time to enjoy ourselves. Heh~ heh~!¡± (Kidnapper)

    The man laughs, and the men around him follow suit. It seems that he is the boss after all.

    His vision is now red. Even the color of the flames is blurred.

    ¡°Oops, stop. Don¡¯t move any further if you want to spare your precious little b*tch¡¯s life.¡± (Kidnapper)

    A subordinate of his points a spear at Noa¡¯s back. I could only grit my teeth and stop.

    A preliminary check with my [Sensory Spores] shows no ambushers around the plaza. There is a rock wall at the back, and there is a cave in it. The spores cannot reach the inside of the cave, so there might still be some of his lackeys in there.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± (Kidnapper)

    ¡°Shuu Abe.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Shuu Abe, I like it. Tell me your tribe and level.¡± (Kidnapper)

    ¡°I don¡¯t belong to anyone. I¡¯m a Free Folk. My level¡­ is 45.¡± (Shuu)

    There was a stir around the place.

    ¡°¡­how old are you?¡± (Kidnapper)

    ¡°T-twenty-eight.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Twenty-eight and level 45, huh? It¡¯s pretty high for a Free Folk but it¡¯s okay. There should have been a test paper, but¡­ If I look at your actions earlier, it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re lying.¡± (Kidnapper)

    I¡¯m not very good at lying, and he seemed to believe me.

    ¡°Abe, is this little b*tch important to you?¡± (Kidnapper)

    The boss has Noa¡¯s goggles around his neck. He fiddled with them with his fingertips as if they were toys.

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you be my second slave. I¡¯m going to ask you to do me a little favor, and if you do it right, I¡¯ll give her back to you.¡± (Kidnapper)

    ¡°Second? Slave?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just going to get this little bitch all banged up, beating her to a pulp. You want to bet how long she can keep her sanity? Heh~ heh~ heh~¡± (Kidnapper)

    So, you want to hold her hostage and make me help you do some kind of evil crap. You¡¯re the scummiest scum across time.

    ¡° All right, let me introduce you to your senior. Hey, Obuchi. Get up.¡± (Kidnapper)

    The boss turned to see a man lying on the ground. He was a plump, slightly obese man.

    When his subordinate kicked him several times in the side, the huge body got up slowly.

    (¡­¡­A pig?) (Shuu)

    He has a pig-like face. He has round eyes, a flat and large nose, and pointed ears spread like butterfly wings.

    (Oooh¡­¡­ a real ¡°Red Pig¡±¡­) (Shuu)

    Is this a new creature of New Tokyo? A new human? Some other creature? No way.

    But his face¡­ it was beaten repeatedly, most likely, and is covered in bruises, bumps, and his nose still bleeds. He can barely open his eyes.

    ¡°Obuchi, I¡¯ll give you your first job. Discipline that junior of yours. Use those fists of yours.¡± (Kidnapper)

    The man called Obuchi approached me slowly with a limp.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything strange, unless you want to come face to face with your cat¡¯s gouged-out eyeballs in the back.¡± (Kidnapper)

    ¡°No, please don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t put your hands on Yui¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Then do what I say. Then listen to me. Move your ass, you slow, lazy pig bastard.¡± (Kidnapper)

    This pig man is also a hunter, and if what he said is true, someone is being held hostage in the back cave.

    Up close, his pig-like face is smooth and natural. He is, after all, the real thing, not some special makeup from a movie. His height is a little taller than a 5¡¯7¡å man, but his body is thick. He is might be obese, but his neck and wrists are strong and sturdy.

    Standing in front of me, Obuchi¡¯s clenched fist is shaking. His right eye¡¯s gaze is swimming. His breathing is ragged.

    ¡°Obuchi, hit Abe. If I think you¡¯re holding back, I¡¯ll hurt your pussy with the same force. Abe, silently take it. If you even avoid even one hit, this b*tch is next.¡± (Kidnapper)

    It seems that the plan was to make him turn into an accomplice for his schemes, but first, to break our will. Both the one who hits and the one who is hit.

    ¡°But¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± (Shuu)

    Obuchi hesitates so I assure him. I show him with my expression that I will be fine. Though my heart is freaking out.

    Obuchi grits his teeth looks up at the night sky and then opens his eyes.

    ¡°¡­¡­Forgive me.¡± (Obuchi)

    A thick fist flew and my head creaked.

    It¡¯s heavier than I thought. It¡¯s painful. But my body is not weak.

    ¡°Hey, Obchi. Next.¡± (Kidnapper)

    Obuchi clenches his fist and swings again. He punches me squarely in the cheek.

    ¡°What the¡­¡± (Kidnapper)

    He wiped the blood from his nose with the palm of his hand. The first time I¡¯ve been hit this hard was on the 50th floor. Still, it has a lot of power. But still not on the level of an Ogre or a Wraith.

    ¡°He is pretty tough, isn¡¯t he? Obuchi, beat him until he loses consciousness.¡± (Kidnapper)

    ¡°But¡­¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s fine (not really).¡± (Shuu)

    Amidst the sneers of the lowlifes, a dull thump, thump, thump echoes through the square.

    The face of a man is fully covered in blood. Still, he does not fall down but instead holds on with his hands on his knees.

    Obuchi¡¯s reddish-black fists were shaking, and he was breathing on his shoulders. He had not thrown ten punches. This hunter may not be exhausted that he is out of breath, but the mental fatigue is probably heavier.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it anymore¡­ no more please¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    Tears are pouring down his eyes.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m still, fine¡­¡± (Shuu)

    My face is covered in blood. But there¡¯s not a single bruise or swelling.

    To be precise, they have been repaired as soon as they were formed. Even the missing teeth are growing back. Obuchi doesn¡¯t seem to notice.

    ¡°¡­Please run away.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What?¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance¡­ in the meantime, take her with you¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Obuchi! Don¡¯t f*cking stop!¡± (Bandits)

    ¡°Do it! You f*cking pig!¡± (Bandits)

    Jeers from the outside fly in. Blood drips from Obuchi¡¯s clenched fist. It¡¯s not his blood.

    ¡°So, you should¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t care¡­ I want to save Yui, but even so, that girl is noble and doesn¡¯t want anyone else to be sacrificed for her¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Well, no, no one will be.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°You¡¯re kind of in the way.¡± (Shuu)

    My [Sensory Spores] caught the presence of the little furball sneaking around. It has infiltrated from the back of the square, slowly and soundlessly moving its way under the thief¡¯s feet, and has reached the back of the man who is spearing Noa.

    I¡¯ve earned enough time.

    I took a deep breath and shouted.

    ¡°Do it, Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Gyaaaa!¡± (Bandit)

    A sudden scream draws the attention of everyone present.

    At the same time, I take a step forward and moved close to Obuchi¡¯s space.

    ¡°¡ªSorry.¡± (Shuu)

    I slam my clenched fist into Obuchi¡¯s rubber ball-like belly with all my might.

    ¡°Ouf!¡± (Obuchi)

    Obuchi¡¯s body folds into a crumpled heap, and he collapses to the ground, spewing vomit.

    The first to look back at Obuchi and the others is the boss.

    ¡°Bastard¨C¡± (Kidnapper)

    Before he could do anything else, I was leaping with all his might. I kicked the boss to the edge of the plaza with the same momentum that propelled me almost horizontally. I spun on my heel and swing my [Hypha Hammer] at the two men who were frozen in front of me.

    The spearman is lying on the ground, holding his left eye. Blood is flowing profusely. Next to him, Tamiko is standing in a position ready to protect Noa, as she is checking the others. Tamiko¡¯s figure is clearly visible to Noa¡¯s eyes, and she seems to have released her Fungal Skill.

    ¡°Tamiko, good job!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    I put Tamiko on my shoulder and hold Noa at my side. I slam down an arrow that flew at my back. I rushed out while the boss is still getting up, and with my [Enhanced Leaping Ability], I escapes out of the clearing immediately.

    ¡°Your master is proud, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The credit is yours, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    Before entering the plaza, I used Tamiko¡¯s [Risk Counter] to take a rough estimate of the strength of the battlefield. The boss was at least level 50, and the spearman and hatchet wielder was around 15. The rest were between 3 and 6.

    The single-digit numbered small fries did not count as a force. Noa was around the middle, and the others were probably ¡°those who can¡¯t use their Fungal Skills.¡±

    But it is not a simple matter to outwit the level 50 boss. The fact that there were two double-digit included was not to be underestimated.

    I knew that if we went in head-on, we would not be able to rescue Noa safely.

    So, the strategy we came up with was simple: ¡°I draw the boss¡¯s attention, and Tamiko rescues Noa while I am the focus.¡±

    Noa was laid out almost in the center of the square. No matter how small Tamiko was, it would have been difficult to approach him without being noticed by the others ¨C if not for her Fungal Skill.

    Tamiko, fifth Fungal Skill, [Camouflage].

    It is the ability to hide oneself by changing one¡¯s hair color at will and blending in with the surrounding landscape. We speculate that Tamiko¡¯s ability is where she is covered with spores that have some kind of effect on light.

    It does not mean that she is completely invisible. If you look closely, you can see her silhouette, and my [Sensory Spores] can¡¯t be fooled by it.

    Still, it was difficult to catch sight of Tamiko on a moonless night with poor visibility. The Sneak Squeak successfully sneaked into the center of the square and surprised the spearman, who was the biggest obstacle in his way. Thanks to this, I was able to evade the boss and rescue Noa.

    ¡°Those guys, are insects compared to the level 50 monster, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¨CDon¡¯t let them escape! You louts! Chase them!¡± (Kidnapper)

    I could hear the boss¡¯ angry voice coming from the square below. I thought I had kicked him pretty hard, but he seemed to be in a better state than I had expected.

    ¡°Abeshuu, what are you going to do, escape, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    I gently lower Noa from my arms and put the wolf cloak on him. I try to erase from my memory the glimpse of her ample mounds that I caught a glimpse of. At least that¡¯s what I¡¯ll try to do.

    ¡°Tamiko stay here. Take care of Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak. Abeshuu, please be careful, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah, leave it to me.¡± (Shuu)

    Shuu stands at the edge of the square, looking down at the bandits. Once they spot him, they braced themselves, and ready their arrows.

    He wiped the blood on his face with the back of his hand. The smooth, unscathed youthful face peeks out.

    ¡ªI am surprised at how well I have endured that.

    I naturally smile when I think I don¡¯t have to hold back anymore.

    A kind man, Noa sees me as someone like that, as someone who had stopped them from killing.

    (Well, this time it¡¯s different.) (Shuu)

    (I¡¯m not that good of a person.) (Shuu)

    (Because at this moment, I want to chop them all into eight pieces.) (Shuu)

    I condensed all the dark emotions and spun them as a thread on my fingertips.

    ¡°Too bad, this time I have to say, ¡®I¡¯m not letting you get away with this.¡¯¡± (Shuu)

 CH 28

    I look down on the bandits below. The difference in elevation is about two meters.

    The two men I had hit with my hammers are still down, and there were only eight left.

    First of all, I want to get rid of all but the boss. The spearman, whose right eye had been blinded by Tamiko, and the hatchet wielder in the center front that has levels in the double digits. These men are my first priority.

    There are three others holding bows. Their strings were pulled so tight that they looked as if they would be plucked at any moment. I have to be careful with these guys, too.

    I hold out my right hand and thrusts it forward.

    I held up my index finger.

    ¡°Bla¡­¡± (Shuu)

    A [Burning Ball] is generated on my index finger.

    ¡°A¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Subsequently, another [Burning Ball] is generated on the middle finger.

    ¡°Aze¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Then, another [Burning Ball] appeared on my ring finger.

    ¡°Most¡­¡­!¡± (Shuu)

    Then, a [Burning Ball] on my pink finger, followed the others.

    Finally, a [Burning Ball] is produced on my thumb, and now five [Burning Balls] are all present.

    My dream of casting a forbidden spell has now come true.

    ¡°Kafri¨C, um, well, oraaaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    I forgot the name at the last minute, so I used a roar to cover it up. The mycelial balls are released from my fingertips scattering into the square, creating a rumbling explosion and five pillars of fire. [T/N: It was a Dragon Quest spell apparently. Blazemost Kafrizz in English or Merazouma in Japanese.]

    ¡°Waaaah!¡± (Bandit)

    ¡°Gyaaaa!¡± (Bandit)

    ¡°Fire!¡± (Bandit)

    The direct hit did not come true, but the three were blown away by a blast and one¡¯s clothes were ignited. The plaza quickly becomes confused, and in the meantime, I jumped off.

    ¡°Here he comes! Do it!¡± (Kidnapper)

    The only two people who could immediately react to the boss¡¯s shouts were the two double-digit level bandits. Each of them brandished a weapon in their hand, and they lunged at me, doing a pincer attack from both sides.

    A spear was aimed at my chest. I dodged the spear just in time to trip him and snatch it from the side, snapping it off forcefully. I then thrust the tip of the spear into the spearman¡¯s thigh. With an elbow to the head resulted in a short groan as he knocks him down.

    The hatchet wielder come at me next. I grabbed the blade between my fingers stopping it. Smiling wickedly at the man whose eyes widen in surprise, and with a single blow, the hatchet leaves my opponent¡¯s left hand, which grows a beastly white claw. It¡¯s a Fungal Skill.

    ¡°Ungh!¡± (Shuu)

    I dodge it as they try to gouge my eyeballs, then I grabbed their wrist. I squeezed it in anger. *Crack*! With a dull crack, his wrist is compressed to the size of a snack sausage. Then I punch his face as he screams to silence him.

    Without pause, an arrow enters the range of my [Sensory Spores]. I flick it off with my bare hand and throw an electric ball in return. The yellow mycelium ball lands under the archer¡¯s foot, and with a flash of light, an electric current is sent through him. The archer crumples forward.

    ¡°Hii!¡± (Bandit)

    One of them chickens out and runs away. Two more runs after him.

    ¡ªThe boss¡¯ claws tear at their necks. Blood spurts out like a water gun, and the three fall without even crying.

    The blaze of the first [Burning Ball] subsides, and the area returns to the dimness of when the only light was from the bonfire.

    Only me and the boss are standing in the middle of the clearing.

    ¡°It all happened so fast. A bunch of small fries are still small fries, no matter how many there are, they¡¯re useless.¡± (Kidnapper)

    The boss licks his blood-soaked claws with the tip of his tongue, and then slowly approaches me.

    The madness in his eyes momentarily overwhelms him.

    The eyes are not like those of a beast, but full of the malice and murderous intent of human desire.

    It is so disgusting, so filthy, so horrifying.

    ¨CFrom here on out, it¡¯s a realm I¡¯ve never experienced before.

    ¡°I take back what I said before. You¡¯re some like, ¡®I¡¯m awesome! I¡¯m special! Look at me!¡¯ I live for the sake of ripping out the intestines of trash like you. It¡¯s a waste to keep you as a slave.¡± (Kidnapper)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    I summon my [Hypha Sword] and [Hypha Shield].

    I kill the trembling in my hands. Fear has been covered with anger.

    ¡°I understand what Noa was saying. Someone like you¡­ can¡¯t be left alive.¡± (Shuu)

    The two confront each other in the center of the square.

    The boss¡¯ lips lift into a sadistic grin.

    ¡°Hyi~hyi~, let¡¯s go!¡±

    He readied the claws on both his arms before kicking the ground.

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    It was a year ago that Murasugi, the boss of the bandits, fell into his current position.

    Originally, he lived as a farmer in a village belonging to the Kameido Tribe.

    His life was not particularly inconvenient. The land he lived on has been his family¡¯s for generations, it doesn¡¯t flood and produced good vegetables, and the metro to the south was across Kameido, so there was no need to worry about an invasion of ferocious Metro Beasts. His father and brother were both hard workers, and the inhabitants of the same village were all good-natured people who were like family.

    Among them, he was the only one who was different.

    Ever since he was a child, he loved to torture beasts in the forests and mountains. He loved violence, the screams of beasts, the color of their blood, and the color of their intestines.

    Since both of his parents were both [Peasant], Murasugi believed that he was one of them. Even if a [Peasant] had to work hard to raise their level, the ceiling was only high enough for anyone to reach. Therefore, he had no desire to actively hunt Metro Beasts, but only to indulge in his hobby of torturing weak creatures. He was half jealous of the hunters who were able to eat such tasteless prey.

    However, when he was fifteen years old.

    When he ate the sporangia of a wolf that he had trapped and killed, he accidentally developed his first Fungal Skill.

    It was the moment when he first realized that he was not a [Peasant]. Murasugi took this as a divine revelation that he was special, and rejoiced like a beast.

    For the next year, he devoted himself to hunting easy Metro Beasts, training to the reliable level of 10. Then, over the objections of his family, he became a hunter belonging to the Kameido Tribe.

    At first, he was ridiculed as a country [Craftsman] who could not read or write, and it was difficult to find a partner. In the first two years, he raised his level to 18, during which time he learned to read and write at least a little from the guild officials. Finally, he had his first partner. He was younger than him both in level and age, but he was a pleasant young man who had also come from a farming family.

    The first month of working together went well. He cared for and respected his first partner. But his roughness and cruelty could not be concealed even if he tried. His partner began to feel uncomfortable with the way he would aggressively take on even the smallest, most inexperienced of beasts, and then split his guts open with a smile.

    Eventually, several big arguments broke out, and in a fit of rage, he killed his partner. That was the first murder he had ever done.

    The sight of his partner¡¯s throat slit and motionless thrilled him in a way he had never felt before in his life. He climaxed twice as he toyed with the corpse, as he usually did with Metro Beasts. He realized that killing hunters who were stronger than a Metro Beast¡­ was the ultimate purpose of life he had been searching for.

    By the time he was 40, his level had reached 55, and he was somewhat well-known in other branches outside of Kameido. He was approaching the peak of his life.

    He had killed more than 20 hunters with his own hands. When he killed his partner, he reported it as a death in the line of duty in the Metro and left no evidence.

    But then¡­

    One day, when he was about to attack a hunter who was acting alone in the metro, he was subdued by another hunter.

    For some time he had been suspected by his colleagues under the radar. The ¡°tasty-looking prey¡± that he was about to seize was a decoy that the volunteers had prepared in order to uncover the monster¡¯s true identity.

    He was outnumbered, regardless of the difference in level. He was beaten on the spot.

    He was beaten to a pulp, his legs were broken, and his head was about to be chopped off when he pleaded with the hunters for his life. He told them that he would never kill again and that he would put up with being eaten by the beasts.

    The hunters cut off his arms and gave him what he wanted, deep in the metro, where the chances of his escape were slim to none. The beasts that had humiliated him so much would devour him and return him to the metro. The hunters left, telling him that this was the greatest opportunity for redemption that could be given to a lowlife.

    However, the result was that he survived and escaped the Metro. It was the work of some luck, terrible hatred, and persistence.

    He lost both arms, his position as a hunter, and his Fungal Skills to kill prey.

    Still, he did not give up. He let his wounds recover in a secluded place and searched for a way to fight even with the loss of his arms. He left his hometown of Kameido and arrived in the distant land of Outsuka, where he joined a group of incompetent thieves.

    He thanked the gods for his good fortune to enjoy a second chance at life.

    So was the fact that it was Obuchi who he had first captured. Not only was the gold he had in his possession valuable, but he was also a skilled man in his own right. His disposition of valuing his partners more than himself was perfect for a slave.

    He thought he would be a valuable first piece for their planned attack on Sugamo City.

    Murasugi¡¯s goal was to raid the mayor¡¯s mansion in Sugamo City and steal the elixir.

    This was information he had obtained from a merchant he had captured and killed. The mayor¡¯s daughter is suffering from a serious illness. A few decades ago, it was even called a curse, an incurable disease that cured the mycelium in her body to harden before eventually leading to her death.

    In order to cure the disease, the mayor has ordered all kinds of medicines from all over the world. Among them was a secret medicine that could regenerate even lost limbs like a lizard.

    If he could get his hands on it, he would be able to regain all the arms and strength that the hunters had taken from him.

    Sugamo is heavily guarded. A hundred [Peasant] would not even be able to break through the walls.

    However, a few hunters would be able to do so. They could sneak in under cover of night, raid the mansion, and steal the elixir and properties.

    To do so, the task at hand was to increase the number of his pawns.

    And today, a new hunter was found. Murasugi was pleased to see how he fought off seven of his men in a matter of seconds, and he thought he could use him. If he could use them, he would be able to get closer to his goal in no time at all.

    To do so, he took advantage of the moment and snatched his partner.

    Sure enough, he came in alone. It was as if I had the second piece of the puzzle.

    ¨CI was supposed to work.

    ¡°¡­change of plans.¡± (Kidnapper => Murasugi)

    The man in front of him uses not only [Katana] and [Leaping] but also the [Fire Ball] and [Thunder Ball]. He clearly has a high-ranking Fungal Class.

    There is no need for a sword that can injure you if you wield it.

    We have to get rid of them here.

    Murasugi licks off the blood on the tip of the left claw. He then thrusts his right claw into the pouch tied around his waist, guiding his gaze toward us. A powder spills out. It is a paralyzing poison powder, from the Zabuntake mushroom. It is the same powder that was mixed in the smoke screen when he kidnapped the girl hunter.

    The yellow powder adheres to the tip of the knife. If poison is injected directly through the blood vessels, the victim will be incapacitated, unless he or she has a [poison-resistant] fungal capacity.

    Imagining the thought of stirring the intestines of this immobilized man a minute later, Murasugi licks his lips.

    ¡°Heh~ heh~, let¡¯s go.¡± (Murasugi)

    [Leaping]. It is one of the few Fungal Skills that can be used by Murasugi, whose arms have been robbed.

    Precisely closing the gap as he slides on the ground, and running with his claws ready.

    Just a scratch. That will decide his victory.

    Abe¡¯s [Katana] collides with the claw. It¡¯s his sword tried to cut off his claws, but it was a gallant try! The claws were twisted with a shearing sound, and the sword is knocked off.

    ¡°Hah!¡± (Murasugi)

    He swung the other claw. Abe dutifully uses his [Round Shield] to catch it, but Murasugi slides it shallowly across the surface, aiming at Abe¡¯s outstretched arm, which is holding the [Katana].

    ¡°Kuu!¡± (Shuu)

    Just before that, Abe increases the distance by kicking away.

    (¨Che blocked it.) (Murasugi)

    He was very aggressive. It was as if he didn¡¯t want even a scratch.

    ¡°¡­well, that¡¯s poison, right? You¡¯re trying to be sneaky. Did you think you didn¡¯t notice it?¡± (Shuu)

    The skin crawled.

    It should have been in a complete blind spot when he used the powder. He should not have been able to see it.

    (How did he notice it?) (Murasugi)

    (Can he see from behind?) (Murasugi)

    ¡°¡­Heh~ heh~ what do you mean?¡± (Murasugi)

    Murasugi grinned and laughed. His left claw also pierces the bag.

    ¡°I have these kinds of arms you know? Can¡¯t you let me have a little handicap?¡± (Murasugi)

    ¡°That¡¯s true. You probably can¡¯t even wipe your ass.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hihi, that¡¯s not true. As long as you get used to it¨C¡± (Murasugi)

    As if interrupting the conversation, Abe now closes the distance from the other side. The first is a sharp swing down.

    He caught it by his claws, but it was heavy and pushed against him hard.

    ¡°Raaa!¡± (Murasugi)

    His aim was to break the claws, not Murasugi himself. Abe swings with all his might.

    However, even though the blade passed through, the claws were not even dented.

    (Heh~ heh~ of course. I¡¯m proud of my skill.) (Murasugi)

    High-level [Hypha Weapons] boast sharpness that can cut through iron and steel. Even so, Murasugi¡¯s is a gem carved from a Magic Iron Bone that can only be mined in the depths of the metro. He has been using it since before he lost his Fungal Skills and has had it suck the blood of countless beasts and humans.

    Murasugi made it permanent by sticking it directly into the bones of his arms. It is now part of his body, both in name and in reality.

    He delivers a return blow to the surprised Abe¡¯s face, but the guy shakes his head and yells, ¡°Noo!¡± He dodges the blow with a twist of his head.

    As he was about to back away, Murasugi closed in on him.

    Murasugi¡¯s weapon has a smaller reach. He was at a disadvantage if he moved away, but his body was a bonus target.

    ¡°Kuu!¡± (Shuu)

    As expected, Abe was unable to swing his sword and was unable to attack.

    The claws attacked at close range in all directions, but Abe used his shield to block them and his quick reflexes to evade the attacks.

    (That¡¯s some ridiculous reflexes.) (Murasugi)

    (Is he really just level 45?) (Murasugi)

    (Rather isn¡¯t he faster than me?) (Murasugi)

    ¡°¡ªBut.¡± (Murasugi)

    He can tell by the way he moves around. Abe is an amateur at fighting against people.

    He is a typical hunter fool who has only dealt with dim-witted beasts.

    He pays too much attention to the claws and with a half step instead. The moment Abe is slightly out of rhythm, the claws aim at his arm.

    ¡ªthen *Clink*! And the claws are repelled.

    (What?) (Murasugi)

    Abe¡¯s fist, from hand to wrist, has a silver shimmer. As if covered with a metal skin. With that, he swatted it away.

    ([Iron Fist]?) (Murasugi)

    (How many fungal abilities does this guy have?) (Murasugi)

    [Katana], [War Hammer], [Leaping], [Fire Ball], [Thunder Ball], [Round Shield], and [Iron Fist]. At least seven.

    (He definitely has a high-ranking Fungal Class¨C) (Murasugi)

    (Isn¡¯t it a little too strong and versatile?) (Murasugi)

    Since he mainly uses [Katana]and [Round Shield], it is almost certain that he is a [Holy Knight]. However, there are many other useful skills in his lineage as well. The current Murasugi is too dazzled.

    ¡°¡­how unfair?¡± (Murasugi)

    Most of his are taken away, and he can only use [Leaping] and [Hearing].

    Hatred and jealousy are ablaze in his chest. His body trembles with rage. His clenched teeth grinding has become audible.

    I have to kill him no matter what it takes.

    I¡¯ll make sure to poison him. Then, when he is unable to move, I rip open his belly. I will pull out its internal organs one by one while it is still alive.

    I¡¯ve made up my mind, I will do it.

    If I don¡¯t, there will be no tomorrow for me.

 CH 29

    ~Murasugi¡¯s Perspective~

    ¡°¨CI wasn¡¯t trying to be merciful on you.¡± (Shuu)

    Abe throws his sword and shield to the ground.

    ¡°No, I guess I was. I was thinking that I could win easily by just using the bare minimum, or that I would be dissatisfied if I used it on you who had such arms. Tamiko would be furious with me, I did that.¡± (Shuu)

    When he takes off his fur cloak, a white arm arises from his back.

    (Ah, [Asura].) (Murasugi)

    (No way he even has such a rare skill¡ª) (Murasugi)

    Abe¡¯s own arms are hardened by [Iron Fist]. He smashed his fists with each other with a guttural thump.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to do it for real. On the day I finally get to go above ground, it¡¯s game over if I don¡¯t do my all, and the grass isn¡¯t actually greener here.¡± (Shuu)

    A mycelial ball is released from the fingertip of the hypha arm. The moment it fell to the ground between the two of us, I thought, ¡°you¡¯re crazy!¡± but smoke appeared.

    (A [Smoke Ball]!) (Murasugi)

    Immediately, the area is enveloped in gray. I listened carefully, sensing the movement of the air with my enhanced hearing.

    Bam! A hypha arm passes just in front of my face. It grazes me slightly, tearing off half my ear.

    I cannot dodge the second blow, so I crossed my arms to block it. Then, I find myself flying backward as I try to absorb the impact, which resonates down to my marrow.

    I emerge from the range of the smoke. Abe zooms out of the cloud.

    ¡°How could you even guard against that? Did you see through the smoke?¡± (Shuu)

    Abe asks in a casual tone.

    (That.) (Murasugi)

    (That should be my line.) (Murasugi)

    This further grates on my nerves.

    ¡°¡­you¡¯re f*cking with me¡­¡± (Murasugi)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t f*ck with me!¡± (Murasugi)

    Blinded by my rage, I kicked the ground.

    Using [Leaping], I rush at the maximum speed I can draw out. Sliding a few meters in front of him and move around to his left side as I glide across the ground.

    Then with my left claw gouging the ground. The shower of soil and sand rains on Abe¡¯s face, and I sneak within arm¡¯s reach.

    ¡°Die!¡± (Murasugi)

    Swing up my claws. Then¡ªmy field of view blurs at high speed.

    I find myself blown to the side, my back slammed on the ground, before rolling around.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhh¡­!¡± (Murasugi)

    My lower rib is broken. A fist-shaped welt that is clearly engraved on my flesh is left. I took a direct hit from [Iron Fist].

    Just as he aimed accurately through the smoke screen. The dust didn¡¯t work either¡ªhe¡¯s just now brushing the dirt from his face.

    Did he react without seeing it? Even if he has [Hearing] like mine, how can he hit in the correct direction and timing?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the name of this, so you¡¯re calling it ¡°Iron Fist,¡± and it might literally be the same as Iron Fist.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­So, how many Fungal Skills do you have?¡± (Murasugi)

    Somehow, I managed to get up and throw a few words at him to buy time for me to recover from the damage.

    ¡°How many? I still have some, but I¡¯m with this done.¡± (Shuu)

    I gritted my teeth. The blow I just received has struck me to the core of my body. My knees start to buckle, it was ridiculous.

    Still¡ªrage fills me up even more. I stifled the pain, but my consciousness is stained black.

    ¡°¡­¡­F*ck you¡­¡­¡± (Murasugi)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You guys¨Cyou¡¯re trying to rob me again! You¡¯re nothing more than a bunch of scum who can¡¯t do anything without others backing you!¡± (Murasugi)

    ¡°A monologue, great.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m special! I¡¯ve been to the southernmost metro, at floor 55, and if I had my arms, I¡¯d be a Master! I¡¯m one of the few people in the world with the talent to do it!¡± (Murasugi)

    ¡°Hah.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ve killed over 20 hunters! I can do what you guys are too scared to do! So you can try to kill me all you want. I won¡¯t let anyone get in my way, and I won¡¯t let anyone take anything from me ever again!¡± (Murasugi)

    ¡°You¡¯re talking crazy.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Show me your guts! Show me your plump shit-filled guts!¡± (Murasugi)

    I jumped. I finally exceeded my maximum speed. I moved low to the ground so that the attack from the hypha arms that are above don¡¯t reach me.

    The claw I raised, pierces Abe¡¯s jaw¡ªbut just before it does, a hypha arm catches my right claw.

    A streak of light runs through it. A broken claw then flies backward.

    (¨CEh?) (Murasugi)

    (Impossible, that¡¯s Magic Iron Bone.) (Murasugi)

    Unbelievable, yet I was not intimidated. I immediately stabbed it with my left arm.

    Snap! The left claw is also broken. It breaks the flesh and bone from the base, scattering blood.

    It is only then that I notice that Abe¡¯s arms are covered with a bluish-white light. He broke my claw with a knife-hand.

    (¨D¨D [Light Blade]?) (Murasugi)

    (You¡¯re kidding?) (Murasugi)

    That fist thrusts up at my stomach. ¡°Gaha!¡± I spa out a mouthful of bloody spit.

    ¡°I won¡¯t stop hitting you until you fall! You understand right!?¡± (Shuu)

    Four fists rain down without mercy. My jaw, shoulder, chest, and temple were struck. Even with his ridiculous fists, each blow was unbelievably fast and heavy.

    I lost my claws, my pride, and glory, and I am beaten to pieces.

    ¡°Gaaah!¡± (Murasugi)

    Even so, I will not kneel. I look up and howl, swinging the broken end of the claw.

    The [Iron Fist], shaped in the form of a stabbing hand, pierces my chest. The fingertips break through my skin, cracked the ribs, and reach my lungs.

    ¡°¨Cah¡± (Murasugi)

    The stabbed hand is pulled out. Blood gushes out. Strength drains from my body.

    ¡°¨CI forgot to say before, but I¡¯m actually level 66.¡± (Shuu)

    My vision goes dark. I slowly lose my senses, and when suddenly I realize I¡¯ve fallen and now looking up at the sky.

    (¨Cf*ck this.) (Murasugi)

    I¡¯m being robbed. Again.

    I¡¯ve crawled up from hell and built up to this again.

    (F*ck it, f*ck it!) (Murasugi)

    (This little brat! I-I¡¯m¨C) (Murasugi)

    ¡°¨CIs it broken, already? How boring.¡± (Voice)

    I hear a voice in my head.

    ¡°I was wondering if he could show me more of his sparkle.¡± (Voice)

    An unfamiliar voice. It is a mysterious voice, neither male nor female.

    My eyes and ears should no longer be functioning. Yet, I could hear them very clearly, as if they were echoing directly in my head.

    (Who are you?) (Murasugi)

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s been, uh, borrowing from you. Oh, but thanks to you, I¡¯ve learned speech. Thank you, it¡¯s so much fun to be able to put my thoughts into words. I¡¯m very grateful. The best part is that I now know the name of that hairless ape. It¡¯s called Abeshuu.¡± (Voice)

    (What are you talking about? What are you?) (Murasugi)

    ¡°Normally, I would have ended my time here and moved on to other individuals as I saw fit. But now that I¡¯ve come this far, I thought I¡¯d like to get in direct contact with him.¡± (Voice)

    (What are you talking about?) (Murasugi)

    ¡°Well you see-it was only for a short time, but thank you for your help. I¡¯ll take your body. That¡¯s okay right?¡± (Voice)

    (What do you mean?) (Murasugi)

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever moved a living body of my own volition, so I¡¯ll probably mess it up, but yours will soon be useless anyway, so it¡¯s okay, right?¡± (Voice)

    (Stop.) (Murasugi)

    ¡°Well, do you remember what you used to say to the people you¡¯ve killed? I¡¯ll tell you. ¡®I¡¯ll have my fun with your corpse.''¡± (Voice)

    (Don¡¯t take any more from me.) (Murasugi)

    (Stop, stop¨C) (Murasugi)

    ¡°Ahaha.¡± (???)

    With a snap, my consciousness breaks off. Beyond that, abyssal darkness continues forever without light or sound.

    ~Shuu¡¯s Perspective~

    Looking down at the motionless bandit boss¡¯s body, I released a sigh.

    (¡­He was pretty strong.) (Shuu)

    (As if he was just one level lower.) (Shuu)

    It was just hard to fight. The difference between our experience and skills, I guess.

    It was hard to deal with the opponent who jumped into my reach without any hesitation using a weapon with the long reach of a sword.

    Iron Fist, the seventeenth Fungal Skill obtained by defeating Boss Slime.

    I only used it a few times on the way to Metro Escape to test it out, but it meshed well with my opponent¡¯s fighting style.

    (¡­would have been a lot easier if I had used [Hypha Arm] from the beginning.) (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t mean to be merciful, but it was probably due to naivete. It is difficult to verbalize, but it was due to stubbornness, pride, or some such ill-defined and irrational emotion. He thought that even if he won the match, he might not be satisfied with the result, because he had lost an arm and was going up against an opponent with four arms.

    Not only for emotional reasons, but also because of a calculation that I might be able to manage without using poison due to the difference in level, but this was also a case of my carelessness. The other party was using poison, and I should have dealt with the situation before it happened. On reflection, I¡¯m going to get a good scolding from my tiny master.

    (Well, thanks to my self-regenerating mycelium, it¡¯s hard for me to get poisoned.) (Shuu)

    (There is also the [Antidote Ball], but it¡¯s not a sure thing.) (Shuu)

    Looking around.

    There are ten people, including the boss that have fallen here.

    ¡ªObuchi is missing. I had seen him before the fight with the boss.

    Did he run away? No, he must have gone into that cave to get his companion back.

    It was a hasty decision to knock him to the ground. If we had fought together, he might have gotten distracted by the hostage, and even if I said it out loud, it would have been a threat if he had turned against me. It was also true that I was a little pissed off after being hit so many times.

    Anyway, that was the end of it.

    The subordinates whom I had defeated were probably not dead. To be honest, I wanted to kill them, but I held back just before I did so.

    But the boss lying in front of me was no longer moving. He has a gaping hole in his left chest.

    (Ah¡­ He¡¯s dead, this is the end.) (Shuu)

    (With this, I too¡­ have become a killer.) (Shuu)

    (I forgot to say no hard feelings. I wonder if I truly became one.) (Shuu)

    I couldn¡¯t help but think that this was someone that shouldn¡¯t be allowed to live. I couldn¡¯t control my anger.

    Whatever the excuse ¡°I killed him¡±. That¡¯s a fact.

    ¡°An hour after I was told that I was a kind person, this is what I did, ha-ha¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Rather than a sense of guilt, I felt more like, ¡°Oh no, I did it¡±. And somehow, I am strangely calm. That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of.

    It may be something that I have to will worry about later. Or maybe it will become ¡°that¡¯s just the way it is,¡± and I can just let it go. Either way, it is certain that there is no turning back from here.

    (I wonder if I will ever be able to go back to a proper job again.) (Shuu)

    ¡°Abe-san!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Noa and Tamiko came running down to the clearing.

    ¡°Ikari-san, are you okay?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, yes¡­ thank you so much. You saved my life twice now¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°No, well, that¡¯s¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s just as well. That boss bandit, even though he¡¯s a ¡°Udeochi,¡± Tamiko-san says he¡¯s over level 50¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, he was definitely strong. If I had not been immune to poison, I might have been in a bit of danger.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We were all watching with a squeak of dread. Why didn¡¯t you squeaking use it at the beginning, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Um, well¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ forgive me¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Overconfidence mode results in injuries, squeak. You¡¯ll be receiving a penal-squeak later.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± (Shuu)

    The penalty, by the way, is ¡°to pet her with sincerity until the master is satisfied¡±. This is a difficult task that cannot be achieved if I am careless in both quantity and quality.

    Now, let¡¯s go to the town. I want to clean up and go to town as soon as possible. Konno-san would be worried about me.

    I¡¯m tired and hungry. I want to take a bath to wash off the grime of all the hard work I¡¯ve done so far, and enjoy the reward of sleeping on a soft futon.

    ¡°So, what are we going to do about these guys? I think some of them are still alive. Should we still go into town and bring the military police?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll escape in that time. Is Abe-san not against finishing them all off?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hmm¡­ We don¡¯t even have a wagon, let alone a wagon, to take them to the town.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa and Tamiko on my shoulders suddenly have their eyes wide open.

    Looking back with an unpleasant premonition on hand, one person is standing up behind me.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s the boss.

    His knees are bent like a puppet on a string. His right claw, broken in the middle, is just a stick hanging from his arm.

    His head was slumped down, his expression expressionless. It stood up but did not move. I felt neither life nor killing intent.

    ¡°Tamiko, Noa, get back, far away.¡± (Shuu)

    I first think about the possibility of him having a [Regenerative Mycelium] while standing with the others behind me.

    I have never thought that this ability was my own unique skill. It would not be surprising if other people could use it.

    However, the hole in his left chest remains open. It doesn¡¯t seem to be regenerating.

    ¡°¡­Ki-Kiki¡­¡± (Murasugi?)

    His head snaps ninety degrees from the side. Then, slowly, he straightens his back.

    Tears of blood are streaming from his eyes. Blood even flows from his mouth and nose. It¡¯s flowing freely and unceasingly.

    His shoulder then starts to swell up with a dull thud.

    Every time his body trembled, his joints bent in impossible directions, and his muscles bulged here and there. He was the same height as me, however, his upper back has already grown to the point where I have to look up or move farther to see him.

    ¡°¡­How did he get this big¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    The bandit boss does not answer, only shaking his log-like head and rattling it.

    The boss¡¯s arms are placed on the ground with a thud. The boss, who has changed into a large four-legged beast, lifts his head and his red eyes peek through a gap in his black hair, which hangs down thickly. Then the whites of his eyes are also stained red.

    (¡­I forgot to say no hard feelings.) (Shuu)

    (¡­has he become something possessed?) (Shuu)

    ¡°Ki-Kiki¡­ What a beautiful¡­ Display¡­¡± (Murasugi?)

    His mouth hardly moves, but his voice leaks out from the back of his throat. It is flat, inorganic, and has a very low sound that is hard to believe comes from a human.

    A/N: Next Round, the battle with the savage bandits is over.

    T/N: Well, they learned speech. Great, a weird creepy stalker that can now say creepy stuff.

 CH 30.1

    ¡°Noa¡­ is this also a Fungal Skill¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    Satoshi does not look back and asks without taking his eyes off the head who has transformed into a monster.

    ¡°¡­no, I don¡¯t think so¡­ I think this is something else¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Tamiko, what¡¯s this thing¡¯s level?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mmm¡­ I can¡¯t squeak it! I don¡¯t know, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Seriously!?¡± (Shuu)

    That has never happened before.

    This was some unknown that cannot be measured even by Tamiko¡¯s [Risk Counter].

    My sensitivity to danger, which has helped me survive the five years of walking beside death, is screaming loud and clear.

    (This is¡ªsomething that is not human or beast.) (Shuu)

    (It is something more¡ªominous.) (Shuu)

    There is no time to be afraid. If I don¡¯t do anything, I will die. I¡¯m certain.

    I hold my hypha shield in my left hand, a hypha sword in my right hand, and two hypha swords in with hypha arms. They are covered with a bluish-white spore light. This is the same skill configuration as when I fought the Boss Slime, this is the appearance of an ¡°All-out no effort spared Shuu Abe¡±.

    ¡°Both of you, get away from¨C¡± (Shuu)

    Before I can finish, the boss crouches back on all four legs and kicks the ground. The faint starlight is covered by a massive shadow.

    I jump back just in time before it directly falls above me. The ground on which I was standing before was now cracked and cratered. Birds and beasts start to buzz with the noise and tremor.

    In the center of the dusty air, a huge bulge appears on his back, and countless arms grow out through his skin. A mix of red and white, they look like a twisted combination of muscle fibers and hyphae.

    They spread out their five bloody fingers and rose into the night sky, falling like shooting stars toward me.

    ¡°Seriously!?¡± (Shuu)

    The arms come rushing at me, but I slashed them away with my three glowing blades. Still, it was impossible to handle all of them, so I leaped to the edge of the clearing and run away.

    But the arms changed direction with a jerk, and they began crawling along the ground. A rain of arms pierced the spot where I was. I couldn¡¯t help but cry out, ¡°That¡¯s creepy!¡±

    ¡°Mo-monster!¡± (Bandit)

    ¡°What¡¯s this!?¡± (Bandit)

    Did the bandit lackeys wake up? The arms react to this, and with a jerk, it changes its aim and grabs at the men.

    ¡°Hyaaaah!¡± (Bandit)

    The boss¡¯ mouth gaped wide and he grabbed two of his men and threw them deep into his throat. His neck constricts and undulates like a caterpillar, soon the two settle into his belly, and it ends with a loud belch.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± (Bandits)

    The clearing immediately erupts with screams as his men flee, dragging their wounded bodies behind. Their boss chases after them and captures them with his tentacle arms.

    I don¡¯t intend to help them. I just saw an opening.

    I jump on his back from behind. I cleaved all the arms from the base, I stabbed him through and through as I force my body into a crouch. The blade is now halfway through.

    (I did it!) (Shuu)

    (This time you¡¯re dead!) (Shuu)

    The boss¡¯ movement stops for a moment. Then I heard a loud and shrill scream, ¡°Gyiiiiii¡±.

    ¡°¨CWoah!¡± (Shuu)

    Then the surface of his wounded back explodes, and multiple arms arise again. They extend even further, chasing after me. They moved like a school of fish in a feeding frenzy as they eat a clump of nutrient-rich feed.

    (I am absolutely sure I pierced his heart!) (Shuu)

    (Why doesn¡¯t he die!?) (Shuu)

    (Fuu¡ªck it! He¡¯s going to catch up!) (Shuu)

    I quickly throw three burning balls simultaneously. A bunch of his arms explodes, tearing off some, but his momentum is not hindered in the slightest.

    I roll sideways to avoid it. However, the swarm of arms turns almost at a right angle and approaches me again.

    I clenched my teeth and held the great shield in front of me.

    I meet the attack head-on, an attack with such strength that my entire field of vision turned black.

    I was knocked away by the momentum, but the shield absorbs the momentum moving me backward and lifting my body above the ground.

    ¡°Raaah¨C!¡± (Shuu)

    I spun and slashed all the arms. Three white glowing sword slashes cut the bundle of arms in two, and black bodily fluids spill out.

    The arms land on the ground making a scaffolding and now looked like the world¡¯s most disgusting path leading to the torso.

    (If the torso is a bad target, then I won¡¯t have problems with the head!) (Shuu)

    My Sensory Spores can detect things coming from behind.

    The cut arms regenerated and made a sharp U-turn chasing after me.

    Still, I was a step faster.

    Just before the arm catches up with him, he leaps and swings his sword down at the head.

    The full force of the blow makes a hard ¡°bam!¡±.

    ¡°¨CSeriously?¡± (Shuu)

    The boss¡¯ teeth literally stop the blade of my sword.

    The Light Blade is biting into the corner of his mouth, but it still hasn¡¯t managed to separate his jaw.

    This time, arms appear from the boss¡¯ neck. The boss grabs the great shield that I had quickly created and slams it down with all his might.

    ¡°Guh¨C!¡± (Shuu)

    I choke for breath as I am dropped to the ground on my back. The impact made my vision turn white.

    Numerous arms are raining down from above his back. I quickly put the palms of my hypha arms against the ground and slid up, pulling my body along. Still, I was unable to dodge them all, and my ear on one side is gouged out.

    ¡°¡­Skill, arms¡­ I want¡­¡± (Murasugi?)

    ¡°¡­¡­Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Want, crush, defeat¡­¡± (Murasugi?)

    ¡°¡­¡­what?¡± (Shuu)

    The boss again says in a hushed whisper to me, while I was recovering my stance as I endured the pain.

    I can¡¯t understand what he¡¯s talking about. So, despite that, I will try to regain my posture by enduring the pain to find a gap.

    I don¡¯t know what this person is anymore, but it¡¯s clear that what stands in front of me is a genuine monster.

    I realize, it has been a long time, but I realized that I have forgotten to eat something. The last time I ate anything was when I nibbled on some dried meat before getting into the carriage.

    Once again, I create three swords and a great shield. I put on the Spore Light, and my body feels heavier and heavier. The accumulation of hunger and fatigue is becoming too much to ignore, and the regeneration of my gouged wounds is becoming slow, if not stopping completely. It would be dangerous to prolong the situation.

    ¡°¡­more, show¡­ Beautiful display¡­ Abeshuu you sparkle¡­¡± (Murasugi?)

    Called by my name, a chill crawls down my spine.

    ¡°¡­Come on, Look, Arms¡­ Smooth baby¡¯s bottom watch!¡± (Murasugi)

    As declared, arms extend from his buttocks. Numerous red and white speckled arms.

    I pulled back just in time to dodge to the side, and then I cut them off with a swing of my hypha arms.

    I closed the distance and threw my great shield at the same time.

    The boss shakes his head and flicks it as it spins around like a Frisbee.

    In that gap, I sneaked beneath the boss.

    (If the back is not good.) (Shuu)

    (If the head is also blocked.) (Shuu)

    (I¡¯m so hungry, I¡¯ll try your belly.) (Shuu)

    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± (Shuu)

    Sliding under, I cut him open from his chest to belly to his pelvis, then out between his legs. Blood spills profusely and his guts fall¡ªbut the boss still turns around and stomps his feet, unperturbed.

    ¡°¡­¡­No, no, no¡­¡­¡± (Murasugi?)

    (F*cking monster.) (Shuu)

    (It is way beyond a zombie and those things.) (Shuu)

    This time, black arms appear from his sliced-up gaping stomach, extending toward me as if it is trying to trap me from the left and right.

    With too many things moving, it is impossible to intercept. Just before I was about to be crushed, I stepped backward to escape. Hands from both directions collide with each other and become entangled, forming a squirming ball, like one of those earthworm balls I heard about. It looks quite disgusting.

    ¡°Abe-san!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Noa and Tamiko are on the other side of the boss. They¡¯re going to attack and pincer him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it! Hide!¡± (Shuu)

    Once again, arms appear arises from the boss¡¯ back, heading for Noa and Tamiko.

    Noa dodges it just in time, but the arms kept pursuing her until they hit her, blowing her away.

    ¡°Noa!¡± (Shuu)

    I released two Thunder Balls from my fingertips. The moment the red and white arms squeeze caught them, a flash of light explodes and an electric current runs through the arms.

    There was a brief pause. In the meantime, Tamiko and Noa got up, and are now keeping their distance.

    However, there seems to be little damage from the electric shock. The boss turns toward Noa and Tamiko with his red eyes, as if he were inspecting them.

    ¡°¡­Abebebe¡­ Abebebe¡­ Abe daz¡­ Dazzling light¡­¡± (Murasugi)

    ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re immortal¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Seriously, there¡¯s no choice but to crush his head

    In a roundabout way, he is most vigilant at that part. That is likely his weakness.

    (I need to find a chance.) (Shuu)

    If possible, about a few seconds.

    To evade its defense and land a real blow.

    ¡°¨CAbe-san!¡± (Voice)

 CH 30.2

    ¡°¨CAbe-san!¡± (Voice)

    I can hear a voice from a distance. There is a shadow running.

    Noa¡ªnot. Bigger and thicker. His footsteps are echoing.

    It¡¯s Obuchi.

    ¡°Damn you!¡± (Obuchi)

    Several bottles are thrown from Obuchi¡¯s hand. They draw a steep arc, colliding in mid-air with the red-and-white arms as they swarm and intercept it, then it breaks. A clear liquid splashes down on the boss¡¯ body.

    ¡°Yui-sama!¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°It is I!¡± (Yui)

    There was something that took off from Obuchi¡¯s shoulder runs on the ground and jumped quite high, using the boss¡¯ head as a springboard.

    That little shadow dances in the air.

    (Woah!) (Shuu)

    ¡ªIt¡¯s a cat.

    The cat spits out a red ball from its mouth¡ªa mycelium ball the same color as my Burning Ball.

    It lands on the boss¡¯ head, the tiny ball explodes and then bursts into a roaring flame.

    ¡°Vodka that¡¯s 95% alcohol! That¡¯s going to burn!¡± (Obuchi)

    The boss began to shake his head. It¡¯s working and it is struggling to put out the fire.

    ¡°¡­Hot¡­ Hot¡­ Murasugi cooked¡­¡± (Murasugi)

    The arms surround his body, writhing trying to put out the fire.

    So, I bend down my knees, then leaped in a straight line.

    I thrust forward through the forest of arms, writhing all over his body.

    My Light Blade pushed through his brow.

    His huge body shakes violently.

    ¡°Kiyeeeeee¡­!¡± (Murasugi?)

    ¡°This won¡¯t feel good!¡± (Shuu)

    A swing of my mycelial arm decapitates the boss.

    The severed head whirls around in the air.

    It meets my eyes¡ªit looks like it is laughing.

    ¨CAbeshuu, see you later.

    Is it my imagination that I heard it say that?

    ¡°Shut up and eat my ball(s)!¡± (Shuu)

    I released a Burning Ball in a straight trajectory jumping into the open hole of his meaty neck.

    Boom! The head explodes, and pieces of meat rain down.

    The huge body, which had fallen flat on its side, slowly melts and turns into a black liquid, which spreads on the ground.

    Steam filled the air, smelling like rotting flesh. Not a single bone remains, and the black stain on the ground disappears.

    I stumbled on my feet and falls flat on my ass.

    For a moment, all sound ceased. Silence falls over the clearing.

    ¡°¡­Hah, that was hard¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It was a really strong enemy. Based on the Boss Slime, it might have exceeded the 60s. I¡¯m not confident that I can win if I try doing it again.

    My physical strength is at the limits. If I don¡¯t eat anything right now, I won¡¯t be able to walk anymore. sleepy. I want to lie down and sleep.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Abe-san!¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko and Noa run up to me. I¡¯m glad they¡¯re both okay, but then Noa holds me by the neck and Tamiko presses her head against my nipple (drilling her head).

    ¡°I¡¯m glad! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Pigya! I¡¯m squeaking scared!¡± (Tamiko)

    I don¡¯t know if I can call this having two flowers in both hands, but for this moment, I was in the troubling situation of having voluptuous bosoms smother me while my own nipples were being drilled.

    ¡°¡­Abe-san¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    Obuchi appeared when I turn around. His battered pig face looks like he¡¯s about to cry.

    ¡°Um, Obuchi-san?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, my name is Obuchi Routa. As you can see I am a [Pigfolk ¨C Orc]. (Obuchi)

    ¡°Orc?¡± (Chuu)

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a pig demihuman.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°I see, a demihuman.¡± (Shuu)

    There are supernatural powers, monsters, magic beasts, zombies, and even demihumans. I¡¯m impressed by the breadth of New Tokyo.

    ¡°Phew¡­ I haven¡¯t caught up with absorbing my current situation yet¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Obuchi kneels down in front of me and presses his forehead against the ground like he¡¯s about to crack it open. The dogeza, the traditional Japanese art of kneeling on the ground, was still alive in the world a hundred years later.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Even though they had taken a hostage, I¡¯ve repeatedly struck you with my fist many times¡­!¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°No, well, to tell you the truth, it hurt. As you can see, I¡¯m fine now¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yep, it¡¯s the usual baby¡¯s bottom smooth face, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Shut it. Well, I have also hit you once, so we¡¯re even.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Is that the Fungal Skill [Self-Regeneration]¡­ How amazing¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Yeah? Yeah¡­ that¡¯s right. Well, how are the hostages¡­¡± (Shuu)

    A cat looks into my face from behind Obuchi. It could be described as an elegant cat, with white fur and dark spots framing the face, ears, and limbs. The tip of its tail is spread out like a mushroom¡¯s head, which is impressive.

    The cat sits down next to Obchi and bows deeply side by side.

    ¡°My name is Yui. Forgive us for the inconvenience caused by myself and pig. Please, I apologize and thank you.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°¡­The hostage¡­ is this cat ¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, I was a hostage, or a cat hostage.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°¡­Cats can also talk¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m from the Cait Sith tribe.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°¡­Oh, a Magic Beast. I see, of course, sure¡­¡±

    I nodded knowingly, but a part of me, Shuu Abe, was shocked to have found a cat for the first time in 100 years. There is also a part of me who is shedding blood and tears while praising the heavens.

    ¡°When I got separated from this pig in the forest, we were both caught by that [Udeochi]. It was a gargantuan mistake. Thanks to you, this pig was not forced to join the bandits for my sake. ¡­I really can¡¯t thank you enough, Abe-san.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°While you were fighting against the [Udeochi] I somehow managed to rescue her. Please forgive me for leaving you alone and not helping.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°It was nothing. I managed to do it alone (I wanna rub those toe beans).¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, you¡¯re staring way too hard, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko, who had read my mind, gave me a sharp rebuke. As expected of my partner, Tamiko seemed to have detected that I was a secret cat person. In deference to her keen eye, I rubbed the base of her tail, and she said, ¡°Oh, not there, squeak! ¡­that¡¯s wrong¡­ more squeak.¡±

    ¡°Even so¡­ when we came out of that cave, Abe-san is fighting that thing¡­¡± (Yui)

    They look at the black spots on the ground. If you look closely, a metal rod that seems to be the last part of his claws stands in the center. Like a grave marker.

    ¡°I thought I had defeated the ¡°Udeochi¡±. It suddenly transformed into that monster¡­ What was that?¡± (Shuu)

    There was no such creature in the metro. For the first time, since I woke up, I saw a monster that was neither human nor Metro Beast, but something much more foreign and unidentifiable.

    ¡°That¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve seen one.¡± (Yui)

    It was the first time I couldn¡¯t see someone¡¯s level, squeak. It was scary, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Maybe¡ª¡± Noa said, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s the Demonic Disease.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Demonic Disease?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯ve heard of it too,¡± Obuchi said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that veteran hunters who spend a lot of time in the depths of the Metro can, on rare occasions, turn into monsters like that, neither man nor beast, after their death. I thought it was just an urban legend¡­ ¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Deep in the Metro? For a long time? Wait a minute¡­ I¡¯ve been on the 50th floor for five years¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Will I become a monster like that if I die too? I¡¯m terrified. Considering the inconvenience I could cause around me, I can¡¯t live my life that way.

    ¡°Fiftieth floor? Five years?¡± Obuchi said anxiously. ¡°Um, uh¡­ I heard it¡¯s a very rare case. Well, I thought it was just an urban legend actually¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°According to what I read¨C¡± Noa (probably talking about her great grandfather¡¯s notes) said. ¡°I believe the sufferer was suffering from auditory hallucinations before the onset of the disease or something like that. If you don¡¯t show any signs of that, I think you¡¯re fine.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hallucinations¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I remember the monster¡¯s last words.

    ¨CAbeshuu, see you later.

    Were those his words? Or just hallucinations¨C?

    At any rate, I hear nothing now. The area is quiet as if nothing has happened before. The wind is rustling the leaves, and I can faintly hear the sound of insects. It is a very comfortable night if one forgets the devastation in the area.

    Tamiko climbs on my shoulders and gently touches my cheeks.

    ¡°Abeshuu, are you okay, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    She looks more concerned than ever, and I smile at her expression.

    I shook my head and said nothing.

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s finally my long-awaited town of humans.¡±

 CH 31

    Why is greeting the morning while in a futon for the first time in five years so refreshing?

    I woke up to the sound of birds. Lifting my head from the pillow and stretched toward the ceiling.

    Next to me is Tamiko, who is lying near my knees over the futon. And beyond her¡ªa girl who has kicked off her futon and her back is fully exposed while sleeping. It¡¯s Noa.

    With a thump, she turns over on her side of the bed. The breast of her yukata is exposed, and Tamiko wonders if she should look away or stare for a while longer.

    ¡°Good morning, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anything, I didn¡¯t see it, good morning Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    The three of us are at an inn near the south gate of Sugamo City. It is said to be a long-established inn for hunters from what Obuchi said.

    We arrived at Sugamo City last night, exhausted and chewing dried meat. I found it to be a fortress city surrounded by a water-filled moat and high walls. The ¡°Harajuku for Grannies¡± fortified when it was not supposed to be.

    The drawbridge was up, and when Obuchi called out to the watchtower, he was able to get us inside. There were several military police armed with leather armor and spears, and behind them was Konno-san.

    When I talked about how to get rid of the band of bandits, the military police¡¯s faces suddenly turned quite the color. It seems that Konno-san talked to them as promised, but he couldn¡¯t get them to take action and get into the forest at night to subdue the bandits without knowing the specific location, and they only went and set up defensive measures.

    They were a bit skeptical about my strange attire, but Noa and Obuchi, who are hunters, gave them a good explanation, which somehow convinced them.

    After a detailed explanation, we were all too tired and wanted to sleep, so they decided to continue the story tomorrow. After receiving the luggage from Konno-san, which was still in his carriage, Obuchi made a suggestion and got us a room at this inn, and without even taking a bath, I just wiped myself with a wet hand towel and got under the covers. And here we are.

    I know it¡¯s too late to say this, but couldn¡¯t I have done something about sharing a room with a teenage girl?

    I didn¡¯t want to disturb her because she said she didn¡¯t mind, but I couldn¡¯t help but notice how she was sleeping.

    ¡°Um¡­ aah¡­ oh, good morning.¡± (Noa)

    Noa, who finally woke up, stretches wide and fixes her yukata haphazardly. Good.

    Breakfast is brought to the room. A waitress dressed in simple kimono brings three trays.

    There is white rice, omelet, miso soup, and pickles. There was a small bowl of simmered what looked like chicken and tsukudani [A/N: food simmered in soy sauce].

    ¡°Abeshuu, what¡¯s the matter, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡­ everything looks so amazing¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The rice is already an impressive improvement after a five-year absence from my diet. The miso soup and side dishes are all delicious. It is beyond the limit of my vocabulary.

    ¡°Does it suit your taste?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I can eat three bowls of rice and with just a tear drop for taste.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Rice is so squeaking deli-delicious! This squeak sauce thing is yummy! My cheeks are squeaky and fluffy!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°This tsukudani is also very good! Is this locusts?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Those are Metro Cockroaches.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa next to me is chomping down on them without a care in the world.

    After finishing our meal, I thought I heard a god saying that the morning bath is ready.

    At long last, the moment has arrived.

    The men¡¯s and women¡¯s baths are lined up close together at the back of the first floor. I parted with Noa and Tamiko before entering the men¡¯s bath.

    The changing rooms and bathrooms are just like those of a good old-fashioned wooden bathhouse. According to the innkeeper, the hot spring water is drawn from the Metro. Apparently, the city¡¯s water and sewage systems are also run by the metro system. The Metro is a place where anything is possible.

    I rubbed soap on a hand towel lent to me and washed my body. I scrubbed carefully and then used a stone scrub to rub off the grime. The more I scrubbed, the more dirt came off. I¡¯ve bathed in the water a few times, but I still have five years¡¯ worth of Metro grime that has accumulated.

    After that, I soak in the bathtub. I feel so comfortable that I let out a cry of pleasure. I shouted out. ¡°Ahhh!¡± I was soaking in the bathtub.

    The water is slightly yellowish and the smell of the wood in the bathtub is soothing.

    I slept on a soft, clean futon, ate a breakfast of fried eggs, and now I am in a hot spring bath.

    It is as if I am dreaming. I¡¯m so happy that my five years of toiling have paid off.

    ¡°¨CWarm water, squeaky good!¡± (Tamiko)

    The walls are thin, but I can hear Tamiko¡¯s voice. I let go of my criticism that there is a problem with the structure of the room and let the hot water do the work.

    ¡°Noa¡¯s thing is soft and squeakable. More pliable than a slime, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°TMI (whisper).¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Your nipples are also beautiful and pink, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°TMI (whisper).¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeaking different from Abeshuu¡¯s ugly ass black mold nipples. He has nipple mold, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Leave me out of this (whisper).¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°All human girls are like this. I¡¯m a little¡­ big, and I have problems, but¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°It¡¯s squeaky and comfy. It squeaks good when I¡¯m between them.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Are you f*cking serious (whisper)?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Fufu, thank you, Tamiko-san. Thanks for letting me know.¡± (Noa)

    I met the three of them met up back in the room. With all the envy I built up, I rubbed Tamiko¡¯s face. [T/N: You perverted squirrel!]

    Noa said she and Obuchi are going to the office of the hunter¡¯s guild. It¡¯s about yesterday¡¯s bandit attack.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Abe-san. I¡¯ll go and talk to you about it later. In the meantime, you two can go look around the city.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Thank you. Oh, by the way¡­ I want to buy some clothes¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Then, please buy something using this.¡± (Noa)

    Noa pulls out a few folded banknotes, three of them, to be exact, from something that looks similar to a wallet, and hands them to me. Written on it is ¡°Tokyo Government Banknote 1,000 yen¡±. It has a similar pattern to a paper bill, there¡¯s the portrait of a young man, and a crude watermark in the middle.

    ¡°Is this money?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, each one is 10,000 yen. This is 30,000 yen.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Who is this, by the way?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The first chief of the Shibuya Tribe.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Huh.¡± (Shuu)

    The paper is surprisingly firm. The watermark in the center of the paper is neat, but the printing or ink seems a little crude.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have much on hand right now¡­ You may not be able to buy something of high quality, but there is a second-hand clothing store for hunters around here, so I think you¡¯ll find some shirts, pants, and even underwear there.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Thank you. I will pay you back later.¡± (Shuu)

    Come to think of it, Obuchi also paid for our lodging.

    ¡°Fufu, it¡¯s okay. I owe you so much more than that.¡± (Obuchi)

    I¡¯m really glad that Noah was the first person I met. I think of this when I see her playful smiling face.

    I know the secondhand clothing store immediately because I asked the proprietress where it is located. Judging from the pictures of clothes and shoes on the wooden hanging sign, it is certainly a clothing store.

    Behind the door appears to be a treasure trove of things. Folded clothing is displayed on shelves. Fantastic items such as cloaks and leather armor are also placed in the back. I think this may be the first time in my life that I have been so impressed by a clothing store.

    ¡°Welcome.¡± (Shopkeeper)

    A middle-aged man who looked like the owner of the store came in and was surprised to see me in my wolf outfit.

    ¡°What¡¯s the outfit, brother? You look like one of the wild men of Nakano.¡± (Shopkeeper)

    Is modern-day Nakano a town of wild people? I believe the forest where Tamiko¡¯s tribe lives is near there.

    ¡°Um¡­ clothes, underwear, and socks. Can I get a complete set for less than 30,000 yen?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Thirty thousand yen, got it. I¡¯ll give you some ideas, so if you find something you like, just let me know. But you¡¯re on a budget, so you can¡¯t be picky.¡± (Shopkeeper)

    ¡°Oh, yes. That¡¯s fine.¡± (Shuu)

    The shopkeeper picked up a jersey similar to the one Noa was wearing. The truth is that this is the mainstream outfit for hunters.

    The color is all subdued and dark, and the patterns and stitching are simple, but at least there are no holes or frayed edges to show. The smell of insect repellent lingered in the air, but there was nothing I could do about it.

    The fabric is surprisingly thick and firm to the touch, and it feels quite dense. It is not a simple garment but seems to have some kind of strong fibrous material woven into it. When I tried it on, I found that it fit me surprisingly well, and the soft material at the joints made it easy to move around.

    ¡°Abeshuu, it fits, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Right.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You look cooler than an Ogre, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°So, I¡¯m less than an Ogre without the clothes?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯d like to try something too, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°My bad, but this store is for humans.¡± (Shopkeeper)

    ¡°Squeak that so¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko was disappointed.

    ¡°But there is a store that sells clothes for magic beasts, so you can try there.¡± (Shopkeeper)

    ¡°Squeak yeah!¡± (Tamiko)

    Long-sleeved, long-leg jersey tops and bottoms (dull black), a rope as a belt. Socks, boxer shorts, and a light shirt. The shoes are made of leather with a metal plate underneath.

    I didn¡¯t realize how secure I could feel just by being wrapped in a plain cloth like this. I feel like I have finally returned to civilization from the primitive man. What is this feeling of invincibility?

    After I put on my set of clothes, the shopkeeper sets down a mirror.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s me¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The man in the mirror is unmistakably Shuu Abe. I had seen that figure in the changing room at the inn, but for the first time in five years, I could recognize myself through the mirror more clearly than on the surface of the water in a Metro¡¯s oasis.

    I would like to say that I look more fearless than I used to, but I don¡¯t see much change. Even if I¡¯m five years older than I used to be.

    As for my physical appearance, I am clearly tougher than I used to be. I have longed to be lean and muscled, but I am not particularly happy about it, as it is a body shape that I am forced to achieve for practical purposes.

    ¡°What is the matter? Do you not like it?¡± (Shopkeeper)

    ¡°Oh no, not at all¡­ this is just right.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. That kind of youthful face is less alarming to women.¡± (Shopkeeper)

    ¡°Please don¡¯t read my mind.¡± (Shuu)

    Do you know the agony of always ending up with ¡°You seem nice¡±?

    ¡°Well, how much is it, and¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The shopkeeper flicked through the abacus.

    ¡°That¡¯s 27,850 yen in total.¡± (Shopkeeper)

    When I asked him about the breakdown, he told me that a used jersey top and bottom cost 20,000 yen, which is a very reasonable price even 100 years ago. It might have been a reasonable price for something worn by professionals who risked their lives.

    ¡°Would you like to buy something else? Oil or soap for cleaning?¡± (Shopkeeper)

    ¡°No, umm¡­ I¡¯m okay for the time being.¡±

    I received the change. There were five gray jagged coins and one smaller copper-colored coin. That¡¯s 150 yen. There were also two 1,000 yen bills with a different face with a Tategami [T/N: A long hairstyle popular during the Genroku Era (1688-1704)].

    Looking at them again, they are very different from the coins of my time. It is a little different from metal. It is hard but light, but not like plastic or stone. It feels strange to the touch. Both types of coins have the words ¡°TOKYO-TOCHO¡± [TN: Not certain since the author used the English Alphabet. It would probably mean ¡°tochou¡± or ¡°¶¼ŽØ¡± or ¡°Tokyo Government Office¡±. Yes, it is very redundant like ¡°ATM machine¡±.] on the front and numbers are engraved on the front side of both types, and the back side is pure white similar to bone.

    According to Noa, in New Tokyo, one yen, ten yen, and one hundred yen are coins, and five hundred yen, one thousand yen, and ten thousand yen are banknotes.

    Naturally, the value of a thousand yen in the old days would be different from that of a thousand yen today. I guess I will have to acquire a better sense of money through practical experience.

    With the owner¡¯s greeting ¡°thank you, come again.¡± I leave the store. Now that I have caught up with modern civilization in terms of fashion, I decide to look around town without worrying. A child catches me outside doing a ¡°Jojo Stand¡±.

 CH 32

    Sugamo originated in the Sugamo Village of the Edo period [TN: 1603-1867] and prospered as a resting place close to the Itabashi Station on the Nakasendo Highway.

    Elderly people flocked to the temple praying for safety and longevity, visiting the Edo Six Jizo at Maseiji Temple and the Togenuki Jizo at Kogan-ji Temple, which was relocated in the Meiji period [TN:1868-1912]. This was introduced by the media and eventually led to the establishment of its name as ¡°Harajuku for Grannies¡±.

    The above is from the book ¡°History of Tokyo: Even Students Who Don¡¯t Attend Lectures Can Understand¡± written by Professor Takenaka of the Faculty of Economics, Houji University. Incidentally, it is not available in bookstores and only seminar students buy it. It is sure to be out of print in today¡¯s world.

    After leaving the clothing store and proceeding for a while, the street merges with what seems to be the main street, and from there, the number of people increases at once. Men and women of all ages, who seem to be citizens of the city, are bustling around the area. Stalls selling goods, snacks, and other items. The cheerful voices of the shopkeepers can be heard.

    ¡°There are a lot of humans, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°This is Sugamo after all, rather, it¡¯s a human town.¡±

    It reminds me of the fair I went to when I was a student in Sugamo. It was quite lively even on a weekday, and the atmosphere was very friendly. I didn¡¯t buy anything from the stalls except for pickles and dried potatoes, though.

    On the other hand, one cannot find any trace of the ¡°Harajuku for Grannies¡± in Sugamo a century later. There are many young people and families. There are children, too. Some of them even look like hunters wearing cloaks like Noa. A lot of people moving from here to there.

    The townspeople¡¯s clothes are more modern than I had imagined. Fashion is generally simple, with few patterns or designs, but skirts, dresses, T-shirts, shirts, and cardigans can be seen. As I had expected, suits and ties can¡¯t be seen.

    The town is a prosperous trading post between the south and the north, and it is also a fortress surrounded by a dense metro area. Many young people from surrounding small villages gather here in search of work, and the town is fashionable, lively, and safe, thanks to the skill of the mayor, who is trusted by the residents. It is also a town where hunters and merchants gather. Yesterday, Obuchi told me this story on the road.

    ¡°Abeshuu, something smells good, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s food from that street vendor. I¡¯ll buy you something (with the money I borrowed).¡± (Shuu)

    I had left my wolf pelt bag at the inn. I¡¯ve collected a lot of things on my way out of the metro, so I need to exchange them for money as soon as possible in order to live here.

    Yakisoba noodles, venison steaks, karaage skewers [T/N: Japanese fried chicken], and potato butter. They all look good. There are also oobanyaki [T/N: Bean paste pancake/muffin] and wataame [TN: cotton candy]. The cotton candy was 50 yen (by the way, all the signs were written in Japanese).

    ¡°Yeah! Sweet! Yummy!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yummy! Squeaking yummy! My cheeks are melting, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    People on the street are giving quizzical glances at the weird man and squirrel who are excitedly eating cotton candy.

    Then, my eyes are glued to something standing alone between the two stalls. It is a reunion with something unexpected.

    ¡°Woah¡­ You¡¯re safe¡­ Jizo-sama¡­!¡± (Shuu)

    My whole body shudders with emotion. Standing on a street corner, it is precisely a block of stone whose face and outline have worn away and become just a silhouette of its old self, something like a bowling pin, but it is definitely a Jizo. Though its small size makes me wonder if it is one of a group of stone Buddhas in a temple.

    ¡°It¡¯s a hunter¡¯s stone charm,¡± said the owner of the cotton candy stall.

    ¡°Stone charm?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°When the Sugamo market was established, the stone was dug up from deep in the ground. When they decorated the streets with them, the number of animals that harmed them decreased, and people were very grateful for the stone charm.¡± (Stall Owner)

    ¡°Huh.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Stroking the stone charms that dot the city is a popular habit, as they are said to bring good luck for safe and successful hunts. Thanks to this, my business is prosperous, and I¡¯m very grateful.¡± (Stall Owner)

    ¡°Tamiko, let¡¯s stroke it! Let¡¯s do it until it¡¯s nice and smooth!¡± (Shuu)

    It is indeed a Buddha that has survived the collapse of civilization and is still alive and well after a hundred years.

    As I wandered around the city in search of other Jizo statues, I came to understand many things.

    The streets are not only made of stone and wood, but also of brick, plaster, and concrete. Many buildings have glass windows. The architectural style is relatively modern.

    Stores sell pottery and glassware. There are also many fashionable handicrafts. The clothes on display in the stores and the clothes worn by the people seem to indicate that weaving technology is also advanced.

    Agriculture, including livestock farming, seems to be thriving in the area. Vegetables, bread, rice, and dairy products. Meat that appears to be from Metro Beasts is also available.

    As for water, you can use plenty of clean water from the water areas. It seems that it was filtered by pulling it from the water stream running within the Metro under the city. It is said that sewage is also discarded down another stream. However, it is a mystery where the stream comes from and where it goes. The idea of coexistence with the Metro comes to my mind.

    A public laundromat like a coin laundromat has simple washing machines and driers made of wooden baskets. I¡¯ve seen something similar in Amaz*n, an all-manual washing machine. It¡¯s the kind that uses a hand-cranked lever or foot pedal to turn the tank and do the laundry.

    Some large houses have a water tank with a black acrylic panel [T/N: Like a solar heater]. This is probably a kind of hot-water system that uses solar energy. All of them are eco-friendly, utilizing nature and the environment.

    (The process from collapse to revival of a civilization does not always follow the same path as in the past.) (Shuu)

    (¨Cright?) (Shuu)

    I remember reading that in some book.

    Now it has been proven. Even though the streets may be medieval or early modern, the modern concepts of dynamics, such as the use of human power and the extraction of energy from the environment, have been reused.

    (But¨Csomething¡¯s not right.) (Shuu)

    With such advanced technology, it would not be surprising to see the use of electricity¡ªor at least some small-scale wind or hydroelectric power generation facilities. Gas and oil are only available if there¡¯s a fuel source, but electricity should be rather easy to generate. There is no sign that this is being utilized.

    (A tsukushi for light, an oil lamp, etc¡­) (Shuu)

    In the process of restructuring our civilization, has such knowledge been left out? Is it somewhere else?

    (I¡¯ll ask Noa later.) (Shuu)

    Sugamo is a large city with a population of over 50,000, so the fortified city area is quite large. The site, which is a little long from north to south, is likely to be three or four kilometers on a side.

    In the center of the city are the mayor¡¯s mansion and the city government¡¯s office. It is a fine wooden building.

    There are some scary military police walking around. They kept glancing at me. I wonder if I am being seen as some suspicious person, so I¡¯ll leave before it bothers me.

    ¡°Abe-san.¡± (Noa)

    I hear someone call out from behind me. It¡¯s Noa. Obuchi and Yui are behind her.

    ¡°You look very good in the hunter¡¯s jersey.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yes? Really?¡± (Shuu)

    If a young lady praises me like that, I can¡¯t help but feel elated inside.

    ¡°What happened everyone? Didn¡¯t you go to the Hunter¡¯s Guild?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, their headquarters is near here. I¡¯ve reported already to the military police and next the guild.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°In explaining the situation to the military police. I¡¯m sorry Abe-san. We reported that I took down the bandits¡­ and Ikari-san and Abe-san assisted us in doing so. I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m taking credit for your work¡­ but it was Ikari-san¡¯s suggestion saying that it would save Abe-san from trouble.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just perfect. That was definitely going to be a hassle.¡± (Shuu)

    The government is not going to ask me a lot of questions about myself. I don¡¯t think they would easily believe that I had been asleep for a hundred years.

    ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to have been an official request, so there won¡¯t be any rewards, but maybe the city will give me money instead. If that happens, I¡¯ll give it to Abe-san.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Ah, that would really help. I¡¯m currently penniless¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There is a good restaurant nearby. Let us have lunch there. Of course, I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Let¡¯s go you squeaking slowpokes! Go! Go! Go!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Thank you very much for your hospitality. My superior from before said that, too.¡± (Shuu)

    Three minutes¡¯ walk down the street, I came across a small restaurant with the curtain ¡°Sugamo Cafeteria¡± on the front. I thought it was a Japanese restaurant, but to my surprise, I was served Chinese food.

    Fried rice, gyoza [A/N: Chinese dumplings], and chili shrimp. There was egg soup, Chinese pickles, and stir-fried kikurage mushrooms [T/N: Commonly known as Wood Ear Mushroom].

    ¡°Fried rice! The rice is so soft! Super yummy gyoza! The light skin is super crispy!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hafu, hafu! This hot thing is squeaking good! Hiii! My eyes are going to squeaking pop!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s fried Mountain Caterpillar in chili sauce, you know? I¡¯m glad it suits your taste.¡± (Obuchi)

    My chopsticks stopped mid-air as I was about to eat the Mountain Caterpillar in chili sauce. The people around me were chomping down on them without a single inkling of concern.

    I¡¯ve often seen articles on the Internet saying that insects are the food of the future. They are healthy, high in protein, and rather easy to cultivate, which are all good things, except for their appearance and impression. I guess they have been supporting the food situation of the people living in this country.

    Pathetic, I was too hungry I nibbled on crickets inside the Metro, and I already ate a Metro Cockroach this morning. I was not about to be crushed by a caterpillar after all this time, so I decided to go ahead and put it in my mouth. Sure enough, it was good. Thick, juicy, but with a mellow taste.

    Incidentally, this Chinese culture has survived the ¡°Super Fungal Contamination¡± and is now called ¡°Chiyuka Cuisine,¡± which is also popular in New Tokyo. I am grateful to the old man at the Chinese restaurant (I imagine) for passing it on to future generations.

    ¡°But as expected¡­ Century eggs are impossible for me¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I have eaten rats, crickets, and centipedes, but this devilishly colored egg is the only thing I can¡¯t bring myself to eat. Even Tamiko, who sniffed them, said, ¡°Stinky! Pee yew! Tamiko¡¯s face contorted when she sniffed it.

    ¡°It¡¯s not bad once you get used to it.¡± (Obuchi)

    Obuchi took one in his mouth, and Noah boldly challenged him. He chewed it and nodded his head.

    ¡°Noa, are you okay?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I like things that taste bad.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t say it out loud.¡± (Obuchi)

    The three of us and the two beasts were taken to a private room in the back of the restaurant. Obuchi is also a good friend of the restaurant. This pig-faced man is not just someone full of hot air. Incidentally, the wounds from being beaten up by the bandits are healing nicely with the [Healing Ball].

    Obuchi is a ¡°Pigfolk, Orc,¡± a demihuman.

    According to Noa, a demihuman is not an ¡°intelligent creature different from humans,¡± such as Magic Beast, but a ¡°human who has mutated into a form combined with another species¡±. Demihumans have the same social status as normal humans, but there are still customs of prejudice and persecution in some parts of the new world.

    ¡°Obuchi-san, how are you today?¡± (Chef)

    An uncle in a cook¡¯s outfit arrives. He speaks in a stiff manner.

    ¡°Master, we¡¯re having delicious food today, too, oink.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Thank you, aru. Today is you have a rare hunter¡¯s companion aru. As usual, Happousai, more like Happoubijin, aru! Ha! Just a Chiyuka joke!¡± (Chef) [T/N: I didn¡¯t get the joke. ¡°Happousai/°Ë±¦²Ë¡± means ¡°Chop suey¡± and ¡°Happoubijin/°Ë·½ÃÀÈË¡± means ¡°everyone¡¯s friend/good looking in all angles¡± He¡¯s saying ¡°Chop suey, more like Mr. popular¡±. And what¡¯s with the ¡°aru¡± in katakana?]

    ¡°Wait, wait a minute.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What is it, aru?¡± (Chef)

    ¡°Excuse me, my name is Abe. Are you a foreigner?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What a funny question, aru. I was born and raised in New Tokyo, aru.¡± (Chef)

    ¡°Well, what is with the ¡®aru¡¯?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯re from the country, aru? You don¡¯t know the Chiyuka language. This is the traditional way for those who enjoy Chiyuka Cuisine. All the top Chiyuka restaurants in all the cities are like me.¡± (Chef)

    ¡°Oh. I understand.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯ll back off honestly. I am sure that I will encounter these unpredictable traditions and customs many times in the future. If I touch them carelessly, I will only be called a hick.

    ¡°That human has a strange way of talking, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah? Yes.¡± (Shuu)

    At any rate, the food was good. The food is as good as any Chinese restaurant in my era. That¡¯s good enough for now.

    ¡°Tamiko-chan, dessert is coming, so make sure there¡¯s still space.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°Dessert, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s Almond Tofu. The one here is slightly sweet and melts in your mouth.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°Seriously¡­ You, are a squeaking good person, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    It was the same at the inn, but in this world, it seems that it is quite normal for animals or specifically Magic Beasts to sit at the same table at a restaurant. There is no particular problem or discrimination.

    I repeatedly glanced at Yui licking her egg drop soup. I was constantly looking for opportunities to get past the eyes of her guardian and build up our bond. [T/N: Yep cats are adorable.]

    ¡°Obuchi-san has a lot of contacts in Sugamo City, don¡¯t you,¡± Noa said.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s part of my business,¡± Obuchi said.

    ¡°You have a business?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°To tell the truth, being a hunter is like a side job. I¡¯m a peddler by profession. I go from town to town, collecting good things and selling them. That is my actual work.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Wow, awesome.¡± (Noa)

    A hunter and a merchant, amazing.

    ¡°I became a hunter because it was convenient for me to go to the Metro to stock my goods on my own. I found I was good at it, especially with my Fungal Class, and in these times, you have to be able to protect yourself.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°You¡¯re not capable of protecting yourself. You were beaten to a pulp by that ¡®Udeochi¡¯ bandit.¡± (Yui)

    Yui opened her mouth. She was cleaning her face in a ¡°My, oh my¡± kind of way.

    ¡°It¡¯s not good for a hunter to let someone become a hostage then do the bidding of such lowlifes. The two of you should have left us and run away by yourselves rather than fall into their hands.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°But, Yui-sama¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    Obuchi¡¯s eyes began to water.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that! I can¡¯t live without Yui-sama!¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Silence! You huge cowardly pig!¡± (Yui)

    Yui paws at Obuchi¡¯s cheek. Obuchi¡¯s snorting becomes more and more intense, although it doesn¡¯t seem to be with much force.

    ¡°Oh, oh¡­! At long last, after three months and eight days, I got a paw slap from Yui-sama! The elasticity of her paws, it¡¯s like a drug, it¡¯s so amazing! Oink!!!¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t you dare touch me, you limp noodle white pig! Don¡¯t you even dare breathe on me! You¡¯re my slave!¡± (Yui)

    ¡°Oh, yeah, more! Curse me! Punish me with your toe beans! Enough to fill me up for tomorrow! Oiiiink!¡± (Obuchi)

    The passion inside me cools rapidly. I understand the desire to be a cat¡¯s guardian/servant, but whether it feels good as I objectively look at someone who has become a literal ¡°cat¡¯s servant¡± in real life, it is a different story. [T/N: You went way too far Obuchi-kun.]

 CH 33

    As I have felt since yesterday, Yui seems to be a very high-class type of cat.

    If I try to touch her easily, I might be treated coldly. On the other hand, it would be harassment to force me to do so in a coercive and obnoxious manner.

    Unfortunately, I promised myself that I would only watch from afar. It¡¯s such a big town, there must be a stray cat or two somewhere that would let me play with them.

    We finish eating until dessert. As Yui had said, Almond Tofu was superb, and we were so moved that we lost our spirits for a while.

    After the meal, they drink a bitter tea that looks like oolong tea. Tamiko takes a small lick of the tea and makes a bitter expression, saying, ¡°It¡¯s bitter, squeak.¡±

    ¡°Um, everyone,¡± Noa asks. ¡°Do you have any free time after this?¡±

    ¡°I have nothing to do in my spare time.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Me too, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°We can make time too.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Of course.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°Well, let us talk about it at the inn.¡± (Noa)

    When we returned to the inn, the futon was folded and placed in the corner of the room. The floor was a pale green tatami mat. After five years of living surrounded by rocks, I could lie on it forever.

    After receiving a pot of hot tea from the hostess, we all gathered around the tea table. The tea is Hojicha [A/N: Roasted green tea], which Tamiko seems to enjoy, but Yui doesn¡¯t take a sip right away, probably because she has a cat¡¯s tongue.

    ¡°Obuchi-san, Yui-san,¡± Noa then continued, ¡°Can you please keep what I¡¯m about to tell you between us?¡±

    ¡°Oink¡­ It depends on the content, no, if that is what you desire.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°It¡¯s the same with me.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°Can you swear to ¡®Itokuri Kami¡¯?¡± (Noa) [T/N: God of Thread Weavers]

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry ¡­but I¡¯m not a big believer in the teachings of Metro. I don¡¯t believe in the existence of God. So, I swear to myself and to Yui-sama. I will never betray you, my benefactors.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Then I also swear on myself and this pig. I also pledge the blood and fur of the proud  Cait Sith tribe.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°Thank you very much. I¡¯m not interested in the doctrines of the church, actually. I beg your pardon.¡± (Noa)

    Noa then turns to me.

    ¡°Abe-san.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yes?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯d like to know your level and your Fungal Class, if that¡¯s all right?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    Suddenly I feel puzzled by things suddenly being pointed at me.

    ¡°Level and Fungal Class? What my Fungal Class is? I feel like I haven¡¯t learned much about it yet.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know your own Fungal Class? Even with you having those kinds of Fungal Skills?¡± (Obuchi)

    Obuchi was surprised, but it is a pity, I could only nod.

    ¡°Before you go any further, Abe-san, could you talk to Obuchi-san and Yui-san? About the past five years and about yourself.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°No, but¡­ it is difficult¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Can they even believe it?

    Although puzzled, I told the story of how I came to this point.

    Being a person of the Heisei era a century ago. When I woke up, I was on the 50th underground floor of the Outsuka Metro. With Tamiko, I gained strength there for five years, defeating the boss who blocked my path, aiming for the surface.

    It was only yesterday that I finally saw the sun on the ground, guided by Noa. That is why I am not familiar with the circumstances of this world and the common sense of the world.

    Obuchi, who had been listening without interrupting me, nodded his head as I finished my story. He shakes his head slightly to the side.

    ¡°Oink¡­ It¡¯s hard to believe¡­ There¡¯s no reason for Abe-san to tell us such a ridiculous lie¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°When it comes to people who have been alive for a hundred years. ¡­There are only three people in this country right now.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°Oh, there are others? Besides me, there are three other people!?¡± (Shuu)

    Obuchi doesn¡¯t answer me but instead turns to Noa.

    ¡°I finally see what you¡¯re talking about. I also see why Ikari-san brought us into this.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Yes, I found out that Obuchi-san and Yui-san are trustworthy people. I am sure they will be able to help Abe-san.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I understand, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell lies that can be exposed in an instant.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa took a sip of tea, pausing for a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this may be a little complicated for you, but it¡¯s for¡­ Abe-san¡¯s sake.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°For me?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Let me take you through the steps. First, let¡¯s check your level and your Fungal Class.¡± (Noa)

    On the tea table, a sheet of paper about the size of a business card is laid out. It is a milky-white piece of paper that looks like an old-fashioned straw mat, with a circular mark on the edge to indicate where to stamp a seal and a scale like that of a ruler.

    ¡°This is a [Test Paper]. It can be used to determine the level of a hunter. Each sheet costs 30 yen at the Hunter¡¯s Guild, for this one that can measure up to level 50. The one that can measure up to level 100 costs 50 yen per sheet.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Um ¡­ I¡¯m sorry for suddenly interrupting. What is Level in the first place?¡± (Shuu)

    The eyes of Obuchi and Yui show extreme shock. I¡¯m sorry for my extreme naivety.

    ¡°No, well, I¡¯ve heard roughly about the strength of the mycelium in the body. But to begin with, it wasn¡¯t my time that there were levels to humans and beasts¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I talked about this a little yesterday,¡± Noa said. ¡°The ¡®Super Fungal Contamination¡¯ a hundred years ago killed most of the existing human population, and only the creatures that adapted to it survived. The bodies of us humans, Magic Beasts, and Metro Beasts have mycelium in them that is resistant to the Super Fungus. Every cell¡ªmuscle, nerve, and brain¡ªis covered with mycelium. The level is said to be an indicator of the strength, adaptability, and development of the sporangium.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It is a common theory about the mechanism of level up and the acquisition of mycelial ability that preying on the sporangium of other species causes one¡¯s own sporangium to react and grow, increasing the performance of the sporangium and increasing the ability to strengthen it.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, so humans also have sporangium. I did think we might have one.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s in the pit of the lower abdomen.¡± (Noa)

    Noah touched the area below the navel, around the pelvis.

    ¡°But cannibalism of the same species¡ªhuman eating another human¡¯s sporangium¡ªdoesn¡¯t cause an increase in level or acquisition of any Fungal Skills. It¡¯s scary to imagine what would happen if that were possible.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Absolutely.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t wake up to such a world. I mean, is that why I didn¡¯t see cannibalism among Metro Beasts?

    ¡°I¡¯m talking like I know something about it, but the details of how it works are still unknown. But the fact is, every time you experience a level-up phenomenon that makes your body stiffen and stiffen, your body becomes stronger and your Fungal Skills also become more powerful.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a very important indicator in the Hunter industry. It¡¯s not only about level, but it¡¯s also about the difficulty level for specific quests, and so on.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°So, you have a way to measure it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°First we¡¯ll try it out on a piece of Test Paper up to level 50 over here.¡± (Noa)

    Noa pulls out a Hypha Knife from her palm and pricks her index finger with it. Pressing the bead of blood into the circle of the Test Paper.

    The red blotch crawls by itself, drawing a straight line all the way to the right. There is a kind of scale below it, and the progress of the blood stops just before the 25th mark.

    ¡°Twenty-four, huh? Yesterday¡¯s Catoblepas raised it by one.¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko and I had our jaws drop. The blood-sucking paper is supposed to tell us the level based on the scale.

    ¡°Wow¡­ how does this thing work?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand either.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I heard that some kind of mycelium is used to make paper,¡± Obuchi said. ¡°Only the Hunter¡¯s Guild and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government have the technology to make it, and they are the only ones who can do it.¡±

    ¡°Oh wow! I want to try it too, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°We can also check the level of Magic Beasts this way. To be honest, Metro Beasts can do it too, and there are people who use them that way.¡± (Obuchi)

    So, Tamiko tried her hand at it. She cuts her hand a little with Noa¡¯s knife and puts her paw in the circle, like a Sekitori [T/N: A high-rank sumo wrestler.]. The line moves slowly, stopping exactly at the 40 mark.

    ¡°Tamiko-san is 40. You¡¯re amazing¡­ for someone young¡­¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko puffs her chest proudly.

    ¡°You have taken in the sporangia of the Ogres, Orthrus, and other powerful enemies. But, well, you¡¯re just 41?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I think you may have made a mistake, squeak. I¡¯m not a squeak fry!¡± (Tamiko)

    I can¡¯t believe her at times like this, because she sometimes acts like a prideful idiot.

    ¡°Abeshuu, I want squeak of that.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Just put some spit on it, it will heal.¡± (Shuu)

    Even though I say that I still give her a Healing Ball. Tamiko bites into it and wets the cut on her paw with the juice. Then she grabs the mycelial ball and packs it in her cheek pouch.

    ¡°¡ªWhat?!?¡± (Obuchi)

    Obuchi¡¯s eyes widen and he leans forward. The surprised Tamiko spits.

    ¡°¡­It was dark when I received it yesterday and I couldn¡¯t see it well¡­ No way, it wasn¡¯t just [Healing] but [Holy Healing]¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°[Holy Healing]? I didn¡¯t know its name, so I called it a Healing Ball. It¡¯s just Tamiko¡¯s snack.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­[Holy Healing] is just a snack¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    Obuchi was stunned and wiped the splash from Tamiko.

    ¡°So, is that the name of the Fungal Skill? Tamiko and I don¡¯t know about it at all, so we gave it an appropriate nickname. Is there something like its official name? Or a common name?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes,¡± Noa said, ¡°Except for unique and unidentified skills, there are names set by the hunters¡¯ guild. We¡¯ll check on that later.¡±

    ¡° I¡¯ll check on that later. Then I¡¯ll check my level, too. I¡¯m so excited.¡± (Shuu)

    Borrowing the knife, I pricked a small hole on my finger. It healed quickly, but I smear the blood on my finger on the sheet of paper with graduations up to 100.

    As Noa, Obuchi, and Yui stare intently at it, the line moves slowly, past 40, past 50, past 60, and then slows down at 65. It finally stopped after passing 65.

    ¡°68¡­ Huh?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh! Is that right? Two more than I thought. ¡­I thought I counted correctly. Did it go up two or three at once?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Usually, people go up one at a time, but in the case of ¡­¡­ people, they usually start at level 1 to 5, so maybe that¡¯s the error?¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡° I see. The initial value in terms of race. I probably started at level 3.¡± (Shuu)

    I had completely had no idea about that possibility. I did not doubt that I started at level 1.

    ¡°My mother said that carbuncles also start at level 1 to 3, squeak. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not on the same level, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry I suspected you were being an idiot.¡± (Shuu)

    The fact that the initial value was off, means that this squirrel was looking at their initial value higher, just as it should be.

    I mean, I¡¯d never heard that there was a default setting. This squirrel should have told me

    ¡°Since Abeshuu was a squeaking weak-sh*t, I didn¡¯t expect you to be higher than level 1, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t deny that.¡± (Shuu)

    When I was told, even a goblin-sized Ogre infant was over 30 for Metro Beasts. In other words, that was the initial value of their level for their race. Maybe I should have applied that setting to myself as well. Well, it¡¯s just a slight difference from the strong enemies of Outsuka Metro.

    At any rate, this clearly established my current level. I am happy to see the proof of my hard work in numerical form as if it is a recognition of my efforts. I, Shuu Abe, will call myself level 68 from now on.

    Obuchi and Yui have their mouths hanging open.

    ¡°Oink¡­ how amazing. I saw it for the first time. A Test Paper with above level 60¡­¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°That¡¯s something, but a level 68 among the hunters? In this country? What is his position?¡± (Yui)

    I don¡¯t mean to be modest, but I don¡¯t know the scale of this world, so I don¡¯t really understand the value of level 60.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, what are Obchi-san¡¯s and Yui-san¡¯s levels?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m 40 too. I¡¯m the same as Tamiko.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°I¡¯m 37. In the hunter industry, I guess we¡¯re around the intermediate level.¡± (Obuchi)

    Tamiko is also an intermediate-level hunter. The squirrel chuckles to herself.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story explaining it in detail,¡± Noa continued, ¡°For now, I can say that at level 68 you can be called ¡®Master¡¯ or ¡®Master¡¯ in the hunting industry. It is pretty amazing!¡¡It¡¯s all right if you think so!¡± [T/N: She said it both in kanji and katakana.]

    ¡°Hmm¡­ so what does [Master] class mean, besides sounding amazing?¡± (Shuu)

    To be honest, I don¡¯t feel bad knowing.

    ¡°Now, now as your teacher, you must squeak your gratitude. Hahaha.¡± (Tamiko)

    As my teacher said, I would like to express my gratitude through lots of rubbing.

    ¡°¡­No¡­ Everyone is watching, squeak¡­!¡± (Tamiko)

    Obuchi is looking at Yui with an envious look, but Yui pretends not to notice.

 CH 34

    A/N: 12/27 ¨C Corrections are made along with the publication [A Squirrel¡¯s Explanation on Fungal Class and Fungal Skills and The List of Fungal Skills of Each Profession].

    8/22 ¨C Noa¡¯s Fungal Skill¡¯s name was changed from [Binding String] to [White String]

    Noah lays out another sheet of paper on the table. This time it is a square piece of paper about 10 cm on all sides.

    ¡°This is the Test Paper to identify the Fungal Class.¡± (Noa)

    The quality of the paper is similar to that of the previous paper for the level. The paper is similar to the paper used for the level test. There is a circular frame for the blood to be absorbed, and a hexagonal shape is surrounded by a line with a scale extending from the circular frame to the six vertices.¡¡At the apexes are written what appear to be letters, but they are neither in Japanese nor English, so they are illegible.

    ¡°In the first place, just so you know¡­ Not everyone can learn a Fungal Skill even if they are ¡®Itokuri People¡¯.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I thought that¡¯s what you said the other day when we were attacked by bandits in the wild. I thought anyone could learn it by eating sporangium.¡± (Shuu)

    Konno, whom I met yesterday, seemed to look at the hunters as if they were a different race and said, ¡°Your abilities,¡± as if he were talking about someone else.

    ¡°The population of New Tokyo is approximately a million. It is said that only around ten percent of them are capable of learning Fungal Skills.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s a surprisingly low number.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Unofficially, the majority of people who cannot learn Fungal Skills are classified as ¡®Peasant¡¯. It is a term used within the hunting industry and should not be used on the street. Some people will say, ¡®That¡¯s a discriminatory term!¡¯ Some people might be offended by the term.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That sounds like a landmine.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°[Peasants] cannot acquire Fungal Skills even if they eat many sporangium, and their levels can only rise to about 10. Therefore, [Peasants] cannot be professional hunters. Activities in the harsh Metro and It¡¯s not suitable for rough times.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see. Then, other than [Peasants].¡± Is there any other Fungal Class? So, it¡¯s like people who are not ¡°Peasants¡± can learn the Fungal Skills and raise the level of their mycelium?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yes. Before I explain about the Fungal Classes, let me tell you about the different types or systems of Fungal Skills.¡± (Noa)

    According to Professor Noa, Fungal Skills can be classified into six different systems according to their characteristics.

    (1) The ability to produce hardened mycelium in the form of an armament. It can be a powerful offensive or defensive equipment, but its size and shape are not adjustable in many cases. They are called Hypha Weapons, Hypha Armors, or collectively Hard Hypha.

    (2) The ability to use mycelium to create objects that can be adjusted in size and shape. Some of them can be manipulated by your will. They are called Soft Hypha, Hypha Manipulation, etc.

    (3) The ability to manipulate mycelium in the body to strengthen and change the body. It is called Physical Manipulation Skills.

    (4) Ability to make mycelial bullets. It is called a Hypha Bullet or a Mycelial Bullet.

    (5) Ability to disperse spores with various effects. It is called Spore Dispersion or Dust Skills.

    (6) Ability to produce mycelial balls with various effects. They are called Hypha Balls or Ball Skills.

    ¡°For example, Abe¡¯s [Katana] and [Round Shield] are type (1), and my [White String] is type (2).¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    Skills (1) through (4) seem to be something like physical skills, and (5) and (6) seem to be magical skills.

    ¡°What is it¡­¡± Obuchi said. ¡°It¡¯s a strange scene where someone at the master level is being taught the kind of knowledge that a child would usually learn.¡±

    ¡°The Fungal Class, in other words, is a mix of the ¡®systems of Fungal Skills that can be learned¡¯ that we, the ¡®Itokuri People¡¯ are born with.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°The system they can learn?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°For example, I am a [Craftsman], a Fungal Class that learns mostly from type (2). Obuchi-san is a [Fighter] and learns mainly type (3). In this way, a Fungal Class is the classification of someone¡¯s aptitude to learn a specific type of Fungal Skill, the direction of their innate skills, and the fighting style of each individual. Nowadays, it is sometimes commonly called a ¡®Class¡¯.¡± (Noa)

    I was beginning to get the idea. It is similar to a job or a class in a game, as they say. The fact that you are born with it is a serious matter, though.

    ¡°Oh, and by the way, demihumans like me are also classified with the same Fungal Class as humans, oink.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Is there any Fungal Classes for Magic Beasts, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The actual classification of the Fungal Classes is not always the same as that of the humans. ¡­There may be individual differences among similar people even among human beings, but it is not clear if each race has a similar classification like Fungal Class. As far as we know¡­ ¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Did your mother not tell you anything?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mother calls herself a [Kunoichi], squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°A squirrel ninja, really? (Shuu)

    Tamiko is feeling a little proud.

    ¡°The Carbuncle Tribe¡­¡± Yui said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Carbuncles are a race who are physically unfit for combat, but who have learned various mysterious Fungal Skills. By the way, the Cait Siths have aptitudes at what humans call type (6) skills. We form them in our mouths like this and spit out a Hypha Ball¡ªlike a hairball!¡± (Yui)

    Judging from the smug look on her face, it was a typical Cait Sith joke. She said, ¡°I¡¯m dead! Ha!¡± Obuchi flips over.

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll find out when we meet your kin in the Nakano Forest. Let¡¯s go there after we get settled.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    So, besides the goal of going to see Tamiko¡¯s father, I now have another purpose for going to Nakano.

    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s the Fungal Class, just like the Fungal Skills, they are classified into six systems.¡± (Noa)

    The [Knight] is mainly trained in type (1) Hard Hypha.

    The [Craftsman] mainly learns the type (2) Soft Hypha.

    The [Fighter] who mainly learns Physical Manipulation, type (3).

    The [Sniper] mainly learns the Mycelium Bullet or type (4).

    The [Illusionist] mainly learns skills that can ¡°attack others or cause negative effects¡± in Types (5) and (6).

    Also, in types (5) and (6), a [Healer] mainly learns skills to ¡°heal oneself or others or to apply a positive effect.¡±

    ¡°I see that¡­ (5) and (6) are divided by the effects rather than just types. Why is that?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t really understand it. It¡¯s just a classification set by the Hunter¡¯s Guild.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    As an individual, [Sniper] stood out to me. It sounds cool.

    ¡°But, can¡¯t you learn another fungibility? Like a [Knight] learning a Hypha Ball?¡± (Shuu)

    In this classification, I don¡¯t know the types I have an aptitude in. I think I have learned from all of them except for (4).

    ¡°That¡¯s not an absolute. For example, my [Dagger] is a Hard Hypha. You can check whether you can just check if such an individual has an aptitude for his current Fungal Skills or other types with this Test Paper.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, so that is what this is for.¡± (Shuu)

    A square piece of paper with a hexagonal diagram on it. It has six corners, the same number as the number of Fungal Classes and systems.

    ¡°Is this a symbol or a letter written on the corner of this hexagon? I can¡¯t read the symbols or letters on the corners of these hexagons.¡± (Shuu)

    As far as I could tell from my visit to Sugamo, the characters used in this country are the Heisei Era Japanese language, which is still in use today. Some romaji were also used, but on the contrary, I did not see any such symbols around.

    ¡°These are characters for hunters only,¡± Obuchi said, ¡°When the Hunter¡¯s Guild was established a long time ago, the first commander said, ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be cool if we used something like this?¡¯ But it never caught on, and now it¡¯s used only for this test paper.¡±

    ¡°I also don¡¯t like it.¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s like he made something like that just for the atmosphere, but it wasn¡¯t practical.

    ¡°Clockwise from the top¨C¡± Noa points to the Test Paper. ¡°[Knight], [Craftsman], [Fighter], [Sniper], [Illusionist], [Healer]. Now, let¡¯s use the Test Paper. The method is the same as before, but I¡¯ll try it first.¡±

    Noa fiddled with her injured finger, smeared blood from it, and rubbed it in the circle in the center of the hexagon.

    As the blood is absorbed into the paper, the same red line stretches out like a thread all the way down again. Along the diagonal, in three directions. Up, down right, and down left.

    The length of each is different. The bottom right line is the longest, about two-thirds of the diagonal. The upper and lower left lines are shorter, about one-fifth of the diagonal.

    ¡°The bottom right is the aptitude for [Craftsman], the top is for [Knight], and the bottom left is for [Illusionist]. It seems that most people have two lines like this. I have the longest line on the bottom right, so that makes me a [Craftsman].¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Huh.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There are some aptitudes in the [Knight] and [Illusionist] class, but their aptitudes are much lower in terms of length. My [Dagger] and [Lightball] are those, but to tell the truth, they are not rare abilities at all, and the possibility of learning stronger or rarer abilities is also low.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°If the longest line is the person¡¯s Fungal Class and it extends to the other side, then there is a possibility that they can learn that ability as well¡­ And the length of the is the level of aptitude?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes¡­ So that means I¡¯m pretty average as a [Craftsman]. Still, there is a chance for me to learn rare skills in the main line¡­¡±

    Noa is looking quite sad as she said it. Tamiko puts her tail on her hand to comfort her, and Noa squeezes it, making Tamiko cry, ¡°Ah¡­ be gentle, squeak¡­!¡±

    Anyway, blood type fortune-telling thing in this country is amazing. It can determine not only the level but also the talent.

    ¡°This is the basic explanation of Fungal Classes¡­ On top of this, there are high-rank Fungal Classes. They are usually people who can acquire powerful skills not only in their main system but also in other systems. They are quite something.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Most people who are labeled as charismatic or heroic are like them,¡± Obuchi said, ¡°They are either higher-ups in the military of their cities or tribes, or they are the ones who have risen through the ranks as hunters.¡±

    It¡¯s like an Advance Class in a video game. Improvement.

    ¡°Are the High-Rank Fungal Class also innate? Or is it possible to change class by leveling up from a basic Fungal Class?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°People are born with it, but on rare occasions, there are people who have acquired a High-Rank Fungal Class. Though, I¡¯ve never seen anyone actually do that.¡± (Noa)

    It would be fun if we could change classes at will, but it¡¯s a shame that it¡¯s almost always set at birth.

    ¡°What happens to the Test Papers for a High-Rank Fungal Class?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It looks like this¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa traces the ruled line with a pencil.

    ¡°If your line reaches the top, it¡¯s usually considered a High-Rank Fungal Class. For a [Knight], it¡¯s [Holy Knight], for [Craftsman], it is [Puppeteer]. Of course, if the lines for other systems are long, they can be called Geniuses.¡± (Noa)

    Her final sentence sounded a little prickly. The squirrel that had been knocked down as her tail was grabbed hard was shaking on the table.

    ¡°So should they be upward compatible with the basic Fungal Class¡­ Well, maybe I am that? Well, the ¡°Itokuri-shi¡± I heard before, that is a High-Rank Fungal Class, right?¡± (Shuu)

    It seems that I have many rare Fungal Skills. I don¡¯t know what my basic class is, but it looks like it¡¯s definitely a High-rank one. More and more improvement.

    Both Noa and Obchi have a weird expectant look. I now feel nervous and stiff.

    ¡°There are five types of High-Rank Fungal Classes,¡± Noa said.

    There is the [Holy Knight], which is the higher level of [Knight].

    The [Beast Warrior] is the higher level of the [Fighter] class.

    The [Puppeteer] is the High-rank Fungal Class of [Craftsman].

    [Mage] is the High-Rank class of the [Illusionist] Fungal Class.

    [Sage] is the High-rank Fungal Class of [Healer].

    ¡°Only [Sniper] has a slightly special class, and it seems that there is nothing considered as a High-Rank Fungal Class. Sometimes [Sniper] itself is treated similar to High-Rank Fungal Classes. Anyway, there are basically five types.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­Really? Then what is [Itokuri-shi]?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s try the Test Paper for now.¡± (Noa)

    Noa presents the second sheet in front of me. I was confused but I just shrugged.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s try it.¡± (Shuu)

    Seeing is believing. It will be clearer in practice.

    Now it was time for my fateful aptitude check. I was a hundred times more nervous than I had been for the aptitude test when I was job hunting.

    Borrowing the knife again and smearing the blood on the paper.

    ¡°¡­¡­Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    The reddish-black blotches creep along the scale line and reach the corners.

    Six¡­ all six corners.

    And then the line branches off into a myriad of branches.

    Like blood vessels running deep into the skin, they twist, intersect, and extend.

    The hexagon is eroded and then floods outward.

    The paper is covered in red and black, like a child¡¯s random doodles, and then the veins finally stopped.

    For about ten seconds, it felt like time stood still and soundless. Tamiko then speaks on everyone¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°¡­Is this a defective product, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­no, I don¡¯t think so.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa¡¯s face scrunched up. Obuchi is slumped with his hands on the tatami. Yui¡¯s pupils are fully dilated, and her mushroom tail is wagging vigorously.

    ¡°Well Abe-san¡­ There is no limit to the Fungal Skills you can learn¡­ and you have a higher aptitude that can¡¯t be measured by a piece of paper like this¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Of the countless tribes that were once in New Tokyo, the first chiefs of the twelve great tribes that were hailed to be the strongest warriors. However, there have only been twelve of them, and none have appeared since. The [Itokuri-shi] who bear the name of the [Nation of Itokuri]¡ªAbe-san is the thirteenth, after the previous twelve.¡± (Noa)

 CH 35

    A/N: 12/27 ¨C Corrections are made along with the publication [A Squirrel¡¯s Explanation on Fungal Class and Fungal Skills and The List of Fungal Skills of Each Profession].

    I hear the sound of tapping on the windowpane.

    I look up and see that the sky has turned dull before I know it. It seemed to be raining. It had been a pleasant sunny day in the morning.

    I turned my attention back to the test paper, which was riddled with red lines.

    ¡°Well¡­ it looks like something amazing is going on, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure I understand it yet¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The first time I was sure¡ª¡± said Noa, ¡°I was first convinced of it when Abe-san told me he was a hundred years old and I actually saw his [Immortality] Fungal Skill.¡±

    ¡°[Immortality]? Oh, I feel like I¡¯ve heard you say it before.¡± (Shuu)

    On the day I met Noa at the Outsuka Metro, she mumbled something like that.

    ¡°When I wounded Abe-san¡¯s hand at the metro, I saw a bluish fungus covering the wound. It was the same [Immortality] Skill I saw in my great-grandfather¡¯s notebook. That convinced me that Abe-san wasn¡¯t lying, that he really was a hundred years old.¡± (Noa)

    My first Fungal Skill, Regenerative Mycelium. [Immortality] seems to be the official name for it.

    ¡°[Immortality] is a far more powerful regenerative ability than the more common natural healing enhancement, [Self-regeneration]. Most wounds can be healed instantly. Even torn limbs can grow back, and unless you are badly injured, you will not die.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯ve been pretty reckless, but I was healed every time.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯ve done a lot of things in my life where my body was used as bait, and it was not uncommon for my limbs to be eaten off. The reason why I¡¯m still in perfect physical condition is 100% thanks to this cheat skill.

    ¡°Not only does it heal wounds, but it also stops aging for the most part.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that I¡¯m 130 years old now. But¡­¡± (Shuu)

    If I exclude the hundred years of hibernation due to mysterious phenomena, I am twenty-eight years old after spending five years in the Ootsuka metro. I thought I must have become a dirty sad sack through my barren life in the cave, but when I looked in the mirror today, I was rather impressed by the fact that I looked ¡°almost the same as when I was twenty-three¡±. I had no idea that the mycelium had even given me an anti-aging treatment.

    ¡°I think that the fact that Mr. Abe was able to sleep for more than a hundred years can be attributed to anything other than the effects of [Immortality]. Though, I can¡¯t even imagine what caused him to fall asleep.¡± (Noa)

    I looked down at my palm. I think of the mycelium pulsing under the skin.

    When I woke up, my whole body was covered with blue-black mold. I had suspected it might be so, but without this power, there wouldn¡¯t even be a bone left in my body by now.

    ¡°¡­Why did I wake up about 100 years later¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ In the first place, [Immortality] is an ability that ordinary hunters can¡¯t acquire, and there is only rough information about it in the guild archive¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°You can¡¯t ever acquire it through the basic or high-rank Fungal Classes,¡± Obuchi said, ¡°On the contrary, the twelve [Itokuri-shi] had this ability without fail. The three [Itokuri-shi] who are still alive are said to be from the same ancient era as Abe-san.¡±

    ¡°They are the ones you mentioned earlier. Oh, that¡¯s why they could live this long¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oink, all of them are the highest amongst people. The governor of New Tokyo, the founder of the Metro Church, and the chief of one of the oldest tribes, the Nerima Tribe. They are living witnesses of history, living heroes who played a major role in the founding of New Tokyo.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°They are said to be almost ageless thanks to their [Immortality] Fungal Skill, and they look almost the same as they did a hundred years ago. They are just like Abe-san.¡± (Noa)

    I rested my elbows on the table. The unannounced movement sent Tamiko, who was standing next to me, tumbling to the floor. A squeak of protest rose from the tatami mats.

    ¡°¡­I see¡­ They are survivors from the same era¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯d like to meet them¡ªI can¡¯t help but think so.

    I want to hear about their lives, about the people of that time, about this world.

    I have so many things I want to hear from them.

    (I have another goal.) (Shuu)

    ¡°Let¡¯s return to the topic of  [Itokuri-shi]¡± Obuchi said, ¡°In addition to the six systems of Fungal Skills, a [Itokuri-shi] can also use unique skills that only a [Itokuri-shi] can acquire, such as [Immortality]. Since they are named after the country, they are that special.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°How many Fungal Skills does Abe-san have?¡± Noa said,

    ¡°Um¡­ 17 I guess?¡± (Shuu)

    Noa laughs in amazement, and Obuchi holds his head in his hands.

    ¡°I have three at present.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯m also three. You might think that¡¯s not a lot from your point of view, but it¡¯s a lot. The most common basic Fungal Classes usually learn four to six Fungal Skills over the course of their lifetime, and if they can learn more than that, they are more than happy. It seems that if it¡¯s a High-rank Fungal Class, it¡¯s around ten.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°I would have about five or six abilities that suit my aptitude¡­ In addition, it is not possible to choose which skills you can learn. The most popular theory is that the kind of ability given will reflect the individual¡¯s aptitude and experience cultivated up to that point, but this is still a hypothesis. No matter how much you cry ¡®I want this ability!¡¯, it is still unknown whether or not you will be able to learn it.¡± (Noa)

    In other words, a skill loot box. The maximum number for basic Fungal Class is around six, so it¡¯s quite a tough situation.

    So far, I¡¯ve used all my Fungal Skills other than my fourteenth, and I have three or four with cheat performance. If you are quite blessed with a loot box and brag about it on social media, it seems that your bones will be ground to dust.

    ¡°But seventeen¡­ You are quite far from humans than I am, Oink.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°According to the notebook of my great-grandfather¡­ a certain [Itokuri-shi] had twenty-eight Fungal Skills and was level 98. Perhaps the three people who are still alive are that capable.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Seriously?¡± (Shuu)

    There is always someone better.

    ¡°That¡¯s stronger and far more monstrous¡­ The upper limit of basic Fungal Class levels is at most level 65, no matter how hard we try, you can¡¯t break the limit.¡± (Noa)

    Is there a level cap for all Fungal Classes? If that is the case, then my level 68 is beyond the limit of the basic Fungal Classes, which is indeed ¡°quite amazing!¡± I guess that¡¯s what they meant before.

    ¡°Of course, the reason you were able to become so strong in such a short period of time (five years) is due to your own efforts, but I think it also has something to do you¡¯re your Fungal Class. In the case of a typical hunter, if he can raise his level by three points per year, he is doing well. Of course, the higher the level, the harder it gets.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°The rest is thanks to me, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll pay you back soon.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko also moved from 12 to 40 in five years, so she seems to be in fairly good growth.

    ¡°Oink. The level of the metro beast that you¡¯ve been dealing with before was also a factor. It¡¯s not sane for a normal hunter to fight with over 50 metro beasts day after day. In terms of density, it¡¯s multiple times more than normal. It¡¯s also those things.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°It was a hellhole, though.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We almost squeaked to heaven.¡± (Tamiko)

    I give a deep sigh and sip tea from my teacup. It has become tepid.

    The rain was getting heavier and heavier. The sound of banging on windows and roofs fills the room as everyone falls silent.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be immodest¡­ but why do I feel like one.¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s too sudden for such a turn of events to really absorb it. It is like on my fifteenth birthday, my mother suddenly said to me, ¡°You are a hero! Go on a journey!¡±

    In my previous life, there was nothing special. I was just the son of an office worker, not a hero. If we go back one more step, I am the grandson of a farmer.

    I was neither good nor bad in studies nor athletics, and I was just a bit above average in his university class. My sales performance was second, or rather middling, among the three of us of the same age. I was never particularly popular with girls. I was just an ordinary guy.

    (¡­ Why me¡­) (Shuu)

    It was thanks to this very rare Fungal Class that a mediocre person like myself was able to make it this far.

    It makes sense when you think about it, but is there any other explanation than calling it a trick of God to be able to work side by side with only twelve chosen beings?

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m glad to know all this, even if I don¡¯t feel it yet. Thanks, Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    She was aware of it, and she was taking care of things.

    She was also right; it was a very long story.

    If I had heard such a convoluted story in the metro, I might not have been able to get out.

    ¡°I was glad that Noa was the first person I met. I owe it all to Noa and her great-grandfather.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But¡­ Abe-san and Tamiko-san are my saviors¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa scratches her cheek shyly. I want to use her expression as an alarm or on the screen of my smartphone, especially with her blushing cheeks.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you said that, but actually¡­ there is a more important part.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    Is there still more to it? To be honest, I¡¯d like to organize it into a university manuscript.

    ¡°I think Abe-san needs to hide his Fungal Class from the public as much as possible because if it is known, there will be chaos.¡± (Noa)

    Taking a short break.

    Noa pours tea into everyone¡¯s teacups. The teapot was already lukewarm, and no steam rose from it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to go around telling everyone about¡­ but what¡¯s wrong with it spreading?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko and I can¡¯t fully absorb the conversation and squeeze our heads together.

    I was listening and thinking about it from the very beginning, but why is it that bad? Certainly, when it is quite rare, it seems that I will be looked at with various gazes from the surroundings, and I understand that I want to keep it as secret as much as possible.

    ¡°The foundation of New Tokyo was laid by the 12 [Itokuri-shi]. They brought together people who had survived the destruction, created tribes in various regions, and rebuilt the country. Since then, there have been conflicts and infighting among the tribes, repeated attacks from the Metro Beasts, and the [Demon War] of fifty years ago.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°So, to speak, they have [Immortality] and yet they still died.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who gave it that name¡­ but it is just a name that is used by all living things, no matter how grandiose your name is. All creatures will die and return to the earth one day.¡± (Yui)

    The first time I fought the Boss Slime, I almost died because I could not heal my wounds due to lack of nutrition. So, there is a limit to the ability to regenerate, after all.

    ¡°In the eight existing tribes,¡± Noa said, ¡°Except for the Nerima Tribe, the chiefs are mainly High-rank Fungal Class bearers. Basically, the chief is hereditary¡ªa relative succeeds him or her. The Fungal Class also tends to be passed on to children randomly, but ¡®Nerima Tribe¡¯ was not inherited even by the descendants of ¡®Nerima Tribesmen¡¯. A [Itokuri-shi] has not appeared in any other family except for the first twelve.¡±

    ¡°I thought that the higher ranks were inherited from one¡¯s parents.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That is most likely the case,¡± Obuchi said. ¡°It is said that a hunter couple is likely to have passed down their Fungal Class, but it is also possible for the [Peasant]¡¯s child to have one. It also happens similar to becoming a demihuman. It is inherited, but it can also be caused by mutation. I was a normal child until I was about five years old, but after that, I began to change rapidly, and in no time at all, I was similar to a piglet. There is even a theory that it is some kind of viral disease. Oink.¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Noah said, ¡°In that sense, the [Itokuri-shi] are the symbols that laid the foundation of this country, and they are still considered sacred to the people. The prestige of the Metro Government, the charisma and influence of the Church, and the extraordinary leadership behind the Nerima Tribe¡ªall of these are in no small part due to the fact that the [Itokuri-shi]¡¯s are at the top. I am sure that other leaders are not necessarily superior to the rest of the organization. ¡­however, if the thirteenth [Itokuri-shi] were to appear now, how would each tribe react? I can¡¯t even imagine it.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I mean, Abe-san,¡± Obuchi said, ¡°You may not be aware of it yourself, but you are not only a very rare person in New Tokyo, but you are also a possible political leader.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an exaggeration¡­¡± (Shuu)

    So, I am a person who can influence the world whether I want to or not.

    How is it possible that such an ordinary, baby-faced ex-office worker could rise to the ranks of the super VIPs who cause such a stir?

    ¡°One can only speculate,¡± Obuchi said, ¡°But I think it¡¯s possible that Abe-san¡¯s existence can cause chaos. If Abe¡¯s existence becomes public knowledge, I wonder if the chiefs and executives of the other tribes will feel at peace. They may try to force you into their tribe, or worse, they may seek to eliminate you as a disturbance to the status quo¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, stop. I¡¯m really scared now.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just the worst-case scenario. This is unprecedented, so I can only imagine what might happen¡­ Whether it¡¯s the Tokyo Metropolitan Government or the Church, there¡¯s no doubt that there will be a lot of noise from every direction. In anticipation of that, Ikari-san brought Abe-san to this town.¡± (Obuchi)

    Everyone¡¯s eyes are on Noa.

    ¡°Sugamo is a city governed autonomously by its citizens. Even if a [Itokuri0shi] were to become known to the public, the impact would be less than in a Tribe¡¯s territory. Ikari-san took that into consideration when he brought us to Sugamo.¡± (Obuchi)

    Noa is looking embarrassed. The reason why she didn¡¯t choose the Ikebukuro was not because of her concern for the wild wolf fashion, but there was a reason 10,000 times deeper than that.

    ¡°And it was for Abe-san¡¯s sake that he had me and Yui-sama present at this meeting.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°For Abe-san¡¯s future, you needed a well-spoken ally who knows the situation. The reason why I was here was because I am a peddler and I have a well-known face. This is quite an interesting situation. Moreover, I am honored that you trusted me.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t do something like kicking sand on the face of the person who saved my life, right¡± (Yui)

    Obuchi and Yui smile wryly.

    I then turn to Noa.

    ¡°Why do this much¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    After knowing my true nature in that metro, she thought about my precarious position, brought me to this point, and she even chose to draw Obuchi and Yui to my side.

    She has only known me for a couple of days or so. Even as a way of repaying the favor of saving her life, she was willing to get involved in such a troublesome situation.

    Noa laughs a little and shakes her head saying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°The present is finally over. Let¡¯s talk about the future.¡± (Noa)

    ¨CThe future?

    Tamiko is looking anxiously at me. I could only pat her head.

    ¡°¡­How do you plan to live in the future?¡± (Noa)

 CH 36

    As night falls, the rain lifts, the clouds dissipate, and the stars peek out.

    Tamiko and I climb to the roof of the inn and look down on the cityscape.

    Orange streetlights flicker and twinkle against the wet exterior walls and ground. From the second-floor roof, it is not enough to see the entire city, but the lights leaking from the windows of the rows of buildings go on forever. The amount of light is not comparable to the nightscape of the Tokyo I know, but I feel as if I can feel the breathing of the inhabitants.

    ¡°The town is squeak shiny¡­ So beautiful¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko, who was sitting next to me, was overcome with emotion.

    ¡°By the way, you said it a long time ago. You hope to see the shinning city of humans.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m glad, another dream of yours came true.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten delicious food, squeak, I¡¯ve walked around the city, I¡¯ve seen the stars and the Sun, squeak¡­ This is the land of my dreams, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I lie on my back on the roof. The roof is made of cement shingles, not tiles, and it feels slightly damp and cool.

    ¡°Tamiko, what do you want to do after this?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well¡­ you made some of your dreams come true, so what kind of life do you plan on living in the future? What are you planning? Learn more about Magic Beasts? What do you want to accomplish?¡± (Shuu)

    Hmmm, Tamiko with her arms crossed and her head tilted.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to visit Nakano Forest, even if it¡¯s not now, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You won¡¯t be visiting. You¡¯ll be going home.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I can either stay or return home, right, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I want to return and live here, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You want to live in Sugamo? It sure is a nice town.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko runs up my arms and sits on my shoulders. She plants herself there.

    ¡°This is my place, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s eyes narrow and she smiles as she turns to look at me.

    ¡°¡­You might get involved in something troublesome if you stay with me.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll do something about it, squeak. Abeshuu needs me to be better, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s encouraging.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hehehe!¡± (Tamiko)

    It¡¯s me flattering you or anything. It¡¯s true.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be with me from here on out. Once again, take care of me Master.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak care of me too, my Padawan. Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    She seemed to have remembered that word I said some time ago. May the spores be with you. [T/N: lol]

    The contract between the two of us has made five years ago.

    I will bring her to the surface. And for that, she will guide my growth.

    We renew it again, in a slightly different form.

    I rubbed my face in embarrassment.

    The tiny weight on my shoulders is the most reassuring and irreplaceable thing I have ever felt. I am reminded of this once again.

    (This was just the beginning.) (Shuu)

    (So¡­ again with this guy.)

    The will that I had lost until a few moments ago, is now united into a single answer.

    ¡°¡ªOh, there you both are.¡± (Noa)

    Noa peeks out from the edge of the roof. She climbs up and sits down next to me.

    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s okay for a girl in a yukata to climb up on the roof?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You too Abe-san. Just like the others, you know that¡¯s what¡¯s called gender discrimination these days.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I guess there are things like that in every generation.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa takes out three rice crackers from her bosom and hands them to Tamiko and me. It¡¯s a little warm, and I¡¯m very confused about whether to bite or sniff it. Tamiko is nibling and chewing without hesitation.

    ¡°Are you thinking about the future?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well¡­¡± (Shuu)

    If you want to hide your identity as a [Itokuri-shi] and live peacefully, there are two paths before me.

    The first one. Live as a Free Folk who does not belong to any organization.

    A Free Folk is a person without a registered family (in this sense, he is a freeman at this point). A family register is tied to each tribe¡¯s territory or city, but without it, one cannot use public services or open a bank account in any city (instead, one does not have to pay taxes).

    If I can find a small village somewhere, I can settle down and live there, and it is extremely unlikely that the world will find out that I am a [Itokuri-shi]. In a sense, it is the slow life of hunting and farming that I long for.

    Second. Get a family register somewhere and live as one of ¡°the people¡±.

    It is not so difficult for Free Folk to obtain a family register. They can settle down as a citizen of a territory and get some kind of job. I am concerned that I am not familiar with the knowledge and common sense of this period, but if I work hard, I should be able to lead a relatively stable life (I hope). The possibility of being discovered as a [Itokuri-shi] may be a little higher than in the first option, though.

    Apart from the first two, there is a third way, which is to live by revealing my identity as a [Itokuri-shi].

    As mentioned earlier, there will be many difficulties and troublesome situations. In some cases, even one¡¯s life may be in danger.

    There are three [Itokuri-shi] in existence. The Governor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The Metro Church. And the chief of the Nerima Tribe.

    Relying on a tribe is risky, but what about the Governor and the Founder? If they can be successfully convinced, they may be able to guarantee my safety. If I can demonstrate my abilities, I may even be offered important posts.

    It is truly a high-risk, high-return adventure.

    Well, whether it is a desirable path for me or not is another matter.

    ¡°Well¡­ the most realistic one is the second one. If my main goal is to live in peace and quiet.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ I think that¡¯s the safest one too.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Right?¡± (Shuu)

    I would like to meet them eventually. To people who lived in the same era as me. I think I can¡¯t avoid that part.

    But I feel that it would be reckless to do so right now. I think it is not too late to broaden my knowledge of this world, increase my allies, and solidify my footing. Especially if they have [Immortality] and are literally half-immortals.

    Noa lies down next to me. I feel wiser knowing that this girl is a girl who smells good no matter what time of year it is.

    ¡°Why did Noa become a hunter?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Because you¡¯re already a hunter at the age of eighteen. It is so hard and dangerous that I wondered why you chose this path.¡± (Shuu)

    In this country, a hunter is a professional who makes his living by searching the Metro and hunting Metro Beasts. In particular, they are not some freelance agents but are generally authorized members of guilds.

    Although guild members are obliged to pay guild dues and contribute to the area they belong to, they can sell their products at a fair price even if they have no contacts in the market, and they can accept private requests for work (such as solving animal damage).

    Noa pauses for a few seconds like she is choosing her words carefully.

    ¡°¡­ I think my great-grandfather¡¯s influence is the biggest influence. My great-grandfather was also originally a hunter¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see. I thought he was more of a scholar or researcher.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I lost my parents when I was very young and was raised by my great-grandfather, who was a hunter¡­ When I was eight years old, he took me to the Metro for the first time and taught me about the knowledge and skills of the hunter. He taught me so that I would be able to live well on my own someday when he was gone¡­ ¡± (Noa)

    Her squinting profile was like someone searching for something in the myriad lights of the city.

    ¡°I had to live alone because my great-grandfather died eight years ago. I became a hunter five years later because the age requirement is fifteen and above.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it difficult?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It was hard. It looks glamorous at first glance, but in the field, it¡¯s known as the 4Ks, which means hard, smelly, dirty, and dangerous [T/N: or kitsui, kusai, kitanai, and kiken.]. When I made my debut, I was at level 16, and I was a newcomer in this industry, and I still am. I almost died many times, like the day before yesterday, and people looked at me like I was just a child.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Woah, that sounds harsh.¡± (Shuu)

    This is harsher than a new graduate entering a black company, right? At least a typical company wouldn¡¯t be as life-threatening.

    ¡°But I like my job. I get to go to different Metros, different cities, get different things, and eat different things. If I do it right, it¡¯s not bad money. I¡¯m just an ordinary [Craftsman] with no special talents, but just like Abe-san, I want to get stronger and earn more and more money.¡± (Noa)

    Noa smiled shyly as she said this.

    I bite into the rice cracker and chew on it. Then, as I tried to say something with a grin on my face, I choked up. Spit and pieces of the rice cracker scatter in the night sky like snow dust.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m thinking of becoming a hunter too. If possible, here in Sugamo.¡± (Shuu)

    I say it again with a serious expression. As if nothing happened.

    Even Free Folk who have no family register can obtain a family register of a city if they are registered with the city¡¯s guild branch as a hunter. As a Sugamo citizen, acting as a professional hunter is my fourth choice.

    ¡°Is that okay with you? It may be the hardest path for you. I don¡¯t know if you can register with the guild with your Fungal Class hidden in the first place.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s right.¡± (Shuu)

    Of course, it is a more dangerous occupation than others, and above all, the risk that me being a [Itokuri-shi] coming to light will be significantly higher.

    Still, it is a path that allows him to make the most of his abilities and experience.

    ¡°In today¡¯s world, that¡¯s all I can do. I¡¯ve only been in the business world for a year, and I don¡¯t have much experience working in the fields or in the customer service industry. In that aspect, if I can make use of my five years of experience dealing with Metro Beasts, that would be the best thing for me.¡± (Shuu)

    I am not confident that I can boast that doing rough work is in my nature, but my hands are already stained with blood to the point that I am not sure I can go back to a career in the real world.

    At the same time, it is true that there is a part of me that finds joy and pleasure in the practice of hunting Metro Beasts, receiving their blessings, and letting myself grow.

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t have the aspirations like ¡®I¡¯m going to be a hero and save the world¡¯ or ¡®Hehe, I wanted to see the view from the top¡¯. But I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get stronger and if look around the Metro and tribes, maybe I¡¯ll find something eventually.¡± (Shuu)

    I get a little excited, carried away by my own words. I want to mock myself for being so vague.

    But it is also my true feelings. I am not sure if there is any boy out there who is not fascinated by the word ¡®adventure¡¯.

    ¡°I also want to go to Nakano Forest.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°*choke*¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s cheek pouches were filled with rice crackers.

    ¡°In the unlikely event that something goes wrong, Tamiko can do something about it, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yef, squeaf!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko smacked her own chest, but perhaps she used the wrong amount of force because pieces of rice crackers splashed into the air. The two of us are quite similar.

    Noa just chuckles. Nodding slowly witnessing our wants.

    ¡°¡­Could I join you as a companion as well, Abe-san and Tamiko-san?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    She turns to the front. She leans forward. The angle is dangerous because it makes the valleys peek out.

    ¡°If Abe and Tamiko are in trouble, I¡¯ll do something about it.¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko and I look at each other.

    ¡°Companions¡­ like a team that hunts together?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, we are. Can the three of us form a team?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Is it okay? Tamiko and I are both amateurs?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You two have higher levels than I do. I¡¯ll do my best not to drag you down, please!¡± (Noa)

    To be honest, I appreciate it.

    Even though my basic specs are high, I¡¯m a country bumkin and we have a squirrel who doesn¡¯t know anything about this world left or right. It would be very reassuring to have an intelligent and knowledgeable senior hunter there. And if they are an honest, kind, and beautiful girl, that would be worth a hundred and twenty points.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for that, but is that okay with you, Tamiko?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°In other words, you¡¯re under me, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean by that.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, Sister Tamiko!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Okay?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko seems satisfied. Noa¡¯s eyes are sparkling.

    ¡°Thank you¡­ Shuu-san.¡± (Noa)

    Shuu-san.

    My heart skip a beat. I can¡¯t help it.

    I¡¯m probably red in the face right now. So as not to let her notice it, I turn my eyes toward the city.

    When I woke up, I find myself in a world a hundred years in the future, forced to spend my days fighting beasts alone with a squirrel, without knowing why.

    After five years of harsh life in the Metro, I finally begin my new life on Earth¡¯s surface.

    From a Heisei era office worker

    Becoming a Metro survivor

    To a hunter of New Tokyo.

    From one human and one beast, this time is two humans and one beast.

    (I¡¯m looking forward to it.) (Shuu)

    (It might be difficult.) (Shuu)

    What I carry in my body may be heavier than I thought. I have no idea what the future holds.

    Ther thread, which has been secretly connecting for a century¡ªwhere will it lead in the future?

    ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯ll just act.¡± (Shuu)

    Still, I feel like I can manage.

    I feel that two humans and one animal can go anywhere. I¡¯m free to think so.

    ¡°Because¡ªthe world is just so wide.¡± (Shuu)

    A/N: The long adventure that began in Ootsuka Metro comes to an end, and the Sugamo arc starts.

    What awaits Tamiko and Shuu who are aiming to become hunters of Sugamo? And where will the three of them go next? (Follow on the next chapter).

 CH 37

    A/N: 12/27 ¨C Corrections are made along with the publication [A Squirrel¡¯s Explanation on Fungal Class and Fungal Skills and The List of Fungal Skills of Each Profession].

    3/13 ¨C [Healing] Red Cross ¡ú Green Cross, [Holy Healing] Green Cross ¡ú Red Cross.

    6/11 ¨C Added a note on the trend of the status (physical ability) of each Fungal Class.

    There are too many things to do to make a base in Sugamo City for the time being.

    First of all, we have to earn living expenses. Without money, we can¡¯t even buy Tamiko¡¯s snacks.

    With that said, it¡¯s finally time for the various items collected at Otsuka Metro to catch fire. I will leave the items that I can part with to Obuchi and have them assessed.

    ¡°The fangs and claws of the Orthrus¡­ the petrified wing membrane of a Gargoyle¡­ the Pearl Peas¡­ they are all precious items that are hard to find. The Outsuka Metro is said to be an unpopular Metro, but even so, there are still a good number of items lying in the depths of the Metro. Making a rough estimate of everything, the total value of all of these items is over 700,000 yen, that¡¯s if they¡¯re not very well kept. Else, it may reach one million yen.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Is that a lot of money?¡± (Shuu)

    If it were my time as a salaryman, it would be equivalent to several months of bonuses. It makes my nose bleed thinking about it.

    ¡°You can rent an apartment in Sugamo, furnish it, and pay rent and living expenses for six months, I guess?¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Abeshuu, nosebleed, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    By the way, the horns that Oldman Uni gave me are not going to be appraised because they are a memento of his friendship and memories with Oldman Uni. I think it¡¯s going to be the most valuable, but it will be used only for emergencies.

    Noa said that she would like to make a new cloak out of the Catoblepas¡¯ fur.

    ¡°It¡¯s the fur of a mature beast, but I think it could be used to make some kind of special equipment.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What do you mean by special effect?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The materials from Mycelial Plants and Metro Beasts can make items with special effects similar to Fungal Skills. They can become cloaks that repel fire and bracelets that accelerate the healing of wounds.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see! That¡¯s hot! I want one!¡± (Shuu) [T/N: Are you quoting a certain heiress?]

    It is exactly the kind of equipment found in game worlds. I would be willing to spend a fortune for accessories that would increase my ¡°Luck¡± and ¡°Strength¡±.

    ¡°Obuchi-san, can you make cloaks for me and Shuu-san with this?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Me too! Me too!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, Older sister. Please give some part to Sister Tamiko. Please do your best on Sister Tamiko¡¯s.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Sister? Ah, yes, I understand. It will take some time because there are few skilled tailors I know, but I know they can make good products. Let¡¯s go meet them face-to-face later so you can gauge them.¡± (Obuchi)

    A custom-made cloak. I am finally starting to look like a hunter.

    ¡°Abeshuu, your cloak will get torn when using hypha arms, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, not just the cloak, but also the jersey.¡± (Shuu)

    Until now, it was okay to tear through my clothes, but it¡¯s going to be more troublesome to tear the jerseys and cloaks I just bought. At this rate, I can only wear a tank top with a Y-shaped back. My future is to only look like a gymnast or never use it.

    I¡¯ll have to ask them to put sleeve holes for hypha arms on the back. It may be less warm, but I¡¯d rather be able to use it without worrying about it in case of an emergency.

    ¡°Well, think about that when I have it made, squeak. Do you know the official name of that Fungal Skill, Noa, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It is [Asura] if I¡¯m not mistaken. It¡¯s the super-rare skill under Physical Manipulation that I explained to you yesterday.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Physical Manipulation? Even though it is an arm made of mycelium?¡± (Shuu)

    Speaking of yesterday¡¯s discussion, I feel that the skill Soft Hypha is more suitable than Physical Manipulation.

    ¡°To be precise, it seems to be a combined skill of Soft Hypha and Physical Manipulation, and it seems that it can be learned by the Fungal Class within the [Fighter] line, so I think that is the basis of the classification. It seems that the main skill is not the ability to create arms made of mycelium, but rather the ability to move the hypha arms as if they were part of one¡¯s own body.¡± (Noa)

    The answer came back immediately. This is a big help.

    So, I decided to take this opportunity to answer the questions about the official name of my Fungal Skills. If I am going to be an official hunter, I can¡¯t just call them ¡°burning ball¡± or a ¡°hypha hammer¡± or whatever.

    Since there is no way to show the real thing such as a burning ball in the city, we decided to go out of the gate and enter the forest at a random place where there is no one around.

    ¡°Thank you, Professor Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Shuu-kun.¡± (Noa)

    Secretly, I was slightly excited to be addressed by an 18-year-old girl with the nickname ¡°Kun¡±.

    Noa did not have many opportunities to see other people¡¯s Fungal Skills, so she mostly relied on her great-grandfather¡¯s notebook and the ¡°Fungal Skill Encyclopedia¡± published by the Hunters¡¯ Guild. I showed them my Fungal Skills one by one, and we compared them to the official names.

    My first Fungal Skill, regenerative mycelium, is actually, [Immortality].

    The description is as I heard yesterday. A cheat self-regeneration ability is only available to [Itokuri-shi]. Semi-immortality, and almost immortal. Although it does not fit into the usual classification, it seems to fall into the category of physical manipulation.

    The second Fungal Skill, the hypha sword, also known as the [Katana].

    This is a hypha weapon skill that is synonymous with [Knight]. Incidentally, it is said that there is also a larger version [Odachi] and a double-edged version [Knight¡¯s Sword].

    The third Fungal Skill, burning ball or [Fireball].

    This is a spell synonymous with the offensive magic of [Illusionist]. It is a basic skill that is often learned at lower levels, but its power improves as one¡¯s level increases.

    The fourth Fungal Skill, hypha round shield. or [Round Shield].

    It is a Hard Hypha Armor skill. Some young people fashionably call it ¡°Peltas¡±.

    The fifth Fungal Skill, the healing ball. It is also called [Holy Healing].

    It is a rare skill under [Healer] and is a higher-level version of [Healing]. Incidentally, it is said that [Holy Healing] is a red cross on a white ball, while [Healing] is a green cross on a white ball.

    The sixth Fungal Skill, the hypha hammer, also known as the [War Hammer].

    This is a brawny weapon popular among hunters who are proud of their strength. It is also characterized by the fact that the handle can change its length (it is said to have a Soft Hypha-like property there).

    Incidentally, it is said that the status of each Fungal Class tends to differ not only in the main systems of Fungal Skills that can be learned but also in their physical abilities (of course, it depends on the level of their mycelium and inherent individual differences).

    For example, a [Knight] has high physical toughness, a [Fighter] has muscular strength and stamina, and a [Sniper] has good focus and accuracy.

    ¡°[Craftsman] have high dexterity and skill, but they are not as suited to hand-to-hand combat like [Knights] and [Fighters], they are not suitable for melee combat, and it feels more like supporters.¡± (Noa)

    Noa seems to be unsatisfied with her Fungal Class, as she can chatter away.

    And as for [Itokuri-shi]¨Cat the very least they¡¯re not listed in any encyclopedia, and Noa doesn¡¯t know about them either. Since Noa herself has never compared it to anyone else, I will have to wait and see how I would compare.

    Focusing my mind, my seventh Fungal Skill, electric ball. Again it is called [Thunderball].

    This is the lightning attribute version of [Fireball]. There are also [Iceball] and [Windball] so in essence, it¡¯s like magic with different attributes.

    [Illusionist] and [Healer] have the image of magic users, their athletic ability is not so high. Instead, they have high endurance or stamina to use Fungal Skills, and they seem to use Fungal Skills more aggressively than go into hand-to-hand combat. and it seems that it seems to fight using explosive Fungal Skills rather than a gunfight.

    The eighth Fungal Skill, the hypha great shield, is also known as [Great Shield].

    The name is very close, which is either coincidental or inevitable. It seems that it is a little rarer than [Round Shield].

    The ninth Fungal Skill, enhanced leaping ability, is also called [Leaping].

    This is also a popular Physical Manipulation skill, although it is named as it is. The bandit boss also used it, and Noa says that it is ¡°an ability that I want so badly I would vomit blood¡±.

    Tenth Fungal Skills, sensory spores. Revised¡ªno applicable name found.

    ¡°¡­Hmm? What do you mean?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a Dust Skill, but there is no mention of this ability in the Fungal Skill encyclopedia or in my great-grandfather¡¯s notebook. I¡¯ve never heard of it before either. I mean, I don¡¯t really understand what kind of ability it is.¡­¡± (Noa)

    I was also having difficulty explaining it logically. To put it plainly, it is the ability to grasp the relative position and three-dimensional structure of anything with a certain number of spores attached to it.

    Is it visual, or is it seeing with some other eye, or is it projected directly with the brain? It is difficult for a human being to imagine the world that an insect perceives with its compound eyes.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a unique skill only for Shuu-san, or something other [Itokuri-shi] hasn¡¯t learned yet.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, man, I¡¯m excited hearing you say that.¡± (Shuu)

    The first thing to do is to find a name for it, and since it doesn¡¯t have an official name, we¡¯ll just call it [Sensory Spores] for convenience.

    ¡°Well¡­ you still have seven more. How unfair, Shuu-san.¡± (Noa)

    Her face with puffed-up cheeks as she sulked like that was powerful. But I forgive her.

    The eleventh Fungal Skill, the antidote ball. I¡¯ll now call it [Detoxification].

    A green sphere with a white cross pattern. It is said to have the effect of purifying any kind of poison that enters the body. It may not be effective against bacteria or viruses, given the explanation that it does not cure illnesses. It is the signature skill of [Healer] as well as the [Healing].

    The twelfth Fungal Skill, is smoke screen ball. also known as [Smoke Ball].

    It is a similar Hypha Ball as [Detoxification], but it is said to be closer to a [Illusionist] skill. It is useful for multiple purposes, from disturbance to escape, and has saved my life many times. The combo with [Sensory Spore] may be at cheat level.

    The thirteenth Fungal Skill, beast repellent spores, also known as Beast Repellant.

    It is a regular skill in the ¡°Top 10 Most Useful Abilities¡± of the Dust Skill System or something. The greater the difference in level, or the more potent against a stronger beast, or the other beasts can smell it, in short, the more effective it will be.

    ¡°Well, this doesn¡¯t work on Tamiko at all, does it?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Huh? What are you saying, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You were asleep.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything too and it seems to not work for humans. Maybe Magic Beasts are the same.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve seen some that work and some that don¡¯t, so maybe that¡¯s just the way it is.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Once you¡¯re done, wake me up, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well don¡¯t sleep in the first place.¡± (Shuu)

    And then there is the ability that has never been used at all.

    The fourteenth Fungal Skill is the mysterious white acorn-like hypha.

    It has a slightly shiny whitish metallic surface, similar in shape to an acorn. It is too hard to eat (it is barely hard enough to be scratched by my hypha sword). But maybe it could be used as a weapon if released with his strength.

    ¡°This is¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about it since I heard about the Fungal Skill, but maybe this is a [Sniper] Hypha Bullet? Mycelial Bullets?¡± (Shuu)

    Noa is holding her head. She looks like she¡¯s in shock.

    ¡°¡­the answer is clear. [White Bullet], it¡¯s a Fungal Skill of [Sniper].¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Wow! Here it is at last, [Sniper]! It sure looks like a bullet¡­ but how do you use it? Do you put it in a gun?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You have to flick the butt of the bullet with your thumb. Putting all your strength into it.¡± (Noa)

    I has Noa and Tamiko move back, aimed at the tree in front of us, and flicked it with my thumb as hard as I could.

    Bang! A strong response is felt in the fingers, and a white acorn is flicked at high speed. The white acorn, with a straight white trajectory, pierces the trunk of the tree with a solid thud. The white acorn is stuck in the trunk of the tree.

    ¡°Woah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°If you heat it with enough force or heat the butt, it will explode and fly.¡± (Noa)

    So, this is how it was used? It certainly felt like it flew away with more force than the force I applied. I had no idea it was such a dangerous thing.

    Come to think of it, Tamiko had once tried to bite the white part, but if it had been the butt, she might have exploded.

    ¡°As I mentioned before, a [Sniper] is a rather special fungal Class. ¡­[White Bullet], [Exploding Bullet], and other Mycelial Bullet skills are valuable skills that only a [Sniper] can acquire.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°For example, there are usually [Fighters] who can use [Katana], but there are no other Fungal Class who can learn the Mycelial Bullet system. If it includes Mycelial Bullets, the person is a [Sniper].¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see, so a [Knight] or a [Fighter] cannot learn Mycelial Bullets. (Shuu)¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But Shuu-san can¡­ unfair, so unfair.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± (Shuu)

    I observed the bullets that have been embedded. Is it about three-quarters of the total length of the bullet? Perhaps it was due to the frictional force but the area around the hole is slightly charred.

    Looking at the power of the bullet, it may not be a decisive blow against an Ogre or an Orthrus. Rather, [Fireball] and [Thunderball] would have a higher killing power. However, in terms of projectile speed and rapid-fire, this is far superior to [Fireball].

    I am not confident that I can hit a moving opponent, but depending on training, it may be useful for scattering enemies and controlling them at close to medium range. It is a little frustrating to think of all the uses I could have found for it if I had realized it at Metro.

    Now, there are only three skills left. Let¡¯s see if I can get Noa, who is feeling a little depressed, to stay with me just a little longer. There¡¯s Tamiko, don¡¯t go to sleep, don¡¯t lie down and scratch your butt. You¡¯re getting a little fat these days, your silhouette is that of a complete ball of fur.

 CH 38

    A/N: 12/27 ¨C Corrections are made along with the publication [A Squirrel¡¯s Explanation on Fungal Class and Fungal Skills and The List of Fungal Skills of Each Profession].

    8/22 ¨C Noa¡¯s Fungal Skill¡¯s name was changed from [Binding String] to [White String].

    Fifteenth Fungal Skill, spore light. changed to [Light Blade].

    Strictly speaking, it is a Dust Skill, but it is an extremely rare skill that can only be acquired by [Holy Knight], a high-rank Fungal Class. Noa¡¯s gaze was painful.

    ¡°It can be used on a shield or a hammer, but it¡¯s still [Light Blade].¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s a combat-specific skill, but it¡¯s very quality heroic looking. It¡¯s awesome and all hunters, not just [Holy Knights], yearn for it.¡± (Noa)

    Well, who in Japan wouldn¡¯t be excited by a beam saber?

    Noa wanted to see it up close, so I made my hypha sword now known as [Katana] glow and cut down a reasonably thick tree to test it out. As an added bonus, I also split a [Round Shield] that I threw into the air into pieces. Noa is stunned with her mouth gaping open.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can you apologize to all the hunters?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not my fault, but I¡¯m really sorry.¡± (Shuu)

    My sixteenth Fungal Skill, hypha arms. Now called [Ashura].

    Just like what I heard briefly earlier, this is also a super rare skill. If [Light Blade] is the secret of [Holy Knight], this is the secret of [Beast Warrior].

    Noa asked me to try it out, so I tried it out in a rock-paper-scissors match. Unfortunately, I kept winning. ¡°You¡¯re horrible!¡± she says. She scolded me by slapping my hypha arm.

    ¡°Yes, my bad. Let¡¯s go with the next.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The next one is the last.¡± (Shuu)

    The seventeenth Fungal Skill, [Iron Fist] remained the same.

    The last one wins the prize word for word. It is a Hard Hypha like [Katana], but instead of white, it has a shiny silver color. According to the Fungal Skill Encyclopedia, it is related to the ¡°density of the mycelium¡± (by the way, Tamiko¡¯s Hardened Front Teeth have the same color). (Incidentally, Tamiko¡¯s sclerotium has the same color.) Although not as rare as the previous two, it is said to be the hardest of the Hard Hypha.

    This completes the verification of all the Fungal Skills. I checked the names in Noa¡¯s notebook.

    [Immortality], [Katana], [Fireball], [Round Shield].

    [Holy Healing], [War Hammer], [Thunderball], [Great Shield].

    [Leaping], [Sensory Spores], [Detoxification], [Smoke Ball].

    [Beast Repellent Spores], [White Bullet], [Light Blade], [Ashura], [Iron Fist].

    It¡¯s not a comic book, so I don¡¯t scream when I use them, but it¡¯s refreshing to know the names. I¡¯ll try it once. ¡­I¡¯ll definitely get embarrassed, so I¡¯m stopping right now.

    ¡°The [Itokuri-shi] is a well-known Fungal Class, but this parade of popular and rare Skills. ¡­I feel so miserable¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°You¡¯re so sly squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry. Please direct your complaints to the god of the metro.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°How sly to blame others, squeak. Change squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯ll rub you until you wet yourself.¡± (Shuu)

    It took me almost two hours to get to this point. It was past noon, and I was starving from all the Fungal Skills I used.

    ¡°Noa, is there time to name mine too, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sister, it seems that the Fungal Skills of the Carbuncle Tribe is not listed in this encyclopedia¡­¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko looks disappointed. A depressed squirrel.

    ¡°But we might be able to find out if we go to the tribe near Nakano or some other place that is closely related to the Carbuncle tribe.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°We have another reason to go to Nakano.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    By the way, Tamiko has six Fungal Skills.

    Enhanced Hearing. Hypha Shell. Risk Counter.

    Hardened Front Teeth. Camouflage. Squirrel Avatar.

    The sixth is an ability she learned after eating the Boss Slime¡¯s sporangium. It can produce a pure white mycelial squirrel. Although the principle is unknown, it is said to be remotely controllable by Tamiko¡¯s own will (although she is still practicing how). Incidentally, Tamiko can only control one at a time.

    ¡°Applying human classifications¡­ The first is the [Hearing] of the Physical Manipulation type. The second is similar to [White Armor] or [Thorn Armor] a type of Hard Hypha, I guess? The third one¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have anything to base it on. I mean, it¡¯s a cheat like Shuu-san¡¯s Fungal Skill. Being able to measure the strength of the target is similar to a living Test Sheet.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°A rough guess.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Rough, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    To roughly estimate the strength of the opponent with just a glance. It gives a massive advantage that greatly affects the survival rate in this world where the strength of the enemy is unknown. The benefits that I received myself are immeasurable. I doubt I can repay her with regular rubs and petting.

    ¡°Perhaps it is a skill unique to the Carbuncle tribe. Or It may be a rare ability among the tribe.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I am really a high-class lady, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko grabbed her tail and squeezed herself. I feel like she¡¯s chubbier than before. I should pinch her fats later.

    ¡°I think the hardened front teeth are based on the same principle as the [Iron Fist]. They have the same colors. The camouflage is similar to [Hiding]¡­ But that¡¯s one that erases presence, so it may be a little different. I think the last squirrel avatar is the same as the [Avatar] of the Soft Hypha system. This is also a pretty rare skill.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Not all of them, but it¡¯s good to know the names of some of them.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Explain more later, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You can¡¯t remember it?¡± (Shuu)

    Noa wrote them down in her notebook so she could review them later. We are going to review it later because we might need it for our interview with the Hunter¡¯s Guild.

    ¡°Well, Noa has three Fungal Skills? If you can, can you show it to me again?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, but compared to Sly Shuu-sama, my ability is at the bottom of the trash level, so are you still willing to take a look?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s eat Noa¡¯s favorite meal for lunch.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa demonstrates her Skills while looking depressed. [T/N: Poor Noa. LOL]

    The first is [Dagger]. A knife hypha weapon with about 20 cm long blade length.

    The second, [White String]. It is a strong cord made of twisted mycelium threads, a Soft Hypha system.

    Third, [Lightball]. A glowing hypha ball. It can be used as a substitute for lighting, and when smashed, it can be used as a flashbang grenade that shines brightly for a moment.

    ¡°In the first place, [Craftsmen] aren¡¯t really suitable for combat¡­ So, we tend to be seen as inferior by others¡­ I hope I can learn from other systems, but my talent is just this¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°No, you are more than a hunter or an adventurer. I¡¯m pretty much a muscle brain, and I just happen to have some useful skills.¡± (Shuu)

    After that Noa was in a better mood and led the way home with a pep in her step.

    Suddenly, a question arises in my head.

    ¡°What are Fungal Skills?¡± (Shuu)

    Noa and Tamiko, Tamiko who is riding on Noa¡¯s shoulder, look at each other. Then they both tilted their heads and pondered.

    ¡°Well¡­ I had just understood that there is a mysterious fungus parasitizing our bodies and we are using it. I wonder why hypha weapons, for example, are shaped like a human weapon.¡± (Shuu)

    The two of them tilted their heads further, unable to receive the point across. Their body is also bent.

    ¡°The mycelium is twisted together to form into shapes, but if that is the case, why have regular, uniform, and textbook shapes such as swords, hammers, knives, etc.? Why can¡¯t it be like shaping clay, why can¡¯t they all be more freely shaped in irregular ways?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but the principles and true nature of the fungus in our bodies and the hyphae in our bodies move are still unknown. We use them in such a way that we can ignore them, and there may not be many hunters who question them.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­Well, if it hasn¡¯t been solved in a hundred years, I, a five-year-old in New Tokyo, can¡¯t figure it out, can I?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, I¡¯m hungry, squeak. Hurry up, you squeaking blockhead.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother tell you not to use those words in public.¡± (Shuu)

    I look down at the palm of my hand.

    (Somehow, this ability feels made by someone.) (Shuu)

    (Even the Fungal Class, it¡¯s like parts of a game.) (Shuu)

    The Metro Flood, [Super Fungal Contamination], Super Fungus parasitizing the citizens of Tokyo.

    Or the events that happened a hundred years ago

    ¡°¡­Natural disaster, or not¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The words I mumbled to no one, in particular, did not reach anyone.

    Shaking my head, I started to walk after them.

 CH 39

    The next day, Obuchi returns an appraisal value. The sale price of the things I gathered was 950,000 yen at the very least.

    This was almost at the upper limit of yesterday¡¯s estimate. It seems that Obuchi did his best. I tried my best to hold back my nosebleed.

    ¡°I think I did a reasonably good job of raising the price. What do you want me to do?¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m good with that value.¡± (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t know what the market price is, but I decided to give Obuchi 100,000 yen out of the total. Obuchi was reluctant to accept the money, but since he had already paid for the hotel accommodations, I was willing to make sure to get him to accept the money.

    ¡°The cloak for the three of you will be completed next week. They are going to be gems with special effects, after all.¡± (Obuchi)

    After lunch yesterday, I went to the tailor¡¯s workshop, where they do everything from spinning to processing to taking measurements. The master of the workshop had a strong face with a beard and a body the size of an Obuchi, but the way he handled the needle and slid the scissors around was reminiscent of a skilled craftsman. The price, including the other materials, was about 200,000 yen for the three of us.

    ¡°All we need now is a house.¡± (Shuu)

    We can¡¯t stay at the inn forever. Since we now had enough money to live on, we would have to rent a room somewhere and fend for ourselves.

    ¡°My dream house, squeak! Pigya!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°But we¡¯re still renting.¡± (Shuu)

    Konno, who is as well-known as Obuchi, has been searching for an affordable house for rent through his contacts. Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to visit one of the properties.

    ¡°By the way, Noa is a member of the Ikebukuro tribe? Is there a house in Ikebukuro?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I have a hut outside the city where I used to live with my great-grandfather. I haven¡¯t been back there for years¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to live together, the three of us. I¡¯m going to choose a place where we can divide the place.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes! Squeak!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s my squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I¡¯m going to live with a young lady I¡¯m a little nervous. I promised myself that I would try not to look at her that way since she is my business partner and more than a year younger than me. It¡¯s nothing if I promise myself.

    The next day, Konno and I previewed several properties. One is on the upper floor of a building, an apartment complex for families. Behind a bakery near the west gate of the city, there is a house with better conditions than the others.

    1LDK with toilet, bath, and washroom, the rent is 40,000 yen per month, more than 10,000 yen cheaper than other properties with the same specifications.

    Originally, the owner of the bakery lived there with his wife, but after they got married and had a child, they leased the house.

    ¡°Actually, I used to be a hunter myself, and twenty years ago I retired and built this store and this house.¡± (Owner)

    The owner of the bakery is a man in his fifties. It is hard to imagine this plump, friendly uncle fighting a Metro Beast with a hypha weapon in his hand.

    The wooden one-story house is somewhat old, both in its exterior and interior. The buildings on either side are two or more stories high, so it doesn¡¯t get much sun. Nevertheless, it is equipped with the minimum necessary facilities and has a garden, albeit a small one. It is perfect for the three of us. I can have one room as a girls¡¯ room and I can sleep in the living room.

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ Abeshuu, this is the one, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Is the smell the deciding factor?¡± (Shuu)

    The smell coming from the store is certainly beyond good. The bread in the store also looks delicious, and we can live the life of a shoujo manga female protagonist who eats a slice of freshly baked bread for breakfast.

    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t really recommend the area near the west gate right now.¡± (Konno)

    Konno secretly hits his ear.

    ¡°Just last month, a new Metro appeared on the west side of the city. The Metro Beasts have started to appear frequently, and the residents near the west gate are a little worried. Well, the gate is heavily guarded, and with a guy like you, I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be a problem.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll thoroughly beat them up.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Strong Metro Beasts in the deep Metro rarely come out to the surface, and unless something really bad happens, they won¡¯t be able to break through the gate.¡± (Konno)

    Tamiko and Noa don¡¯t seem to be particularly concerned about it.

    So, a new home in this world has been decided. It is a lovely house behind a bakery.

    Since we were told that we could move in immediately, we left the inn the next day (Tamiko and the innkeeper cried as they said goodbye to each other) and started preparing to move in. Although we would need to register the house with the local government office, we would put it in Konno¡¯s name for the time being, and only after registering as a hunter and obtaining a family register would we be able to officially become residents.

    After cleaning the house and removing the musty smell from all the windows, Noa and us returned with a large amount of luggage. Obuchi, meanwhile, is carrying a couch in one hand. He is indeed a hunter.

    In the evening, we have a small celebration with bread from the landlord, a welcome gift for moving in.

    It¡¯s the first alcohol I¡¯ve had in five years. It is not the beer I have dreamed of, but a wine Obuchi has brought. A hundred years ago, I was so drunk that I fell off the balcony, but I am not the type of person to let that stop me from drinking. I have always had confidence in my ability to drink, and as long as I moderate my intake, I can enjoy it in a healthy way. As long as I can follow up.

    ¡°Yum, yum! The outside is squeaking crunchy! The inside is soft, squeak! I can¡¯t stop eating.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko is halfway buried in the melon bread.

    Finally, the time comes for the release of Noa¡¯s treasured Catoblepas bacon.

    After a long period of aging, it was smoked in the garden at noon today, and now it sits on the dining table as if it has always been waiting for me. The golden and pink meat is divine. The sounds of us swallowing echoed in the room.

    ¡°Ah, this is super delicious¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The meat is very strong, and the more you chew, the more the flavor spreads. The smoky aroma of the meat was pleasant to the nose.

    It is delicious even if you just bite into it as it is. It is also delicious roasted over a fire. It is also good sliced thinly and placed between bread. It is also good grilled with an egg. It¡¯s a lump of sin.

    Tamiko is sitting on the dining table with her stomach and cheeks flattened, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore. She looks more like a chinchilla than a squirrel.

    ¡°¨CEven so, this is amazing.¡± (Shuu)

    The party is over, and I followed Noa and Tamiko into the bath. The bathtub is made of a wooden box, which may or may not be made of cypress. It was just barely big enough to stretch out your legs.

    The state of the bathtub in New Tokyo. In the city, I saw what looked like a solar-powered hot-water system, but unfortunately, this house was not equipped with one. However ¨C I was astonished when I saw the ¡°situation of water heating in this country¡± a while ago.

    The bathtub was filled with water, and when Noah threw a mushroom into the bathtub, it bubbled and melted, turning the cold water into warm, steamy water.

    It seems to be a processed (dried) byproduct of a mushroom called Furotaki mushroom. It is sold for about 100 yen a piece in every town. As usual, the scientific principle is unknown. Incidentally, they are said to react only to large amounts of water, so eating them will not kill you.

    ¡°Mycelial plants are awesome.¡± (Shuu)

    The stove is not lit with gas, but with charcoal from the mycelium plant, lit with a match. It burns well and produces almost no smoke. The night light is also provided by a mycelium called Tsukushi, which burns for a long time when the tip of the plant is lit.

    Sugamo City has no electricity or gas. Even so, thanks to the Metro system and the various mycelial plants that grow in the city, people are able to enjoy a fairly advanced civilized lifestyle.

    (I wonder if there is electricity in more urban cities?)

    Over a cup of tea after my bath, I asked Noa about it.

    Noa¡¯s eyes widen and she looks restless. It was as if she was made to tell a ghost story.

    ¡°Umm¡­ Shuu-san, I don¡¯t think you should talk about that outside.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Why?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m told that a demon will appear.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Demons, Demonic Diseases, and Demon War, but what does that have to do with electricity?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What is a demon?¡± Noa replied after flipping through her notebook. ¡°They are intelligent life forms that resemble human beings. They have an intelligence greater than that of humans, control Fungal Skills better than humans, and boast levels higher than humans. There are cruel, and they take pleasure in killing people and bringing chaos to the world of mankind¡­ It¡¯s written in my great grandfather¡¯s notes.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s scary.¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s a description apt for ¡°Demons¡±.

    ¡°Fifty years ago, New Tokyo was more civilized than it is today. One of the oldest tribes, the Shinjuku Tribe, was at the forefront of this development. According to my great-grandfather¡¯s notebook, they were reviving some of the prehistoric science and technology by creating something called a power generation facility that used the Metro¡¯s water source and biofuels. Cars, electric lights, telephones, etc.¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Wow! As expected of Shinjuku!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Shinjuku, who are they, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°They are Nakano¡¯s neighbor, Sis.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°The current governor of New Tokyo is the first chief of this tribe. But¡­ Only five Demons destroyed Shinjuku Tribe, which boasted the best technology and military power. The battle eventually involved the whole of New Tokyo. It has evolved into a war that is now called the [Demon War].¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko clung to my knees in fear at the force of Noa¡¯s vivid storytelling, that sucked us in.

    ¡°The war was a large-scale war between the Demons, leading an army of vicious Metro Beasts, and an allied human army led by [Itokuri-shi]. As a result, the Demons and their army were annihilated and the human side won the war, but three tribes including Shinjuku were destroyed and 50,000 people, including six [Itokuri-shi], lost their lives.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Seriously¡­¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeakiously ¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    The living room is silent for a few seconds.

    ¡°¡®Demons and Metros have emerged to bring down the overdeveloped human civilizations¡¯-that was the theory advocated by the Metro Church. Since then, New Tokyo¡¯s advance in the research and development of science and technology has been capped. The three Major Taboo set by the church and approved by New Tokyo Metropolitan Government. ¡°Taboos with the wall: crossing the wall, Metro Interference with the wall¨Ccontact with or beyond the wall,¡± ¡°excessive development of the metro and excessive waste of resources,¡± and ¡°revival of prehistoric civilizations.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°So no electricity or gas is being used ¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I have my great-grandfather¡¯s notebook, so I know some of the words and meanings of ¡®electricity¡¯ and ¡®oil,¡¯ but I don¡¯t think today¡¯s young people know much about such energy technology. They are sealed knowledge now.¡± (Noa)

    So instead of not being able to do it, they chose not to do it. To curb the excessive development of science.

    Resetting an excessively developed civilization¡ªDoes my imagination that this sounds like the fantasy of a radical 21st-century environmentalist, or is it just the way science fiction anime tends to set things up? Is it my imagination?

    I would like to talk to the church members, but as a typical non-religious Japanese, I am afraid to get involved with a new religion.

    Well, as far as I¡¯m concerned, I don¡¯t feel any particular inconvenience living in Sugamo so far (minus the five years of life under the Metro). Of course, there is no end to wanting luxuries, and I do miss my smartphone and TV, but it¡¯s not like I would die if I didn¡¯t have them. I don¡¯t suffer from cat video depletion syndrome either, because I am in an environment where I can see the real thing, so no withdrawal symptoms.

    ¡°I wonder if Demons look something like the bandit boss we saw the other day. You said it was the Demonic Disease.¡± (Shuu)

    The image of that horrifying monster, neither man nor beast, reappears in my mind.

    ¡°The [Demonic Disease] is sometimes referred to as ¡®the failure to become a demon¡¯ because of its ferocity and ability to kill, similar to that of a demon, and its monstrous appearance that transforms after death, but to what extent it is related to a real demon, I do not know. It seems that my great-grandfather was discussing this, but the handwriting in that part of the book is too messy to read.¡± (Noa)

    I asked him to show me the page to try, but it is very difficult to read not only that page, but the whole page is written in a worm-like style. Only his great-grandchildren who have lived together with him would be able to decipher it.

    ¡°Fifty years have passed since the [Demon War], and although it has become something like a fairy tale and a story to discipline today¡¯s children, the Hunter¡¯s Guild has designated the demons as a realistic threat as ¡®a calamity that will soon appear.¡¯ There is even an article in the guild¡¯s code that states, ¡®In the event of an emergency, we will mobilize the power of all hunters in New Tokyo to defeat them.¡¯ Few people seem to take it seriously, though.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°So this is not an irrelevant topic for hunters either, huh?¡± (Shuu)

    The same [Itokuri-shi] as me, a demon killed six of them. I can¡¯t imagine how monstrous they are. But it¡¯s not like they are going to conveniently or inconveniently show up in front of me. I try not to think about it because it might raise a flag.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a matter of immediate future. First, I have to be a hunter.¡± (Shuu)

    He looks at the wall calendar (a simple one with no patterns or pictures, just the date).

    Today is Wednesday, May 15, year 107 of the Tokyo calendar.

    Three days later, on Saturday, the 18th. There will be the monthly Hunters¡¯ Guild new member registration screening.

    Apparently, in order to become a member of the guild and be able to call oneself a hunter, one must pass an interview that includes an ability assessment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine. Obuchi-san and I will teach you exactly what to do.¡± (Noa)

    Noa thumps her chest (her thin clothes are shaking).

    ¡°I¡¯m not very good at interviews¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The nightmare of a single win and twenty-seven fails during my job hunting process was resurrected after a hundred years.

    It¡¯s not that I¡¯m shy or soft-spoken, but when I¡¯m facing an interviewer in a suit, my tongue gets numb and I can¡¯t think straight. When it comes to the pressure of interviews, I¡¯m as helpless as an overturned turtle.

    ¡°A test/trial huh, I¡¯ll take care of you, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re reliable, but you don¡¯t understand anything.¡± (Shuu)

    In the Hunter¡¯s Guild of New Tokyo, it seems that there are no ¡°show me what you are made of¡± type of tests in the underground training halls like the tropes in manga and anime.

    This is because there is no need for such tests. Both my level and the Fungal Class can be checked as visualized indicators on a Test Sheet.

    In other words, if I take the test without thinking and planning, 100%, I will be exposed as a [Itokuri-shi].

    In addition, there is a high possibility that they will find out that I was not born in this period once they start questioning me.

    How to avoid the Test Sheet for the Fungal Class and pass the test without being discovered is the key. Thanks to Obuchi and Noah, we are perfectly prepared for the exam.

    Perfect? No, I¡¯m worried.

    I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to do as well as I did in our practice¡­

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m off.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Have a safe trip. Good luck.¡± (Noa)

    I changed into a hunter¡¯s jersey, put Tamiko on my shoulder, and left the house. The sun was shining brightly. I couldn¡¯t sleep well last night, so my eyes were blurry.

    ¡°Abeshuu, you couldn¡¯t sleep, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, was it obvious?¡± (Shuu)

    So, off we go to the hunter¡¯s guild office.

    A/N: I will update the information on the existing tribe and other places in a separate section later.

 CH 40

    The Hunters¡¯ Guild is an organization established to manage social activities, monitor, and control those who make their living exploring Metros and hunting Metro Beasts, and support their activities and give back to the country and the city for their achievements. It is an organization that has been made with the times.

    The guild is composed of hunters who belong to the guild as members and the guild¡¯s management as management staff.

    Those who wish to become a member of the guild must undergo a screening process by the staff.  Whether or not they are a person who deserves the trust of society, their ability and morals are checked in advance by interviews (although it is not as strict as some said.)

    Incidentally, the headquarters is located in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office, and each city has its own branch office.

    Other than the general policy, each branch operates independently, and in general, belonging and adhesion to the city in which one is stationed are stronger. According to Obuchi, Sugamo is one of the typical examples.

    The business office is located in the center of Sugamo, a short walk north of the city council auditorium. Officially, it is the ¡°Hunter¡¯s Guild, Sugamo Branch Office¡±.

    In the center of the city, where there are many buildings that are a few steps sturdier than private homes and stores, the stylish western-style store looks a little out of place. It is a large three-story building.

    There is a window at the front end of the first floor, and staff members are working at desks. It looks like a post office or a government office.

    In the waiting area at the front are several standing drinking tables (no chairs), and people in jerseys, who look like hunters, are chatting with each other with cups and snacks in their hands. There is also a counter in the back right corner that seems to serve food and drink.

    It looks like a meeting place for adventurers. I don¡¯t know whether this was inevitable from practical rationality or whether it was influenced by fiction.

    After filling out the necessary paperwork for the two of us (along with Tamiko, who cannot write) at the counter, we headed upstairs without any prompting. A middle-aged man in a shirt, vest, and slacks stands in the hallway, receives our forms, and we are sent to the room after saying, ¡°Please go there¡±.

    We were ushered into a large room with two rows of wooden chairs, but no one is sitting in any of them. I sat at the end of the row, and Tamiko sits next to me.

    We knew there wouldn¡¯t be that many people since the event was held every month, but we didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be the only ones¡­ Just before the end of the shift, a young man wearing a hunter¡¯s jersey entered the room. He was sweating and shouting, ¡°I made it!¡± ¡°Oh, you cute tiny thing.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, huh?¡± He then sits down next to Tamiko.

    At noon, they hear the bells of a clock tower not far from here. A female staff member walks up to them and raises her glasses.

    ¡°We are starting the Hunter¡¯s Guild member registration examination. The requirements for registration are that you must be at least 15 years old, have no criminal record stamped on your record, have a Fungal Class and master a Fungal Skill and be at least level 10. Are you qualified?¡± (Woman)

    ¡°I am, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­ Someone from the Carbuncle tribe. The age requirement for Magic Beasts is slightly different. The Carbuncle tribe starts at six years old or older, so there¡¯s no problem.¡± (Woman)

    ¡°Noa also said that.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    A female employee is chuckling. The young man is also smiling.

    ¡°Everyone seems to have no problem. I¡¯ll call you in one by one, please go to the other room.¡± (Woman)

    ¡°Oh, excuse me,¡± I raised my hand. ¡°I¡¯m doing it together with her, this one can¡¯t write so can we both do it together?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes, if that¡¯s the case.¡± (Woman)

    The female staff member moves to the corner of the room. It seems that she is waiting for a while until everything is ready.

    ¡°¡ªHey, uncle.¡± (Kid)

    The young man talks to me.

    For a moment, I was stunned and speechless.

    I wondered if I was the one he was talking to. I can¡¯t believe that for the first time in my life, I was being called ¡°uncle¡±.

    (Me? Do you mean me? You¡¯re looking at me right?) (Shuu)

    (I¡¯m still twenty-eight? Am I an old man?) (Shuu)

    (Well I am technically 130 years old. Oh, shit I AM an old man.) (Shuu)

    ¡°How are you uncle? I¡¯m 18.¡± (Kid)

    I can tell from his friendly smile that he has no malicious intent. However.

    Eighteen, huh? You¡¯re just a sh*tty high schooler, aren¡¯t you? You should take a lesson from our Noa, she looks eight times smarter than you. [T/N: Uhuh. I hope it is not because she¡¯s a ¡°blessed¡± young lady.]

    ¡°Well, you see, I¡¯m only twenty-eight.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, really!? A newbie at 28!? What have you been doing all this time!?¡± (Kid)

    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I can¡¯t say I was sleeping.

    ¡°I am 10 squeak old.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko squeaks in.

    ¡°Oh no. I¡¯m talking about your level, Tiny Cutie.¡± (Tamiko)

    (Is it a question about levels?) (Shuu)

    ¡°I am 40, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What? Level 40?¡± (Kid)

    (Oh, I¡¯m lower than Tamiko.) (Shuu)

    ¡°What? No way. How is it possible that you reached 28 and 40 without registering as a hunter? You¡¯re not just any a rookie, you¡¯re already a mid-level hunt. Have you been freelancing all this time?¡± (Kid)

    (Oh, that¡¯s the kind of thing Tamiko would reply with.) (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ve been at Metro since I was born, and I just met Abeshuu five years ago.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko, let¡¯s be quiet.¡± (Shuu)

    I pulled Tamiko¡¯s cheeks and shut her up.

    ¡°Hey! No, yes. I¡¯ll be quiet, squeak. My cheek pouch, squeak! It hurfs Squeaf! Eh, rather, is this¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Excuse me.¡± (Woman)

    The conversation is cut short by the female staff clearing her throat.

    Shortly after, the back door opens and a male staff appeared.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting. So, first one, come with me please.¡± (Man)

    ¡°Do your best! Uncle and Tiny!¡± (Kid)

    I responded with a smile, a wrinkle between my brows, while I was carrying Tamiko on my shoulder as I left the room.

    The room we were taken to was about the same size as the waiting room we were in earlier.

    There is a table in the center of the room with a sofa between. Two women are sitting there. The one on the left is wearing the same white shirt as the other staff member, and the one on the right is wearing a hunter¡¯s jersey.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡± (Shuu)

    Greeting and bowing to the people in the room. The basics are important.

    ¡°Please have a seat here.¡± (Woman)

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± (Shuu)

    I sat down on the sofa opposite and facing the women.

    They are both beautiful women. The staff member has loose brown hair and a calm demeanor, while the hunter has black hair tied back and a sharp look. Both were probably in their thirties.

    ¡°You are Abe Shuu-san and Tamiko-san correct?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Thank you for attending the registration screening today. My name is Kaike and I will be in charge of the interview. This is Aomoto-san, who is the guild representative of the Sugamo branch. She is attending this interview as a witness.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± (Aomoto)

    From my impression, Kaike is the friendly cop and Aomoto is the serious and strict cop. A carrot and a stick, the sun and the north wind. It was more like an interrogation in a detective drama than a job interview.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s get started.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    This squirrel girl who knows nothing of fear raises her hand cheerfully. I have been trained by Noa and Obuchi, so all I have to do now is to perform as we have practiced.

    ¡°Thank you very much¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Still, I can¡¯t curb my anxiety. I¡¯m scared of the interview.

    ¡°First of all, let me check your Levels and Fungal Classes.¡± (Kaike)

    And suddenly it came. Today¡¯s mountain to conquer.

    Two sheets of Test Sheet for two people are laid out on the table. Two sheets with a scale for the level and one sheet with a hexagonal pattern for the Fungal Class.

    ¡°Please use this.¡± (Kaike)

    Kaike puts down something that looks like a thumbtack. A needle sticks out from a resin disk.

    ¡°Tamiko, can you use this?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ll be insane to consider using this, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Is that fine?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ll use something else, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Kaike¡¯s lips loosen, perhaps because she can¡¯t help but smile. Aomoto just looks cool and is staring at Tamiko, perhaps because members of the Carbuncle tribe are rare.

    ¡°¡­¡­ah.¡± (Shuu)

    This test paper is for up to level 50. The price is 30 yen, as I recall.

    Well, why will they not offer the one with the higher limit for newcomers¡¯ measurements? Still, even though it is 30 yen, it is a natural action to reduce costs.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°No, nothing.¡± (Shuu)

    I pricked my finger with the needle and smeared blood on the level Test Sheet. Following his lead, Tamiko bites off the tip of her finger with her front teeth and stamps it into the round frame. The red line extends smoothly.

    ¡°¡­¡­eh?¡± (Kaike)

    Just as we had done before in front of Noa and the others, mine stopped at 50, Tamiko at 40.

    ¡°¡±¡­¡­Eh!?¡±¡± (Kaike & Aomoto)

    Both Kaike and Aomoto are stunned.

    ¡°Abeshuu, I want some of that.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko then licks her fingers.

    ¡°Hey, wait a minute¨C¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Wait a minute! What kind of joke is this!?¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto slammed the table and leaned forward.

    ¡°A newcomer who came for an interview today is level 50! And a young Carbuncle girl is 40! That¡¯s impossible!¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it can only measure up to 50.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­What? Then, are you trying to tell me that it¡¯s even higher than 50?¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Yes, just in case.¡± (Shuu)

    Aomoto was absolutely mortified. Aomoto shuddered and yelled.

    ¡°Kaike-san, give him another Test Sheet! Up to 100!¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± (Kaike)

    Pensive, his back sweating with excitement, he inwardly tells himself, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s working.¡±

    The reason I didn¡¯t ask for it myself first was that I was afraid, they would snicker at me and say, ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± I also wanted to leave an impact.

 CH 41

    Kaike brings a new test paper from the shelf by the wall. Aomoto snatches the thumbtack in her hand, wipes the tip of it well with her jersey sleeve, and sticks it in her own finger. Her blood drips onto the round frame and stops a little past the 50 scale.

    (Wow, level 52?) (Shuu)

    (She doesn¡¯t look much older than Obuchi-san.) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Looks like there¡¯s nothing wrong with the paper. ¡­Come on, do it again. That one¡¯s yours¡­ and you, the Carbuncle¡¯s.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°It¡¯s Tamiko, not you, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Um, can I borrow the thumbtack back? Well¡ªyou, see? I¡¯ve got [Self-Regeneration], so I¡¯ve already healed the wound.¡± (Shuu)

    So, when I showed my finger, Aomoto grabs my hand and brings her face closer as her nose touched it. Actually, it is not [Self-Regeneration] but it is actually [Immortality], but there is no need to worry about that because the bluish-black mold does not appear with this level of wounds.

    ¡°Umm¡­ can I?¡± (Shuu)

    Aomoto, without asking, sticks the thumbtack into my finger.

    ¡°Ouch! What are you doing¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    Without any reply or apology, she rubs the Test Sheet against my finger. She puts the paper on the table and stares at it with Kaike. And then they both turn pale.

    ¡°¡­68 ¡­really¡­¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°¡­Far from 50¡­ 68¡­ that¡¯s Impossible¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°I¡¯m doing the same thing, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko also had another one, but she seemed unhappy that no one had been watching her.

    ¡°Umm, Abe-san?¡± Kaike said.

    ¡°Umm, yes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Is it true that you are an unregistered Free Folk? I heard you were a hunter from a tribe somewhere¡­¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°No, nowhere.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Take off your clothes!¡± Aomoto said. ¡°Just your top, go ahead get naked!¡±

    An older (I think) sister is ordered to ¡°take off your clothes¡± in a high-handed manner. Normally, I would have rebelled, but I must confess that I was a little disturbed.

    ¡°I¡¯m injured here, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± (Shuu)

    I do as she says and take off my jacket. Showing off my improved muscled body, which I have acquired living in this era.

    Kaike and Aomoto circle around me, checking my body from all angles.

    According to what Noa and the others have told me, in New Tokyo, an insignia (a special tattoo) on the body is a form of identification. If you are a registered person, you have an insignia on your body that indicates ¡°which city you are a resident of¡±.

    If you are a hunter, you also have a hunter¡¯s insignia. If a person is tried for a serious crime, such as murder or robbery, he or she is also given a corresponding insignia.

    All citizens are forced to have tattoos. This is the kind of culture that would make the people of my era, who were clamoring for public baths and human rights, burst into flames and have a stroke.

    Incidentally, tattoos use a special mycelial plant-derived ink that cannot be removed even if the entire skin is scraped off. It is said that the only people who can remove them cleanly are those who handle the insignia, such as government offices and Hunters¡¯ Guilds, using a trade-secret technique.

    ¡°¡­No. Neither an insignia nor any trace of its removal¡­¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°¡­Yeah¡­ Just ugly weird nipples¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Squeaking ugly nipples.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Stop it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°As stated on the application form, you are an unregistered hunter, a Free Folk¡­¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    Two beautiful older sisters are observing me naked, and all of them are seated there. Kaike looks a little confused and embarrassed, and Aomoto scratches her head looking more shocked.

    ¡°Oh¡­ oh, I¡¯m sorry. You can put it on already.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Ah, yes. Ah, Tamiko, do you need [Holy Healing]?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    When the mycelial ball is created, Tamiko squeezes the juice on her finger and stuffs the rest into her cheek pouch. Kaike and Aomoto are stunned.

    ¡°[Holy Healing]¡­?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°So, is Abe-san a [Healer] or a [Sage]?¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡ªHere, I caught them.

    I then shook my head.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s [Holy Knight].¡± (Shuu)

    I created a [Katana] from the palm of my hand. Kaike leans forward, and Aomoto reclines back.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I suddenly thought of pulling out a weapon.¡± (Shuu)

    I put it on the floor, and then, as if it was an afterthought, I also produced a [Round Shield], followed by a [Detoxification] (the [Detoxification] goes straight into Tamiko¡¯s cheek pouch).

    ¡°I can also use [Great Shield], [War Hammer], [Light Blade], [Leaping], and [Beast Repellent Spores].¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°[Self-Regeneration], [Holy Healing], [Katana], [Round Shield], [Detoxification], [Great Shield], [War Hammer], [Light Blade], [Leaping], [Beast Repellent Spores]¡­ Ten¡­ ¡± (Kaike)

    Kaike is running a pen on the clipboard held in his arm. It is recorded perfectly at once.

    ¡°Wait, uh, Abe-kun. Can you really use [Light Blade]? Please show me.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Okay.¡± (Shuu)

    I picked up the [Katana] placed on the floor and I used spore light on it.

    Standing up, I kick up the [Round Shield] with my feet and swing down the glowing blade. The [Round Shield] was split in half. It falls to the floor and rolls on the ground.

    Kaike slumps while holding her head, but Aomoto has her eyes wide open and looks closely. And she opens her mouth wide and trembles.

    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s definitely a [Light Blade]. That means that you are definitely a [Holy Knight]¡­ at level 68¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto¡¯s head was hung down like she was asleep.

    ¡°¡­Abe, I¡¯m sorry for doubting you¡­ and I apologize for all the rudeness¡­ While I call myself a representative of the Guild.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­ Well, that¡¯s okay too¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The simulation is a very simple one, but it¡¯s a very good one. Almost everything up to this point had gone according to our simulation.

    The biggest challenge for this time was ¡°how to pass the interview without using the Test Sheet for the Fungal Class.¡± If they see the chaotic result on that sheet, they would know that I did not have an ordinary Fungal Class.

    Obuchi interviewed a former employee he knew about the Sugamo-style interview process and worked out a scenario for how to go through it in a very natural way. The point is that I should be able to reveal my Fungal Class without using a Test Sheet and make them believe it.

    According to the information from the former staff member and others, the ¡°Test Sheets are not necessarily saved after.¡±

    The Test Sheets can only be preserved during the time the interviewer checks the Level and the Fungal Class on the spot and writes it down in the form of a document. Just as Kaike is doing now. The reason is that the Test Sheets are made of a special mycelial plant, and the used ones would rot soon.

    It was expected that the interviewer would be unnerved if showed then a level of skill unbecoming of a newcomer. And before they could gain their bearings, I had planned in advance to give Tamiko [Holy Healing].

    The final touch was the [Light Blade]. By demonstrating this in a natural way, I was able to make them believe that I was a [Holy Knight] in the Fungal Class. This is a very rare ability that can only be acquired by a few [ Holy Knight]. This eliminated the need to use a Test Sheet for the Fungal Class.

    However, Noa and the others assumed that the interviewers would be ¡°two staff members¡±. The fact that an active hunter was the partner was something that made Noa and the others nervous.

    But as it turned out, Aomoto¡¯s fuss made it more convincing. Perhaps it was a stroke of good fortune.

    Both Kaike and Aomoto were convinced that I was a [Holy Knight] because I had shown them [Light Blade], a skill that only [Holy Knights] can use. Kaike is filling out my own form. It seems that now there is no need to use the Test Sheet for the Fungal Class.

    I make an internal big guts pose.

    The first barrier, which was the biggest barrier, was now clear.

    ¡°¡­Still¡­ It is too unprecedented¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    Aomoto stands up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Abe-kun¡­ but you¡¯re going to have to join a sumo with me. I¡¯d like to experience your power for myself to clear up what little doubt I have left.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    The event, ¡°Show me your skills!¡±

    So, sumo? Sumo? [T/N: It¡¯s in katakana as if it is said with a non-Japanese accent]

    Aomoto moves the sofa and table to the edge, and Kaike draws a circle on the floor with chalk with a radius of about five or six meters. In the center of the circle, I am now facing Aomoto and we¡¯re poised to wrestle on all fours.

    Tamiko is lying on the back of the sofa (in a nirvana pose). I have been thinking lately that this guy is becoming more and more human, perhaps because she is in a human village and has forgotten how wild she was.

    ¡°Oh, I just have to ask, what is sumo?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know sumo? It¡¯s New Tokyo¡¯s national sport.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Sorry.¡± (Shuu)

    If this were the Heisei era, I might have said, ¡°Women should stay out of the ring!¡± But I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t understand why. But I am happy to say that this is a sign that this sense has moved forward after the [Tokyo Judgment].

    ¡°Because Abe is a Free Folk,¡± Kaike said, sending me a helping hand.

    ¡°My bad, the rules are simple. In this circle, we compete with each other in a contest of strength using only our bodies. The use of hypha weapons and mycelial balls is prohibited.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°But about that, [Leaping] is okay.¡± (Kaike)

    In any case, if I use [Leaping] in this small space, I will either break through the ceiling or default from the competition.

    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m a [Beast Warrior] and I can use [Herculean Strength]. It¡¯s a bridge to shrink the level gap, so I will use it.¡± (Aomoto)

    They have a High-Rank Fungal Class focused on melee combat with superior physical capabilities. It¡¯s literally like fighting in the opponent¡¯s territory.

    ¡°Everything else is allowed. You win if you push your opponent out of the ring, or if you make him kneel in the ring. There will only be a winner if one pushes the other or knocks the other out. That¡¯s all.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°How do you knockout the enemy?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You can do it with a chokehold or slamming them down.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°It¡¯s different from what I expected.¡± (Suu)

    Has sumo become something like an obscure ancient art?

    ¡°The other thing is that the eye thrusts and groin-thrusts are not part of Sugamo style. In the hunting industry, it is a widely accepted method of a healthy contest of strength, and some chapters even hold tournaments for their members. If you want to become a hunter, you should try wearing a mawashi [T/N: Sumo loincloth].¡± (Aomoto)

    Kaike then hands me a leather belt and a pair of open-finger gloves made with cotton.

    Aomoto pops her knuckles. The sense of danger is heightened. Any faint hope I had that I would be wrestling with a beautiful woman and getting in close to her in all kinds of ways has been shattered.

    ¡°I am, by the way, the winner of the last two Sugamo tournaments. I¡¯ve beaten the best of the best in terms of size and level. As the ¡°Yokozuna Queen of Sugamo,¡± I will show you the depth of my skills.¡± (Aomoto) [T/N: Yokozuna is the grand champion in Sumo.]

    ¡°Has the purpose of this interview changed?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aomoto-san loves sumo¡­ She always wants to challenge someone stronger than herself¡­¡± (Kaike)

    It seems that she just wants to do sumo, regardless of the interview.

    Kaike stands in between us with something that looks like a tactician¡¯s fan. A fan? But why is a fan available in the interview room?

    Tamiko, still lying down, says in a sleepy voice, ¡°Abeshuu good luck, squeak¡±! I would like to believe that she is relaxed, due to her confidence in her partner¡¯s victory.

    ¡°*inhale* *exhale*~¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡° I¡¯m sorry, Kaike-san, but we¡¯re running out of time, so start this.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± (Kaike)

    Aomoto bowed her head in a bowed manner to the girl who seemed slightly irritated with her.

    ¡°The first thing to remember is that martial arts, not just Sumo, begin and end with a bow. That¡¯s the difference between martial arts and mere violence. Let¡¯s play a match that will leave no lasting damage.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Ah, yes. No hard feelings.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Match, ready! Hakiyoui, nokota!¡± (Kaike)

    A collision between a strong man and a strong woman, starting with a shout.

    This might be the best path to enter the hunter¡¯s path in Sugamo.

    I hope so.

    T/N: So, Sumo has become bastardized during the years and has now become closer to MMA with sumo mixed in. Hakiyoui should be ¡°hakkeyoi¡± or something like ¡°put some spirit into it,¡± something sumo referees say during the start. Nokota should be ¡°nokotta¡± or literally ¡°remain¡± meaning stay inside the ring. Don¡¯t expect sumo. LOL

 CH 42

    At the same time that Kaike swings up the fan with a strange tension, a goo punch flies normally instead of a par tensioner. Cut the sky a few centimeters next to your cheeks.

    ¡°Wai¨C (Immediately?!)¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t look away from the ring!¡± (Kaike)

    She leaps into the air energetically. She dived into my reach, sent a right hook, and then elbowed me. I evade and block it, only to receive a knee thrust. Unable to block, I backstepped.

    ¡°Oh! Safe, safe!?¡± (Kaike) [T/N: Yep, it¡¯s English but now a sumo term.]

    I step on the line. Kaike the referee swung her fan and urged me with a deadpan, ¡°Nokota, nokota¡±. It seems safe as long as I don¡¯t cross the line completely. However, this ring is a little too narrow.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto, taking advantage of a momentary lapse in my guard, unleashes a jumping spinning kick. I had to raise my arm to guard. A slight sidestep dampens the force, but it¡¯s still powerful enough to numb my arm.

    ¡°There¡¯s still more!¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto follows up. She tries to evade my counterattack, a quick jab from close range.

    I can tell by looking at her bloodshot eyes, that she¡¯s completely serious. She¡¯s seriously aiming for a knockout. I¡¯m scared of this woman who misunderstands the meaning of Sumo.

    ¡°Woah, nope!¡± (Shuu)

    (¨D¨Dwell that¡¯s it!) (Shuu)

    In terms of level difference, I am more than just a level higher than her. The difference in physical ability is greater than I expected.

    Still, as might be expected, her experience in fighting against other people and her skills in hand-to-hand combat compensate for this. Kaike¡¯s ¡°Nokota, nokota¡±, shows she was very good at positioning herself in the ring and pushing her opponents into a corner.

    She uses the round ring as one of her weapons, restricting her opponent¡¯s movement while making herself look as if she moving faster. Her footwork is worthy of Yokozuna, the top-ranked fighter in the Sugamo ring.

    ¡°Fuhaha! What¡¯s wrong with that level 68!? Don¡¯t hesitate in hitting back! Sumo is where fighting spirits collide!¡± (Aomoto)

    This muscle-brain woman is clearly drunk on fighting. She completely forgot the purpose of this being a part of the interview. I had been aware of it for a while, but that¡¯s the kind of person she is, this human disaster.

    ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    Once the distance widens, the two of us adjust our breathing. Kaike saying ¡°Nokota, nokota¡±. Unlike Aomoto, who was gasping for air and clearing her throat, I haven¡¯t been able to land a single hit and was hit multiple times, but still had plenty of energy to spare.

    ¡°*Wheeze* *wheeze* ¡­What¡¯s the matter, Abe-Seki, you just keep running away. ¡­The ring gods don¡¯t smile on those who don¡¯t come forward.¡± (Aomoto) [T/N: Seki means seat as if Shuu is some higher ranked sumo wrestler. She¡¯s probably using a term wrong again.]

    ¡°What do you mean Abe-Seki¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What is it? Do you not have the fist to wield against a woman? That¡¯s an insult to a Yokozuna!¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°No, well¡­¡± (Shuu)

    (Well¡­ What do I do?) (Shuu)

    It feels like I¡¯ve been stalling for some time, and since I¡¯m prepared to be hit, I¡¯ll probably need to be overwhelmed. It doesn¡¯t matter if I receive an injury as long as [Immortality] is not exposed.

    Also¡ªI don¡¯t have the motivation to win. If I can pass the interview safely, that is the biggest win.

    The other party is the interviewer, and she is going to be my superior. I want to keep it peaceful somehow.

    Even if it was a mock battle, I didn¡¯t feel comfortable beating up a woman.

    ¡°Nokota, Nokota.¡± (Kaike)

    After handling the onslaught so well, I was sure I had shown that I was as good as my level. So, is it a good idea to lose on purpose?

    However, if it were to be discovered that I had skipped a move, I was afraid that I would be frowned upon by the intuitive, brain-muscled woman.

    I think it would be a good idea to fight back somehow and lose by accidentally getting out of the ring.

    (Okay, the next time she charges in, I¡¯ll be out of the ring!) (Shuu)

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Abe-seki!¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Yeah!¡± (Shuu)

    The fist I received was heavy, and she pushed the palm of her gloves and aimed for my face. She punched me by the chin.

    ¡°Ngu!¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s heavier than ever before. He folded his arms and tightened his guard, but the rain of fists hitting him randomly still had a weight to it that he had never felt before.

    ¡°This is me being serious! I¡¯ll decide it immediately!¡± (Aomoto)

    (She finally used it, this bastard.) (Shuu)

    (A buff-like skill called [Herculean Strength]) (Shuu)

    ¡°The ring is a battlefield! Strength is justice! Sumo is about strength!¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto rushes forward, foaming in the mouth. She is so excited that she has forgotten herself.

    A moment¡¯s lapse of guard caught me off guard, and a knee jabbed me from the side. ¡°Ugh!¡± Aomoto¡¯s knee smacked the side of my head. A combination uppercut grazes the tip of my chin.

    I moved out of the way of another fist from the side, and she closes the distance again.

    (¨D¨DDamn it. Fine!) (Shuu)

    I¡¯m hurting all over the place, and I¡¯m getting angry. It was becoming too much trouble to think. Kaike¡¯s ¡°Nokota, nokota¡± was getting kind of annoying, too.

    I¡¯m sorry Noa and everyone¡ªbut it has come to this.

    I bend down. Ready to move forward.

    I¡¯m going to show this Yokozuna Berserker woman a real sumo match.

    ¡°¡ªI will win against the Yokozuna!¡± (Shuu)

    Is this an interview? No, this is a ring.

    My history of fighting goes back to my kindergarten days. I had a few fights with friends over minor misunderstandings, but nothing serious.

    I had never gotten into a serious fistfight with anyone. Until I woke up in New Tokyo.

    Thinking back, the bandit boss was strong. He was sharp, cunning, and undeterred.

    Aomoto, who was swinging her fist madly in front of me, was not as strong as the boss, but she was still physically stronger than him.

    But on this level, he might still be stronger than her (including her fungus ability).

    ¨CCrack!

    A sound explodes in front of Aomoto¡¯s eyes.

    Perhaps because she had lost her composure, her barrage of attacks and footwork had become obvious and monotonous. In contrast to the persistent and cunning boss who is like a snake, the fists that are unleashed like a storm are predictable. In the space between the fists, I swung both hands and clapped them in front of her eyes. A trick I used with all my might.

    ¡°Taaaa!¡± (Shuu)

    I admired her for not even blinking, but still, she stiffened for a moment. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I dived into reach and grabbed her mawashi [A/N:  loincloth]. I shrugged off any thoughts about her unexpectedly large bosom or the fact that she was very lean. This is a ring, a sacred place where the gods reside.

    ¡°Guh!¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°-aake, this!¡± (Shuu)

    Placing my foot forward and I threw her forcefully.

    I thought I had it completely in the bag.

    Aomoto stepped forward forcefully with one foot, then leaped forward and landed in front of me.

    Aomoto immediately pulled her body back and swung her foot back. This, too, missed as I kicked her knee. ¡°Gah!¡± Aomoto moves away from me.

    ¡°Hey! You¡¯re done as Yokozuna!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Keh! You¡¯re going down! Okay, take this!¡± (Aomoto)

    A voice murmured in the corner of my head that I was here for a job interview as a hunter, but I didn¡¯t care.

    From there, it was a complete turnaround from blows fighting head-to-head and limb-to-limb. Both of us exchanged throws to see who would kneel in the ring.  A majestic and beautiful sumo wrestling. It seems that me throwing her was a thorn pricking her pride as Yokozuna.

    Our bodies collided with a dull thud. Sweat splattered on the ground. The room trembled with the sound of a war cry.

    The hunter¡¯s physical prowess enabled us to execute a number of powerful throws. We endured using our excellent sense of balance, stomping the floor as if it were about to shatter. I received the opponent¡¯s full power and throws it back at her with all my might.

    ¡°Shah!¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°There¡¯s still more!¡± (Shuu)

    It was me who was on the offensive.

    Even with Aomoto¡¯s [Herculean Strength], the total power between us two, mine is slightly higher. The speed of my reflexes is clearly superior to Aomoto¡¯s. Inevitably, I would have to attack boldly.

    Even so, Aomoto was indeed a great Yokozuna with a hundred battles under her belt. Aomoto used all of her skills to defeat my strength. Like a beast hiding in the darkness, Aomoto watches for a moment, a window of opportunity, to strike out on the offensive.

    Fighting spirits are clashing. Souls are laid bare to each other. That is sumo.

    Perhaps the heat between the two of us has been passed, as the squirrel girl raises herself up and gazes intently into us. Kaike shouting, ¡°Nokota, nokota.¡±

    ¡°Oooooooo!¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Aaaaaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    I had never been in a fight before.

    So, I guess that¡¯s why I was not that passionate about martial arts, but I was a watcher of fighters.

    I was not very passionate, but I watched mixed martial arts and kickboxing on the TV without fail. During the holiday evenings, I would enjoy a grand time with beer and snacks while watching NHK on the air. I have also read many fighting mangas.

    I have longed to imitate the otherworldly special techniques that I could never imitate, and I have been so excited by them that my heart was left burning.

    Now, now I can do it.

    Bam.

    ¡°Uh!?¡± (Shuu)

    My focus is momentarily diverted from the opponent in front of me. The Yokozuna did not miss that.

    Dismantling the stance of her opponent with her technique, she pulled me back with all her remaining strength.

    Aomoto is planning a full-body throw. ¡°Arrrrrgh!¡± I clenched my teeth and struggled to right my balance.

    ¡°You¡®re¡­ really strong¡­!¡± (Shuu)

    I pushed my opponent¡¯s waist from below, lifting her up, and I lift my arms raising her head above mine.

    ¡°Demon Wheeeeeel!¡± (Shuu)

    Aomoto¡¯s body floats in the air and falls head first behind me.

    Bam! The room shakes. Dust flutters down from the ceiling.

    Aomoto, who has fallen on her back, grits her teeth. She must have noticed that I loosened my grip at the end of the throw.

    ¡°¡­It was a good match¡­ It was my complete defeat¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°¡­thank you very much¡­!¡± (Shuu)

    Kaike fan points to me, the victor. Exhausted and shaking, but still clutching to my pride as the winner, I raised my right hand high to the sky. I turned back to my partner, who has witnessed my victory.

    Tamiko¡¯s eyes are white.

    I¡¯m sorry, you¡¯re not familiar with sumo at all.

 CH 43

    A/N: 7/24 ¨C Tweaked Abe Shuu¡¯s age, years in the story, etc.

    Let¡¯s go home.

    Having won the deadly fight with Yokozuna, I am filled with a sense of extreme satisfaction. Today¡¯s dinner is going to be delicious.

    ¡°Abeshuu, you forgot the interview, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I come to my senses when the idiot squirrel gives me a perfectly reasonable tsukkomi. The aura of an absolute winner that had been emanating from me suddenly vanishes.

    We all return the interview room to its original look. Aomoto, who was being lectured outside the room by the branch¡¯s top official, returns, and the interview resumes in earnest at last.

    ¡°Well, uh¡­ Well then, Abe-san,¡± said ¡®Nokota¡¯ Kaike. ¡°Let me resume the interview. I¡¯m very sorry for trying to test you earlier. Even though this was intended to test your ability, I cannot deny that there were some deviations from the regular test. As a member of our staff, I would like to apologize.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too,¡± Aomoto said. ¡°You were so strong that I forgot my main task and got absorbed in the competition. I¡¯ll even apologize for this multiple times, and so, once again, I apologize again.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault, too. ¡­I got very excited and I felt like I was being rude¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s all right. I¡¯d like to say this, though. I was clearly superior in terms of skill and experience. But it was purely your strength, your level of effort, that overturned the odds. You were the real deal, Abe-san.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°No, Aomoto-Seki was really strong. Next time¡­ if you become a hunter of Sugamo, let¡¯s meet in the finals of the chapter tournament.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh! Stay undefeated until then. Don¡¯t lose to anyone other than me, Abe-Seki!¡± (Aomoto)

    Despite the lukewarm glances from Tamiko and Kaike, the rivals shake each other¡¯s hands in praise of their fierce battle. As for Kaike, she has an ulterior motive. This should help Aomoto get a better decision.

    ¡°Abe-seki, no Abe-san. I¡¯m convinced that you are an influential person commensurate with that level and fungal occupation. According to the application form, you are from a village in the northeastern part of the Ikebukuro Tribe territory. Can you tell us?¡± (Aomoto)

    Here we go. I got a little heated, but I didn¡¯t care about sumo. This is where my real fight begins.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s going to be a long story¡­¡± (Shuu)

    This is where the real test of my eloquence comes in.

    Anxious? Since I have come this far, I¡¯ll just have to use my momentum to get through it.

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    Abe Shuu was born and raised in a small village of around ten families near the Ikebukuro Tribe territory in the year 79 of the Tokyo calendar (twenty-eight years ago).

    Most of the people in the village were registered citizens of Ikebukuro, but Shuu and his father were the only Free Folk without a family register.

    His father was a hunter. He did not belong to any guild because he was an eccentric person who was not good at socializing, and despite his superior strength and skills, he disliked crowds. Shuu does not know about his mother, because his father never spoke about her.

    Shuu, a Free Folk¡¯s child, could not attend school, only learning letters and knowledge directly from his father. His Father learned from his grandfather in the same way. While his father was hunting, Shuu¡¯s good teachers were the children of his age who attended the city¡¯s elementary schools and the many books they borrowed from him.

    Realizing early on that his son had the qualities to become a hunter, his father waited until he was five years old to allow him to accompany him on hunting trips into the forest. They shared their prey with their neighbors who lived on their farms and livestock, and their slow and stable life continued until Shuu was twelve years old.

    One day, when Shuu and his father returned to the village with their catch, they found collapsed houses and the corpses of their neighbors lying on the ground. According to the survivors, a large, powerful Metro Beast had appeared from somewhere and, despite the resistance of the adults, had laid waste to them as it pleased.

    His father left Shuu behind and went after the Metro Beast. When night fell and his father did not return, Shu spent a sleepless night in prayer. The next morning, his father returned with the head of the beast, though severely wounded.

    It was not to remove the threat of another attack on the village. The survivors, including his father, had already realized the limits of life in this village. His father wanted to pay his respects to his kind neighbors with whom he had shared his hardships for the past ten years or so.

    The households of the survivors were scattered. Most of them were moving to the Tribe¡¯s territory with their meager reserves, and my father had given them the head of the beast to take with them as a souvenir. He hoped it would at least add to their lives, which were expected to be more difficult than before.

    So began the life of Shuu and his father alone in the village. They continued to hunt in the forests, mountains, and nearby Metros, as well as study. Shuu had already decided that he would become a hunter in the future, but his father still had him hold a pencil because he believed that it would surely be useful one day in Shuu¡¯s life as a human being.

    Shuu turned thirteen years old after a hard but fulfilling youth in homeschool learning, training, and practice. His level had reached 15.

    ¡ªHe had reached the age of 15, and he would be able to register with the official hunter¡¯s guild and live as an honest citizen.

    ¡°I have given you as much of my knowledge and skills as I could. How you use it in life is up to you. You can choose your own path.¡± (Shuu¡¯s Father)

    With this talk, his father poured sake into Shuu¡¯s cup for the first time. It was the first and last time Shuu and his father drank together, and although it was not a good drink, he only remembered that it made him feel warm and fuzzy as it went down his throat.

    The next day, they entered the Outsuka Metro.

    His father¡¯s level was 55, and he was one of the best [Knight] in the world. Even Catoblepas and other large Metro Beasts were no match for him, and even after several days of descending to the 30th basement floor, the two of them had not faced a single crisis of any kind. Shuu had improved one level during the hunt along the way, and he was getting a feel for how to protect his father¡¯s back.

    ¡°I heard that there is a powerful boss on the 49th floor here. I want to defeat it if possible. But it¡¯s going to be a hard road from here on. The lower we go, the stronger and more cunning the beast becomes. That¡¯s what the Metro is all about. If you¡¯re afraid, we¡¯ll turn back here.¡± (Shuu¡¯s Father)

    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t afraid, Father. But more than that, I believe in you, Father. If there is a path in front of us, if there is something to hunt, then let¡¯s go.¡± (Young Shuu)

    ¡°I see. Then, for your trust, I will protect you even at the cost of my life.¡± (Shuu¡¯s Father)

    As it turned out, the promise was kept. His father protected Shuu with his own body, while Shuu escaped.

    The king of the amorphous blobs, eerie watery masses that nested on the 40th floor, was a Slime. At the time, the Slime was not even called Satan Slime, but it was a monster worthy of the name of the Demon King Satan, stronger and more formidable than anything in the world, even his father¡¯s strength was not enough to overcome it.

    After a fierce battle to the death, his father¡¯s legs were taken from him, and a trap door cut off his way out. He realized that he could neither escape nor defeat it. With his last ounce of strength, he let his son escape to the stairway to the 50th floor.

    The father was devoured, and the son was thrust into an even more dangerous zone.

    With grief and despair, Shuu was forced to live alone in the depths of the Metro, where vicious beasts were everywhere.

    At the time, Shuu had no idea that it would be fifteen years before he would avenge his father¡¯s death and see the Sun on the surface again.

    Well, this was all a lie.

    ~Shuu¡¯s Perspective~

    If you want a believable lie, mix some truths into it.

    It is a well-worn technique today, but I am practicing it now.

    What he is telling the two interviewers is a biography of ¡°Abe Shuu¡±, a mixture of his own story of drifting in the Metro for five years with a squirrel and someone¡¯s own personal life story as a young man, which he borrowed from Noa. Everything is forged into a convenient yarn to hide his true background, history, and abilities. It is a joint work of three people and two beasts, and the reality of the story is such that even the most popular online novelists who write only contemporary dungeon stories would be sent packing, tails between their legs.

    The two hardly interrupted me, breathlessly listening to the epic adventure tale (a big fat lie) of the tragic boy who lived, Abe Shuu. It is heartbreaking in its own way to be listened to so earnestly. My back and sides are drenched in sweat, and my knees are shaking slightly. I wondered about my complexion.

    Aomoto looks at me with some sympathy, probably thinking I was holding back the pain of remembrance.

    ¡°¡ªThen I survived on the fiftieth floor for fifteen years. I was lucky enough to get a hideout where the Metro Beasts couldn¡¯t find me, and I slowly and steadily raised my level, hunting only those whom I thought I could hunt. In the beginning, I even had a hard time with Ghost Wolves and Blue Goblins, and I could barely escape with my tail between my legs from Orthruses and Ogres.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s unimaginably harsh¡­¡± Aomoto said. ¡°To be left alone in the depths of the Metro at the age of thirteen. It¡¯s a miracle for you to even survive for a month, instead, you lived for fifteen years¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ I was desperate. I couldn¡¯t die so that I wouldn¡¯t make my father a liar when he told me, ¡®I will protect you even at the cost of my life¡¯.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯ll do my best to put aside the fact that I¡¯m becoming a massive liar.

    ¡°After I mastered [Self-Regeneration] and [Great Shield], I was able to push myself to a certain extent. I spent all my time fighting Metro Beasts with the sole intention of not only going above ground but also gaining the power to avenge my father¡¯s death. Ten years later, five years ago, I met Tamiko on the 50th floor.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko looked up and wiped her drool off her face. The idiot squirrel was sleeping through the interview. What¡¯s with that mental fortitude?

    Aomoto is staring at Tamiko with a confused look. I can almost hear my teeth grinding.

    ¡°*Glare*(Why are you squeaking looking at me?).¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°*Glare* (Do squirrels have weak memories?)¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Tamiko¡¯s mother and her partner, a hunter, challenged Satan Slime. Unfortunately, the hunter was killed, and only her mother escaped to the 50th floor. There she gave birth to Tamiko, who was growing in her belly, and the two of them, mother and daughter, lived in the gap between the metro. That was ten years ago, and perhaps because the 50th floor was so large, and because we were in separate areas of the city, neither of us met the other. We met one year after Tamiko¡¯s mother passed away, five years ago. Since then, we worked together and lived our lives cooperating with each other.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Is that so.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°That¡¯s squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s right (Phew).¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The reason why your level is abnormally high is that you have been crossing swords against powerful beasts of the deep Metro for such a long time¡­ If you¡¯ve been toeing between the line of life and death so often, it¡¯s no wonder you¡¯ve made it to 68 at such a young age. It¡¯s insane, though. If there were a hundred hunters, a hundred would not make it out alive, myself included.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°But¡­ thanks to those fifteen years, I was able to honor my father¡¯s sacrifice.¡± (Shuu)

    Aomoto then leans forward.

    ¡°You beat it! You beat the Satan Slime all by yourself!?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I was there too, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°The subjugation of the Satan Slime¡­ If that is the case, it will be necessary to report it to the headquarters.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have any proof or anything¡­ But I think the place where it was standing is empty¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I am feeling anxious. It may become a beacon to receive unnecessary attention. I might have to prepare another story, well, there is no lie in me defeating it though, so I am quite proud.

    ¡°¡­Anyway, both of you are finally back on the surface.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Oh, yes. A young hunter we met along the way was very kind to us, in our Urashima Taro-like life, and brought us to this town. That was just last week.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Urashi¡ªOh, that¡¯s an ancient fairy tale? You know it quite well.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Oh well¡­ my father told me that story before I go to sleep¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯m not saying bad things. I¡¯m inwardly disappointed.

    ¡°The other day, there was a report that a passing hunter and a Free Folk took down a [Udeochi] bandit who was hiding out in the area.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Well, I helped a little.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Just a little?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°I was part of it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Of course.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°You may not believe me, but that is all I am.¡± (Shuu)

    Well, now all the preliminaries are shot. Now it remains to see how the two of them will take this (tall) tale of adventure about the man and squirrel sitting in front of them.

    Aomoto leans back against the backrest. She sighs heavily and nods deeply.

    ¡°It¡¯s too ridiculous to be a story, though it¡¯s like a heroic tale you read in a picture book¡­ But I guess that¡¯s why we have to believe in it. Abe-san, or rather Abe-Seki¡¯s strength and ability, are real.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Thank you¡­ Aomoto-Seki¡­¡± (Shuu)

    A bond, formed in the ring.

    A/N: Next chapter, the interview will be finalized. Will the two pass or fail?

 CH 44

    ¡°By the way, may I ask you for your father¡¯s name?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Oh¡­ Abe Kou.¡± (Shuu)

    I immediately thought of my birth father, my real father¡¯s name.

    ¡°Um¡­ he was like a recluse even among Free Folks, so I don¡¯t think anyone knows him.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But he was a great hunter, wasn¡¯t he?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ he was a great father.¡± (Shuu)

    The real one is an ordinary employee in the accounting department of a canning factory. He was a man who was respectable, but not a millimeter above his wife¡¯s salary. When I heard that he had an allowance of 3,000 yen a month, I almost cried.

    ¡°Have you been to the village where you used to live?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t returned¡­¡­. I don¡¯t think there are any houses or if the village is still standing¡­¡±

    Detailed answers come flying. Sticky-cold sweat was running down my skin.

    ¡°Tamiko-san. Do you know the names of either your mother and her partner?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Mother is Kinko, squeak. Her partner is¡­ Usui Katsuo, I squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Which Tribe did they belong to?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°I never learned.¡± (Tamiko)

    They were real hunters who were active on the surface, and there was no lie about how they got there or about Tamiko¡¯s birth story. The guild headquarters would not be able to find any cracks even if they were investigated.

    ¡°I see,¡± Kaike mumbled in her mouth and wrote everything down with a flick of her pen. A minute or so passed without anyone uttering a word.

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ It¡¯s not uncommon for Free Folk to come, but I¡¯d like to say clearly that it is unheard of where a level 68 and your story to appear. It¡¯s hard to make a decision on my own, so I am not sure if you passed or failed.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Seriously?¡± (Shuu)

    Unexpected. A chill ran down my spine.

    ¡°Based on what you have told us, I would like to consult with our supervisor and make another decision on whether or not to continue with the registration as guild members and issuance of family registers, is that okay?¡± (Kaike)

    According to Obuchi, the guild is more concerned with trust when it comes to allowing Free Folk to register as hunters.  This is because there is also the aspect of issuing a family register on behalf of the city hall.

    However, there is also the dilemma of securing the best personnel possible. This is because it leads to results as a branch and returns in the form of tax revenue to the city. As long as they can determine that the candidate is not a danger to the city, a level 68 is too great a weapon to not be used.

    Obuchi also feared that it could be a double-edged sword in the case of a moderate interviewee, but that is about to happen. It¡¯s a bit of a problem. If the interviewer had to re-do it and ask for another Test Sheet ¡°just to be sure¡±, everything that had been built up to this point would collapse. What was the point of even taking up sumo wrestling in this new world?

    ¡°¡­Kaike-san. why don¡¯t we go outside and talk? I¡¯m sorry, but you two are going to have to wait a little while.¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto got up and left the room with Kaike. She probably intends to discuss whether or not she wants to continue this interview. I hope the good feeling I got from Aomoto will lead me in the right direction.

    ¡°Are they ¡®companions¡¯, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s different.¡± (Shuu)

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    ¡°If I can¡¯t make a clear decision here, another branch might take them. He¡¯s a real talent, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll become someone big.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°That may be so¡­¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know that even if he has the skill [Self-Regeneration], an insignia can¡¯t be erased by gouging out the entire flesh, right? He is definitely a genuine Free Folk. He has no criminal record. Then, as usual, we can interview him to see if he is a trustworthy ¡®good person¡¯ and decide whether or not he should be accepted.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°But¡­¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°If he says he¡¯ll bring himself to another branch, we¡¯ll allow a valuable talent to escape, especially given the current situation in the city¡ªthe loss would be painful.¡± (Aomoto)

    Kaike is scratching her head.

    ¡°The Sugamo branch has a short history and is a step or two behind the other branches in both name and reality. It¡¯s so young that a young woman like me is the member¡¯s representative.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a chance he¡¯s a big scammer or someone diabolical. Though I¡¯m not sure how he could be a bad guy, as far as I¡¯ve seen him act and talk so far, I just can¡¯t see him as someone evil¡­ Well, anyway you-know-that-too- right?¡± (Aomoto)

    Kaike looks a little anxious.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we can go through the usual interview process and we can decide if he is worthy of bearing a part of the Sugamo branch¡¯s name.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°¡­I understand. I will make a decision with my own eyes.¡± (Kaike)

    ~Shuu¡¯s Perspective~

    They returned and sat down again across from us.

    I was feeling restless. Tamiko though seems to be mysteriously calm.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for keeping you waiting¡­ Let¡¯s continue the interview. After that, we will make a decision on whether or not you can register.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Thank you.¡± (Shuu)

    I was inwardly relieved. I glanced at Tamiko and she nodded. It seems that she understands the situation in her own way.

    Now, the interview could continue without the ¡°discovery of an [Itokuri-shi] ¡± and the ¡°detection of fake backgrounds¡± that Noa and the others had been most worried about.

    It was very unfortunate that I had to tell these two serious and good-looking women a lie about my background, but I hope they will forgive me as it was a lie so I would not cause them trouble. I will surely contribute to this branch when I become a hunter of Sugamo (I am very determined).

    (Now all that¡¯s left is the question-and-answer part¡­ I hate this¡­) (Shuu)

    Not surprisingly, hunters place a lot of emphasis on trust. They want to be able to see through this interview to get a sense of who the others are and prevent them from adding ¡°bad apples¡± to their group.

    Of course, it may not be perfect (some branches have even accepted [Udeochi] like the one I defeated the other day). But that doesn¡¯t mean they will let me off the hook. Especially for those who are not very good at interviewing, it is inevitable that this will be the last hurdle.

    ¡ªHowever, surprisingly. I was wrong.

    After that, the interviewer asked the usual interview questions, or rather, the familiar ones.

    ¡°What motivated you to become a hunter?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°What kind of work do you think you are suited for?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Are you reluctant to hunt Metro Beasts?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Are you willing to take the life of a criminal, such as bandits?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°What creature made the most impression on you so far?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Conversely, what did you find most painful?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°What is something you that find worth doing in life?¡± (Kaike)

    etc.

    ¡ªI wondered what they were trying to analyze with these questions.

    But I took my time to answer each question with a safe answer, but as much as possible without lying.

    I was worried that Tamiko might give them a bad answer, but she was surprisingly different from her usual ¡°blabber mouth with zero filter act¡± choosing her words carefully and honestly saying ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± when she didn¡¯t understand the meaning of a question. Her special training with Yui seems to have paid off

    Kaike¡¯s pen is running over each answer. Aomoto crosses her arms and looks alternately at me and Tamiko.

    ¡°Then the last question. What kind of hunter do you both want to be in the future?¡± (Kaike)

    I think for a few seconds and then speak honestly.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it actually, since I¡¯ve made it to the surface alive¡­ Though, I¡¯d like to be free to explore wherever I want.¡± (Shuu)

    I swallow the words ¡°including outside the walls that cover this country¡±. I don¡¯t intend to go out of my way to violate a taboo.¡±

    ¡°I want to be Abeshuu¡¯s partner squeak, just like my mom and hers, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I looked at Tamiko and she glanced up and smiled.

    ¡°¡­Yes, thank you. That¡¯s all the questions I have.¡± (Kaike)

    Kaike makes eye contact with Aomoto. They both give a small nod.

    ¡°¡­A mixture of clear white and various pale shades¡­ Both of you have a beautiful, marbled canvas.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, nothing¡± (Kaike)

    Kaike chuckles as if to shrug it off. I flip through the paper on the board and nod a few times. [T/N: Kaike seems to have some form of skill [Risk Counter].]

    ¡°Yes, it looks fine. ¡­I will allow both of you to register as hunters in the Sugamo branch.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Seriously!? We did it!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We¡¯ll did it! Pigyaa!¡± (Tamiko)

    The weight on my shoulders was suddenly lifted, and I and Tamiko took each other¡¯s hands and danced.

    ¡°The actual activities will only become possible after the training, but ¡­¡­ as a member of the same Sugamo branch, let¡¯s work hard together from now on. I look forward to working with you.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Thank you!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Thanks, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tomorrow, we will go through the training and insignia procedures here. Can you come back at the same time?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s perfect!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Okay, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    The two of us are so excited that we are almost shouting. Kaike just smiles back.

    ¡°Then, please come back tomorrow. We¡¯re done for today.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Wait.¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto interrupts with a sharp tone.

    ¡°I forgot one thing. Something important.¡± (Aomoto)

    The two of us are suddenly fidgeting with her sudden words. I¡¯d like you to excuse me for any more problems, even though I managed to finish things miraculously. Even if I just did it, I can¡¯t take the same amount of heat as before.

    ¡°¡­I have already confirmed the insignia on Abe-shi¡¯s¡­ But Tamiko-shi¡¯s was not yet confirmed. I don¡¯t doubt it, but¡­ as an interviewer, I still have to confirm it.¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto stood up. Slowly and steadily approached.

    ¡°Ah, insignia? None, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I know. But a fluff like you¡ªsomeone different, a furry creature has limited space for insignia and it is often replaced by issuing some kind of ornament. Well¡­ I have to check it as an interviewer. I hope you understand.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°What are you squeaking?¡± (Tamiko)

    Aomoto clutched Tamiko stopping Tamiko from saying anything else.

    ¡°Ah! surely, a Fluff¡ªNo, it¡¯s not here! Then maybe here, eh!?¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto¡¯s fingers roam around Tamiko¡¯s body, ruffling her fur.

    ¡°Hey, squeak it! There¡¯s nothing squeak! Don¡¯t touch there, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s squeaky voice echoes through the room. I looked at Kaike to see if this was a legitimate inspection, but she read her own notes and pretended not to notice.

    ¡°Oh, how magical this feels¡­ a perfect fit in anyone¡¯s hand¡­ then there¡¯s this tail that makes you want to fluff it forever¡­! I¡¯m sorry, my fingers, I can¡¯t stop¡­!¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Pigyaaaa! Not my tummy, squeak! Squeak me Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Aomoto, with her eyes bloodshot and delivering pecks on a squirrel, had neither the dignity of a Yokozuna nor the pride of a representative. I had already noticed that she was, in essence, a member of the same people as Obuchi. The constant stares he was giving Tamiko were of that sort.

    ¡°Kaike-san, is she a bit of a simpleton?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But she is a well-loved person.¡± (Kaike)

    Kaike does not deny that she is a simpleton.

    Though she is a popular simpleton. People call those mascots.

    ¡°Woah, you¡¯re so cute! No, I¡¯m sorry! I will apologize by giving you a lot of acorns later, no, this is a legitimate inspection! Where¡¯s the insignia!? Here, In this fluffy belly!? Is there an insignia on the tip of the tail?¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Pigyaaaa! Stop it, so good, squeak! Really squeaking good¡­ Ah¡­ Abeshuu¡­ Don¡¯t look, squeak¡­!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Is this NTR (cuckolding)?¡± (Shuu)

 CH 45

    Noa is waiting for us with lunch ready. Her beige apron fitting her is a dangerous sight.

    When we tell her I have passed, she is overjoyed as if it were her own. I take her hand in both of mine and shake it, then she hugged Tamiko.

    ¡°Oh, Sis. You look like you have bedhead everywhere, you know?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ex-squeak me¡­ I¡¯ve been squeak-jured¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Even so, we received a large number of acorns stored at her office desk as an apology, well I think she¡¯s a very weird person. I don¡¯t understand why such things are always available, and I also don¡¯t understand why she said to me, ¡°It¡¯s not yours, it¡¯s Tamiko-shi¡¯s. I don¡¯t care much about any old cat.¡± I have to say that it¡¯s quite something to see. Who in their right mind likes acorns?

    ¡°You haven¡¯t had lunch yet, right? I¡¯ll cook the noodles right away.¡± (Noa)

    The interview started at noon and ended at 2 o¡¯clock. This is because the epic spar with Aomoto and my story about my (fake) background was prolonged. I forgive the young man who called me uncle since he waited quite a while.

    Noa cooked the dry noodles and stir-fried them with bacon and mushrooms.

    A peperoncini-like meal is ready. Its garlicky aroma smells delicious.

    ¡°Yummy! Salty good, *nom* *nom*! The taste is squeaky!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Is it a little too garlicky? It might be too garlicky for me¨C¡± (Noa)

    ¡°It¡¯s great, it¡¯s quite delicious.¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s actually good. The noodles are slightly al dente and you can taste the wheat flavor. The salt and pepper are just right, and the noodles are not as greasy even as shiny as they look. The crispiness of the bacon and the sweetness of the mushrooms are also good.

    ¡°You are really good at cooking, Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Because I cooked a lot for my great grandfather.¡± (Noa)

    The first half of my fictitious personal background is based on Noa¡¯s life when she lived with her great-grandfather. She was actually born in a village near Ikebukuro and raised by her great-grandfather, a hunter after she lost her mother. As for why her great-grandfather passed away, she is still unable to tell me, saying, ¡°It was for various reasons¡±, and thus I still don¡¯t know.

    ¡°Thanks to your great grandfather, I was saved. To be honest, it was a lot to lie, but somehow I managed to avoid being found out.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. It was worth all the preparation.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, right¡­ they said something strange at the end. The two of us have a beautiful marble or something like that. What did she mean by that?¡± (Shuu)

    The wooden fork falls from Noa¡¯s hand.

    ¡°¡­No way¡­ [Mind¡¯s Eye] Fungal Nature¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hmm? What? Mind¡¯s eye fungal nature?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Do you know if it was a Fungal Skill?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± (Shuu)

    As a matter of course, I grew up in Otsuka Metro, so I don¡¯t know.

    ¡°Although it is sometimes called Fungal Nature or Ability, it is a different ability from the Fungal Skill some hunters learn.¡± (Noa) [T/N: It¡¯s in katakana as ¥¢¥Ó¥ê¥Æ¥£ or abiriti or ability.]

    ¡°Uo, Ability! There is such a thing!¡± (Shuu)

    The Fungal Level, Fungal Skill, Fungal Class, and now a Fungal Ability. It is an assortment of game-like terms.

    ¡°How are they different from Skills?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A Fungal Ability appears on anyone, but it does not always appear on everyone who has a Fungal Class, and the conditions have not been known. Unfortunately, I do not have one¡­ I want to believe that it will bloom someday. but¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I hope it appears.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sure you will have one! Sly Shuu-san, who has a lot of cheat skills and a broken Fungal Class!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯m very, very sorry.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Tee~hee~, it¡¯s just a joke.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°It didn¡¯t sound like a joke.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yeah, Noa was squea-ry for a moment.¡± (Tamiko)

    Noa regained her composure and continued.

    ¡°The difference between Fungal Ability and Fungal Skill is not clear, but each person capable of having one, but it is not something like producing common hypha armaments. It is typically more like [Leaping] and [Herculean Strength], a buff-type ability, it could be a special perception-like ability like Sis¡¯s Risk Counter, or a hypha weapon that is stronger than the others, or where it is less draining. There are many different types.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see. They are like an individual¡¯s optional ability?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There are several types of abilities that have been confirmed, and they are listed in the book of Fungal Skills. One of them is the [Mind¡¯s Eye].¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, so Kaike-san has this rare ability? Was she a hunter?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°About level 12, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°[Mind¡¯s eye] is¡­ a Fungal Ability that allows you to see the emotions of the other person¡­¡± (Noa)

    My fork now slips from my hand.

    ¡°¡­Is that really true?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes¡­ it¡¯s a super rare ability.¡± (Noa)

    Ability to see emotions. Is it something like the ability to read minds?

    A large amount of sweat crawled down my back in an instant.

    So¡ªdid she see my emotions with that power?

    ¡°¡­ Maybe it was quite the magnificent lie, or it was all just unbelievable¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. It can only capture anger, hostility, fear, sadness, and those kinds of emotions. It¡¯s not the ability to read someone¡¯s mind completely, so it¡¯s going to be okay¡­ Maybe¡­¡± (Noa)

    Even so, I think she must have found something in my feelings as I kept talking on and on about the unbelievable story. Perhaps I was feeling guilt, impatience, fear, and more.

    Or perhaps she had discerned the truth and my true intentions through my answers to her series of questions.

    ¡°In a normal interview, they would assess the person¡¯s personality on the spot,¡± Noa said. ¡°It¡¯s not strictly possible to do so after just a short conversation, but that¡¯s where such talent is valuable for any branch, and they have to balance that¡­ but I didn¡¯t expect that an interviewer with such super-rare abilities will appear. ¡­it was completely unexpected¡­¡± (Noa)

    However, Kaike decided to pass my application. After seeing through my emotions.

    I wonder how she saw. How much did she catch and how much of it did she tolerate?

    What was her true intention?

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand¡­ People¡¯s hearts.¡± (Shuu)

    That¡¯s it.

    After thinking a little, I can¡¯t understand the feelings of a person with who I just exchanged a few words.

    Now I finally saw¡ªwhat was actually scary was the causal girl than the female Yokozuna.

    The next day, I go up to the second floor of the guild and I was taken to yesterday¡¯s waiting room.

    The young man from yesterday is also there. He, too, had passed the test.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little early, but now that everyone is here, I¡¯d like to start the training session for new guild members.¡± (Woman)

    It was not Kaike or Aomoto, but a woman with glasses.

    ¡°My name is Tanabe, an employee of the Sugamo branch. I will ask each of you to give a brief self-introduction. Please state your name and age.¡± (Woman => Tanabe)

    And so it was time for the newcomers to introduce themselves to each other.

    The young man who called Noda an ¡°Uncle¡± was Kurano Atsushi, 18 years old. He is a farmer from outside the East Gate.

    Abe Shuu is a late-comer rookie. ¡°I¡¯m 28 years old.¡± ¡°Hey, uncle,¡± Kurano said. IAs a senior in life, I vowed not to be accused of workplace harassment.

    And Tamiko, ¡°Tamiko, 10-squeak-old!¡± For some reason, the staff members who gathered behind us gave her the most applause today. Aomoto who appeared before I knew was giving passionate applause behind us.

    After that, he hands me some documents. It seems to be for today¡¯s class.

    The first one is about the law of this country, the Tokyo law regarding hunters, and Tamiko gets bored early and starts counting sheep. I promised Tanabe that I will make sure she will review it later.

    She says that the only law that pertains to hunters is the general framework of the Tokyo Law and that the rest of the rules are set by the head office and each branch. Even I from the Heisei era can understand these rules, which are within the bounds of common sense. I feel that the rules are a bit loose, or perhaps even toothless, but perhaps that is just the way it is in the post-collapse world.

    Mission Requests¡ªHow to get quests, receive rewards, and buy and sell hunt materials. It¡¯s not too difficult to understand that.

    However, when it comes to taxation, things get a bit more complicated. Roughly speaking, two taxes must be paid every year: a membership fee to the guild, and a citizen¡¯s tax to the city of Sugamo.

    ¡°The tax is based on the previous year¡¯s income in the city of Sugamo.¡± (Tanabe)

    ¡°You have to fill in your income and expenses in your hunter¡¯s handbook, then go to the tax office at the end of the year and do the taxes.¡± (Tanabe)

    ¡°If you¡¯re found to have failed to file your taxes, you¡¯ll be liable for additional taxes.¡± (Tanabe)

    Ah, taxes. I never thought I would have to deal with them after a hundred years from my time.

    They haunt us like shadows and make us feel sad like the darkness of night. That is taxation.

    As long as it is an analog world, I feel that there may be any number of loopholes. But I don¡¯t have the confidence to show that kind of cunning, and I want Obuchi to teach me how to minimize taxes later.

    ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s all for now. Last but not least, please take a look here.¡± (Tanabe)

    Tanabe pointed to a vertical picture frame. On the frame, there is a Japanese paper on which are written characters that look as if they are earthworms drawn by a brush.

    ¡°Can you read the characters in the frame?¡± (Tanabe)

    ¡°Abeshuu¡¯s poop, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s not poop. Those are letters.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Excuse me.¡± (Tanabe)

    I tugged at her cheek pouch.

    ¡°The founder of the Hunter¡¯s Guild, the first Chief, left this book, although this is just a replica, it says: ¡®Thread is a connection, the thread is fate¡¯.¡± (Tanabe)

    ¡ªThe thread is a connection, the thread is fate.

    ¡°We are the ¡®people of threads¡¯, carrying mycelium in our bodies. The threads weave the bonds between people and lead us to our destiny. ¡­These words are filled with such meaning. The fact that we have met here, and that you have become hunters here in Sugamo, are all the ties of a thread that will be spun over time. ¡­I hope that what will be spun in the future will be a path of good fortune and bounty, as fellow weavers of the same path.¡± (Tanabe)

    Secretly, my heart was unexpectedly moved, just a little bit.

 CH 46

    ¡°Now then, we will take your photo for the recognition slip, and give you an Insignia.¡± (Tanabe)

    ¡°A photo!?¡± (Shuu)

    I unintentionally raised my voice.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a picture. Do you not know that?¡± (Tanabe)

    ¡°Ah, yeah¡­ I think I heard something¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°This is my identification card, although it is going to be slightly different from yours because it belongs to a staff member.¡± (Tanabe)

    Tanabe shows everyone hers. It is a plastic-laminated card the size of a driver¡¯s license, with information such as her name, branch, and staff number. On the left side is her portrait. The quality of the picture is rough, but it is still a colored photo with light tints.

    ¡°Wow, so this is a picture,¡± Kurano said. ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing one.¡±

    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re smaller than me, squeak,¡± said Tamiko.

    ¡°It been around for ten years now,¡± says Tanabe. ¡°However, it¡¯s still not very popular, also there are only very few identity cards with a photo, including Sugamo City.¡±

    Well, at the end of the Edo period, cameras and photography had already been introduced, so it shouldn¡¯t be that difficult as long as the principles and knowledge remain. It seemed impossible for Shuu, who was born in the humanities, even if it took 100 years.

    So we moved to another room for the photo session. One by one, we were made to sit on chairs and forced to make smiling faces with a box-shaped camera about the size of an adult¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, Abe-san. Open your eyes more. Raise the corners of your mouth more. Let¡¯s make your face a little narrower.¡± For some reason, Tamiko alone was subjected to four or five shots, but I wondered if it was too much to assume that Aomoto, who was watching over her from behind, was exercising her authority.

    We then moved to another room, where not only the guild officials but also Sugamo city officials were present, and we were given an insignia¡ªin other words, a tattoo of the city to which we belong (apparently, the issuance of a family register is a city procedure, and the guild acts only as an agent to guarantee our identities).

    ¡°Then please lie down here.¡± (Tattoo Artist)

    Following the instructions of the elderly tattoo artist, I lay down on the simple bed. As someone who had never experienced getting tattoos or even piercings, I was overwhelmed with excitement.

    Tanabe and Aomoto are both staring at the tattooist¡¯s back with complicated eyes. According to Obuchi, Mayor Sugamo has a history of expressing opposition to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in past regarding the control of citizens by engraving. In the end, he was brushed off on the grounds that it was a provision of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government law, but the staff and guild members may not be equally comfortable with the idea.

    As for me¡ªsurprisingly, I wasn¡¯t that resistant (aside from the fear of pain).

    The designs to be engraved are less than five centimeters in diameter and have practical use. In a world where people have become semi-infected humans with mycelia and spores coming out of their bodies, and where there are Magical Beasts and Demihumans, there is no need to make a fuss about one or two Insignias.

    (Well, I heard that even in ancient times, it was used to identify individuals and to determine whether or not they had a criminal record.) (Shuu)

    (Which would never have been possible in a developed country of my era.) (Shuu)

    After all, what¡¯s included as human rights are like a yearly fashion trend. Universal values are as common as ghosts.

    The procedure takes about 15 minutes. I felt a slight prick, but not so much that I would call it painful. However, each side of my body was tattooed.

    The one on my left is the Insignia of Sugamo City, which serves as proof of my citizenship. It has a ring-like circular outer frame with eight spikes and a mark resembling a ¡°¥â¡± in the middle. The color is dark green.

    On the right is the Hunter¡¯s Guild Insignia. The pattern is of a wolf entwined with ivy-like things, and the color is black.

    ¡°Usually there¡¯s some swelling, but yours is beautiful¡­¡± (Tattoo Artist)

    The artist is amazed.

    ¡°Oh, I have [Self-Regeneration].¡± (Shuu)

    Actually, I was slightly worried that the tattoo might not stick because of [Immortality], but it is safely and properly tattooed. It seems to be a special ink made from mycelial plants, the effect of which is that even if it is scraped or gouged off, it will reappear as it was before. It can be erased, but it needs to be done by another artist.

    ¡°Then next is Tamiko-san.¡± (Tanabe)

    Tamiko sits at the table She looks a little anxious.

    ¡°Looks like the hair on your body is too fluffy, may I tattoo it on your paws then?¡± (Tattoo Artist)

    ¡°Don¡¯t make it hurt, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    So he took out a needle that was even thinner than the one used on me, and he then put on something similar to sports glasses.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Using this needle, I can even make a cat¡¯s face on a grain of rice. And with this wearable magnifying glass, it will make it look bigger.¡± (Tattoo Artist)

    ¡°I¡¯m worried, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    The Insignia of the Hunter¡¯s Guild is placed on the right paw and the Insignia of Sugamo City on the left.

    ¡°Kya~un! Kuh, ticklish, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Because it¡¯s on your paw.¡± (Tattoo Artist)

    ¡°Pigyaa! Tingly, squeak! Tickle, tickle!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you¡¯ll have to hold it in a little longer.¡± (Tattoo Artist)

    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll hold her,¡± said Aomoto.

    ¡°Don¡¯t squeaking touch me! Don¡¯t touch my back, squeak! Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Despite looking like she¡¯s on some comedy skit, Tamiko¡¯s hands flailing with tears in her eyes as she somehow managed to finish the procedure. When Tamiko borrowed the wearable magnifying glass to check, she found that the same pattern was drawn on her paw pads, just small enough to be barely visible through a pair of magnifying glasses. It is truly skillful craftsmanship to be able to do such a small and precise drawing.

    ¡°Abeshuu, my hand is squeaking tingly.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Okay, [Holy Healing].¡± (Abeshuu)

    ¡°Now, you are both one of us. I¡¯m looking forward to your contributions to the guild. Moreover, I¡¯m looking forward to working with you.¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto asks for a handshake. She shakes hands with me for a second, but she passionately stroked Tamiko¡¯s paws.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to call it a congratulatory party, but allow me to invite you to my home later. I¡¯ll prepare the finest acorns for you.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Touching is only for three minutes, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Contract sealed.¡± (Aomoto)

    They said that the identification card will be ready at a later date. All my activities for today are done, so Tamiko and I go down to the first floor.

    ¡°Hey, newbie. Over here, come here.¡± (Senior Hunter)

    A man standing at the bar calls out to us. One of our colleagues who had finished earlier was also there.

    ¡°It¡¯s no party, but since we¡¯re all here, let me buy you both a drink.¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Ah, yes¡­ Thank you.¡± (Shuu)

    If it was an invitation from a senior colleague of mine, it would be foolish to refuse. Or rather, my eyes were constantly focused on the wheat-colored liquid in the glass he was holding.

    ¡°Can I have a beer?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes! By all means!¡± (Senior Hunter)

    He gets me a glass from the counter.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really do daytime drinking, but just for today. Milk for the little one?¡± (Senior Hunter)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Thanks! Thanks!¡± (Tamiko)

    What a kind senior, and what a nice place to work. This alone can make me add about ten hours of overtime a month (I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll do it).

    So I said to my Senior and Kurano, who had already been drinking, ¡°Nice to meet you!¡±

    (Oh¡­ after five years¡­ or rather after a hundred years, Beer-san¡­) (Shuu)

    I quietly pick it up bring it to my lips and pour it into the back of my throat immediately.

    ¡°*Glug*¡­ *Glug*¡­ Ahhhh! *Glug*¡­ Ahhh! Woaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It broke Abeshuu, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    It has a creamy taste and fine bubbles, a firm pop, and a dry spiciness that creates a refreshing aftertaste. It¡¯s not warm, but it¡¯s just pleasantly cold enough. Overall it¡¯s great. It¡¯s so good it makes me want to cry.

    ¡°Ha-ha-ha, he¡¯s a good drinker. This guy has a bright future.¡± (Senior Hunter)

    ¡°Thanks! I¡¯ll follow you for the rest of my life!¡± (Shuu)

    He was probably about 50 years old. He is a tall, thin, and wildly handsome man. He wears his gray hair all back and sunglasses on. He wears a flashy silver jersey covering a nice manly build.

    ¡°*Whisper* (Abeshuu, listen, squeak.)¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°*Whisper* (how much?)¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Whisper (Similar to Abeshuu¡¯s, squeak.)¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Whisper (Seriously?)¡± (Shuu)

    Around level 68. ¡­He¡¯s stronger than Aomoto, the guild representative.

    That means¡ª.

    ¡°¡­Shimoyanagi Heiya¡­san¡­?¡± (Abe)

    ¡°Oh, you know me? I am honored.¡± (Heiya)

    The handsome man chuckles and combs up his hair with his fingers.

    Obuchi told me about him. This man is the most famous hunter in Sugamo City.

    Heiya Shimoyanagi. He is also known as ¡°Shooting Willow¡±.

    He is said to be one of the best [Snipers] in New Tokyo.

    ¡°You¡¯re Abe Shuu-kun and Tamiko-chan, right? I heard from this kid that you¡¯re 28 and 40 even though you¡¯re just rookies.¡± (Heiya)

    ¡°Ah, yeah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll be working together in the not-so-distant future. Nice to meet you.¡± (Heiya)

    ¡°Ah, yes. Nice to meet you.¡± (Shuu)

    Shuu grabbed the outstretched hand.

    (¨CEh?) (Heiya)

    For some reason, his hand is just an ordinary human hand, with a few scars that are somewhat noticeable.

    It is as if he is pulling me from the inside.

    It is as if he is pulling me from the inside of my stomach as if he is taking me in. Is it the sensation of knowing that I am dealing with a big shot?

    When I bewilderedly looked up, the smile was gone from Shimoyanagi-san¡¯s face.

    He pulled his hand away and whispered in my ear.

    ¡°¡­ you, maybe you¡¯re stronger than I am? Who are you?¡± (Heiya)

    A/N: ¡°Aokigahara Forest ¨C Sugamo Arc¡±, has ended. Just right at the end of the volume.

 CH 47.1

    After walking for more than half a day, I am indeed getting tired both physically and mentally.

    The sun has long since set, and the night sky peeking through the leafy ceiling is overcast.

    There are no stars or moon, and the light from Noa¡¯s [Lightball] ¨C a glowing ball of mycelium ¨C is only slightly bright. Without the [Sensory Spores], it would have been impossible to walk this deep into the forest. I am weaving through the bushes and thickets, and Noa is following behind me, but both of us have not opened our mouths for about 30 minutes due to fatigue.

    But¡ªhaving finally caught the target location at the edge of my perceived range ¨C my focus, which had relaxed slightly has once again tensed.

    ¡°Noa, wait here.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ yes, be careful.¡± (Noa)

    Putting Tamiko on my shoulder, I advanced cautiously.

    The trees are broken off unnaturally, and the ground is covered with decaying leaves. In the midst of the dense forest, it was as if the only place cut off from the sky was an unnaturally beautiful circular clearing.

    The center of the air pocket, about 20 to 30 meters in diameter, is hollowed out like a stone mortar. It looks a lot like those little things you used to see under the eaves of houses when you were a child¡ªan antlion nest. No doubt, this is the place.

    ¡°Tamiko, get back to Noa as soon as you check their level.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko nodded energetically. I have already given my cloak and jacket to Noa. I am ready for battle.

    After confirming that no one is around, I produced a red mycelium ball at my fingertips. A burning ball, a.k.a [Fireball].

    With a flick of my wrist, I released it. The red ball is sucked into the center of the mortar and explodes. The explosion scattered a loud boom and dazzling light.

    Earth and sand are sucked into the center.

    And then, ¡°Boom!¡±, the impact is several times greater than the previous one. It reveals itself along with the rising cloud of dust.

    ¡°¡­I can do this¡­¡± (Shuu)

    If I had to use a metaphor, I would say that it was a giant centipede with the jaws of a stag beetle and the pincers of a crayfish. The Demon Centipede, a powerful enemy in the Metro, was a large Metro Beast with a total length of more than 10 meters, but this one is clearly more than twice as long, and its head and girth are three or four times the size of the Demon Centipede. It¡¯s a little bit monstrous.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about waking you up, but I have to hunt you down. If you get any bigger than this, you¡¯ll be quite dangerous.¡± (Shuu)

    Hell Antlion

    It is a powerful mid-boss-like enemy that normally lurks in the middle to deep layers of Metros. On rare occasions, its eggs hatch on the ground, causing a minor disaster in Aokigahara Forest.

    It¡¯s my target this time.

    ¡°Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Around 45, squeak! But¨C¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± (Shuu)

    If it¡¯s only about the level, it¡¯s the same as the Demon Centipede. But that is only the strength of the mycelium inside the body.

    It¡¯s a species thing, without a doubt, this guy is stronger than that number.

    In front of this guy¡¯s majestic stature that was menacingly lifting its pincers, my intuition, honed through five years of living a hellish life, was ringing alarm bells inside.

    ¡°Tamiko, move to Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, careful, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Seeing Tamiko move away from his shoulder, Shuu produced [Battle Swords] in both hands.

    ¡°Gyiii!¡± (Hell Antlion)

    An unpleasant roar is emitted from the pair of sharply pointed jaws as if they are pulling metal strings.

    The pair of swords held in my hands are tinged with a bluish-white light, [Light Blade].

    ¡°¨CNo hard feelings.¡± (Shuu)

    The Hell Antlion left half of its body under the mortar and stretched out to attack Shuu.

    Liquid radiates from between his jaws. I have a bad feeling about this and I jump back, and a cloud of smoke rises from the ground where the liquid has been sprayed. Is it a powerful acidic spit?

    ¡°Gyiii!¡± (Hell Antlion)

    The Pincers struck, plunging into the ground. I just narrowly dodged it, wielded the [Katana]. As it pulled out its pincers my sword collided with it, ¡°Gagyi!¡± and a dull sound reverberated.

    Although there was some response, I could not cut it in half while dodging a counterattack. The pincers were quite hard.

    ¡°Ngh!¡± (Shuu)

    The ground, scorched by acid, crumbled roughly, and the slope widened. The scissors of the follow-up attack extends to the spot where he was caught off-balance. I caught it from the front using my [Katana], and my feet collapsed further and my shoes were buried in the earth and sand. The sand is not as smooth as the sand in a desert prison, but the finely crushed earth is soft and hard to hold on to.

    ¡°Gah!¡± (Shuu)

    I brushed aside the pincers with brute force, and with [Leaping], I escaped from the mortar in a single bound.

    Throwing out my sword before my opponent¡¯s follow-up attack, so I shot three [Fireball] and three [Thunderball] at the same time. A dizzying number of lights burst out from the fires and electric shocks.

    ¡°¡­did it work¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    The first time I saw the ¡°Hell¡± in its name, I thought it was a quick choice, but it crossed its pincers to guard its head. It just looked slightly burnt, and it still doesn¡¯t seem to be cooked enough to be delicious.

    Hell Antlion. It was tougher than I expected. Tougher than the Metro Beasts on the 50th floor of the Outsuka Metro.

    ¡°Gyiii!¡± (Hell Antlion)

    While avoiding the attacks, which were becoming more and more vicious as they gained more and more hate, I pondered my situation.

    I feel like I can beat it eventually if I keep at it with the long-range attacks as it is. Before my stamina runs out.

    But¡ªEver since I saw the shape of the opponent, I wanted to use that method as my last resort. In order to leave as many materials in good condition as much as possible.

    Nevertheless, the enemy does not easily respond to a slugfest.

    Attacks with the pincers are hit-and-runs, taking advantage of their reach, and they don¡¯t show enough openings to make me break them off. It is disgusting that it seemed to focus more on speed and reach than power.

    Or it spits acid, softening the ground and plowing it with its pincers. In this way, they are intent on expanding the terrain to their advantage. He has a craftsman¡¯s temperament that is worthy of his nickname, ¡°the one who tunnels through the forest¡± as Kaike had said.

    The narrower the footing, the more difficult it becomes to evade and block.

    Then¡­.

    ¡°Should I do it all at the same time?¡± (Shuu)

    From the front, fair and square. I would slash it head-on against a difficult foe in a way that could be written into a heroic tale. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s in my nature, but it seems like the quickest way to do it.

    I stopped. My [Katana] on one hand is covered with more light.

    Pincers extended from both sides. The pincers reach out from both sides, trying to pinch the noisy human and closing with a ¡°bam!¡± and then, with a ¡°snap¡±, it closes.

    I parried it. When the pincers reach just a few more centimeters, the body of the man is shot forward like a bullet

    I went [Leaping] towards it. The face of the Hell Antlion is covered with its large pincers.

    A quick reaction as expected. Its eyes followed my movements.

    It opens its jaws as if to say ¡°welcome¡± and waits for me.

    ¡°Aaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    Sharper than a pair of pincers, its sword-like mandibles close, just before it is about to cut me in two.

    ¡°Gyiii¨C¡± (Hell Antlion)

    The Hell Antlion choked on its cry. Its jaws are blocked. They can no longer close¡ªit¡¯s blocked sideways by my [Great Shield].

    At the same time that the [Great Shield] creaked and shattered, I reached the back of its head with a second [Leaping] using the stuck shield as my foothold.

    ¡°¡ªNo hard feelings.¡± (Shuu)

    My sword clad in light pierces through the stiff outer shell. A muffled scream escapes and bodily fluids gush out.

    ¡°Gyiii!¡± (Hell Antlion)

    Its gigantic body surged blowing me away. I stabbed it with my katana so I will not be blown away. The state of ¡°I¡¯m a good boy and I like sleeping¡± has been more attractive as of late.

    ¡°Please¡­ just die!¡± (Shuu)

    With my own weight, I lowers my sword and slashed the tip of its head. Gathering all the strength in my legs and I used [Leaping].

    *Surge*! The sword slashed down in a straight line, and then it slipped out and plummeted down the slope. Somehow, I managed to twist my body and land on my feet. It is soft but sturdy.

    The countless legs of the giant centipede clawed at the air. The centipede¡¯s head, cracked in half, slowly collapsed to the ground on its back. It hits a tree outside the mortar, making the ground shake.

    The birds and insects were literally knocked awake, and suddenly become noisy. When the noise subsides, silence finally returns to the forest.

 CH 47.2

    ¡°Hmph, I didn¡¯t expect you to finish the subjugation in one day.¡± (Aomoto)

    In the business office of the Sugamo branch of the Hunters¡¯ Guild, in a small room reserved for Guild Member Representatives, are Tamiko and me.

    In front of us is Aomoto, sitting at her office desk.

    ¡°I heard that it was a Hell Antlion, and a matured one at that since it was discovered so late. It would normally have taken two middle-rank guild members to find it. But you¡¯re doing it all by yourself, huh? You¡¯re a very impressive newcomer.¡± (Aomoto)

    She folded her arms and sighed with satisfaction. The dignified appearance of the representative has lost none of the battle junkieness that was apparent during the interview but has taken on the dignity and authority as the head of an organization.

    ¡°I¡¯ve asked you guys to do three quests so far, and I can¡¯t complain about your performance. As a Guild Member Representative, I am very proud of you.¡± (Aomoto)

    It was ten days ago that our party passed the interview and became affiliated with the city of Sugamo. Although we could start working as hunters on the same day, we could not go deep into the metro and other places until we were issued recognition cards, and at a time when we had nothing to do, we decided to take on quests based on recommendations from Aomoto and Kaike.

    The first was to fight off goblins coming out of the metro on the west side of the city.

    It seems that the metro on the west side of the city is inhabited by a large number of goblins of various colors ¨C thousands of them, in fact ¨C and that they have crawled out of the metro in search of food. They have come to neighboring villages and even to the city of Sugamo.

    The green goblins are the weakest, but the familiar blue, red, black, white, and other ¡°relatively more dangerous¡± goblins have also been appearing, giving Sugamo City a source of concern in recent years. As a side note, it is said that there is no novel-like development such as frightening a human woman and somehow bagging her.

    My team and I were sent on a mission to hunt them down. Over the course of three days, we killed three red ones, five blue ones, and more than a dozen green ones. We are proud to say that we did a good job, earning 10,000 yen per person per day.

    The second assignment was to guard the village of Rikugi, located southeast of the city.

    This village, too, has been targeted by the Metro Beast. A colony of Baphomets, or Goat Monkeys, has appeared in the neighboring metro area, which emerged more than a decade ago, and has been wreaking havoc for several months, destroying fields and taking away livestock.

    The Sugamo branch, out of neighborly kindness, has decided to form a ¡°Colony Subjugation Squad¡±. In the meantime, the Sugamo residents took turns working as militia, staying overnight for three days to patrol the area at night.

    They had to contend with a herd of Goat Monkeys (a goat¡¯s head and lower body with a monkey¡¯s torso), which were comparable in size to Blue Goblins. The daily wage was 15,000 yen per person, and our biggest payoff was that Noa had risen to level 25. The village chief was young and beautiful, and the old men were all good-natured. The famous Suiton soup [T/N: Wheat dumpling soup] and potato shochu [T/N: distilled spirit.] was delicious.

    And the third was yesterday¡¯s subjugation of the Hell Antlion.

    If left unchecked, they can cut down forests and breed everywhere (it was reported it was in its breeding stage), so they are feared as a threat in New Tokyo.

    The team of middle-rank members that was supposed to go there to subjugate it had to cancel their mission for various reasons, and on Aomoto¡¯s recommendation, our party was sent out to fight the bug. The reward for our success was a whopping 700,000 yen. My nose is bleeding.

    ¡°Thank you very much. I¡¯m honored.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t seem too happy about it, though, do you? What¡¯s the matter, are you tired?¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Uh, no. It¡¯s just that I, I missed my target¡­ it¡¯s nothing.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯m not sure what to complain to this person about. It would be bad if he expected so much.

    ¡°Fufu, are you saying that even with such a monstrous opponent, you felt your skills weren¡¯t tested enough? As expected of the man who defeated me, a newbie with a temporary identification card, you can¡¯t be seen as brazen.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°No, well¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s not like that, but it¡¯s too much trouble to explain, so I nodded vaguely.

    And her gaze slips sideways. Around my ear, and down on my shoulder.

    Tamiko clung to the back of my head trying to hide from her. She should have waited downstairs with Noa.

    ¡°¡­teasing, squeak¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I won¡¯t tease you.¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto takes an acorn out of her jersey pocket. Tamiko shuffled over to her.¡¡Tamiko takes the acorn in her hand and puts it in her cheek pouch, and then she shoves back her hand, returning to the original position. The sound of the acorns being crunched noisily plays near my ear.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we can prepare a quest with more mettle, if that¡¯s your wish.¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto wipes the blood from her nose as she continues.

    ¡°Until now, we¡¯ve been making exceptions for you, or rather, we¡¯ve had you accept quests that don¡¯t fit your rank on the recommendation of Kaike-san and myself, but it looks like that won¡¯t be necessary anymore.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    Two cards are taken out of her desk drawer.

    The cards are the size of a gift card and are made of transparent resin. The upper right corner of the card has a rough image printed on it. They are an out-of-focus baby-butt smooth face and a close-up of a squirrel, or rather, of Tamiko and me.

    ¡°Oh¡­ this is¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Sorry you¡¯ve been waiting ten days. This is your official identification cards. Please make sure all the information is correct.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°My! My identification card, squeak! Pigya!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko, excited, begins to jump repeatedly on my shoulder. I took my card in my hand and checks the contents. Of course, I am somewhat, or rather very happy, but I tried not to show it on my face.

    ¨CAnd then.

    ¡°Um, erm¡­ we¡¯re starting from the third kyuu, is this right? Is it¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    Hunters have a ranking system established by the guild. It¡¯s the so-called ¡°Golden Adventurer¡±.

    Rookies start at third kyuu, then second kyuu, first kyuu, then first dan, second dan, and third dan¡­ highest rank is fifth dan, but it is an honorary rank, so the highest active rank is fourth dan. [T/N: Both kyuu and dan/tan are ranks for martial arts in Japan. If you play Tekken, you might be familiar with this.]

    The guild approves rank advancement based on the number of quests completed, the amount of commission received from the sale of materials, and the amount of taxes paid. The higher the rank, the wider the range of quests that can be undertaken, leading to not only social credibility, but also to further increase in income. Noa, who has done very few quests, and the newcomers, Tamiko and me, should still be at the third kyuu.

    Both Tamiko and I were written as ¡°first-kyuu¡±.

    ¡°Fufu, I was finally able to surprise that baby face.¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto laughs mischievously.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite common to raise the starting rank according to the level when you registered. Considering it¡¯s you, even if you start from second dan, let alone first dan, it would not be enough, but there¡¯s no precedent¡­ As is customary, you will start at first-kyuu. You can blame us for our ineptitude in having no choice but to settle things as peacefully as possible.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°No, that¡¯s enough¡­ Thank you very much.¡± (Shuu)

    I really appreciate it. The higher the rank and starting salary, the better.

    ¡°Look, Tamiko here.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°¡­teasing, squeak¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I won¡¯t tease you.¡± (Aomoto)

    A new acorn is offered. I apologize in my heart for calling her a battle junkie, but I¡¯ll leave that for another time.

    ¡°The first kyuu has a different set of quests. You may not be up to the task yet, but in that case, you can consult with me or the staff. We will do what we can to help you, provided it is in the best interest of the branch, of course¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hmm? Will you be taking a break for a while?¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t discussed it with my companions yet¡­ I think we¡¯ll dive into the Metro first.¡± (Shuu)

    There was something I had been secretly keeping in my heart for a while.

    ¡ªI want a weapon.

    I woke up to a fantasy world infested with monsters. And I had been registered as an adventurer.

    Then the next thing to do was to level up or procure equipment, right? Of course. Don¡¯t underestimate the gamer generation.

    Well, if you think about it, you might say, ¡°You have hypha weapons, so you don¡¯t need real weapons, right?¡± I can understand that, however, I disagree.

    But that¡¯s not the point. It¡¯s about romance. It is emo. It is a chef¡¯s spirit. [T/N: He really said ¡°emo¡±. Do we have the same definition of emo?]

    Besides, there are items with special mycelial effects in this world. The catoblepas cloak of the pessimists is one example. Then there must also be weapons with special effects. Why wouldn¡¯t you want to get your hands on one?

    From a practical standpoint, daggers are preferable. Weapons that specialize in standing at shorter distances than swords. It would be even more emo if I could use dual daggers.

    Just as I was embracing such ambitions, I had a chance encounter with that Hell Antlion.

    With its fearsome jaws and strong pincers, I was delighted to see that it was the very material that would make a good weapon, and I took it down with as little damage as possible. But then.

    This morning, I showed Obuchi the subjugation trophies jaws, and scissors, but he did not give me a good answer. He said, ¡°No matter how you process it, it can¡¯t beat Abe-san¡¯s hypha weapon, maybe it¡¯s a material suitable for farming tools.¡±

    I want to find it, no matter what it takes. I want to find a weapon that is strong, durable, and has an emo special effect.

    If that¡¯s not possible, armor or accessories would be fine. I just want equipment. I want to be surrounded by such equipment.

    (I¡¯m going to hunt for materials as much as I can¡ªalso it means leveling up a lot!) (Shuu)

    A new Metro challenge begins.

 CH 48

    ¡°Ehehe, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko is lying on her back on her cheeks, her hind legs flapping. Her tail wagged from side to side.

    ¡°My, of my, I have an identification card, squeak. There¡¯s a small squirrel, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    What she¡¯s staring at in a girly pose is the identification tag we got earlier. A front-facing squirrel is in a close-up.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been looking at it ever since you got home, Sis.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I think this might be the first time you¡¯ve ever owned something that didn¡¯t fit in your cheeks.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I wonder if I should have brushed up my head more, squeak. What do you think, Abeshuu, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes, sure.¡± (Shuu)

    I also picked mine up. I feel like I¡¯ve finally been recognized as a resident of this world, and it¡¯s not bad. With this, I can freely come and go in and out of most towns, and I can even open a bank account. Rather, I¡¯ve already created a bank account.

    ¡°I like the one in Sugamo City¡­That¡¯s nice¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa¡¯s identification card (issued by Ikebukuro Tribe) does not have a picture of her face on it. If ours is a driver¡¯s license, Noa¡¯s is a simple insurance card. It seems that this is a cultural and institutional difference.

    However, it is not free of charge. It cost 10,000 yen to issue the card (the fee will be added to the union dues to be paid next year).

    ¡°Abeshuu, I have my own identification card, squeak! I will never lose it!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m nervous.¡± (Shuu)

    That night, Obuchi and Yui come to visit bringing wine.

    The food Noa makes is delicious. She can cook anything. Occasionally, I cook, but after living alone and my staple turned to convenience store bento and cup ramen, my home-cooking skills didn¡¯t improve. No matter how hard I try, I can only make something that is neither ¡°good nor bad¡±, so naturally Noa is now in charge of the food. I do the cleaning, and Tamiko is in charge of napping.

    The celebratory menu is a beef stew, as we are now hunters in good standing. It is delicious and goes well with bread and wine.

    ¡°Me too! I¡¯m an adult too! Taste weird, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko took a small lick and her face crumpled tightly. The beer was no good, and it seems that alcohol, in general, is no good for her.

    ¡°Abe-san, what are you planning to do from now on? Are you going to take on any quests?¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m thinking of going to somewhere in the Metro to earn money. I¡¯d like to level up as much as I can.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Are you going to try to become even more powerful? ¡­It looks like you¡¯ll be able to fight even the [Beast King] in time, Abe-san.¡± (Obuchi)

    As expected, it may be difficult to level up more at 68, but there is no choice but to do it little by little. It would be great if it could lead to leveling up Tamiko and Noa.

    ¡°Oh, and by the way¡­ Is there somewhere I can buy a good hunter¡¯s weapon or something?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Buhi! A weapon huh? You were talking about it this morning, and you seem very enthusiastic about it.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Most hunters don¡¯t have permanent weapons, huh? They all fight with hypha weapons. But it might be useful to have something in case of emergency. I only have long weapons, so I thought it would be good to have a knife or something.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa turns her head and stares at me. It was as if she was saying with her eyes, ¡°Please don¡¯t take away my identity.¡±

    ¡°Right. It¡¯s true that accessories are highly versatile, and even if it¡¯s armor, there¡¯s no downside as long as it¡¯s not bulky¡­but when it comes to weapons. Only a minority of hunters carry such things. But I think Abe-san won¡¯t get much benefit from it.¡± (Obuchi )

    Noa and Yui prepare tea for us. And for dessert after dinner, a cake¡ªnot.

    ¡°Wow! A youkan!¡± (Shuu) [T/N: a Japanese sweet.]

    It¡¯s nostalgic, I haven¡¯t had yokan since I was at my parents¡¯ house.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so sweet and mild. This is truly a Japanese sweet.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yummy! It¡¯s so sweet, it has a jaw-melting sweetness that hits me right in the heart, squeak! It¡¯s so good, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°There are several reasons why hunters don¡¯t carry weapons,¡± Obuchi said. ¡°First, there are few weapons that can withstand continuous combat against Metro Beasts. Military police are provided with iron weapons, but if you try to dive into the Metro with only such weapons, you¡¯ll be in a nightmare in less than a day.¡± (Shuu)

    Only in fiction and games can you fight with iron swords and hinoki sticks for long periods of time. If you fight against metro beasts over and over again, they will break, chip, and rust. In this textbook definition of a new crazy fantasy world, I never thought I would run into such a good argument after all these years.

    ¡°What is it like in the era in which Shuu-san lived?¡± said Noa. ¡°The quantity and quality of iron ore that can be mined and the technology for refining the metal are incomparable. Even iron pots and pans were quite expensive, weren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Ah, now that you mention it.¡± (Shuu)

    So all of these things have to be mined domestically? That¡¯s a serious problem.

    ¡°So, for example, if you can¡¯t use [Katana], you don¡¯t have a spare weapon?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Buhi, rather than carry one around, I think it would be more efficient to fight by honing one¡¯s own abilities rather than carrying a weapon. The best thing about hypha weapons is that you can use them all the time without worrying about weapon warping, chipping, and wear. It¡¯s only by taking advantage of that and your ability¡ªis proof that as hunters, you are able to dive deep into the Metro.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Second, there is simply the question of strength. The strength of hypha weapons exceeds that of iron armaments for skilled hunters. It is not impossible to make weapons that can compete with them, but it would require a tremendous cost, including procurement of materials and selection of a capable blacksmith to make them.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Uh¡­ Ah, it¡¯s not without cost.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If it¡¯s a mineral material found in the depths of the Metro, such as Mithril or Magic Iron. Mithril is a beautiful white silvery metal also known as holy silver, in contrast, Magic Iron is black metal. Both are more durable than hypha weapons and will last for a very long time as long as they are properly cared for.¡± (Obuchi)

    Mithril. A word that tickles my childish heart.

    ¡°Getting a Magic Iron involves luck, or rather, it¡¯s not something that can only be found by devoting yourself to finding one. The other day, the leader of the bandits, ¡®Udeochi¡¯, the claw he was using was probably a Magic Iron.¡± (Yui)

    ¡°Ah, that was really tough.¡± (Shuu)

    I broke it by using [Iron Fist] and [Light Blade].

    ¡°The same is true for Mithril, a material that is extremely difficult to procure. Weapons made from Mithril are synonymous with being a hunter, and I hear that some hunters and Tribe Chiefs use them regularly. The price is eye-popping.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°How much is it in acorns, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time in my life that I¡¯ve had to convert it into acorns, but I think I could fill the whole city of Sugamo with acorns and it wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Abeshuu, let¡¯s not get one. Stick to acorns, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯ll get acorns for you later. By the way, do those weapons come with special effects?¡± (Shuu)

    In this country, there are ¡°items that have special effects due to fungus parasitizing on the material. These are so-called [Parasite] items.

    For example, the cloak made from the leather of a Catoblepas, which is a mature individual I took down. It is also a fine Parasite item (although its rank is not so high).

    It has a cool purplish-black finish, is cold and heat resistant, and is also highly resistant to blades. The most amazing thing is its special effect: ¡°A little scratch or hole can be repaired by itself.¡± As long as it is exposed to moisture and a little light, the fungus can repair itself. I haven¡¯t had a chance to try it out, though.

    There are also ¡°bracelets that increase physical strength just by wearing them¡± and ¡°necklaces that increase resistance to poisons¡±. These alone are impressive enough, but if the weapons also have special effects, they may be useful in actual combat.

    ¡°There are swords that repair themselves when damaged, and wands that release fire when struck.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Oh! I want one!¡± (Shuu)

    A magical weapon indeed. Again, my childhood dreams were stirring.

    ¡°Basically, ornaments and clothing made from ¡®Parasite¡¯ materials are processed as they are,¡± Obuchi said, ¡°Weapons, on the other hand, can also be made from natural materials, such as the fangs or bones of unique beasts. But such items are not durable enough for their rarity, and their cost is low. It¡¯s mainly considered a hobby.¡±

    ¡°A hobby?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, if we try to reproduce it with strong metals, it is an attempt to artificially create a Parasite material, so to speak.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It is said that there are only one or two blacksmiths in New Tokyo who can make Parasite weapons, and the ones that exist are as rare as [Itokuri-shi]. It would be a miracle if you could see one even once.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Well¡­ I want to see one too¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Going back to the topic¡­ Realistically, a weapon that would be practical at Abe-san¡¯s level would require mithril-grade materials. If that¡¯s the case, I think it would be quicker to steadily hone your skills. Or, perhaps you could use your friends to cover the strength you need.¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Well, I guess so¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Is that the conclusion after all?

    I took a deep breath and bring the tea to my lips.

    I was looking forward to my next adventure, searching for weapons.

    ¡°Even if we can¡¯t find Parasite weapons,¡± Noa said, ¡°There are places where Mithril and Parasite minerals can be found. Why don¡¯t we go there and try to get some money and level up?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that seems like it¡¯s going to be fun.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Ikari-san, is it possible¡ª¡± (Obuchi)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Noa)

    Noa raises her index finger up.

    ¡°¡ªOuji Metro. The Golem¡¯s nest, commonly known as ¡®Rock Doll Mine¡¯. It is said to be one of the best spots for mining gems and rare minerals in the northern part of New Tokyo.¡± (Noa)

 CH 49

    The three of us are dressed in matching cloaks. It is late May, and the dark cloak is a bit hot, but they make us look like hunters.

    ¡°Abeshuu! Look! Look! Look at me, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I know I¡¯ve said it many times, it suits you. So. Relax.¡± (Shuu)

    It was Tamiko¡¯s first time wearing the outfit. Every time she puts it on, she runs around the room excitedly. By the way, the front closure is buttoned so she can easily put it on and take it off by herself. The shiny buttons are one of her favorite things.

    Her luggage is all packed and ready to go. Finally, her first adventure as a hunter begins.

    Our goal is Ouji Metro in the north. It is a nest of golems.

    ¡°Wow¡­ Finally, a chance to ride the Crocodile Bus¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I had seen it from afar a few times before, but now I finally get to use it as a passenger. One of the public transportation systems in New Tokyo is commonly known as the Crocodile Bus.

    The crocodiles are pulling a cart behind them, just like a horse-drawn carriage, but it is quite a spectacle to see two gigantic crocodiles over 10 meters long walking side by side. The crocodiles have been properly tamed since they were young, so they do not attack passersby.

    The cart has a roof and windows, and the seats on either side are surprisingly soft. The space available on the cart can accommodate up to 20 people. The ride to Komagome City could carry about ten people, including my party. I was not satisfied with the fact that Tamiko, who was the size of my shoulder, was also charged a solid fee for the ride.

    ¡°So strong, squeak! The wind is rushing towards me, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko was so excited that she stuck herself out the window. She is enjoying her first crocodile bus ride more than anyone else. Well, if she enjoys it as much as we paid for it, that¡¯s all that matters.

    ¡°Hey, have you taken off your cape yet?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hot, squeak. But Noa still has hers, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I thought you would.¡± (Shuu)

    The ride was not very fast, about the same as walking a horse, but it was comfortable with little swaying.

    The road is to the east, outside the city of Sugamo. The road winds its way through peaceful landscapes of spinning watermills and windmills. The weather is beautiful, so the ride is pleasant.

    ¡°You can see them clearly from here, huh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The spores seem to be less scattered today, and the air is clearer. So we can see far and wide.

    When I first saw the Sky Tree in the direction of south-southwest¡­ after moving to New Tokyo, I was suitably impressed, but when I noticed it, I first suspected an optical illusion, and even after it was pointed out to me that it was real, I could not get rid of the feeling that it was impossible.

    It was a mushroom.

    A mushroom that rose as high as a mountain.

    A mushroom that was clearly outlined in the blue sky like a spade symbol.

    ¡°Ah, the Dragon¡¯s Mushroom, huh.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    What is the world¡¯s largest animal?

    The Heisei era. If it is limited to the ground, it is the African elephant. If we include the sea, it would be the blue whale.

    But if you change the question to what is the world¡¯s largest living creature, it is neither an elephant nor a whale. The answer is the mushroom. Somewhere in the United States, a type of mushroom called the Armillaria ostoyae is said to have spread as a mushroom bed covering nine square kilometers. The whole thing is said to be a single living organism, but that doesn¡¯t seem fair.

    At any rate, that giant shadow is indeed ¡°a mushroom¡±. The 300-plus meter-long god-like mushroom sits in Ichigaya, right in the middle of Tokyo. Hunters call it the ¡°Dragon¡¯s Mushroom Den¡±.

    ¡°The labyrinth of fungus, the labyrinth of labyrinths, the nest of Beast Kings¡­¡± (Noa)

    According to Noa, the interior of the ¡°Dragon¡¯s Mushroom Den¡± is one vast labyrinth. It is an extremely difficult dungeon infested with some of the most powerful Metro Beasts in New Tokyo, so much so that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Hunters¡¯ Guild restrict entry to low-level hunters.

    And above all.

    The top of the dungeon is home to one of the five most powerful Metro Beasts in New Tokyo, the ¡°Beast King,¡± Dark Purple Dragon, Night-Vision Dragon, Yamamoto. How it got such a strange name is unknown. It is said to be a gigantic winged dragon several tens of meters in height. [T/N: I made a literal translation of the name.]

    ¡°The Beast King? I heard it¡¯s really strong, but how strong is it really?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It is said that it is estimated to be over 200 in terms of level.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s absolutely ridiculous.¡± (Shuu)

    In ancient times, a tribe was once destroyed in a single night by another Beast King. The Metropolitan Government, Church, Guild, and other organizations are forbidden from interfering with the existence of the tribe.

    If it were a game, you might say, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll defeat it someday!¡± or ¡°I want you to protect the treasure, you know?¡± But unfortunately, this is real life, and if you lose, you cannot just press continue. I heard that the foot of the mountain is a tourist spot, so I decided to go there to buy an amulet or something.

    ¡°Hmm, someday I¡¯ll turn it into an acorn dumpling, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t wet yourself.¡± (Shuu)

    We arrived at the west gate of Komagome City a little after noon. We will have to get off there.

    ¡°There seems to be a crocodile bus bound for Ouji at the north gate of Komagome.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Then let us ride it, shall we?¡± (Shoo)

    The gate looks a lot like Sugamo, but the atmosphere in the city is a little different.

    Is it favoritism? Compared to Sugamo, where people come and go lively, it feels a little lifeless here. Sugamo looks cleaner and has more stores.

    ¡°Would you like to eat here for lunch?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Halfway through, I ate some random bread on the bus.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just buy anything and eat it on the way again. I want to get to the metro as soon as possible.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The area around the Ouji Metro is what¡¯s called the Metro Town, so I¡¯m sure there will be plenty of good food there.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Metro Town?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°As it is, it is a town built around a Metro. Ouji is famous for its hot springs. The specialty is Asukayama Manju, you see?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Manju? The ones that are soft and filled with red bean paste?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Correct. Also, Asukayama Onsen eggs and so on.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Abeshuu go, go, go now! Don¡¯t just let your head move, put your feet into it, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I am already going on the bus.¡± (Shuu)

    A shiver runs down his spine, and he turns around involuntarily.

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­Did you two feel that?¡± (Shuu)

    The two girls looked at each other and shook their heads.

    I looked around. The traffic in the late afternoon. People who pass by. The hustle and. There was nothing strange about it.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, maybe it¡¯s just my imagination.¡± (Shuu)

    I felt a gaze. Something extremely eerie, like something crawling down my spine.

    We boarded the crocodile bus again from the north gate and headed down the street. As usual, the scene was full of majestic nature that did not feel like Tokyo.

    ¡°¡­I can see the wall.¡± (Shuu)

    From the top of the gentle uphill, you can see a wall faintly all the way to the other side. It is a huge wall, 500 meters high, that covers New Tokyo. It is a plain gray color with no decoration.

    ¡°The east side looks like an amazing mountain.¡± (Shuu)

    It looks like a mountain or a pillar of rock with a bare rock surface. There are a number of such mountains or rock pillars rising in a row. They are called Karsts. I never thought I would be able to see such a spectacular view of the mountains of China right here in Tokyo. I wondered if this was also a topography created by the Metro Flood or deformation of the Earth¡¯s crust.

    ¡°That¡¯s Senju Tribe territory, you know.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Senju?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It is a tribe located northeast of New Tokyo. The current chief is a martial arts fighter and has his own culture and all of the territory¡¯s residents, including the ¡°Peasants,¡± are trained in martial arts. It is a very closed tribe with minimal interaction with the outside world, so it has the image of a hidden village in the middle of nowhere under a lot of mystery.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Huh.¡± (Shuu)

    When you say it like that, the scenery looks like the headquarter of Shaolin monks.

    And so the two crocodiles trudged on their way. Along the way, they were caught in a light rain, almost got splashed with mud by a wagon, and were stared at by a pack of wild dogs, but they were undaunted and continued on their way. I was so emotionally involved in the story that I almost cried.

    Somehow, we manage to catch a glimpse of a human settlement before the sun sets. I thank the driver and the crocodiles.

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re finally here.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯m tired, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even walk a single step.¡± (Shuu)

    Many people are passing by the gate. From a distance, it looks like Sugamo and Komagome are surrounded by a moat, but the inside of the moat is more of a fence than a wall. While the sky remains indigo, orange lights and bustling bustle are leaking out.

    ¡°Is this the Metro Town of Ouji Metro?¡± (Shuu)

    Somehow, it has an atmosphere similar to that of a touristy hot spring town. I don¡¯t mind this kind of thing.

    There is a small crowd just inside the gate. At the center of the audience, standing with his back to the street, is a skinny man of about fifty standing on a wooden box.

    ¡°¨CThe evidence is that in the last few years, the number of golems in Ouji Metro and the number of resources mined have been declining. Everyone, who gathers in this city, knows this better than most.¡± (Noa)

    The man is dressed in a long-sleeved white robe and wears on his head what looks like a Shinto priest¡¯s eboshi [T/N: an ancient formal head wear]. His attire was reminiscent of a Shinto priest. Next to him is a young man dressed one rank below him.

    ¡°He¡¯s a Preacher from the Church.¡± (Noa)

    Noa whispers to me.

    ¡°We, the Metro Church, have always advocated ¡®harmony with the Metro¡¯. However, the Ouji Metro here has clearly gone beyond the bounds of harmony and has been receiving excessive excavation. If this continues, it is only a matter of time before the Metro resources are depleted, and if we do not put a stop to it somewhere, the only thing that awaits us is the road to ruin. And it is not just a matter of livelihood or economy!¡± (Preacher)

    The preacher¡¯s tone gradually grew more passionate. Some were listening intently, while others were half-smiling, watching the reactions of those around them. The Preacher must have noticed us, but he ignored us or stubbornly refused to look at us.

    ¡°In antiquity, human society flourished thanks to the supernatural development of scientific civilization. This Tokyo was overflowing with goods, people, information, and money. However, it was the very environment of the planet itself that was being made to pay the price. Prideful ancient mankind dishonored the lives of animals and insects, violated forests and fields, polluted the atmosphere, and scattered toxins on the earth and water. Can you believe that a hundred years ago, this place was a barren wasteland where not a single tree or grass could grow because of the environmental pollution that had gone too far?¡± (Preacher)

    I would like to voice my objection, I think it¡¯s too much of an exaggeration. If this area was around Ouji Station, there was some greenery. I used to take a ride on the very short monorail at Asukayama Park and look at the view.

    ¡°A hundred years ago, a [Super Fungal Contamination] destroyed the previous civilization. It was the condemnation and salvation of the sinful old human race. The will of Metro, the will of the planet! We have judged the barbarism of mankind that pollutes the earth and robs it of life, and we have restored the abundant forests to this land!!¡± (Preacher)

    (Salvation, huh?) (Shuu)

    A catastrophe that has killed more than 10 million people and reduced Tokyo, which people had built up, to dust.

    (Is that real salvation?) (Shuu)

    ¡°Fortunately, the ¡°Metro Wall,¡± soaring high into the sky, still cuts us off from the outside world. However, according to a survey conducted by the Church sixty years ago, the world outside the wall has been completely devastated and is no longer inhabited by living creatures.¡± (Preacher)

    ¡°*Whisper* (Really?)¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°*Whisper* (I hear that sometimes, but I doubt it.)¡± (Noa)

    ¡°In other words, this may be the last paradise left for us human beings. Do you understand? We have been absolved of our sins by the [Super Fungal Contamination] from the Metro, protected from destruction by the [Metro Wall], and kept alive today by the grace of the Metro! And yet, here in Ouji, we continue to be so foolish and disrespectful of the Metro. It is obvious that if this continues, we will follow the same path as the previous civilization! What will come is a second [Super Fungal Contamination]! Or the [Demon War] of fifty years ago! It is too late to sound the alarm!¡± (Preacher)

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± a voice shouted. The people at the front of the line are listening attentively.

    ¡°Harmony with the Metro, coexistence with the Metro! The gate where the god of the Itokuri dwells is the Metro! Awe and revere! The only path left for us, the [People of Threads] is to walk with the Metro.¡± (Preacher)

    ¨CI don¡¯t know. That sounds suspicious.

    The preacher stopped speaking and turned to me.

    He looked at Tamiko, who was standing on my shoulder. Tamiko on his shoulder also screams, ¡°Pigyaa!?¡±

    The skinny cheeks, the bloodshot eyes, the blood vessels on the forehead. It was as if she was possessed by something.

    ¡°Shuu-san, let¡¯s go.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Huh? Yeah.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa took me by the arm and we left the place. I feel a massive soft thing on my elbow, but I didn¡¯t notice it.

    ¡°That¡¯s bad, don¡¯t say anything that criticizes the Preacher.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Was that what they said?¡± (Shuu)

    I mean, did he hear it? I was at a distance, within that noise.

    ¡°What he says maybe crazy, but they are the absolute authority of this country, on par with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Although he has a mouth to yell, he has no ears to listen to counterarguments. As the saying goes, ¡®Don¡¯t curse at the untouchable gods¡¯.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a little scary. I was afraid he¡¯ll squeak like a chicken, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Don¡¯t go puking or pissing yourself on other people¡¯s shoulders.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s mean, squeak. I¡¯m a good girl, squeak. I won¡¯t let you call me a girl who shames herself anymore, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    She doesn¡¯t know yet that the next day she will shame herself twice.

 CH 50

    Check-in at an affordable inn, have dinner and take a bath. The Onsen eggs come out exactly with the meal (Tamiko likes it very much), and the public bath is a hot spring, so I¡¯m very satisfied with the price.

    Before we spread out the futon and went to bed, we naturally talked about Ouji Metro and that preacher.

    ¡°The point is that Ouji Metro is a mining area for various minerals. This town and the metro are both under the direct control of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°He said something about a golem, that old man.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What is a golem, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°A kind of Metro Beast. A living rock doll.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I also know about it, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Liar.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°This is the Metro Beast that represents the Ouji Metro. It¡¯s pretty common in Metros with mineral resources.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Heh¡­ a golem is a living thing? I was wondering if it was magical. Or maybe cursed. I thought they were puppets that moved with some kind of magical or cursed power.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The actual golem is a white furball-like creature that uses its tentacles to wrap itself in stone like its armor and move it. It also has sporangium.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Huh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Is it like a hermit crab? The creature may not fit the ones of the previous era.

    ¡°It is something like a parasite in itself.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, it is. I read in my great-grandfather¡¯s notebook that the golem was a hint for the development of Parasite weapons. I don¡¯t know how much it has to do with it.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°By the way, the miners who work here are always in danger of encountering golems. Most of them are [Peasant], but I heard that they are tough enough to kill the immature ones that appear in the shallower levels.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Amazing.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I hear the pay is good even though it¡¯s dangerous, and there are hunters who earn their living here. But I guess that means the resources are not infinite. The amount of resources that can be mined is rumored to be decreasing gradually. I think that¡¯s what that Preacher was talking about.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I see, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Do you really understand?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If you take too many acorns, you¡¯ll ruin the forest, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m sorry I underestimated you.¡± (Shuu)

    The problem of resource depletion. I didn¡¯t realize that in this day and age, the same problems are being talked about as back then.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s not talk about difficult matters, but let us hunters go deep into the depths where miners cannot go and search for rare minerals. If we dig up mithril, we can get rich quick and even make high-class weapons.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I like that kind of story. Okay, let¡¯s get some rest and get ready for tomorrow.¡± (Shuu)

    But even after turning off the light, I could not fall asleep.

    The preacher¡¯s words and the way he stared at me were hard to get out of his mind.

    ¡ªThe previous civilization was purged because of excessive environmental destruction.

    ¡ªBy the will of the Metro, human society was purged.

    ¡ªIt was rebuilt into this fungus-infested, prosperous country.

    ¡ªIf we make the same mistake as the old civilization, the Metro will once again bare its fangs.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Is that really the case?

    Did the disaster that destroyed the old civilization come from the arrogance and tyranny of the old humans?

    Did the [Metro Flood] and [Super Fungal Contamination] come from the will to put a stop to them?

    As a modern child who has been ¡°poisoned¡± by smartphones and the Internet, I have to admit that I have a hard time understanding the situation.

    (¡­It sounds like something an old ecologist would say¡­) (Shuu)

    (If I remember correctly, the Founder of the Metro Church¡ª) (Shuu)

    They are a [Itokuri-shi] just like me. They lived in the same era and old civilization as me.

    Noa told me about them before. They said that demons and Metros appeared to reset the excessive civilization of mankind, and that the Founder of the Church advocated such a reset. Since then, the revival and development of the scientific civilization has been halted here in New Tokyo.

    The doctrines that the Preacher talk about are a direct reflection of the Founder¡¯s ideas and principles.

    (¡­I¡¯d like to meet them, even for a while.) (Shuu)

    However, I feel a little, no, very, afraid to meet them.

    In front of the entrance of Ouji Metro, there are as many people as that of an amusement park.

    ¡°¡­so big¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­so big, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    There is a huge building behind the gate. It is about five stories high, but it is also large horizontally. It has bare concrete walls and a large doorway that opens up. The bustle of men and the noisy sound of work coming from the back of the building. It is a large scale factory or warehouse. It seems that the entrance to the Metro is also located here.

    There are two reception areas, one for miners and one for hunters. Lightly dressed men who look like miners are coming and going, but the one for hunters is hardly crowded.

    ¡°Do they charge you to enter?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, they do. I think that was part of the town revenue to maintain the area?¡± (Noa)

    In front of the gate, there is a small booth that looks like a lottery ticket booth. When I approached the salesman, he presented me with a price plan. A single ticket costs 3,000 yen per person. A five-trip ticket is 14,000 yen. A ten-trip ticket costs 26,000 yen. There are still more economical annual passes.

    Since we had almost no plan, we decided to buy a one-time ticket. I am charged for Tamiko¡¯s ticket as well. Even though she is a pipsqueak, she is a licensed hunter, so there is nothing I can do about it.

    ¡°The miners have rights and work on the 10th underground floor, so you can¡¯t just go down there. The miners will not let you mine.¡± (Receptionist)

    Mining rights, huh? It¡¯s a harsh world, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Is it okay we go lower than them?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Of course, the eleventh floor is where the hunters work. But the golem is strong and dangerous, and you¡¯ll get hurt if you dive in like it is any other metro.¡± (Receptionist)

    ¡°Huh.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Especially below the twentieth floor, even the most experienced hunters have frequent accidents. You guys look young, so you shouldn¡¯t go too deep.¡± (Receptionist)

    ¡°How many floors are there? Are there any bosses?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Up to the 30th floor. I haven¡¯t heard anything about a boss in a long time, because this is a metro with so many people coming and going. Do you want to buy the latest guidebook? It covers all the maps up to the 30th floor. It¡¯s a must if you¡¯re going to make it here.¡± (Receptionist)

    The guidebook is a notebook-sized book (the first half is a map spread). The price is 10,000 yen per book. It may seem a little expensive, but there is no substitute for shortening the time and safety on the road.

    ¡°Well, you may think I¡¯m skimping on a lot of things, but the fee for using the elevators [T/N: Shoukouki or elevator] is included in the price. We¡¯re pretty much in need of money, too.¡± (Receptionist)

    ¡°Archive floor [T/N: Shokoiki]?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    I was about to ask her what she meant when another hunter came in and left the booth.

    ¡°I think they mean the elevator,¡± said Noa.

    ¡°Elevator!? There¡¯s an elevator in the Metro!?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about that, you know?¡± (Shuu)

    Noa opens the map. On the page of the first basement floor, there is a square mark with a cross on it, and the word ¡°elevator¡± is written in small letters. There is a large one and a small one attached to it.

    ¡°Amazing¡­ I never thought I would be able to ride an elevator in this day and era¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I heard there is one in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. You don¡¯t hear much about it in the metro.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Really¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    In a lecture on economic history, I heard that the oldest elevator was built in the era before Christ. It is not surprising that this technology has been revived in this era, but I never imagined that it would be installed in the metro.

    ¡°Abeshuu, what is an elevator?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I knew you didn¡¯t know.¡± (Shuu)

    After a brief explanation, Tamiko replied, ¡°I want to ride it! Pigya!¡± Tamiko was so excited. I checked the map, and it seemed to go up to the tenth floor.

    ¡°But aren¡¯t those part of the three major taboos of New Tokyo? The one about excessive development, so what is with the elevators?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the rules allow elevators up to the tenth floor.¡± (Noa)

    I don¡¯t know how to judge that, but if it¡¯s legal, there¡¯s no reason not to use it.

    ¡°Then, let us take the elevator to the 10th floor and dive in while watching the situation. I don¡¯t know what golems are like, so let¡¯s go carefully.¡± (Shuu)

    The two girls replied cheerfully, ¡°Squeak!¡±

    Inside the huge factory, it was extremely noisy. It was unbelievably dusty.

    Many miners are working. They carry what looks like ore in wheelbarrows, sort it by hand, and pack it into bags and crates. There is a separate entrance and exit for the wagons at the back. According to Noa¡¯s pieces of trivia, most of the ore is taken to a pit nearby a riverside.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s ore, right? It looks kind of weird, doesn¡¯t it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m looking forward to seeing the real thing.¡± (Noa)

    Noa said that in a mischievous way, and she closed the guidebook she had opened to check things.

    ¡°So, is that the elevator?¡± (Shuu)

    There is a large machine near the center of the facility. The steel frame is assembled, and the top part is covered with gears and wires, and it is working with a heavy thumping sound. Soon, the floor is pushed up against the inside of the fence. There were many bulging burlap sacks piled up on the floor.

    ¡°Look out, look out, you¡¯re in the way, Brother!¡± (Miner)

    The miners came up behind us and almost pushed us out of the way. They were going to start sorting the sacks that had been brought in.

    ¡°I wonder how we¡¯re going to get on that thing?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ Ah, doesn¡¯t it look like that one.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Which one?¡± (Shuu)

    Noa pointed to another elevator.

    It is a rather small, boxy room, different from the one over there that could easily fit a three-bedroom apartment. If you look closely, you will see a sign that says, ¡°Elevator for hunters is here¡±.

    ¡°Hey, welcome.¡± (Auntie)

    When I walked up to the elevator, I was greeted by a woman in her fifties. She was stout and plump, and looked like a dwarf working in the mines (Noa said she was a ¡°normal human being¡±).

    However, she is dressed in a very eccentric outfit, far from a dwarf. She wears a tight-fitting pink suit and mini-skirt, with makeup all over her face and her long hair parted into two braids.

    ¡°It¡¯s a direct line to the tenth floor, okay?¡± (Auntie)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Shuu)

    The auntie pulls the wire door (it¡¯s a manual door) and lets the me and the others into the small room. The room was small, but it could easily accommodate more than ten people.

    ¡°Does anyone else want to ride?¡± (Auntie)

    There were a few hunters around, but none of them responded to the woman¡¯s call. They were probably waiting to meet up with their comrades.

    ¡°It¡¯s just you, huh? I¡¯m going to go now. Hold on tight.¡± (Auntie)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    The auntie closes the door and presses a button at the front. A bell rings above the door.

    Noa and I hurriedly grabbed the railing.

    The floor shakes loudly, and the descent begins slowly.

    The goal is to get to the bottom of the earth. For Noa and Tamiko, it is the Metro Labyrinth where they have spent most of their lives in this country.

    What awaits them in the new metro?

 CH 51.1

    ¡°Amazing, squeak! It¡¯s moving, squeak! Pigya!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well. It is a bit shaky, but¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Not just a little. It was shaking so unsteadily that it looked as if it were an attraction at a small local amusement park. If you try to speak carelessly, you might bite off your tongue.

    Through the door, I could see what was going on outside. The gray surface of the rock continued for a long time, and then, just for a few seconds, we caught a glimpse of the metro level. The dungeon scene is familiar to my party, but it is refreshing to see the shadows of people in the vicinity.

    ¡°Um¡­ is Auntie going to ride too¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Eh, of course, right? I¡¯m an elevator girl, you know.¡± (Auntie)

    I wonder if I misheard her.

    ¡°What is it, are you new to this? When an elevator has a girl riding with you it is meant to keep away the plague of accidents that may occur. It¡¯s a good luck charm, so to speak.¡± (Auntie)

    She winked with a bang.

    ¡°It¡¯s a dangerous job, but you know, in ten years I¡¯ve never had an accident while I¡¯ve been on board. You should feel like you¡¯re on a big boat.¡± (Auntie)

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± (Shuu)

    Here, too, is a mysterious tradition of New Tokyo.

    The violent shaking is making me feel a little sick. Tamiko on my shoulder looks as if she is having a hard time, and Noa looks pale. Only the veteran attendant, the auntie, is standing upright without a care in the world. She neither gripped the handrail nor leaned against the wall. What a powerful gut!

    The torturous time felt like an eternity. I kept thinking, ¡°Get up, get up, get up. Finally, the goal will come.¡± With a final loud shudder, the elevator comes to a standstill.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve arrived. How do you like it, don¡¯t you feel safe with me?¡±  (Auntie)

    ¡°Thank you very much¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Noa, who went out with a wobbling footsteps, crouched and vomited. Tamiko was clinging to my shoulder, frozen and quiet.

    Even me who had a weak stomach on vehicles, was much better than them. Is it because my inner ears have been strengthened by my battle experience and I have level up quite high, or is it the effect of [Immortality]?

    ¡°You guys, if you need to go back home, use the commercial one. You¡¯ll be charged if you have a lot of luggage.¡± (Auntie)

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t work yourself too hard. I used to be a hunter myself, but those Rock Dolls are tough.¡± (Auntie)

    The Auntie gets into the elevator again, it moves back up. After seeing her off, I rubbed Noa¡¯s back while she was still on her knees.

    ¡°I wonder what powers that thing? I heard that electricity is not allowed in this country.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know¡­ but it¡¯s a lever that activates something, and the gears start rattling¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Thank you. Sorry, no need to talk.¡± (Shuu)

    In ancient times, or even in modern times before the development of steam and hydraulic systems, it is said that elevators were operated by human power.

    ¡°Noa, are you okay? Do you need a break?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­No, I¡¯m okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± (Noa)

    Noa stood up stoutly. Tamiko is also revived before I know it.

    ¡°¡­ugh, then let¡¯s go.¡± (Noa)

    Treasure that has yet to be seen ¨C gold, silver, colorful gems, and mithril.

    It is an adventure in the ¡°Rock Doll Mine¡± of Ouji Metro.

    Then, Tamiko pukes on my shoulder.

    The rock wall is grayish. It reflects the light of the Firefly Moss, making it seem brighter than the Outsuka Metro.

    We leave the elevator and follow the map to find the stairs to the bottom.

    On the way, I see a group of half-naked men lying on the ground. I glance at them and they raise their hand in greeting. They close their eyes, turn over, and scratch their butts.

    ¡°The miners are mostly [Peasant], right? I¡¯m getting nervous because they don¡¯t seem to be in danger.¡± (Shu)

    ¡°I think there are almost no Metro Beasts on the tenth floor, except for the occasional golem.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Is that so?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The normal Metro Beasts have been hunted down for so long that only golems can be found here.¡± (Noa)

    They even brought in a civilized device like an elevator and did pretty much whatever they wanted to do. I can understand why the Metro-loving Church followers are upset.

    ¡°If they were normal, they wouldn¡¯t be out there like that because there are no enemies except the golem. They walk around and search for minerals, and when a golem comes out, they get together and kill it. That is their job. They are workers, so they must know how to fight and what their weak points are, but they probably have accidents every once in a while.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    Fighting miners, though they look like pandas in the late afternoon notwithstanding, they are a little bit cool.

    ¡°But that¡¯s why. The remaining resources are decreasing, and the Church is also angry. If we don¡¯t develop further, this town may eventually become unsustainable.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be just another hot spring town. That¡¯s one thing.¡± (Shuu)

    While we are talking like that, we find a staircase. The map is of great benefit to us. Attentively, there are signs ¡°B10¡± and ¡°¡ýB11¡å hammered into the wall at the entrance and exit of the stairway. There is also a metal fence, perhaps to prevent Metro Beasts from coming up.

    ¡°From here on down, there are no ordinary people. There should be both reasonably strong golems and other Metro Beasts.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ok. So this is where we start our work.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We have my front teeth, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Reliable.¡± (Shuu)

    By the way, Tamiko has moved from the puke-covered right shoulder to the left shoulder.

    There is also a fence at the end of the long flight of stairs.

    Ouji Metro, eleventh basement floor.

    At a quick glance, it looks almost the same as the tenth floor.

    But it is quiet. I could hardly hear any sign of life, or even the slightest noise.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind moving forward, but for the time being, I¡¯d like to try hunting golems.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa had already given us an outline of what to expect, and the guidebook also included a map with some disturbing strategy information: ¡°First Time in Ouji Metro: A Guide to Defeating Golem for Anyone¡±. However, I still wanted to try my hand at it once to get a feel for it. I wanted to see how the golem felt while it was in a shallow level, and before any strong individuals appeared.

    According to the guidebook, the golem is ¡°a type of tricky Metro Beast that pops up suddenly.¡±

    Metro Beasts usually reproduce by having males and females take turns like beasts, forming families and colonies that increase and decrease as they win territory or are threatened by foreign enemies. The fact that there are no other Metro Beasts by the tenth floor means that they have been eliminated by humans.

    Golems are said to be living creatures, so whether sexual or asexual, they are reproducing and increasing in number, and it seems that their numbers are not decreasing, no matter how much we hunt them. Golems are still springing up whether above or below the tenth floor.

    ¡°¡ªAh, there it is, Shuu-san.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There, that¡¯s the mineral. You¡¯re lucky, you found it in a busy place.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­What¡­ That?¡± (Shuu)

    I crouched down and observed it intently. The mushrooms are about five centimeters in size and grow on the side of the road. Or rather, it looks like a stone in the shape of a mushroom.

    ¡°This is an Ore Fungus.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ore Fungus?¡± (Shuu)

    I picked up the handle with trepidation. The base snapped off when I plucked it, and it was as heavy as it looked. If it were displayed at my front door, none would doubt that it was an ordinary object carved from stone.

    ¡°The mushroom¡¯s reproductive body is like a flower for spreading spores, and the main body is the mycelium that is spreading in the ground. Ore Fungus is the same way. They are spread all over the bedrock of the Ouji Metro, absorbing minerals from the ground and producing crystallized reproductive bodies.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± (Shuu)

    What kind of creature is that? What does it mean?

    ¡°We don¡¯t know much about its ecology. It is the key to the distribution of metal products in New Tokyo. I believe that our frying pans and pots were originally shaped like this.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see. ¡­Wow, New Tokyo¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Mineral mining work means hunting fungus in the labyrinth. The Fungus Civilization has reached its peak.

 CH 51.2

    Mineral mining work means hunting fungus in the labyrinth. The Fungus Civilization has reached its peak.

    ¡°Can I eat them, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, it might give you a stomachache. I mean, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll chip your teeth.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°According to the guidebook¡­ this color is probably ordinary corrosion-resistant iron. It¡¯s a little bulky, but let¡¯s take it home as a souvenir.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Are there other kinds?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, copper, lead, and so on. The lower you go, the more rare minerals you can get. ¡­By the way, if it¡¯s silvery white, it¡¯s Mithril.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s search for rare minerals!¡± (Shuu)

    After searching the stairs and walking for a while, something unusual occurs within the range of the [Sensory Spores].

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I know!¡± (Shuu)

    Ahead, about 30 meters ahead, a rock wall. Bam, bam, a heavy sound is heard.

    The wall is shaking, as if a thin film has been pressed with the palm of one¡¯s hand. Soon it takes the form of an arm and crawls out into the passage.

    ¡°¡­Woah, it¡¯s coming out¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯m honestly impressed. A realistic, fantasy feeling. You can¡¯t get this sense of realism in Nezumii or Yuniba. [T/N: Not sure what type of company Nezumii (¥Í¥º¥ß©`) or Yuniba (¥æ¥Ë¥Ð) is. Nezumii could mean ¡°mouse¡± or Yuniba could be ¡°universal¡± or ¡°university¡±.]

    Soon, a headless rock doll lands on the floor.

    It is more than three meters tall and quite large. The body surface is a little darker than the rock wall, the legs are short and thick, the arms are long and thick, and the body is an unbalanced inverted triangle. It has only three fingers. Whenever it moves, pebbles and sand fall out of its body.

    ¡°¡­is that a golem?¡± (Shuu)

    Perhaps it has no vocal organs, the golem neither cries nor yells. To show its ferociousness, it bows its thick breastplate broadly and beats its chest with its palms as if it were a gorilla.

    Perhaps they were satisfied after doing it for a while, they rushed towards me and my party.

    ¡°Lo-look there¡¯s the golem, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hay, calm down, use [Risk Counter]!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squuueeeak! (Tamiko)

    ¡°How is it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A pathetic 15, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Suddenly you¡¯re looking down at it.¡± (Shuu)

    Golems are said to be beasts whose individual levels vary considerably. The level of the golem is usually around 15 at the shallow end, but in the deep end, there are individuals with levels of 30 and 40.

    This one is a little higher than Ghost Wolf and Baphomet in terms of level. In terms of evaluation, it must be a small fry. However, you can¡¯t measure fighting ability by level alone.

    ¡°I will do it!¡± (Noa)

    Noa throws away down her luggage, puts her goggles over her eyes, and steps forward. She takes out her [Dagger] and readies herself.

    ¡°Hey, Noa¨C¡± (Shuu)

    In a flash, the golem closes the distance. He swings his arm and slams it down carelessly.

    Boom! The floor shatters. Noa just barely dodges it. She dives into his pocket and slashes at the Golem¡¯s right leg.

    There will be no pain, and the wound is shallow. The golem doesn¡¯t stop.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Noa)

    Noa is faster than the golem. Dodging the sloppy attack, she uses her [dagger] to chip away at the huge body. Perhaps she is targeting the weak points by instinct.

    ¡°Hara-Hara, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko, who was watching over her, hugged her tail tightly. [T/N: Hara-hara is an H-game BTW. She should have used Ara-ara.]

    There¡¯s not enough attack power. It¡¯s too incompatible with Noa¡¯s Fungal Skill.

    The power and durability are different. It¡¯s like a battle between a bee and an elephant. It has a needle that can pierce through thick armor, but if it doesn¡¯t hit the vital spot, it can¡¯t kill, and no matter how much it attacks other areas, it doesn¡¯t do any damage. On the other hand, even a single blow would tip the balance of the battle.

    ¡°¨CAh!¡± (Noa)

    The golem¡¯s foot raises a stone and debris, and Noa takes a step back.

    The golem¡¯s fist came down. Noa is too late to evade, and takes a stance to catch it.

    A loud crash.

    The rock fist collides head-on with the Hypha Hammer. The impact shakes the wall.

    ¡°Rah!¡± (Shuu)

    Swing my [War Hammer] with all my might. Its arm was shattered, and its shoulder fell off at once.

    Rotating my body I and drive a follow-up attack into its chest.

    The golem scatters debris and falls on its back.

    It stopped moving. Whether it was good or bad, it seems that it was killed in one blow.

    ¡°The vital point? Did you hit it?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­it looks like, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    It was Noa, not Tamiko, who replied in Tamiko. He was shocked.

    The golem has a main body, which extends mycelium and is covered with stones and rocks. Why it takes human form and why it moves like a person has not been known.

    At any rate, the main body is said to be the golem¡¯s vital point. The main body is always hidden somewhere in the body part, and one has to look for a marker to identify it from the surface. The cracks that resemble jumbled letters are the markers.

    By hitting them hard, you can damage the body and render the golem inoperable. The old tale goes, ¡°If you cut off the E of ¡°EMETH¡± (truth), it will die! (meth = death)¡±, which seems to have been pulled from a fantasy novel.

    It seems that the [War Hammer] just hit directly near the main body. I fearfully peeked at the shattered part and found a yellow hairy sphere exposed. It was sunken in and oozing white liquid. It appears to be dead.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what you get at level 15¨C¡± (Shuu)

    I stopped myself, but it was already too late. Noa is even more depressed.

    I dig into the golem and pulls out the main body. As I had heard, it was a white hairy sphere about 50 cm in diameter. When I cracked open the bottom, I could see the sporangium. I gouged it out and offers one to Noa.

    ¡°Noa, here are is a sporangium. I¡¯ll share one with Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­No, I don¡¯t have the right to eat it¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa and Tamiko look at each other.

    ¡°¡­I thought that with this kind of enemy, I wouldn¡¯t have to bother Shuu-san and Sis. Even so, it was hard to deal with even a low-ranking golem¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Noa-san? Noa-san?¡± (Shuu)

    Noa crouched and carves letters with her [Dagger].

    ¡°Even though I¡¯ve taken the trouble to have you Join¡­ in the end, Shuu-san will not just let it defeat you and leave you alone¡­ Small fry, squeak, Noa is so very weak, squeak¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so self-deprecating¡­¡± (Noa)

    I think weak Noa and puke Squirrel are similar. Well, they don¡¯t look alike. It does not matter.

    I sat down in front of her and held out the sporangium once again.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Noa, I think Tamiko and I would still be languishing somewhere underground right now. We wouldn¡¯t even be hunters. Well, maybe you¡¯re not as strong as us, but it¡¯s not just about being out in front and being physically strong, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But¡­¡­¡± (Noa)

    I stroke Noa¡¯s head. Her hair is curly and soft. It seems to dance between my fingers.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s be clear here. The division of our roles.¡± (Shuu)

    We¡¯ve come this far in a haphazard manner. I should have talked about this before the team¡¯s first real battle. Noa was dependable for her level, and since she was a senior hunter, I left it up to her to make the decision.

    We form a circle with Tamiko.

    ¡°Our three roles. We decide here and now! I¡¯ll listen to any objections!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s superior gives her approval. She clears her throat.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s start with Tamiko. First of all, Tamiko, you need to search using [Hearing] and analyze the strength using [Risk Counter]. And also scouting with [Camouflage] and [Avatar]. That¡¯s what we call a Scout.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I am a Shinobi, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s right, maybe a Kunoichi?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right, squeak. From today onwards, my Fungal Class is [Kunoichi], squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Nin Nin! Tamiko puts her fingers together. The second generation of Squirrel Kunoichi was born.

    ¡°Noa is the chief strategist and quartermaster. I mean, we can¡¯t do this without Noa¡¯s knowledge, you know. She also supports me. She has different abilities from me.¡± (Shuu)

    High-school Girl, the chief strategist, was born.

    ¡°So I¡¯m going to move in front. I¡¯ll be the defender and the attacker. That¡¯s what I¡¯m suited for because that¡¯s all I can do.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ It will be too much of a burden for Shuu-san¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s a small fry, I¡¯ll get the two of you to do it, and if there¡¯s something I can¡¯t do, I¡¯ll ask you both for help.¡± (Shuu)

    Even if there is a difference in level, two people are better than one, and three people are better than two. This is especially true in a harsh environment such as the Metro.

    Once again, he held out the sporangium in his hand to Noa.

    ¡°We¡¯re all friends, you know. You should share with us. You don¡¯t have to think of that as a favor. If Noa gets stronger, it will help me and Tamiko, too.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I was born from my Mother and  Abeshuu¡¯s teacher, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re being too much.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa looks up. The shadow of despondency is gone and her usual bright light is back.

    She takes the sporangium and bites into it with the vigor of an unarmed general who has fasted for three days.

    ¡°Nom-nom¡­ I¡¯m going to get stronger. Please wait, Shu-san, Sis.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you reach my tail, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes! Squeak!¡± (Noa)

    Her big sis is reliable. [T/N: Noa is starting to squeak. I¡¯m worried about Noa¡¯s vocabulary. Tamiko has a very sus vocabulary.]

 CH 52

    ¡°Oh, Shuu-san. Did you see the internal organs of the golem?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Huh? Are you going to dismantle this creepy thing?¡± (Shuu)

    I split open the belly of the main body of the giant hairball.

    A small Ore Fungus of about two centimeters in diameter comes out. The surface of the Fungus is a little bit melted.

    ¡°The golem feeds on the fluids of small creatures and large creatures on the ground. But sometimes it seems to swallow Ore Fungus, too, and they come out of its stomach.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    Rare minerals are found in the deeper levels. So, if you defeat the golem there, you may be able to get some rare Ore Fungus.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s like a golem lottery. We need to go deeper and try to get the rare ones.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Golem lottery? Oh, the kind that city kids play with. It¡¯s something with dolls in it and stuff.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, that culture still remains in this era, huh?¡± (Shuu)

    I looked at the hole where the golem had just come out. The hole is quite empty because of the large size of the body.

    ¡°If this continues every day, no matter how big the Metro is, the walls and floors will be full of holes.

    ¡°Umm¡­ According to the guidebook, Ouji seems to change quite frequently. The golem¡¯s hole may be blocked, or the debris may be absorbed.¡± (Noa)

    ¨CChanges in the metro.

    I heard this phrase from Tamiko a long time ago.

    ¡°¡­Tamiko told me that the hidden room where I was sleeping came to the surface because of such changes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Really, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The principle is unknown, as usual, but it seems that Metro has two actions¡­ One is to try to return to its original state and the other is to change into a different form. I think my case is the latter action, and Ouji¡¯s case is a place where the former action is likely to occur.¡± (Noa)

    To be honest, this doesn¡¯t sound very familiar to me, but I guess the point is that the root of the problem is the same as the [Metro Flood].

    ¡°But, by that logic, wouldn¡¯t the holes in the elevators be blocked as well?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I think it was written in my great-grandfather¡¯s notebook. Sometimes it doesn¡¯t happen and things stay that way, like a big scar on the skin that leaves a mark.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­I see¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It is interesting to compare it to a human being or a living creature. The former is a wound-repairing action, while the latter is a mutation.

    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s theoretically possible to have an elevator pass through the deepest levels of the Metro.¡± (Shuu)

    Unless there is warp magic like in video games, the convenience of elevators is immeasurable. I¡¯d love to see them put them through all the major Metros.

    ¡°It would take a tremendous amount of time and effort, though. They¡¯d have to eliminate most of the Metro Beasts before they can do the work safely, and maintenance would be very difficult, and there are regulations in the New Tokyo Laws that would take effect.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see, the three major taboos, huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to go. I want to get to the 20th floor by the end of the day.¡± (Noa)

    I stood up and started walking again, but even so, the question from earlier was still stuck in my head.

    ¡ªWhat exactly is Metro?

    Compared to Outsuka, the density of metro beasts in Ouji is much thinner.

    It is said that there are metro beasts other than golems after the eleventh floor, but even without using [Beast Repellent Spores], we never encountered any until the thirteenth floor. There are also few signs of insects, geckos, bats, rats, or other small animals.

    Occasionally, I see areas of water and mycelial plants, but the grayish rock surface continues endlessly. This Metro may have been barren from the start, making it difficult for creatures to live here.

    As for golems, we encounter them several times. However, I only checked its floor, and since it was still low, I decided to run away without defeating it. The stray Rock Dolls wander around for a while in search of food, and then return to the bedrock, leaving their debris bodies behind.

    ¡°In short, they are like ghosts swimming around in the ground. It only needs an armor when it comes out of the shadows.¡± (Noa)

    The golem¡¯s food is said to be the living blood of humans and beasts. Tentacles come out from the main body of the golem, and the golem sticks its tentacles into the body and sucks blood and sporangium from them. It is truly an evil spirit.

    ¡°What is an evil spirit, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Uh, let¡¯s see¡­ It¡¯s something like the soul or life of a living creature? A being in which only the soul or life of a creature has emerged from the body?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    When I say it again, I realize it is too abstract to explain. I don¡¯t know if New Tokyo has such values or not, but at least it is difficult to explain to Tamiko, who is not familiar with it, in an easy-to-understand way.

    ¡°Well¡­ Ordinary living creatures return to the earth after death, right? But if I were to die right now, for example, my body would be dead, but I would come out of it as a translucent ghost and fly around you and Noa. That¡¯s a ghost. Do you get it now?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°*Tearful squeak*¡­ Abeshuu¡­ Don¡¯t die, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to die. Don¡¯t cry. Don¡¯t rub your snot on my shoulders.¡± (Shuu)

    Even though she¡¯s a squirrel who doesn¡¯t usually say sensible things. I think I am touched by this childish change.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a fairy tale or what, but there¡¯s no such thing in real life. You¡¯ve never seen the ghost of a Metro Beast, right? Even if it¡¯s the country of threads, even if there are monsters and demons, there are no ghosts. It¡¯s very unscientific.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, it seems that the story that the body of a golem is haunted by a ghost became popular in the past.¡± (Noa)

    When I turned around, Noa was shining her [Lightball] on her face from below.

    ¡°The story is about the time when the ecology of the golem was unknown. The souls of hunters who died an untimely death in the Metro, unable to move to heaven or return to the earth¡­ and as they wandered around in the Metro, they became trapped in the rocks¡­ suffering from thirst, dragging their heavy bodies around in search of the blood of the living. ¡­crying ¡®I¡¯ll make you a rock doll too!¡¯¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Pigya!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Not in my ears! My eardrum!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, now it¡¯s well known that they¡¯re full-fledged creatures. It¡¯s like the ghost stories that miners use to discipline children who stay up late after work.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Tamiko, my shoulders are slightly warm.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Then why did you move to Noa? Are you somehow dissatisfied with me, after you puked on my right shoulder and pissed on my left shoulder?¡± (Shuu)

    Golem seems to sense its surroundings not by smell or light, but by vibration, including sound. This is why the [Beast Repellent] does not work.

    On the 17th floor, the path is blocked, forcing us to a battle. This time, the level is about 17. So, Noa was once again the solo challenger.

    Noa was about eight levels higher than the Golem, but the Golem had the advantage in physical strength due to its race. Even so, Noa, with her superior speed, skillfully maneuvered and literally took the fight to the Golem. She does not aim to stop its movement completely, as she did earlier, but only to impede its movement, using that opportunity to find a vital point.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Noa)

    I shattered its knee with a hammer to stop its movement.

    ¡°To its right chest! Now!¡± (Shuu)

    At that moment, Noa makes a desperate move.

    Noa¡¯s [Dagger] thrust, with all her weight on it, is sucked into the vital spot. Whitish bodily fluids spill from the rocky crevice, and the golem collapses.

    ¡°I did it! I did it!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°You did it! Noa is amazing, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    The two girls are excitedly taking each other¡¯s hands. I¡¯ve always thought that Tamiko spits a lot of poison at Noa, or rather, she¡¯s becoming sweet. Maybe it¡¯s because she sees herself as an older sister. But it is good that they get along so well.

    ¡°Abeshuu, we¡¯re aiming for the top, squeak. Hurry up, you¡¯re too slow, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Be nice to me too.¡± (Shuu)

    The is no Ore Fungus in the body this time. Is it possible to have a dud lottery ticket?

    ¡°Well, we picked up a few Ore Fungus along the way. I¡¯ll save my luck for later.¡±

    And so we make it to the 20th floor before night falls. We¡¯re doing well, thanks to the map.

    ¡°There seems to be a hunter¡¯s camp on this floor.¡± (Noa)

    It was on the map, a free lodging facility. They say it¡¯s an area where golems don¡¯t appear, so we can spend the night safety.

    ¡°It¡¯s a mid-level camp, though, so I guess it just has tents and water source nearby.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± (Shuu)

    If I can have a BBQ at the camp, I don¡¯t need anything else. But I want a hammock or something.

    From around the fifteenth floor, Metro Beasts other than Golems also show up with a reasonable frequency. Green Goblins, Eight-Eyed Bats, Almirajs (Horned Rabbits), etc. It¡¯s not a good opponent level-wise, but they are easy to deal with using [Beast Repellent].

    ¡°Next time you see an Almiraj, don¡¯t chase it away, hunt it. It¡¯s for tonight¡¯s dinner.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take care of it, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Using [Sensory Spores] and Tamiko¡¯s [Hearing], we search for an Almiraj, and after finding it. I saw that the rabbit is around the size of a big dog. It¡¯s kind of cute, including the fact that it¡¯s the size of a large dog.

    While Noa and I watch on anxiously, Tamiko approaches with her [Camouflage]¡ªbut she is still noticed. A rabbit, indeed, has a good ear.

    She turns around and confronts Almiraj head-on¡ªa white Tamiko, that is. It is her mycelial doppelganger.

    In the split second that Almiraj is distracted by it, a brown ball of fur attacks it from behind.

    It screamed out, ¡°Gyii!¡± The larger, white furball flails about, then stops moving. On top of it stands a squirrel with a bright red face.

    ¡°¡­Done for, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that. Don¡¯t bite your tongue.¡± (Shuu)

    The three of us put our hands together and removed the sporangium. Soon, Noa begins bleeding and dismantling the Almiraj.

    ¡°What level was this one?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°About 50, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Liar.¡± (Shuu)

    I questioned the vain squirrel, and she said it was around 20 or so.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to try to find some ore on the horn, squeak. It¡¯s okay, squeak.¡±

    ¡°Well. The golem will get stronger and stronger, so we have to be careful too.¡± (Noa)

    The color of the firefly moss is changing from white to blue. It will be night soon. We hurry to the campsite.

 CH 52.1

    A/N: Subject to additional information and revision.

    Shuu Abe

    Human, Male. Born in January 28 years old (135 actual age).

    Appearance: A forgettable baby¡¯s butt smooth face, short hair. 175 cm, slim, and slightly muscular.

    Occupation: Hunter (affiliated with Sugamo Branch)

    Fungal Class: Itokuri-shi (Level 68)

    Fungal Skills: 17 types [Immortality] [Katana] [Fireball] [Round Shield] [Holy Healing] [War Hammer] [Thunderball] [Great Shield] [Leaping] [Sensory Spores] [Detoxification] [Smoke Ball] [Beast Repellent] [White Bullet] [Light Blade] [Ashura] [Iron Fist]

    Personality/Traits: Moderate, or more specifically, mediocre personality. He is good-natured, has a strong sense of justice, and is rather sociable. He does not like to do anything rough, but he is easily fired up. He is not a genius, but he is a hard worker who makes up for it with his imagination, thoughtfulness, and learning ability. He tends to make a lot of mistakes when he gets fired up and can¡¯t see what¡¯s going on around him. He calls himself a nonvirgin. His favorite food is meat, rice, and beer.

    Tamiko

    Carbuncle, Female. Born in March 10 years old.

    Appearance: She looks like a squirrel, but she has a red jewel on her head. She is about 20 centimeters tall (when her spine is fully extended).

    Occupation: Hunter (affiliated with Sugamo Branch)

    Fungal Class: Kunoichi (self-proclaimed) (level 40)

    Fungal Skills: 6 Types [Hearing] [Squirrel White Armor] [Risk Counter] [Hardened Front Teeth] [Camouflage] [Squirrel Avatar]

    Personality/Traits: The #1 Heroine. She ends with ¡°Squeak¡±. Her screams are ¡°Pigya¡± and ¡°Pigyi¡±. Her traits are ¡°Superior¡±, ¡°Puke¡±, ¡°Courage¡±, ¡°Vain¡±, ¡°Know-it-all¡±, etc., but in general she is a ¡°good kid¡±. Her weird vocabulary was from her mother. Her [Risk Counter] is too convenient. Her favorite foods are sweets. She also likes Shuu¡¯s [Holy Healing].

    Noa Ikari

    Human, Female. Born on April 18 years old.

    Appearance: Boyish beauty. She is about 150 cm and has big knockers.

    Occupation: Hunter (affiliated with Ikebukuro branch)

    Fungal Class: Craftsman (Level 25)

    Fungal Skills: 3 Types [Dagger] [White String] [Lightball]

    Personality/Traits: #2 Heroine. She uses ¡°Boku¡± [T/N: young boy¡¯s ¡°I¡±]. She well-learned and a good cook with an old document that is difficult to decipher, her great-grandfather¡¯s diary. For better or worse, she is serious. She is kind and devoted to those whom she has come to know, but she is cold-hearted and merciless toward the wicked. In fact, she is as hard-working as Shuu and Tamiko. In addition, although she comes from a good family, she has a complex about her own mediocrity. She doesn¡¯t mind or rather likes, strong-smelling things. She also likes to eat smelly food

    Routa Obuchi

    Pigfolk ¨C Orc, Male. Born in September, 32 years old.

    Appearance: Pig-faced, Large and Obese. 180 cm.

    Occupation: Hunter (affiliated with Setagaya Branch)

    Fungal Class: Fighter (Level 40)

    Fungal Skills: 5 Types [Toughness] [War Claws] [Great Shield] [Strong Heat Resistance] [Enlarged Arms]

    Personality/Traits: A pig demihuman, Orc. His favorite phrase is ¡°buhi¡±. A sincere merchant. A connoisseur, but he tends to move as a man of principle and humanity. He is well known and well-liked in all cities. He loves his partner, Yui, very, very much. He is a slave to a cat. His fighting style is surprisingly hard-core. He is also a gourmet and loves pita bread.

    Yui

    Cait Sith, Female. Born on July 16 years old.

    Appearance: She looks like a Siamese cat. Spotted white with a mushroom-shaped tail. She is the size of a normal adult cat.

    Occupation: Hunter (affiliated with Setagaya Branch)

    Fungal Class: ? (Level 37)

    Fungal Skills: 5 Types [Fireball] [Iron Tail] [Smelling] [Hypnosis] [Windball]

    Personality/Traits: The ending is ¡°Dawana¡±. She is a beautiful cat with a lot of sex appeal for an older woman. She has high pride and does not let men touch her easily. She is hungry for girl talk, but there are no suitable girls around her. Obuchi has been her partner for 10 years. She has Fungal Skills that are closer to that of a [Illusionist]. She prefers wet to dry.

    Aomoto Rin

    Human, Female. Born on March 29 years old.

    Appearance: Cool beauty with long black hair. She has a slender figure (with decent knockers) and is 165cm tall.

    Occupation: Hunter (affiliated with Sugamo branch, Guild Representative, Yokozuna)

    Fungal Class: Beast Warrior (Level 52)

    Fungal Skill: 8 Types [Self-regeneration] [Herculean Strength] [Battle Spear] [Instant Response] [Healing] [Detoxification] [Barrier] [Berserker]

    Fungal Ability: [Perseverance] (decreases the amount of energy consumed by Fungal Skills)

    Personality/Traits: Pompous. She is clumsy and makes a lot of mistakes when her emotions get the better of her. However, she is serious, competent, and well-liked because she takes good care of people. She is the type of leader who is supported by those around him. She is a Yokozuna and loves kissing. She wants to be a squirrel slave. A [Beast Warrior] a mix of [Healer] and [Knight,] a surprising all-rounder. She is a stubborn person who gnaws raw acorns. [T/N: She was probably a Holy Knight before but now she is a Beast Warrior that is why she has Knight instead of Fighter.]

    Touka Kaike

    Human, Female. Born on January 28 years old.

    Appearance: Relaxing beauty with loose and fluffy hair. She¡¯s 156cm and has moderately large breasts.

    Occupation: Guild Employee (affiliated with Sugamo branch, Nokota)

    Fungal Class: Healer (Level 12)

    Fungal Skill: 1 [Healing]

    Fungal Ability: [Mind¡¯s Eye]

    Personality/Characteristics: She is an office worker who appears to be soft and easy-going, but is very serious about her work. She is a former Free Folk from Rikugi Village. Because of her Fungal Class, she has had a rather difficult life. She is popular in and outside the office but has never been in a relationship. She has no experience in combat either (she was never trained). She has no experience as a referee, despite being asked to do so. Her favorite food is ostrich eggs.

    Shimoyanagi Heiya

    Human, Male. Born in October 51 years old.

    Appearance: A white-haired handsome guy with some stubble. 175 cm.

    Occupation: Hunter (affiliated with Sugamo Branch)

    Fungal Class: Sniper (Level 68)

    Fungal Skill: ?

    Fungal Ability: ?

    Personality/Traits: The strongest hunter in Sugamo and one of the best in New Tokyo. His nickname is ¡°Shooting Willow¡±. A cool and dandy kind uncle who takes good care of his juniors. He loves drinking and women. A talented man. Brother of Aomoto¡¯s mother.

    Kinko

    Carbuncle, Tamiko¡¯s mother. She was 35 years old.

    Katsuo Usui

    Human, Hunter. Tamiko¡¯s mother¡¯s Partner. He was 40 years old.

    Akio Konno

    Human, Sugamo merchant. 42-years-old.

    ???

    Parasite. Unidentified. 0-years-old?

    A parasite that somehow infests other creatures and continues to grow while changing hosts.

    It encountered Tamiko and Shuu in Outsuka Metro. They have been pursuing Tamiko and Shuu, following them to the surface.

    They transformed their last host into a deformed creature that closely resembles that of a person who has [Demonic Disease], and fights with Shuu, but was defeated. Their subsequent course of action is unknown at present.

 CH 52.2

    A/N: 9/24 ¨C One name of the Five Great Beast Kings was changed. [Infinite Elephant Watanabe] ¡ú [Omnipotent Elephant Watanabe].

    I hope this will help you understand the world and terminologies in my work.

    It will be moved to the beginning of the Volume later.

    Tokyo Judgement

    The layman¡¯s name for the two major disasters that occurred at the end of the Heisei era: [Metro Flood] and [Super Fungal Contamination].

    Metro Flood

    One of the major disasters that hit Tokyo.

    A mysterious mutating phenomenon occurred in the whole area of the Tokyo metropolitan lines.

    Through structural changes and growth, as well as loss and cessation, an underground labyrinth called the ¡°Metro¡± has been constructed throughout Tokyo. The huge wall covering New Tokyo is also thought to be a structure created by the Metro.

    Super Fungal Contamination

    One of the major disasters that hit Tokyo.

    The Super Fungal Contamination phenomenon is said to have originated from the depths of the Metro.

    The contamination on the surface lasted for a decade, decomposing all of Tokyo¡¯s civilization and significantly reducing the population in Tokyo, which was trapped due to the Metro Flood.

    New Tokyo

    A new country was born in the land of Tokyo, which was destroyed by the [Tokyo Judgment]. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is the main governing organization, and each city and tribe are allowed to have its own autonomy. The head of the government is the Governor of Tokyo, a [Itokuri-shi] who survived the [Tokyo Judgment].

    Metropolitan Government

    The city houses the central government and other national institutions. It is located in Meguro. The headquarters of Hunters¡¯ Guild and the Metropolitan Bank are also located in the Metropolitan Government. The mayor is also the governor of the city.

    Wall

    A huge wall, 500 meters high, surrounds the perimeter of New Tokyo. It is believed to have been raised by the Metro, but the material making it up is unknown.

    In New Tokyo (partly due to pressure from the church), interfering with the walls¡ªnot to mention climbing, even touching, and even getting close to them¨Cis a taboo.

    It is said that no one knows what is on the other side of the wall or the world outside of New Tokyo. At least, no aircraft traffic has been confirmed in the sky.

    People of Thread

    The people of New Tokyo, a new species of humans who survived the [Tokyo Judgment]. They have resistance to the Super Fungi, and about 10% of the population has the ability to manipulate mycelium in their bodies. In rare cases, Demi-humans, [humans with the characteristics of beasts] are also born.

    Free Folk

    The [Free Folk] are the unregistered People of Thread. They do not belong to any city or tribe but live individually or in villages.

    Metro

    The countless labyrinths that spread beneath the New Tokyo. The interior is infested with mycelium and Metro Beasts, which hold a variety of valuable resources. The water supply, sewage system, and hot springs that use these resources support the civilization of New Tokyo.

    Metro Beast

    Metro Beast is a general term for beasts that inhabit the entire New Tokyo area and the Metros (excluding small animals, insects, and other helpless and harmless creatures). They are said to have emerged from the depths of the Metro after the flood, or those existing animals were mutated by the Super Fungi, but the truth has yet to be determined.

    Like humans, some have the concept of levels and use Fungal Skills. The mature individuals that have repeatedly preyed for many years are considered to be evolved versions of the existing species.

    Magic Beast

    A general term for beasts that speak human languages. Some species are as intelligent as human beings and communicate with the People of Threads. Like humans, there are many individuals with Fungal Skills. Like Carbuncles and Cait Sith that appear in works of fiction.

    Mycelial Plant

    Plant-like organisms inhabiting the entire New Tokyo area and inside the Metro. Like Metro Beasts, their origin is still unknown.

    They reproduce by spores. Some species are photosynthetic, while others are like basic fungi that decompose organic matter. They are an important resource that supports the civilization of New Tokyo.

    Tribe Territory

    A feudal territory ruled by a powerful [Itokuri-shi] in the old days. The number of tribe territories has been reduced through conflicts and the ¡°Demon War¡±, and now there are eight remaining tribe territories.

    Existing: Ikebukuro, Senju, Kamade, Akabane, Nerima, Setagaya, Shinagawa, Suginami

    Destroyed: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akasaka, Gotanda, etc.

    Metro Church

    A religious group that regards the Metro as sacred and believes in the ¡°God of Threads¡±. They are an absolute authority in New Tokyo along with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The headquarters is located in Akihabara.

    They believe that the [Tokyo Judgement] is divine retribution for the environmental destruction of the ancient civilization, and advocate ¡°harmony (symbiosis) with the metro,¡± ¡°protection and preservation of the natural environment,¡± and ¡°warning against the development of civilization that goes beyond the bounds of what is acceptable¡±. The Founder is an [Itokuri-shi].

    Fungal Power, Fungal Skill, Fungal Ability

    Fungal Power, or level, is a numerical indicator of the strength and growth of the mycelium in the body. It is commonly referred to as [Level] because it is confused with physical strength. [T/N: I might have to change Fungal Level to Fungal Power depending on the next chapter.]

    Experience is accumulated by ingesting the sporangium of Metro Beasts, and when the threshold is exceeded, the level increases. The signal is the ¡°tingling of the body¡±.

    Fungal Skill, or skill, is the ability to manipulate the mycelium in the body to produce various effects. The number of skills that can be acquired depends on the individual¡¯s qualities. The signal for learning is the ¡°warmth in the back¡±.

    Fungal Ability, or ability, only a few people can acquire this special ability, and only one person can acquire it. It is difficult to distinguish from Fungal Skills, but it is said that it mainly appears as buff and passive effects. The signal for acquiring it is ¡°butterflies in the stomach¡±.

    Fungal Class

    Also called the class. The ability to learn systems of Fungal Skills.

    There are six types of basic Fungal Classes and five types of High-Rank Fungal Classes. The High-Rank Fungal Class is a hybrid of the basic Fungal Class and other Fungal Classes, and the maximum level and the number of Fungal Skills that can be learned are higher than those of the basic Fungal Class.

    Basic Class: [Knight], [Fighter], [Craftsman], [Illusionist], [Healer], [Sniper]

    High-Rank: [Holy Knight], [Beast Warrior], [Puppeteer], [Mage], [Sage]

    It is said that there is no Higher-Rank Fungal Class of [Sniper].

    The majority of people who do not have a Fungal Class and therefore cannot learn Fungal Skills are sometimes called [Peasant], but this term is now considered a slur among Hunters because it is considered discriminatory.

    Itokuri-shi/Thread Weaver

    Legendary Fungal Class. They possess [Immortality], which combines Super-Regeneration and Ageless, and there is no limit to the fungal abilities that they can acquire. After the [Tokyo Judgment] twelve [Itokuri-shi] was born, and they eventually became the heroes of the founding of the Twelve Tribes during the beginning of the new era.

    After that, no other [Itokuri-shi] emerged. Most of them lost their lives during the [Demon War] and there are only four [Itokuri-shi] in existence: the Governor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Founder of the Metro Church, the Chief of the Nerima Tribe, and Shuu Abe.

    Hunter¡¯s Guild

    ¡°A group of adventurers who make their living by exploring the Metro¡±, only individuals with Fungal Class can become a guild member, it is an organization that manages those people. The founder is an [Itokuri-shi]

    The headquarters is located in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, with branches in each city and tribe territory. The minimum age requirement to register as a member is 15 years old and level 10 or above, and the screening process is somewhat rigorous since it is possible to obtain a Family Registry in the area to which you belong.

    Hunter

    A person who belongs to the Hunter¡¯s Guild and makes a living by exploring the Metro and killing Metro Beasts. Or an individual who engages in the same activities even if not affiliated to the guild.

    In the guild, a guild member is called a hunter, but usually, only those who have a Fungal Class can be employed as a hunter. The main sources of income are rewards from quests (commissioned missions) and harvests from explorations.

    There is a ranking system from 3rd to 5th dan.

    Also, as a conventional approach, depending on the level

    -10 to 30: Novice, beginners, etc.

    (Especially those under 20: greenhorns, weaklings, etc.)

    -30 to 50: Mid-rank, etc.

    -50 to 60: Advanced, veteran, etc.

    -Over 60: Master, experts, etc.

    and so on.

    Sumo

    The national sport of New Tokyo (meaning ¡°a widely known sport¡±). Players collide with each other¡¯s strength one-on-one within a ring, and the winner is determined by whether they push the enemy on their knees or push them out of the ring.

    The rules of the ring vary according to local conditions, such as ¡°the presence or absence of strikes, kicks, and grappling techniques¡±, and ¡°the use or absence of Hypha Weapons and Fungal Skills¡±. The Shinto ritual part is lost, and only appears when it is performed by the Church, it imitates the old sumo during these times.

    Demon

    Demons are intelligent, deformed creatures that resemble humans. They have more intelligence than humans, control more Fungal Skills than humans, and boast a higher level of intelligence than humans. They are cruel in nature and take pleasure in killing people and bringing chaos to the human world.

    (From the notes of Noa¡¯s great-grandfather)

    They have not been seen since the ¡°Demon War¡± 50 years ago. They are a mysterious group, but the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Hunters¡¯ Guild regard them as dangerous, ¡°a calamity that will soon come upon the ruined nation.¡±

    People who suffer from a strange disease called [Demonic Disease] sometimes mutate into monstrous figures, but this is only due to the fact that they are ¡°strong and terrifying like demons,¡± and there is no known connection to actual demons.

    Three Major Taboos

    The Three Major Taboos of New Tokyo as determined by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Metro Church in order to prevent the return of the [Tokyo Judgment] and the arrival of the Demons. It is forbidden at both the individual and the city level, and any infringement of this prohibition will result in a crackdown by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

    ¨C Interference with the wall ¨C coming in contact with it, going over it.

    ¨C Overdevelopment of the Metro and excessive waste of resources.

    ¨C The Revival of Ancient Civilization

    Five Great Beast Kings

    The five most powerful Metro Beasts in New Tokyo, of which are estimated to be over 200 years old. All of them are intelligent and can speak the human language.

    Some of them live deep in the Metro, while others live on the surface. Some are hostile to humanity, while others have signed a non-aggression pact with humanity. Although they are grouped together as the Five Great Beast Kings, they are unrelated to each other and rarely interfere with each other.

    The following names are given by the founder of the Hunters¡¯ Guild, but some of the Beast Kings themselves do not approve of the names.

    ?Dark Purple Dragon Yamamoto

    ?Fresh Blood Weasel Suzuki

    ?Freezing Snake Satou

    ?Heavenly Lion Tanaka

    ?Omnipotent Elephant Watanabe

    A/N: Subject to additional information and revision.

    The style is to keep the world-building somewhat open.

    T/N: The name of the Beast Kings might change depending on what they look like or their descriptions, etc.

 CH 53

    Carrying a lump of healthy pink rabbit meat, we head for the campsite, relying on the map.

    The ceiling narrows down like Gulliver Tunnel, and at the end of the ceiling is a door with an iron fence. It was high enough for an adult to enter with a bent back. The door is not locked, but it cannot be opened unless the knob is turned properly. [T/N: Gulliver Tunnel is a gadget from Doraemon.]

    ¡°¡­whoa¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    It¡¯s quite spacious inside.

    The ceiling is wide, and Firefly Moss completely shifted into its night glow, pouring down bluish light. The ground is soft grass, and there are about ten cloth tents set up in the open space.

    In the back is an underground lake, the shores of which are covered in shimmering sand. It looked like a resort.

    ¡°It feels like an oasis in the Outsuka Metro, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It does? Maybe, because it¡¯s by the water.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, is this your first time here? Come here.¡± (Woman)

    The three of us are startled by the call. There is a woman sitting in front of the tent, using a stump as a chair.

    She is a tall, fabulous woman in her mid-thirties with curly hair. Her magnificent Mount Fujis are showing. Staring at her is inevitable.

    ¡°T-Thank you¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Haha, why are you holding back? We¡¯re not the manager of this place or anything, we¡¯re just guests just like you.¡± (Woman)

    ¡°Oh, is someone here, Sis?¡± (Other Woman)

    The group was startled. The woman who came out of the tent had the exact same face and the same magnificent Mount Fujis as the first woman. A doppelganger?

    ¡°Ahaha, you guys are giving quite the good reaction. This is why we can¡¯t stop.¡± (Woman)

    They are twins. Their favorite game is this: one calls out to the other to come in, and the other comes out later. It¡¯s a little frustrating that I¡¯ve become the target for them. I¡¯m a little embarrassed.

    ¡°We are Akabane Tribe¡¯s Shishikaba Sisters. I am Midori Shishikaba.¡± (Woman => Midori)

    ¡°I¡¯m Aoi Shishikaba. Nice to meet you, newcomer.¡± (Other Woman => Aoi)

    The sister who first approached me was wearing a green jersey, and the sister who came out of the tent was wearing a blue jersey. They are distinguishable by their outfit¡¯s colors, just as their names suggest.

    ¡°Is there a manager here?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, no. There¡¯s no one like that.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Some kind soul set up this place, and since then, anyone can use it freely.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Trouble is still an everyday occurrence, though.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Keep your valuables safe.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°You can count on us if you need anything.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°It¡¯s almost like you¡¯re living here all year round.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We¡¯re old-timers.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Like Snufkin.¡± (Aoi)

    Is Moomin still being passed down in this era? Anyway, the two doppelgangers talks of meddlesome questions. It¡¯s the perfect use of their twin power.

    At any rate, they don¡¯t seem to be bad people, so we casually introduce ourselves. ¡°I¡¯m Abe Shu from Sugamo¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ikari Noa¡± and ¡°I¡¯m Tamiko, squeak.¡±

    ¡°The place is half empty, so use it as you see fit.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°We see many visitors these days.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°We¡¯re going to have a barbecue in a little while.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, please join us.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°We¡¯ve got plenty of booze, so we¡¯ll be serving it up tonight.¡± (Midori)

    They are not just not bad people. They are goddesses, or the real Guri and Gura sent to this world. I want to eat pancakes. [T/N: Guri and Gura are children¡¯s book characters that originated from Japan.]

    The tent on the far right of the entrance is empty. Inside, there is only a thin sheet on the ground and an empty lamp hanging from it. Even with space for luggage, there was enough room for about four people to sleep in the tent.

    ¡°Hey Noa, Gu¡ªthe twins said they were going to have a BBQ, is it okay if we join?¡± (Shuu)

    For Tamiko and me, this is the first time (besides Noa) that we have had the opportunity to interact with other hunters in the Metro. We had passed each other several times on the way here but had only greeted each other with a ¡°hi¡± in the way mountain climbers do.

    This is a free camping space in the middle of a semi-lawless Metro area, free from management. I wondered if there was really no problem in terms of risk mitigation.

    ¡°I think you need to be at least cautious¡­ but I think is fine. The metro is under the direct control of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and there are many people coming and going. I don¡¯t think there are any hunters who would openly try to do something bad. They seemed to be of high levels.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°They¡¯re both about 40, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    The more you go up the levels and ranks, the less likely you are to find small-time crooks who will do evil. They can earn money without relying on such acts, and they have accumulated achievements and status. There are a few examples like that bandit chief, so it¡¯s not an absolute rule.

    ¡°They certainly don¡¯t seem to be bad people, and it¡¯s a rare opportunity to meet with a senior member.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Shuu-san, I see ¡®beer¡¯ written in your eyes.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What a bad adult, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    The loud metallic clangs echoed outside the tent

    ¡°Everybody, gather around!¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Let the barbecue begin!¡± (Midori)

    It¡¯s Guri to Gura, or Midori and Aoi. So all of us leave the tent to join in the fun. Hi-ho-ho!

    Seven individuals are gathered on the shore of the underground lake at the far side of the tent.

    Midori and Aoi. A young male and female duo. A duo of uncles. And a handsome man with red hair standing there alone.

    ¡°Ten people, isn¡¯t that a lively group?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Actually, there is one more person.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°We invited them, but they didn¡¯t want to.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°So, they¡¯re a Lone Wolf, huh?¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Literally.¡± (Midori)

    Noa twitched at the edge my gaze. Just for a brief moment.

    A table is set with cups made of carved stone. Stone boxes and firewood are set up for the fire. Vegetables, mushrooms, mysterious meat, and fish with strange tentacles are grilled on skewers. The twins quickly process and skewer the Almiraj meat that Noa brought with us.

    ¡°¡­Tamiko, this is a real BBQ¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ An absolute sumptuous feast, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    We had done a lot of fake BBQ at Outsuka Metro, but this one was on a whole new dimension.

    The fire crackled and flared just right. The skewers, which had been properly sprinkled with salt and pepper, or doused with a soy sauce-like sauce, were slowly grilled. A bottle of whiskey-like liquor is on standby. The Kellogg¡¯s Combo would have been screaming, ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡±. [T/N: Combo is a Japanese Kellogg¡¯s mascot, a blue gorilla.]

    While the two starving beasts stare at the food with deadly intensity, Midori and Aoi take a moment to introduce themselves.

    The male-female duo is from Komagome City. The uncle duo is from Nerima Tribe. The hot young master is from Senju Tribe. In general, many of them are from the northern and eastern parts of New Tokyo.

    After my group and everyone was done greeting each other, (and Tamiko¡¯s ¡°I¡¯m ten, squeak!¡±), we toasted with glasses in our hands. The toast is led by the twins hosting the party.

    ¡°Yeah f*cking bastards! This is the last paradise in hell!¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯ll be going to the grave or nursery! It doesn¡¯t matter, we¡¯ll put our regrets behind us today!¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Even though we hang on each other¡¯s sleeves, to a long and prosperous relationship! For some reason or another, we¡¯re just a bunch of fools!¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Cheers to Ouji Metro and our adventures!¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Yay!¡± (Hunter)

    I took a mouthful of the amber-colored liquid. It hits my tongue, burns my throat, and then exists my nose.

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s the spot! Ahhh!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu is broken again, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°We have to stay strong.¡± (Noa)

    By the way, Tamiko and Noa drank non-alcoholic grape juice. The children are not ready for adult beverages.

    Meat and vegetables are good. The rabbit meat was juicier and more tender than expected. The spices used in this dish doubled our appetite. The drinks go down smooth.

    I have long since forgotten that I had been warned by Noa to not drink a lot because we have a big day tomorrow. I have two more drinks. I can almost see stars, what a nice feeling.

    The story bounces around the twins and the uncle duo. Even me who was accustomed to social gatherings with my peers due to the nature of my job as a salesman. Since I was a newcomer, I remember being stopped by my senior saying things like, ¡°We won¡¯t let you go home until you get a lot of business cards.¡±

    Savoring the delicious skewers and enjoying the heat of the amber liquid in my stomach. Drunken exchange with people I had never met before. Two gorgeous, tipsy beauties. It¡¯s fun. Just plain fun.

    Eventually, the topic of conversation turns to ¡°What are you doing here in the Metro?¡±

    ¡°I am here for the emeralds.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Amethyst. We¡¯re after gemstones.¡± (Aoi)

    Midori and Aoi said proudly. The color of the gemstones are the same color as their name.

    ¡°It looks like this, but we¡¯re jewelers, you see.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Actually, we also have a third sister.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°A year younger than us.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°She didn¡¯t have the talent of a hunter.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°But she¡¯s a lot better than us because we¡¯re not as smart as she is.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°She¡¯s a real genius and leaving the store to her is perfect.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°If you¡¯re ever in Akabane, come to Shishikaba Jewelry Store!¡± (Aoi)

    It is said that the male-female duo is aiming for the money too. From Tamiko¡¯s point of view, they are a little over level 30, so they might also be grinding. However, keep what you¡¯re doing in private.

    The uncle is aiming for some gold. It seems that it is close to their own golden wedding anniversary, so it¡¯s literally for gold rings. What a happy marriage.

    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t say anything, I can¡¯t get out of the house much¡­ Just by going for a walk, I get yelled at, ¡°Hey, old man you¡¯re going out again!¡¯¡­¡± (Uncle 1)

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just kick off saying ¡®Don¡¯t get in the way!¡¯ A golem is much prettier than them.¡± (Uncle 2)

    What a terrifying and veteran hunter duo (estimated level 45). I¡¯m scared getting married.

    And as for the handsome young master¡ªhe scratched his cheek and tilted his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m just here to test my skills?¡± (Young Master)

    I wonder if he¡¯s as old as me. His red hair is smooth looking as it flutters in the wind, he¡¯s elegant looking and perfect to be an idol. There¡¯s always has a smile on his face. He doesn¡¯t look bad, but when our eyes meet, I felt a chill on the back of my neck.

    ¡°*Whisper* (Tamiko, what¡¯s with that guy?)¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°* Whisper* (50 or so, squeak.)¡± (Tamiko)

    If it¡¯s just the level, I am better.

    Individual strength cannot be measured by level alone. It is the same for Metro Beasts and humans. If level were the only measure of strength, we would not have won against the Satan Slime, and it would have been impossible for us to survive in the Outsuka Metro in the first place.

    I feel something more than level in that man.

    Something that neither the twins nor the old man could find, something that lurked beneath his thin skin.

    ¡°Abe-kun, tell us about yourself?¡± (Uncle 1)

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, you¡¯re young, but you look pretty skilled somehow.¡± (Uncle 2)

    A baby¡¯s butt smooth face that seems to be harmless to humans and beasts. This evaluation remains relatively the same in New Tokyo, and it is rare for ordinary people to be wary of me. People often even say, ¡°You don¡¯t look like a hunter.¡±

    However, it seems that those who understand me do. Like the ace of Sugamo, Shimoyanagi, the old man and his wife have accumulated a lot of experience in the field.

    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m hoping to get some Mithril or something.¡± (Shuu)

    The faces of all the members of the group stiffened. The male and female duo laughed bitterly and said, ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡±

    ¡°Abe-kun, that¡¯s unreasonable.¡± (Uncle 1)

    ¡°Mithril is just a dream.¡± (Uncle 2)

    ¡°It seems it was hunted down a few decades ago.¡± (Uncle 1)

    ¡°Nowadays it only appears in the deepest layer.¡± (Uncle 2)

    ¡°And they are rarely seen in the first place.¡±  (Uncle 1)

    ¡°And the deepest levels have recently been the home to a Boss-class Golem.¡± (Uncle 2)

    ¡°It¡¯s hard for us to get our hands on it.¡± (Uncle 1)

    The information given by the man at the reception desk seemed to be out of date.  Apparently, there is a boss on the thirtieth floor.

    Even the experienced uncles thought it was a reckless challenge. It seems that it is not a simple matter.

    When I glanced at Tamiko and Noa, they were kind of prim and quiet.

    ¡°Our Shuu-san is as good a hunter as any of you here.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Sugamo¡¯s strongest, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko, pipe down.¡± (Shuu)

    The senior members of the group tease me about my virginity. I simply deny them. ¡°Proof! I¡¯ll give you the proof!¡±

    ¡°Still¡­ by any chance Shuu-san¡­ well¡­ I still respect you.¡± (Noa)

    A finishing move.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m also¡­ a¡­¡± (Noa)

    I was revived.

    ¡°I¡¯m a girl too, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Sure, sure.¡± (Shuu)

 CH 54

    The feast continues, and the twins tell an old story.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been coming here for more than ten years now.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Back then, the elevator for hunters had just been built.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°We had a lot of trouble with the miners and the Church.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°If you don¡¯t support them, you¡¯ll be called a ¡®human trash¡¯.¡± (Midori)

    According to the twins, the installation of elevators in the Metro was accompanied by strong opposition from the Church. They consider the excessive alteration of the sacred Metro by human hands to be a blasphemous desecration and there is the fear divine retribution. The law that elevators be installed only on the tenth basement floor was also the result of pressure from the Church.

    ¡°Well, they can¡¯t build an elevator on the 20th floor, can they?¡± (Midori)

    ¡°The miners will die like ants.¡± (Aoi)

    The twins also feel that the quantity and quality of the mined goods here are declining. Thanks to that, the number of hunters coming and going has clearly decreased compared to the past.

    ¡°But there are still as many miners as ever.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Though their income is probably lower.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°In the old days, even the youngest children were sent out.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°They¡¯d bring even orphaned children.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°They¡¯d send them out to work in construction, or hunt golems.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Nowadays, though, with all the human rights stuff, that¡¯s all gone.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°¨C¨CThere was once a case of a golem kidnapping a child.¡± (Uncle 1)

    The first to open his mouth was one of the two uncles.

    ¡°It was about twenty years ago. An orphan disappeared in the Metro, and miners and hunters all went out looking for them, but it was hard to find them. They were either eaten by beast or ran away because they couldn¡¯t stand their master¡¯s actions.¡± (Uncle 1)

    ¡°But a week later, I remember, they were found. They were alive, right here in the Metro.¡± (Uncle 2)

    ¡°There was a golem beside them. It was a mature beast that shouldn¡¯t have been found in the shallow floors. We were there, too, and it was really strong.¡± (Uncle 1)

    The hunters formed a party and took it on. They finally managed to kill it and protect the child, despite the damage it had caused.

    ¡°The child was as weak as a fragile dragonfly and so traumatized that they couldn¡¯t speak. If we had been a few days later, they would not have survived.¡± (Uncle 2)

    ¡°Why did the golem kidnap them?¡± (Shuu)

    His lips were pressed tight.

    ¡°The child must have run away of their own volition, but the Golem found them and imprisoned them.¡± (Uncle 2)

    ¡°Sometimes they do that. Sometimes they kidnap people and lock them up in their secret lair so they can secretly enjoy them later.¡± (Uncle 1)

    ¡°Are you serious¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeakiously¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Golem wine cellars. Hundreds of sacrifices. That¡¯s horrifying.

    ¡°Speaking of liquor, the other day my lovely wife found out about mine and confiscated it¡­ without warning¡­¡± (Uncle 1)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that¡­ but your wife¡¯s eyes can¡¯t reach deep enough underground. I¡¯m going to have some fun today!¡± (Uncle 2)

    The topic changed because of their wives, but I heard a terrible story. A true ghost story, a Hundred Tales of the Metro.

    Tamiko is anxiously holding her tail. I wondered if she will be able to go to the bathroom alone tonight. I¡¯ll have no choice but to go with her.

    Soon after, the feast is over. It seems that they have work to do, so they didn¡¯t go deep into it. We all cleaned up, brushed our teeth at the watering hole (a hunter¡¯s teeth is his life), and returned to our tents after saying goodnight to each other.

    ¡°Tomorrow, we will go down to the twenty-fifth floor for the time being.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes¡­ but it¡¯s a little late for that now¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hmm?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I thought that Shuu-san would be fine, so I lightheartedly suggested Ouji, but after all that, Shuu-san¡¯s burden became quite heavy.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m Master level even if I¡¯m like this. Also, I really want a Mithril weapon.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± (Noa)

    I understand Noa¡¯s concerns. I had the same thoughts. The kind of life where unfounded bravery morphs adventures into reckless jumps.

    There is a need for balance. And the only way to acquire that sense is through experience.

    ¡°Well, if it is too hard even on the 25th floor, we would withdraw quickly. If we can afford it, we should try going down a little at a time.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I understand. However, no recklessness is absolutely prohibited. If Shuu-san is not allowed to be reckless, no matter what happens. Tone down your enthusiasm, okay?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I understand that very well. Tamiko is fine with that too, right?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko is holding her crotch and was fidgeting.

    ¡°I want to go to the toilet, squeak¡­ Come with me, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll go with you. I also need to unload.¡± (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something bad.

    The toilets at the campground were made of a hole in a rock wall with a wooden door in it. Instead of a toilet bowl, there was a hole in the ground, and around the hole was a large number of mycelial plants. In short, it is a decomposing-toilet. Below is dry sand, and there is a handwashing area with water seeping out of the rock wall.

    Metro¡¯s mycelial plants are so strong at decomposing that even a fresh corpse is reduced to bones and dust within a few days. They can decompose and absorb excrement in a matter of days.

    (Oh, didn¡¯t Noa mention that the dirty water from Sugamo is discharged into the Metro?) (Shuu)

    (I wonder if it¡¯s also being used underground by mycelial plants or something.) (Shuu)

    Or maybe it¡¯s absorbed by the Metro itself. I should stop scaring myself.

    Noa joins me and Tamiko before going to bed. The three of us do our business together.

    The bathrooms are shared by both men and women, but what should the men do in such a situation? I think I read on the Internet that many women say ¡°I don¡¯t like to go in after men.¡± But I guess they also don¡¯t like to be followed after by a man. Where is the right answer? What is the path that will make everyone happy?

    ¡°Shuu-san, please go ahead.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh yeah? Okay.¡± (Shuu)

    Is this the world¡¯s answer¨D¨DAs I was about to put my hand on the doorknob, the door opened from the other side. I jumped back in a panic as I is about to collide with it.

    ¡°¡ªexcuse me.¡± (Voice)

    A stranger¡¯s face appeared.

    Or rather, something not human.

    Silver hair that covers their face. Protruding nose. Sharp, blue eyes. Triangular pointy ears.

    (¨CA wolf?) (Shuu)

    A wolf walking on two legs and wears a hunter¡¯s jersey.

    A demi-human¡ªand a wolf.

    However, they are clearly different from Obuchi, who is also a demihuman. Unlike Obuchi, whose facial features are mixed with human, the person in front of me is completely wolf-like from the neck up.

    The ¡°Lone Wolf¡± the twins were talking about is probably this guy. I can¡¯t believe that they are literally what they said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are you okay?¡± (Voice => Werewolf)

    The Werewolf¡¯s voice is cool and pleasant to the ear. The voice and the body shape of the man make it clear that he is a male.

    ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m okay¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Good. Excuse me.¡± (Werewolf)

    He bowed lightly and tried to leave between my dumbfounded party and me.

    ¡°-Gi-¡± (Noa)

    Noa was about to say something, but then stops herself. The werewolf¡¯s ears twitch. He stops and turns around.

    ¡°¡­Miss, did you try to call my name just now? Have I met you somewhere?¡± (Werewolf)

    Noa, who had been frozen, pauses for a moment and then shakes her head.

    ¡°¡­ well¡­ I¡¯m from Ikebukuro too¡­¡± (Noa)

    I couldn¡¯t see her face, but her voice felt harsher than usual.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m sorry. As expected, it will be found out by someone from the same hometown. I have given false names to others.  Please keep this to yourself, I don¡¯t want any trouble.¡± (Werewolf)

    The wolf smiled wryly and scratched the back of his ear. He bends down and brings his face closer to Noa.

    ¡°Miss, what¡¯s your name?¡± (Werewolf)

    ¡°¡­Ikari Noa.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ikari Noa¡­ I think I¡¯ve seen you somewhere before¡­ Well, but with such a lovely young lady, I¡¯m sure I would have never forgotten you.¡± (Werewolf)

    The werewolf approaches her and takes her hand. He lets his canine pointy mouth lightly touch the back of her hand.

    ¡°Hey¨C¡± (Shuu)

    Noa brushes his hand away before I can say anything. The werewolf smiles and shows her his paw.

    ¡°My bad¡­ I¡¯m not good with bold women, so I¡¯ve been avoiding the feast. I should have joined if I knew there was a beautiful girl like you. How about we spend the night in my tent, ¡®reminiscing about our hometown¡¯? With you, we can have the most exhilarating morning howl in a long time.¡± (Werewolf)

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¡± (Shuu)

    I slide between the two.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, she¡¯s with me.¡± (Shuu)

    I hide Noa behind my back and glared at the werewolf.

    Then I realized.

    (¡­Yep, yep. No matter how I look at it, it¡¯s jealousy.) (Shuu)

    I have a guardian position, so they are someone that has to be protected. I don¡¯t have time to lie to myself, I recognize it.

    And in just a second, I reopen it. What am I jealous of?

    The werewolf pulls his face away and straightens his back. He is at least ten centimeters taller than me, maybe he¡¯s a hundred and ninety.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. When I see a nice woman, I get tunnel vision. After all, I¡¯m a wolf.¡± (Werewolf)

    He holds out his hand to me.

    ¡°Giran Taichi. I belong to Ikebukuro Tribe.¡± (Werewolf => Giran)

    ¡°¡­I am Abe Shuu from Sugamo.¡± (Shuu)

    He has five hairy fingers that are all in perfect alignment, and his paw pads are surprisingly soft. I forgot about the antipathy I had the first time I saw him, and I was just a little bit surprised.

    ¡°I¡¯m Tamiko, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a cute young lady here too. I¡¯m sorry for not noticing you too late.¡± (Giran)

    He also shook hands with Tamiko who was sitting on my shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to have a few more conversations with the young ladies, but this place is lacking sexiness. Or rather, I¡¯m sorry to keep you. My tent is over there. Cute girls are always welcome¡­ after everyone¡¯s gone to sleep. I¡¯m going then. Haha.¡± (Giran)

    The werewolf Giran leaves. While his fluffy tail wags behind.

    ¡°¡­ what is with that guy¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I had imagined him to be a solitary person or a difficult individual, since he refuses to go to BBQ and stays alone. I¡¯m not sure what I was expecting.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m a little annoyed, but he was handsome¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A total hottie, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, even from Tamiko¡¯s point of view, it¡¯s the same.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mofumofu is squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    Even I would have liked to have been able to fluff him if I had met him in a different way.

    ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing him, squeak. But is he really human? You see, he¡¯s level 70, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Really!?¡± (Shuu)

    I was quite shocked. There¡¯s no doubt why he has such self-confidence, since he is both handsome and a smooth-talking pick-up artist, moreover has a higher level than me.

    Well, it doesn¡¯t matter, I have a cheat Fungal Class. My strength and number of Fungal Skills are second to none. I have a good future¡­

    (¡­Hey, why am I trying to compete with him?) (Shuu)

    (Against a random guy who just popped out.) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­He¡¯s the ¡®King Slayer Silver Wolf¡¯.¡± (Noa)

    I refocused and Noa continues with a downcast look.

    ¡°A Werewolf¨Ca wolf demihuman¡ªand the most famous hunter in the Ikebukuro Tribe. He was one of the key players in the civil war eight years ago that killed the chief and made the coup d¡¯¨¦tat succeed.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­So he¡¯s really some bigshot, huh?¡± (Shuu)

    He was friendly, lighthearted, and not in a very big-shot kind of way.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make him a criminal?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The even is a bit complicated¡­ But the Metropolitan Government has accepted the new system. The former chief was, you know, a tyrant, and the¡­ new chief is quite welcomed by the people of the territory¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°A real revolutionary, Che Guevara¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s before we were competing with each other. It would have taken a hundred times more courage to challenge him if I had known in advance.

    ¡°The story is that Giran is the sword of the current Ikebukuro chief and also serves as the chief of the Kingsguard. Why is that guy¡­ here¡­?¡± (Noa)

    Noa clenches her jaw I can hear her molars grinding. Her shoulders are trembling slightly.

    ¡°¡­That guy¡­ Did something happen, Noa?¡± (Shuu)

    Raising her face and shaking her head. She still doesn¡¯t make eye contact.

    ¡°¡­Well, I don¡¯t care. Because of the circumstances, there are quite a few opponents of the current system even in Ikebukuro. I¡¯m also one of them.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­I see.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡ªreally?

    Even if I am curious, I won¡¯t say continue. I felt like if I asked more, they wouldn¡¯t even answer.

    ¡°Abeshuu.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hmm?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeaking.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko was holding her crotch and squirming.

    ¡°Go to the bathroom.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I might squeak if I move. Ummm¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Okay, move to my hand. Gently. Okay, I¡¯m going slowly. Hang in there, we¡¯re almost to the bathroom. ¡­Wait, wait, don¡¯t relax. Don¡¯t wag your tail. Stop, stop!¡± (Shuu)

    A/N: In honor of Giran-san, I added the part that ¡°there is a handwashing area¡±.

 CH 55

    Next morning.

    I wake up to the howling of wolves, or rather, as I declared.

    ¡°Awwwwwooooooooooo!¡± (Giran)

    ¡°You wolf bastard! Shut your trap!¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Some of us are still sleeping!¡± (Midori)

    The twins began yelling. Their screams are just as loud as that howl.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m just an instinctual thing for the pathetic demihuman member of the canine family, and I hope you¡¯ll tolerate me. So I¡¯m sorry, just a little more¡­ Awooo!¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Aaah!¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Shut up!¡± (Midori)

    I don¡¯t want this to be my start of the day today. In other words, I force myself to sleep again. ¡°That dam wolf, squeak! It¡¯s war, squeak! Squeak!¡± Tamiko jumped out of bed, but I told her, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can still sleep,¡± and patted her on the stomach. Sigh.

    ¡°¡­Noa, can I sleep some more¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    Noa is about to sit up. She chuckles and wraps herself in a cloak.

    ¡°¡­Yes. Good night, Shuu-san.¡± (Noa)

    Looking at her face with her eyes closed next to me, something wells up in my chest. My whole body becomes hot.

    At the same time, crap! I thought of that damn werewolf.

    I¡¯ll never let you see Noa, Tamiko, any of these girls¡¯ smiling or sleeping faces.

    After waking up from a happy nap, I finished preparing everything and left the camp. The twins are preparing breakfast in front of the tent near the entrance.

    ¡°The others seem to be up already.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°We might see each other again if you head downstairs.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Be careful.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°It¡¯s going to get dangerous from here on out.¡± (Midori)

    True to the twins¡¯ advice, the level of Metro Beasts that appear from the twenty-first floor has jumped.

    The Golems are over level 30, and the other Metro Beasts are around 25. We are now in the territory where it is too risky to let Noa and Tamiko fight alone. So basically, I¡¯m going to deal with them head-on and let the two of them provide support.

    ¡°But¡­ Precious metals and jewelry don¡¯t appear at all¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The only things you can pick up or find inside the golem are the common to rare Ore Fungus of iron, copper, lead, and so on, which we¡¯ve hunted many times past the tenth floor.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s why they are worth that much money.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, of course. Let¡¯s go a little further down as planned. Hopefully we¡¯ll find a good hiding place.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I found one, squeak! Nin Nin!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The Kunoichi Squirrel is quite reliable.¡± (Shuu)

    The map becomes less and less accurate as we move deeper and deeper. Perhaps the shifting of the Metro is a factor, maybe it is simply because the further you go, the fewer people reach it and the higher the risk of sending in personnel who can survey the area. Still, there is no error in the main passages between the stairs, so it is not particularly troubling.

    According to Noa¡¯s pocket watch, we departed at 9:00 AM. After a quick lunch break, we reached the twenty-fifth floor at 3:00 p.m.

    ¡°Squeak yeah! I level up!¡± (Tamiko)

    As soon as we arrived, we had a brawl with a group of Land Sahuagin (human-sized bipedal Wooper Looper). After narrowly beating them off, Tamiko reaches level 41. Another step up to the heights of being a squirrel.

    Noa, at this pace, would soon be up another level. As for me, I am very happy to see the improvement of my companions, but at the same time, I am envious of them.

    (It¡¯s been a month since the boss slime fight¡­) (Shuu)

    I¡¯ve been away from the physical pounding for a while now. I miss that slightly unpleasant feeling that comes out of nowhere.

    I¡¯m the type of person who doesn¡¯t mind grinding in games. Although I was not able to enjoy the life experience in Outsuka Metro, it was impossible not to be happy to see my blood-soaked efforts literally appear in the form of tangible results. How could I not be happy?

    I learned this in an economics class. Japan crawled up from the bottom after the war, achieved rapid economic growth, and became one of the world¡¯s leading economic powers. Although the subsequent Heisei Era should have been better off in terms of material resources, the level of happiness among the people was much higher in the mid- to late-Showa Era. People are creatures that find happiness in being able to look forward.

    I want to go to near the deepest level and level up while collecting materials. That would be a good opportunity for me.

    Incidentally, the reason why I was becoming even more impatient was that I was more frustrated than I thought knowing the werewolf has a higher level than me, but I am not admitting anything.

    We wandered around the 25th floor, looking for small holes where we could hide ourselves. Soon after, we found a small room with empty bottles and blankets. Someone must have been sleeping here. By the doorway, barely wide enough for one adult to pass through, there was a wooden board like a cover on it.

    ¡°It looks like a place where you might run into other people.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡¡Do you want to find another place?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s okay as long as they don¡¯t have trouble sharing a table, right?¡± (Noa)

    I think it would go well with the members who had BBQ at the campsite. Of course, we still have to be careful.

    There is more than one route from stairway to stairway. The map does not show the curves and steepness of the road, or how often Metro Beasts appear.

    Even if it looks like the shortest route on the route, it is likely that there will often be a shorter path. This is probably the reason why we did not run into the twins, the uncles¡¯ group, or any other ¡°group that has business¡± further down the road.

    After some random hunting, it was nighttime and we eventually returned to our first candidate. There were no prior customers, so we unloaded our bags and put a lid on the doorway. Noa sets up a clapper there. If anything comes in from the outside, it will make noise to let us know.

    ¡°Oh, are both of you tired?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Not really.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Not squeaky.¡± (Tamiko)

    Checking out our loot so far. Almiraj horns, Hermit Crab shell fragments, horns and outer horns of a Demon Beetle, the skin of a strong Green Goblin that seems to be a Mature individual, etc. After that, there are a few souvenirs from the mushroom lottery.

    Estimated at just over 100,000 yen. The numbers alone don¡¯t seem so bad, but compared to the risk level, it¡¯s not that good.

    ¡°Looking at it this way, unless we find rare Ore Fungus, Ouji may not be a very good hunting ground. Well, if it were that lucrative, there would be a lot more people here.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Life is never easy.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°There¡¯s me that makes life squeaksy¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes, we do.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko moved up one level to 41, while Noa and I remained the same at 25 and 68.

    ¡°If possible, I¡¯d like to raise my level by one level too¡­ I understand well why there are so many hunters in pairs. It¡¯s because Metro Beasts have two sporangia, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well¡­ I think that¡¯s the most common reason.¡± (Noa)

    The sporangium is a mass of experience, so to speak. Eating two sporangia is a shorter way to improve than eating one. In that sense, a species like Tamiko, which has a low stomach tolerance, is at a disadvantage. Well, I can¡¯t complain about the interspecies gap because it exists in any living creature.

    ¡°But there are many places where we usually work with three or four people. If you train solo, you may be able to rise quickly, but if you have an accident, that¡¯s the end of it.¡± (Shuu)

    If there are more than 3 people, it becomes difficult to distribute the sporangium. But the more people you have, the more beasts you can hunt, and you can have a margin of safety. The point is that it depends on the way you think and the composition of the members.

    ¡°As I said yesterday¡­At this point in time, I¡¯m going to do my best, and I¡¯m going to beat the beasts around there. Both me and Sis are bad against Golems, and if we go further, there will be a lot of stronger Metro Beasts. When it comes to combat, we¡¯re completely dependent on Shuu-san.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to remind you. If Shuu-san feels like he is in trouble, we will immediately withdraw. Please do not overdo it.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I know. I promise to not get carried away.¡± (Shuu)

    The next day.

    ¡°Get f*cked!¡± (Shuu)

    The first one died from a [War Hammer] covered with a [Light Blade] smashes through the golem¡¯s chest.

    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± (Shuu)

    The second one died from a [Katana] clad in [Light Blade], it passed through the golem¡¯s shoulder to its waist.

    ¡°Come on!¡± (Shuu)

    The third one, using [Iron Fist] clad in [Light Blade], I struck the golem over and over.

    ¡°It¡¯s here! Isn¡¯t this gold!? Even if it isn¡¯t, it still looks like gold! Pigy¡ª!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Still, my condolences antique doll, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m getting burned out.¡± (Shuu)

    I carved the abdomen and found a shiny Ore Fungus the size of a Nameko mushroom. The color is definitely golden. The Golem lottery, at the third one today, we finally got a hit.

    ¡°It certainly looks like gold¡­ but it¡¯s so tiny¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how small it is! The important thing is that we hit the jackpot!¡± (Shuu)

    I dug up the real thing. It was proven that the lottery was not a scam. All we have to do now is to get more of them.

    ¡°By the way, there is a mineral called pyrite. It¡¯s called ¡®fool¡¯s gold,¡¯ another metal that looks a lot like gold¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Stop it! Don¡¯t say nasty things!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll get it appraised when we return to the surface¡­ but according to Sis, the golem here is around 35, isn¡¯t it? It seems that the physical correction is about +10. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s too late for that, but I¡¯m impressed with Shuu-san¡¯s skill.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°My Pugawan, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You mean Padawan.¡± (Shuu)

    For now, even a golem on the 25th floor won¡¯t be a problem. Their power alone is hard to underestimate, but overall it still falls short of Ogres and Orthruses.

    Their movements are slow and their intelligence is just as low. As long as you find the vital spot, it can be killed with a single blow. Although humanoid, they sometimes ignore the concept of joints, but once you get used to it, it¡¯s not a big deal.

    ¡°At this rate, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to go down a little more. Let¡¯s try a little more tomorrow.¡± (Shuu)

    The next day.

    The level of Noa increased when we defeated the second prey.

    When the fourth one is defeated, Noa learns a new Fungal Skill.

    ¡°My bad¡­ Ehehe¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa, who is embarrassed, still looks quite happy. Now, level 26, and her Fungal Skills became 4.

    ¡°I¡¯m in my third year as a hunter, but since I met you two, I felt as if I had never gown like this before¡­ Abeshuu¡¯s leftovers are dangerous¡­ It¡¯s a forbidden taste¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°We are the Leftover Sisters, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I am honored to be of service, but don¡¯t get too proud of that.¡± (Shuu)

    Then we got one large gold and one silver Ore Fungus, and a few translucent Ore Fungus that looked like jewels. Noa sees them as ¡°ordinary gems, not parasites,¡± but I have a feeling we¡¯re getting a little closer to what we¡¯re looking for.

    However¡ªit is still frustrating that I am lagging behind the two of them in leveling up. Moreover, Noa¡¯s new Fungal Skill seems to be easy to use, and I envy her even more.

    ¡°Yah! I got a good ability! I love the Fungal Skills lottery!¡± (Noa)

    Noa jumps for joy. I smile and stare at her as he dances.

    Noa¡¯s fourth Fungal Skill, [Sticky Thread], has the ability to produce sticky hyphae.

    Like the red and blue wearing spider-like man, it can also be shot out in a radial pattern, but the range seems to be short, only about three to five meters. Even so, it can be used to directly block an opponent¡¯s movement or as a trap, and is considered to be a very useful Fungal Skill. It seems to be one of the best among the [Craftsman] skills.

    We tried [Sticky Thread] on the Metro Beasts on this floor. Unfortunately, the golem ripped it off in less than five seconds (there may a level difference factor), but it turned out to be quite effective against other small and medium-sized beasts.

    ¡°With something like this, it seems like it will be of great help against small fries! That¡¯s great!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Now I can focus myself on fighting golems.¡± (Shuu)

    If they can get two or three good hits, she can almost neutralize the opponent. After trying it out several times in actual combat, Noa quickly developed a ¡°feel for shooting¡± and she improved her coordination with Tamiko.

    However, Noa does not seem to have the stamina to use her own Fungal Skill, and her movements slow down noticeably when she fires a series of shots. This is the only thing to watch out for.

    ¡°I think we should call it for today.¡± (Shuu)

    We decided to call it a day and get ourselves ready for the next day. Finally, it was time to go to the deepest level.

    Though raiders came that night.

 CH 56

    Midnight.

    I woke up. My bladder is tight and full, even though I have not been drinking.

    I put the clappers down and quietly go outside. I did my business in a bush a short distance away from the small room and as I was about to return, I stopped.

    Slippery, as if it had crawled out from the floor, a shadow attacks me from behind without a sound.

    But I can see it.

    I turned around and slammed a roundhouse kick into the enemy who is pouncing on me.

    The opponent is crouching as they were blown away, but they avoid falling by digging the soles of their shoes. They coughed, clutching their stomach as if the kick had some effect on them.

    ¡°¡­ do you need something?¡± (Shuu)

    I have a pretty good idea who it is by the outline. He straightens his back and looks up.

    He has a cool, idol-like face, with slicked-back red hair.

    He is that handsome guy who was at the camp. He belongs to Senju Tribe, if I am not mistaken. His name was¡­

    ¡°¡­ Ah, Kure Izuho-san.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m honored that you remembered me. You have quite the great kick, Abe Shuu-san.¡± (Kure)

    Kure smiles at me. His refreshing smile is looking quite creepy at this moment.

    ¡°What are you trying to do? That move was not just some joke, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I thought I was completely hidden behind you. Yet you intercepted my attack accurately without even looking at me. I was a little surprised, but that¡¯s your strength, isn¡¯t it?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡± (Shuu)

    Kure stops and throws his luggage onto the grass. He takes off his cloak and even his jersey jacket.

    ¡°Abe-san. I would like to get to know you better.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yesterday¡­ ever since I first saw you, I couldn¡¯t resist it.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    The young man looked straight at me and continued.

    ¡°The first time I saw you, you were stronger than anyone else who was there. The twins and the old men were very skilled, but you had something special that they didn¡¯t have, that no other hunter I¡¯ve ever met had. I could tell. I honestly don¡¯t remember the taste of the meat or the wine. Everything about me was intrigued by you.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Uh, umm¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I thought it was ¡°that¡±, but was relieved to find it was not. The phrasing is still suspicious, though.

    He seemed to have figured out that I was the highest level in that group. And he also has an inkling of my secret cheat. It might have been different if the werewolf had been there.

    Kure removes even his undershirt with a smooth motion. The upper half of his body is exposed.

    ¡°Whoa¡­ Whoa¡­¡± (Shuu)

    There is a plump chest there. However, an event such as ¡°Oh, a woman!?¡±

    Her height is almost the same as that of me at 175. However, his bare body is filled with a mountain range of muscles. His pectoral muscles are so thick that they bulge out of his chest, his abdominal muscles are so ripped that he looks like a power ranger, and his deltoids and biceps are so thick. There is a macho body that is clearly disproportionate to his androgynous features.

    He has tattoos on both shoulders. The right side looks like a hunter¡¯s Insignia, and the left side is probably the Insignia of the Senju Tribe.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re putting your hands together¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what it means. A match. In other words, let us use our everything and fight each other.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°No, I know what you mean, but¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I am reminded of the sumo match with Aomoto, but it seems to be different from that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really want an exchange of lives. Ah, Abe-san can fight with killing intent. As far as I am concerned I win if you can¡¯t move.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s why I¡¯m doing it¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Cure makes a wry smile and scratches his head.

    ¡°I know¡­ from your point of view, there may be no point in fighting me. But this is the Metro, and at any given moment, a battle is waiting to be fought. It¡¯s the same with humans.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± (Shuu)

    It reminds me of Noa¡¯s story. I remember Noa telling me that the Senju Tribe is a tribe with its own culture, and that all of its members practice martial arts. He is a seeker type, or a ¡°I¡¯m going to meet someone stronger than me¡± type of person who doesn¡¯t care about the people around him. Just like that Sekitori.

    ¡°Well¡­ then, I¡¯ll give you a reason to fight. If you win, I¡¯ll give you everything I have. My luggage, my savings, the pornographic books hidden in the ceiling of my parents¡¯ house. Everything I can have at my disposal, including my own life.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°I see¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The words ¡°pornographic books¡± rather than ¡°luggage¡± or ¡°savings¡± appeared in my mind.

    ¡°In exchange, if I win¡­ I want you to go out with me.¡± (Kure)

    It takes a while for the new words to soak into my brain.

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I want you to go out with me¡­ as my boyfriend¡­¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Huh? Huh!?¡± (Shuu)

    The handsome man keeps a straight face, but his cheeks are slightly tinted.

    ¡°¡­To put it bluntly, it¡¯s love at first sight.¡± (Kure)

    I took a deep breath and screamed out with all my pent up emotions.

    ¡°You made me think it¡¯s ¡®that¡¯, then make me think it¡¯s not ¡®that¡¯, and then, in the end, it¡¯s actually ¡®that¡¯!¡± (Shuu)

    And now I know I don¡¯t need that erotic book.

    I¡¯m a little confused, so I¡¯ll try to summarize the situation.

    To put it simply, ¡°I¡¯m challenged to fight by a prince character in a shoujo manga, saying ¡®If I win, go out with me.''¡± Only in Ouji. It¡¯s outrageous.

    The opponent is Kure Izuho. He is estimated to be at level 50. He is a hunter of the Senju Tribe, a group of martial artists, and his stocky physique suggests that he is trained in some kind of martial art.

    If I win, I will receive everything he has, including his possessions and himself. I will also receive a somewhat special pornographic book.

    If Kure wins, I, myself will become his.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t want the money or the erotic books, so I don¡¯t want to play.¡± (Shuu)

    A natural reply.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want that. I want to be with you. And if I win, I want to go out with you and¡­ let¡¯s poke each other¡­¡± (Kure)

    ¡°It is a ¡®poke¡¯ from behind, right?¡± (Shuu)

    The cover of the hideout is removed, and Noa and Tamiko appear out of it.

    ¡°Shuu-san?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Abeshuu?¡± (Tamiko)

    I seem to have woken them up. Or rather, there¡¯s no guarantee that this commotion won¡¯t stop Metro Beasts from approaching. Rather, I would like to do that now, so I won¡¯t have to use [Beast Repellent].

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on¡­ at this time of night¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Two men¡­ There¡¯s a squeaky smell between you two¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­No¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± (Shuu)

    How sharp, Tamiko. There is no excuse for this, but it is by no means my fault. My hatred for Kure grew stronger and stronger.

    ¡°I woke you up, my lovely friend, but you¡¯re not my type.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± (Shuu)

    He ruffled his red bangs and laughed mischievously.

    ¡°Are you going to run away from a match while in front of two girls?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°No, no, I will not be provoked by your words.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The moment you turn your back, I¡¯m going to attack you again. What do you think?¡¡How far can you run?¡± (Kure)

    At a loss of objections, I could just scratch my head.

    It¡¯s useless to say anything to people who don¡¯t see reason.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m starting to feel like I can take it as long as we don¡¯t have that relationship¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Frankly speaking, I hate it. There¡¯s nothing for me to gain.

    I don¡¯t have high hopes for this guy¡¯s personal assets, and I don¡¯t need some special pornographic books.

    Still, calamity sometimes comes without regard to convenience.

    All I can do then is to resist to the utmost of my ability.

    (I¡¯ll make you regret it so much that you¡¯ll never think of getting involved with me again.) (Shuu)

    (If anything happens, it will be an unfortunate accident, and my conscience will not be hurt.) (Shuu)

    ¡°Really? After that, we can take our time getting to know each other thoroughly and¡­ just the tip is fine¡­¡± (Kure)

    ¡°You¡¯re just aiming to poke me, after all!?¡± (Shuu)

    There is nothing wrong with sexual love, no matter what the object of desire. The heart and loving are free.

    Anyway, You mister, I¡¯m afraid, are quite the pervert.

    ¡°Shuu-san¡­ what¡¯s going on¡­?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Abeshuu¡­ I¡¯m kind of squeaked of that guy¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    The women¡¯s gazes were painful.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but I¡¯m going to fight this guy¡­ Just in case, if I lose¡­ Close the door over there and cover your ears¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Both of them still have ¡°?¡± floating above their heads, but I moved my gaze and prepared for battle.

    ¡°I¡¯ll win, a hundred percent.¡± (Shuu)

    I usually don¡¯t say strong lines like this, but I¡¯m declaring it along with my wish.

    ¡ªKure¡¯s appearance suddenly changed.

    An ecstatic smile is plastered over his face, and he clutches his arms as if to embrace himself.

    Then, with a jerk, he spreads his arms and looks up at the ceiling.

    ¡°I-I-I¡¯m overflowing!¡± (Kure)

    Red and blue curves appear on his white skin. Like tattoos running all over his body.

    ¡°Shuu-san, that¡¯s [Herculean Strength] and [Instant Response]! Be careful!¡± (Noa)

    I see, this is the mark of using buffing fungus ability. According to the illustrated book, [Herculean Strength] increases muscle strength, and [Instant Response] increases reaction speed. I had already experienced its effectiveness when I was in Aomoto.

    If this is the case, there is a high possibility that he is a [Knight] or a [Fighter]. Even if it was a High-Rank Fungal Class from a different lineage, it was clear that he wanted to get up close and personal.

    ¡°Oh, my God. What a pain in the *ss!¡± (Shuu)

    This guy is unstoppable.

    There is no other way but to fight. There is no other way but to win.

    ¡°¨CEven if you die, no hard feelings.¡±

    I harden my resolve.

    To protect myself, my future and dignity. I tighten my bottom.

    T/N: Nyahaha!!! This is too much. Guard that booty Shuu.

    I hope Kure is not just some comic relief character and has more depth like Bulat from Akame Ga Kill or the characters created by Clamp.

 CH 57

    Here¡¯s a battle I should never lose.

    Kure said he didn¡¯t intend to take my life.

    I don¡¯t know how much I believe him, but at least that restriction doesn¡¯t apply to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going to try to kill you.¡± (Shuu)

    There should be no laws when dueling in New Tokyo, but I recall there a code that would bind private fights between hunters (Sumo seems to be in sports).

    Nevertheless¡ªit was the other side that set it up. Even if I should have killed him, it would have been in self-defense. I can proudly say that my butt is more important than this pervert¡¯s life.

    ¡°Of course. Can I call you Shuu-kun?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Stop it. Stop the psychological attacks.¡± (Shuu)

    Cure bends down and puts forward an opened hand.

    It¡¯s kind of like a wrestling stance.

    ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you going to bring out hypha weapons?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t have one. I¡¯m a [Fighter] and at level 50 I have mostly buffs. You don¡¯t have to believe me, though.¡± (Kure)

    No way, are you going to come in unarmed? No matter how much you call yourself a martial artist, I feel like that would be reckless.

    ¡°I belong to the Senju Tribe, Kure Izuho. I¡¯ll be poking you later.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°¡­Sugamo¡¯s Shuu Abe. [Holy Knight]. Level 68.¡± (Shuu)

    I glared at him. I hope this terrifies him and he backs down, but the glint in his eyes growing stronger says something else.

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe this, but I wish it is true¡­ This is unbearable¡­!¡± (Kure)

    It made the pervert even more excited. Are you some bush snake?

    So without hesitation I summon my [War Hammer]. It¡¯s not like I am taking the unarmed declaration as gospel, but I kept my left hand free based on my experience in interpersonal battles.

    If I wanted to take all possible precautions, I should probably use [Ashura] as well, but if possible, I don¡¯t want others to see it. It is the last and final trick.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make one more declaration. I will not use any striking attacks.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°So¡ª¡± (Kure)

    Kure¡¯s feet stomped on the gravel.

    The lowered posture, the expression on his face, the reddish-blue speckled markings on his body, all suggest the intimidation of a beast on the verge of pouncing on its prey.

    Grinning, Kure laughs.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to fight!¡± (Kure)

    As soon as he finishes, Kure accelerates from the first step like a bullet and charges low, lower and lower.

    (Yeah!) (Shuu)

    But I was able to react. I swing down the [War Hammer], a direct hit to the head. Ah, I might have killed him¡­

    But then, Kure dodges it with only a few millimeters between the two of them.

    (Wha¡ª) (Shuu)

    The [War Hammer] hits the ground. At the same time, Kure places his left hand on the back of my right hand, gripping the weapon. Place his right hand under me and twist his body.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± (Kure)

    I can describe it as a moment of realization.

    In that instant, without any sense of discomfort, my body flips to the side. I am dropped with my back to the ground.

    (Kotegaeshi!) (Shuu) [T/N: Kotegaeshi is an Aikido technique.]

    Dodging my counterattack using a lower kick, Kure grabbed my right arm. Pinning my shoulders between his legs and pulling my elbows.

    An Ashi-Hishigi. [T/N: Ashi-Hishigi is a Judo technique.]

    ¡°Haha! I got you¡ª¡± (Kure)

    Just before I am locked, I hit his knee with [Iron Fist] with my left hand. ¡°Guh!¡± Kure¡¯s face contorted in pain, and the force on my arm relaxed. So I forcefully pulled it out.

    ¡°Raaah!¡± (Shuu)

    The fist that I swung down shatters the ground. Kure, who dodged by rolling backwards, keeps his distance.

    ¡°¡­I thought I had completely got you. The fact that you counterattacked before I could even get you is a trick you can¡¯t pull off unless you¡¯re anticipating the move.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Kotegaeshi, huh? And Ashi-Hishigi.¡± (Shuu)

    The technique in which he twisted my right hand first and throwing me. I had experienced it several times. It¡¯s the kotegaeshi of Aikido.

    One of my friend in college belonged to an aikido circle. He was a weakling who was only interested in video games and anime, or rather, he was a guy like that who had gained some halfway decent strength, and whenever he got drunk, he would come close to me wanting to try some techniques on me.

    Thanks to this, I had already experienced some of his techniques, though they were on a different level of sharpness than those of my friend. My body jumped up on its own before I could even feel the pain, or else my wrist would have been destroyed.

    ¡°Oh, you know me well. It¡¯s a little surprising.¡± (Kure)

    As he spoke, Kure bent his wrists and stretched his elbows. Stretching his joints.

    ¡°An ancient killing technique, [Jujutsu/Ju-jitsu], which traps the opponent like a tentacle and bends them to the extreme. [Aikido], a traditional self-defense technique that uses the mysterious power of [Aiki], the technique for breaking down and controlling the opponent, is derived from this technique. [Wrestling] is a martial art of heroes that charms you using their well-trained bodies. I use the [Kure-Style Life or Death Technique], which is a fusion of these three martial arts.¡± (Kure)

    Ju-Jitsu, Aikido, Wrestling? Is that really wrestling? If this was mixed martial arts, he would be a grappler.

    ¡°All of these techniques have long since fallen into disuse even among Senju, and are only found in a few documents. They have been considered useless against Metro Beasts. The way you just got out of it¡­ it¡¯s almost impossible for any other hunter to handle it¡­ so I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re in for a treat¡­¡± (Kure)

    I¡¯m not happy to be praised, but I¡¯m glad I was able to react quickly. Otherwise, my right elbow would have been shattered.

    ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t use strikes. I pursue hunting only by throwing, grappling and finishing. That is my pride as a submission master.¡± (Kure)

    Kure licked his lips and crouched down again. And now I realized another horrifying fact. A chill spread from my body.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s start over.¡± (Kure)

    The nightmarish fact that I would have to deal with a nightmarish very honest to his desire enemy, who will attack me endlessly, seeking only a close contact attack.

    I took off my jersey jacket. Underneath, I am wearing only a tank top with the back open.

    ¡°Oh? Are you becoming serious too? That¡¯s what makes this so worthwhile.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°This definitely means something else, right?¡± (Shuu)

    I am confident that I can win even if we go head-to-head.

    The experience of fighting people over level 50 in quick succession after coming out to the surface is huge.

    Still, there is no need to force myself into the opponent¡¯s range. Or rather, I don¡¯t want to get close.

    It is easier mentally to cut him down from a long distance. If the opponent wants to get very close, it is always better to fight by pushing him away.

    (Do I mainly use [Fireball] or [Thunderball]?) (Shuu)

    No, considering the opponent¡¯s agility, it would be difficult to hit him. He probably has a lot of experience in ¡°that kind of combat¡±.

    (Then, maybe [White Bullet]?) (Shuu)

    No, I am not accurate enough to aim at an opponent with that speed. I¡¯m still in training.

    (No, no¨Cthen, it¡¯s fine with the idea of hitting with a few shots, right?) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve decided. This looks interesting, so let¡¯s go with this.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh? What?¡± (Kure)

    The smile disappears from the face of Kure, who is pleased with himself. Seeing hypha growing from Shuu¡¯s back forming a pair of hyphae arms.

    ¡°¡­ Huh, [Ashura]¡­ Weren¡¯t you a [Holy Knight]¡­?¡± (Kure)

    It was a natural question, but I didn¡¯t give him an answer.

    Cure become more vigilant and braces himself, crouching further. I relaxed my arm.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m sorry, but I won¡¯t let you get close anymore.¡± (Shuu)

    Woosh, Kure¡¯s cheek was cut and blood splattered.

    His eyes widen, but his surprise is short-lived as he leaps back to the side. A hole opens in the wall behind him.

    ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re really serious!¡± (Kure)

    Ra-ta-ta-tat! and the ground explodes. I should have aimed at his feet, but he avoided it with small leaps.

    ¡°Stop dodging!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s terrible! I¡¯m going to be covered in holes!¡± (Kure)

    My fourteenth Fungal Skill, [White Bullet].

    By flicking the white acorn¡¯s buttocks hard, it is fired at the speed of a bullet.

    ¡°Noa! Keep your head down!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! [Quadruple Machinegun Hands]!¡± (Shuu)

    That¡¯s what I named it.

    White bullets were fired without pause from the muzzles of the four guns, one in each hand and one in each hypha arm. The stone floor exploded with a rattling sound, the walls gouged, and debris ricochet.

    It was just a barrage of bullets. I never set my sights on the target, but the barrage of bullets kept him from getting too close.

    And then, slow and steadily. The hypha arms switches from a bullet to a projectile.

    The mycelial balls released from the fingertip raises pillars of fire and scatters electricity.

    ¡°It is wicked! It¡¯s one-sided genocide! Hyah!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ugh! These are Bullets right!?¡± (Kure)

    Just like a disaster, violence unfolds in the distance. With a firm determination to never let that pervert get close to me again, I unleash all the long-range attacks I have at my disposal.

    Kure maybe good at avoiding. However, his skin is torn and his flesh is gouged out.

    Even when he tries to close the distance, he is unable to catch me, a mobile turret with even greater mobility.

    Eventually, a shot hits him in the shoulder¡ªand what splatters is not blood, but shards of mycelium.

    ([White Armor]) (Shuu)

    This is the first time I¡¯ve seen one in the flesh. The body surface is covered with a thin film of mycelium, a defensive type of Fungal Skill, like the Tamiko¡¯s Hypha Shell. I notice that his upper body is covered with a faint white hypha, instead of red and blue patches.

    ¡°Gah!¡± (Kure)

    Three bullets hit Kure¡¯s arm, which is protecting his head. Blood sprays from his arm, mixed with bits of mycelium, and the guard¡¯s posture wavers. The [White Armor] is thin, and its sturdiness does not seem to be as strong as my shields.

    ¡°Shaaa!¡± (Kure)

    The bullet that I fired was straight into his unguarded chest¡ªjust before that, Kure smacked the bullet. Snaping from the side, like swatting a fly. The bullet that strays wildly lands behind him and falling to the ground.

    ¡°¡­eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry. If I listen to it, I am able to see it coming.¡± (Kure)

    The next time he saw bullets, it was fired from both sides at the same time at the same direction. Kure¡¯s hands swooped. The bullets landed behind him.

    ¡°The action of flicking your thumb seems small, but it¡¯s big. The tendons in your wrist, the muscles in your forearm. As long as I can figure out the ¡®trigger¡¯ that activates the attack, there¡¯s no way you can pull off a trick like this.¡± (Kure)

    (No, no, no, no.) (Shuu)

    (This is not some samurai show.) (Shuu)

    Licking the blood dripping from his palm, Kure bent down.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about your Fungal Class, but I can wait until after the match¡­ We¡¯ll save it for pillow talk.¡± (Kure)

    It is the posture of a suicide attack as if a wounded beast had prepared itself for a desperate fight. Or like a pervert about to unleash his full libido on his target. [T/N: LOL]

    ¡°Now¡ªthis time it¡¯s my turn.¡± (Kure)

    A moment of silence.

    The two sweaty men¡¯s breathing becomes deeper in the tense atmosphere, starts to overlap.

    Kure kicks the ground. Straight towards me.

    Bullets are fired from all my four arms.

    Kure¡¯s body moved. The bullets only lightly scraping the [White Armor] and he passed through.

    ¡°Got you¨C¡± (Kure)

    A superfast tackle. But I predicted it.

    A counter knee kick moves into Kure¡¯s nose¡ªor rather, just barely passes through.

    ¡°No¨C¡± (Shuu)

    Kure¡¯s lips curved into a grin, entwining me in a way that locked my legs. A Kotegaeshi.

    He tensed and snapped, locking¡ªjust before that, a [Katana] grew from my hand and stretched to Kure¡¯s face. Kure leans back and while he dodges the tip of the sword, I pull my legs out.

    ¡°Can you handle this too!?¡± (Shuu)

    While Kure was on his knees, I swung my [Katana] down at Kure¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡ªI thought he took it,

    But.

    Kure¡¯s knee moved and he stepped halfway. His left wrist and my sword overlap, and the [Katana] is knocked away.

    (A Suwariwaza!) (Shuu)

    A friend showed me this one too. It is an Aikido technique in where you walk on your knees from a seiza and defends against a standing opponent. When he was demonstrating it on the wooden floor of his apartment with a smug look on his face, the knee of his slacks became slippery and he was left almost in tears.

    Kure enters my lower left side as I was left unbalanced. He then puts his arms around my torso. And then¨C.

    ¡°What!¡±

    It¡¯s coming, a Backdrop!

    The ceiling rolls back with the speed enough to leave an afterimage. I was knocked to the ground from the back of my head¡ªbut just before I was about to be knocked to the ground, my [Ashura] pierces the ground, killing my momentum.

    ¡°W¨C¡± (Kure)

    Undoing the arm that grabbed my waist, I landed on the ground with a backflip.

    ¡°Sh*t!¡± (Shu)

    Kure tried to grab my waist. I brushed it off and threw my fist. Kure evades it and tries to catch it¡ªattacks and defense that doesn¡¯t even catch the eye, switching between at a dizzying pace.

    My speed and power are superior to his. However, even with the two buffs, there is a gap that cannot be completely filled.

    Even so, Kure¡¯s skill and judgment have more than compensate for this. If I had been wearing long sleeves, I might have been taken.

    However, when the hypha arms are mixed with offense and defense, the fist that even exceeds the number of rotations begins to catch Kure.

    His guard was not up to speed, and he was hit in the face with a ¡°Guuuuu!¡± His face instantly swells up and fresh blood sprays out.

    ¡°Shhh!¡± (Kure)

    With a hook that should have decided the match, Kure slips past it and tackles my waist.

    Just before I was about to be locked in a grapple, I grabs my opponent¡¯s arms with both hands and pushed him back, burning the soles of my shoes. Completely killing the momentum of the tackle, we both stop moving.

    ¡°Fuh, Fuh¡­¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Two rough breaths overlap, creating a brief stalemate.

    ¡ªMy finisher was decided to be this.

    A special move from a famous manga that I¡¯ve been fantasizing about doing ever since I learned about the hypha arm¡¯s official Fungal Skill name, [Ashura].

    There was no way I would ever have the chance to practice this dangerous technique on a human opponent¡ªother than a moment like this.

    ¡°¡ªThis is the end.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Ooooooooooh!¡± (Shuu)

    I gathered all the strength I could from my exhausted body and lifted Kure¡¯s body as if I was pulling off a futon.

    Kure¡¯s upside-down head rested on the side of my neck.

    With both hands, I grabbed both of Kure¡¯s arms, and with my hypha arms, I grabbed both of his legs. The upside-down Kure is in a position as if I was spreading his thighs.

    ¡°Hey! What is this!? What are you going to do now!?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Don¡¯t the wrestlers of New Tokyo know this? Now, don¡¯t bite your tongue.¡± (Shuu)

    I grinned. Then bend down slightly, squeezing my thighs. [Leaping].

    Jumping up to the ceiling, and then I dive down.

    ¡°Raaaaaaaaa!!!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaa!!!¡± (Kure)

    My shout and his scream overlap.

    ¡°[Ashura] Buster!¡± (Shuu)

    Boom! The ground caves in as I land on my feet.

    All the impact is equally felt in my shoulders and arms.

    Kure let out a dry cough.

    As soon as I let go of his hand, he crumples to the ground with a thud.

    I don¡¯t know what part of his body was damaged, and I don¡¯t know how much the damage was.

    Anyway, Kure doesn¡¯t move. He has fainted with the whites of his eyes showing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I win.¡± (Shuu)

    Kure Izuho, the Monster of the Senju Tribe.

    He bowed before my superhuman power.

    I won. I protected it. Both my pride and butt.

    I raise my fist high and let a burning fighting spirit dwell in my chin. In other words, I made them squeal.

    ¡°Please chant! One, two, three, daaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    The two girls peeking through the gap have blank gazes.

    T/N: Ashura Buster is from Kinnikuman, BTW. I was LMAO translating this. I love how the author writes humor and drama without changing the tone too much and confusing the readers. So good!

 CH 58

    The color of the Firefly Moss changes from blue to white. It¡¯s now morning.

    ¡°¡­Ugh, hmm¡­¡± (Kure)

    With a low groan, Kure, whose hands and feet are tied with ropes, turns over in his sleep.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve woken up.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°The pervert¡¯s up, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    He noticed the stares from the others, saw the situation he was in, and finally remembered what had happened last night. He looked at my face and he looked at the faces of the other two and shouted, ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°¡­I see, so I lost¡­¡± (Kure)

    Kure closes his eyes with a weak smile like his dreams were crushed. Just by looking at that situation, it seems like he could gather dozens of older women wanting to protect him, but unfortunately, it¡¯s useless to me.

    ¡°¡­Well rather, I noticed it halfway through. No matter how much I struggled, I had no chance of winning. My power and speed were far below yours. Also, I had almost no idea of your skills, which should have been far beyond a hunter¡¯s reach. It was as if you knew of my moves beforehand.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Yeah, well.¡± (Shuu)

    Thanks to the local martial arts programs and my faux Aikido master friend.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t get violent, I¡¯ll untie the ropes, what do you say?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­the duel is already over. I have no intention of harming you guys.¡± (Kure)

    I glance at Noa. She nods her head.

    I look at Tamiko. She, too, nods her head.

    I have no choice but to do it. I untied the knots in the tightly bound rope.

    ¡°Oh¡­ you don¡¯t have to be so gentle, you can be rougher with me¡­¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Noa, Tamiko, help me.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I hate it, I don¡¯t want to touch that!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°You picked up that damn, troublesome thing, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    How unreasonable. Why do I have to be in the position of this pervert¡¯s owner? I didn¡¯t pick it up because I wanted to pick it up.

    The mere act of untying the rope is such a painful experience. Every time the rope rubs against my skin, I want to tie him up again and bury him in the ground.

    ¡°You have [Self-Regeneration], don¡¯t you? You were already healing yourself while you have fainted.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡° I guess so. It¡¯s not that unusual for a [Fighter].¡± (Kure)

    Released from restraint, Kure moves his fingers, arms, and legs while sitting. [White Armor], [Self-Regeneration], [Herculean Strength], [Instant Response]. It is a skill composition that is perfect for melee combat and is suitable for the idea of a [Fighter]. I wonder if the style is too biased toward arm throws.

    ¡°More than that, I would like to ask you¡­ Was is your Class? Please forgive the foolishness of a loser like me asking the winner a question.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Hah.¡± I sighed inwardly. I knew it would happen.

    ¡°[Ashura] is a very rare skill that is only available to [Beast Warriors] and I have not been able to learn it. In addition, you used not only [White Bullet], which only [Snipers] are supposed to be able to learn, but also a wide range of other skills. Such a skill composition is not possible even for a High-Rank Fungal Class. As far as I know, there is no possible way of achieving it¡­¡± (Kure)

    I could only scratch my head. When I glanced at her, Noa¡¯s face had ¡°As expected¡± written on it. On Tamiko¡¯s face, it says, ¡°Is the food ready, squeak.¡± both are correct.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a [Itokuri-shi].¡± (Shuu)

    Kure¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°No way¡­¡± he mutters in a quiet voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m a [Holy Knight] to the Sugamo branch. I don¡¯t even tell them about some of the Fungal Skills I used on you.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe it just like that¡­ but I can¡¯t think of any other possibility¡­¡± (Kure)

    Leaning against the rock wall, Kure laughs with self-mockery and shakes his head.

    ¡°¡­I am no match for the power of the founding heroes. It doesn¡¯t seem like what I¡¯ve seen is everything you have. With the current me, there¡¯s no chance of winning even if I try a hundred times. Just like a small fry¡­¡± (Kure)

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want people to know. So, I have to keep you quiet.¡± (Shuu)

    Kure nods emphatically and closes his eyes. He slowly spreads his hands.

    ¡°¡­okay, if it¡¯s for you, Shuu-kun. You have that right. You could have done it while I was sleeping.¡± (Kure)

    I shook my head.

    ¡°That¡¯s the way it is, so shut up. Don¡¯t tell anyone, forever. So, if you promise me, this is the end of it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Huh? That¡¯s it? So?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°If I win, I can do whatever I want with you, right? So, I¡¯ll take away your right to say anything about us. That¡¯s it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, no¡­ there¡¯s no guarantee that I¡¯ll protect that promise, right? If you kill me, you¡¯ll be sure.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­ umm¡­¡± (Shuu)

    One person supported it and was reluctant to give it up. ¡°Our safety and future are at stake, but Shuu-san is too naive. If Shuu-san won¡¯t do it, I¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to wake up from slitting the neck of a guy who fainted after a match, and I can¡¯t kill him after all. We didn¡¯t intend to kill each other, right?¡± (Shuu)

    Kure laughed and shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who set you up for an unreasonable fight¡­ But you forgive just like that?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°No, I have no intention of forgiving you. I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with you again. I don¡¯t even want to see your face.¡± (Shuu)

    Kure makes a face like he¡¯s dying.

    ¡°But people like you are the type of people who tie themselves down with promises, oaths, and formalities, aren¡¯t you? If you lose in a fight and break your promise, you¡¯ll commit seppuku, won¡¯t you?¡± (Shuu)

    Kure blushes, twists, and squirms.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m happy. You understand me so deeply¡­ just by a single moment of skinship¡­¡± (Kure)

    ¡°This guy is worse than a Demon Centipede, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Shuu-san, let¡¯s kill him.¡± (Noa)

    The two girls were scathing in their evaluations. I am very much in agreement with them.

    ¡°¡­The last thing I want to ask you is why you don¡¯t use blows. Even if you are a grappler, you don¡¯t have to keep playing as a grappler, do you?¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s as if we were playing rock-paper-scissors and he only used rock for the rest of his life. If he had allowed himself to mix in regular blows, I would have had a much harder time.

    ¡°¡­because that¡¯s my way of life.¡± (Kure)

    Kure sits cross-legged.

    ¡°There are few hunters who go out from the Senju Tribe. Most of the people, both with and without Fungal Skills, choose to hone their skills and master their own paths. It is a very inward-looking process that can be done without ever leaving the territory. Like other tribes, we have multiple Metros in the territory. In the 50 years since the [Demon War]¡­ the closed environment of Senju has nurtured real masters, like jewels buried deep in the earth.¡± (Kure)

    He dropped his eyes to his hands and squeezed them tightly.

    ¡°I have the same roots. The path of [Kure-style Life or Death Technique] in which one pursues only the three techniques of throwing, grappling, and finishing. I will complete this path, this technique, and the philosophy that my late father advocated, within my generation. That is my dream. ¡­However, I thought that to achieve this goal, it would not be enough just to stay in a closed world. I will travel all over New Tokyo and engage in friendly competition with hunters and Metro Beasts. The world is a big place, and it¡¯s crowded with fighters and beasts I can¡¯t even begin to imagine. I will throw them all down, locking their arms, choking them, and rupturing their tendons. I would destroy every joint in everything. That is my ideal of [Kure-style Life or Death Technique].¡± (Kure)

    Tamiko yawns in a nirvana pose, and Noa scribbles on the ground with her [Dagger].

    ¡°Err, Metro Beasts too? Or rather, Golems too?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Of course. They don¡¯t have joints, but they are extremely flexible and can be thrown and broken. I came to Ouji to test them. Since the day I entered the outside world, I have never once deviated from my belief. No matter what kind of a dead end I¡¯m thrust into.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Then what about something like Slime? You can never defeat it like that, can you?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, you just have to throw it and hit it again and again.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± (Shuu)

    How irrational.

    ¡°Otherwise, I will die. Life is worthless to me if I can¡¯t live up to my beliefs. If it is my destiny to return to the earth at the end of this road, then so be it.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    (Is there even such a person like him?) (Shuu)

    In the severe world of hunters, these values may be nonsense. For the girls, it may be an incomprehensible philosophy.

    Even so¡ªI can¡¯t help but have some respect for the enthusiasm and conviction of a man who is determined to follow through with his way of life.

    (Human beings¡­ are so amazing.) (Shuu)

    I can¡¯t help but think that.

    (The world has already been destroyed, but they tenaciously still keep being reborn.) (Shuu)

    (And now there are those who choose to go live rather than just survive.) (Shuu)

    ¡ªThread is a connection, the thread is fate.

    The world has been through decay and the thread is still being spun.

    The world is a big place. And ¨C there is still no end to humanity.

    ¡°¡­The world is truly wide, after all.¡± (Kure)

    Kure says such things as if we were in sync.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I came out just for that, knowing that there are men like you¡­ If I stayed with you, I might be able to see a different world. Maybe then I¡¯d be stronger, too.¡± (Kure)

    He scratched his nose, looked bashful, and continued.

    ¡°¡­Shuu-kun, let me stay by your side. Can you let me join you?¡± (Kure)

    I smiled softly.

    I turn to Tamiko and Noa. They both nod.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible, absolutely impossible.¡± (Shuu)

    T/N: What a coward. Every good party needs an uber-pervert. He¡¯s a perfect Tio for Shuu¡¯s party. He¡¯s powerful, has a moral code, smart, and a pervert like Tio Klarus.

 CH 59

    Two days after the battle with Kure.

    ¡°We¡¯ve finally arrived.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived¡­¡± (Noa)

    Ouji Metro, 30th basement floor.

    I had imagined a special location suitable for the deepest floor, but it was still just a cave-like place. As for the slight difference, the color of the rock surface is somewhat darker¡ªno, it¡¯s just wet. It looks like a very damp floor.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ it¡¯s amazing how we got here this fast¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa has a look of half-disbelief on her face.

    From the twenty-fifth floor, each time we dive down one floor at a time, the strength of the golem and other Metro Beasts is carefully measured to make sure that there are no problems before proceeding. It took us about a week to reach the deepest floor, and although I feel that (as a result) we could have progressed a little more quickly, from Noa¡¯s point of view, it seems that we were just on the right pace.

    ¡°I wonder how many years it would have taken me to do it alone¡ªI wonder if I could even get here. But I had been able to come this far without any problems, I feel like I am losing my mind.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°The hardest part for me was that pervert.¡± (Shuu)

    The monster is looking at us as if he wants to be our friend!

    Do you want him to be your companion?

    ¡ú No

    The pervert left looking depressed.

    He said, ¡°I¡¯ll come back later to give you my savings and pornographic books,¡± but I don¡¯t think I want to see him again, so I just left that alone.

    He seems indifferent to politics and worldly affairs, so I don¡¯t think he would go so far as to break his promise and tell my secret along with his love for me. I don¡¯t know where he is now, but I hope he is doing well in another world. [T/N: LOL. Poor Kure.]

    Anyway, the golem up to this point was about level 40 at most, and the other Metro Beasts were about 30 at most. They didn¡¯t pose much of a threat to my current abilities. It is fortunate or unfortunate that we didn¡¯t encounter any mature golems.

    ¡°I had accumulated some loot, but I knew I had to fight a mature individual in order to roll the premium gacha.¡± (Shuu)

    This is the deepest layer. If we can¡¯t meet here, where can we meet? I feel even tenser.

    ¡°This is the most difficult part of the Ouji Metro. This is the last hurdle. We are aiming for Mithril! And the top priority will be a Parasite item!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Abeshuu, I need to pee, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s our top priority.¡± (Shuu)

    According to the guide map, the 30th floor is almost circular. The stairs leading to the 29th floor are located near the southern perimeter. The first thing to do is to aim for the center of the map.

    On the way, Tamiko¡¯s ears twitched on Noa¡¯s head. She is working on her Nin-nin and Kunoichi senses.

    ¡°¡­ Hmm?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What is it?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko jumps down and runs away.

    The two of us rush after her, but Tamiko enters an oasis where mycelial plants are growing densely.

    ¡°Acorn! Acorns, squeak! Squeak-yeah!¡± (Tamiko)

    According to my knowledge, acorns are nuts, but in this fungal world, they are flowering plants that bear fruit similar to acorns. One such flower is the acorn dandelion, which can often be seen on the ground.

    The flowers are lush and colorful, and the fruits grow in a variety of colors. In the center of it all, a furball shakes in joy. She plucks one close to her paw and gazes enchanted at it.

    ¡°This is¡­ her Mithril¡­?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°How cheap.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko collects the fruits and stuffs them into her cheek pouches and bag. The greedy squirrel searches the area with a hunter¡¯s gaze, trying to complete all the varieties. The small animals that made this area their home are watching us from afar, wondering what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen so many acorns, squeak! This looks so good, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    The acorns that Tamiko was pleased with were like sunflower seeds that grew on a flower similar to cluster amaryllis. It is white with red lines.

    ¡°That¡­ hmm¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa put her hand on her chin and looked thoughtful.

    ¡°It looks similar to the one I saw in an illustrated book a while back¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem to be poisonous, but we probably shouldn¡¯t eat it when in the Metro Area.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Is it okay if I eat it, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can find a good book on it. You might want to check the library in Sugamo.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°The other ones might be poisonous, too, so if you haven¡¯t seen them before, let¡¯s take them home first.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak-yes! Souvenir, squeak! We¡¯ll have an acorn party when we get back!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko is very happy with her large stock of souvenirs.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to eat regular ground food than acorns?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s that and this is this squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That was a stupid question.¡± (Shuu)

    After regaining our composure, we resumed our search.

    Noa, with a map in her hand, led the way through the maze of tunnels.

    ¡°¡­There¡¯s something in the middle of the path.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Golem? Hunter?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Probably just an ordinary animal, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    That¡¯s convenient.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s continue as before.¡± (Shuu)

    First, we check out the Metro Beasts. If there is no problem, we will go on a golem hunt.

    According to the guidebook, most of the Metro Beasts that appear on the 30th floor are similar to the 25th floor. The guidebook also gives a rough assessment of the danger level (about five levels more), but of course, it is not as accurate as Tamiko¡¯s [Risk Counter]. This is something that can only be determined by a hand-to-hand encounter.

    I tiptoed up to the corner and took a quick peek. In the square where a small spring flows out of a rock, a group of Giant Land Sahuagin, or Giant Wooper Loopers, hangs out. There are five in all.

    ¡°The level of the five Land Sahuagins¡­ is about 35 for the one at the far end and about 30 for the others, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s almost as expected. Noa, can you handle one?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I think I can.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Tamiko, support Noa. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± (Shuu)

    The ground shook with a boom.

    The three of us braced ourselves. The Land Sahuagins and the others were saying, ¡°Gi! Gi!¡±, their backs to each other, slamming their legs with a thump.

    The feet of the five have their backs are wide open, and three hands rise up like pillars. Three escape through the gap before it closed in, but two of them don¡¯t make it and are grabbed in the palm of giant hands.

    As their companions look up in dismay, muffled scream echoes through the air. The squeezed Land Sahuagins stretches out their skinny paws, but they quickly dry up and run out of strength. The tentacles of the main body seem to have sucked out all its fluids and sporangium.

    ¡°It¡¯s scary no matter how many times I see it¡­¡± (Shuu)

    A scene of a golem eating. It is more like a monster than a beast.

    After watching their friends die, the three animals flee into the depths of the floor, screaming bitterly. The three remaining arms throw out the dried beasts, shaking the ground as it reveals itself.

    The three arms are legs that support a huge spherical body that looks to be five meters in diameter. At the top of the body, a rock tentacle reminiscent of a scorpion¡¯s tail extend out. It looks like a robot super weapon from a science fiction movie. It is like beams would shoot out from its tail.

    There is no need for the golem to be humanoid. I had always thought so, but at the last minute, when it took on such a bizarre form, I had no choice but to recognize it as a boss-level individual.

    ¡°Tamiko¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, around fifty-five, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Really?¡± (Shuu)

    If I apply some correction, it almost has the same combat ability as me.

    (What are we going to do? Can I handle it?) (Shuu)

    (¡­Ugh, come on.) (Shuu)

    Golem has no eyes or ears. It is said to sense its surroundings through sound and vibrations.

    The distance between me and the scorpion golem is about 50 meters. At this distance, it will not be able to sense us.

    ¡ªno.

    ¡°What about the two seafood it squeezed, was it not enough?¡± (Shuu)

    The tail turned towards us. With a thud, an arm takes its first step and begins to drag its huge body.

    We have been noticed.

    ¡°Come on, squeak! Pigyaa!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Shuu-san, what are we going to do!?¡± (Noa)

    The odds of winning are not low if I only look at their level.

    However, the opponent was clearly different from the previous opponents. The risk is too great to judge with only the level.

    (It would be better to escape once and observe from a safe place.) (Shuu)

    The opponent is a golem, its legs are not fast, maybe.

    If we go back to the stairs, we might be able to escape.

    However, the opponent is a special three-legged one. It might not always be slow.

    The worst-case scenario is that we can¡¯t escape, and it attacks us from behind.

    (¡­we¡¯ll just have to do it, one way or another.) (Shuu)

    We¡¯ve spent a week coming here, and it¡¯s approaching that objective.

    Then it would be a waste to run away without even crossing blades.

    (Is this just an excuse?) (Shuu)

    (I¡¯ll get in trouble with my superiors later.) (Shuu)

    ¡°Tamiko, Noa, wait at a distance. I¡¯ll leave it to you when the other beasts arrive.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Shuu-san¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°If I can¡¯t win, we¡¯ll run away. Be ready.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, give it a good kick, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going.¡± (Shuu)

    I take off my cloak and jacket and hand them over to Noa. Then, walking from behind the rock, I confronted the scorpion golem.

    (It¡¯s been a long time.) (Shuu)

    (To be serious and fight an opponent I don¡¯t know if I can beat.) (Shuu)

    My hand gripping the [Katana] is trembling. Is this a warrior¡¯s tremor, or is it something else?

    ¡°¨CI¡¯ll take your Mithril, no hard feelings, okay?¡± (Shuu)

 CH 60

    The golem doesn¡¯t let out a cry.

    It just stands there, assertive and intimidating only with its rocky body.

    When you know that you are dealing with a powerful enemy, it seems even more terrifying. It is more intimidating than if it just howled.

    I had my [Katana] in my right hand and [Great Shield] in my left hand. Two [Katana] on both hypha arms, all shining with [Light Blade]. It was my ideal skill combo.

    The scorpion golem was slowly approaching.

    Slowly and cautiously, I advanced my steps.

    The distance between them closes, and they stop. The pause between us is only a second, but it feels like minutes.

    The tip of the scorpion¡¯s tail crumbles, and a white tip peeks out from its end.

    The next moment, it extends straight to my chest. It was as fast as a laser.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± (Shuu)

    There is no way around it. There is no other way but to catch it.

    The [Great Shield] is knocked out of my hand. My body is thrown back.

    As I was knocked out of my position, my eyes catch a glimpse of a red ball ejected from the spherical body.

    A chill runs down his spine. I used [Leaping] with one shaky foot and slide on the ground to get away. In the nick of time, it explodes into a pillar of fire. It was [Fireball].

    Before I have time to bring out my [Great Shield] again, the white tip comes at me from the side. It is like a whip with a sword attached.

    I cross my right hand and hypha arm¡¯s [Katana] to catch it. ¡°Gah¨Cnnng!¡±¡¡A shock runs down my spine. I fought back with the soles of my shoes.

    ¡°Hah!¡± (Shuu)

    This time, I attack. I use [Leaping] to close the gap and slashed at one of the legs. I cut it from both sides with my mycelial arm, but¡ª

    (No way!) (Shuu)

    The leg is much tougher than I thought. I can¡¯t cut even a third through it.

    The leg stomps on the ground in an attempt to crush me. Unable to block it, I moved away once more.

    ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s this is the toughest thing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± (Shuu)

    By the time we get here, the golems are getting stronger and tougher as we go deeper and deeper, and as we go down the floors we fought in.

    According to the guidebook, this is because ¡°the deeper underground you go, the more the composition of the rocks itself changes,¡± but that does not explain it.

    The Shishikaba sisters speculated that the golem¡¯s tentacles, which parasitize and manipulate the rocks, may also be responsible for the increase in its sturdiness. In other words, the main body of the golem might be making the rocks harder. I have no idea how it works, and I am not sure.

    When I get close, the golem can stomp or kick me away with its legs.

    At mid-range, its sword whip can be wielded at a speed unexpected for a golem. The trajectory of the attacks is limitless. Even with my [Light Blade] equipped, it¡¯s really not safe to strike.

    (I mean¨Dif I move away I will be hit by its sword whip.) (Shuu)

    When I move further away, a [fireball] is released from the body. Even if the aim is not accurate, the area of effect is wide, and it can fire in rapid succession. Pillars of fire rises one after another, and hot air scorches my skin.

    (I confirmed. I have no doubt.) (Shuu)

    Such a wide variety of attack methods and the intelligence to make full use of them.

    It is different from the golems we have seen so far. It can only be considered as a mature individual.

    (It has both experience points and rare Fungal Skills.) (Shuu)

    (That means I can count on it happening?) (Shuu)

    In the whirlpool of destruction violently scattering the silent Golems, I continued to move my gaze restlessly on it as I fled with my feet.

    There must be a weak point somewhere, the point closest to the main body. I am looking for it and observing the spherical body, but I just can¡¯t find it. Am I overlooking it, or is the mark itself intentionally hidden (if so, it¡¯s not fair)?

    It is difficult to cut off the legs. Myt long-range attacks are ineffective, and it is doubtful whether I will have enough strength to cut them off.

    (Then¡ª) (Shuu)

    There seems to be only one thing I can do.

    My [Fireball] intercepts the incoming [Fireball], and a violent explosion echoed.

    ¡°¡ªHave you heard ¡®Blackbeard Crisis¡¯?¡± (Shuu)

    Wrapped around under the cover of the flames¡¯ explosion, I lowered my waist, and used [Leaping]. I flew up in the air. [T/N: Blackbeard Crisis is a toy where you stab a pirate in a barrel.]

    The sword whip reacts. With two swings of my hypha arms, I repelled the straight-forward sword whip that is reaching out to pierce me.

    ¡°Oooooooooh!¡± (Shuu)

    I land on the sphere and thrusts my [Katana]. The rock slightly crumbles, but even with [Light Blade], it does not pierce deep enough.

    ¡°Cut it out!¡± (Shuu)

    But that¡¯s to be expected.

    ¡°Raagh!¡± (Shuu)

    I struck the butt of the [Katana]¡¯s hilt with my left hand using my [War Hammer]. While the [Katana] was broken in half, half of it penetrates deeply through the outer shell reaching the core.

    Tick! The body shakes for a moment. I thought, ¡°Did it work?¡± The scorpion tail swings around and strikes my body.

    I quickly protected myself with my hypha arm, but I was knocked off the top of its body and was immediately targeted with the sword whip and a [Fireball]. I run away from the wall with [Leaping].

    ¡°Fuh, Fuh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Keeping my eyes fixed on my opponent, I took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from my forehead.

    ¡ªMy previous attack seems to have missed its vital point, but it clearly shows that it doesn¡¯t like the attack.

    A golem is a golem, even in a special form. There seems to be no doubt that the weak point is somewhere in its body.

    ¡°All I have to do is continue¡­ after a few more shots and it will work.¡± (Shuu)

    I remember the pervert I kicked out who recently did such a thing, so I shake my head so hard I feel like my neck is going to fall off.

    The range of the [Fireball] explosion is important to take note, but the speed of the ball itself is not that great. The aim is not that accurate. It is easy to dodge.

    I look for an opening outside the range of the sword whip, I close the distance at once with [Leaping], and stab at the body. Then I quickly move out of the whip¡¯s range¡ªI just repeat the hit-and-run attack until I am lucky enough to hit the vital point.

    It¡¯s a daunting task, but I think it¡¯s the idea with the best chance of winning. We have risen from fighting crickets to slaying Boss Slimes, and I will not be beaten in a battle of endurance.

    The golem raises its scorpion tail and spins its sword whip with a swish. As if to say, ¡°I¡¯m ready to slice and dice you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same for me¡­ I¡¯m going to pound you until you¡¯re a sea urchin.¡± (Shuu)

    Creating a [Katana] in my right hand and [War Hammer] in my left hand. I wipe both with a swish and both were covered in light.

    ¡°Mithril is something precious! I want that mithril!¡± (Shuu)

    Mithrilgar, the four-armed monster rages.

    I counted up to the tenth.

    ¡°Dammit, it¡¯s on the underside after all¡­ Sh*t¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The [Katana] was driven into the underside. Then whitish bodily fluid is spilling out from the crack.

    The huge body with countless white swords piercing it like a pincushion swayed. Its three legs lost strength. Then, with a heavy thud, it fell sideways.

    Neither the legs nor the tail move. After confirming this, I also fell down on the spot.

    ¡°Hah¡­ Tired¡­¡± (Shuu)

    How long have I been fighting? About twenty minutes.

    The work of piercing it endlessly while dealing with the whip sword. It was a series of thoughts that left my nerves frayed, but somehow I was able to defeat it while maintaining a high level of alertness.

    ¡°Shuu-san!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    The sound of footsteps rushing toward me grew louder. It was Noa with Tamiko on her head. Noa¡¯s shoulders are too narrow, so Tamiko is on her head.

    ¡°Are you two alright?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh my! Fighting like that was bad for the heart!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yes, yes, squeak! I feel like I¡¯m going to get pee myself, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    My cheeks were pulled, Pat-pat and squish.

    ¡°Well, you see¡­ I was going to run away if it looked like there was no chance of me winning¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s undeniable that I was in the reckless mode. Luckily, I was able to finish the fight.

    ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s finally here¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The fight was over. The prey we were looking for was also there.

    The result of the hard work of the past week and the fierce battle just a few minutes ago, my exhausted and battered body is longing for the results.

    ¡°I¡¯ve used up a little too much Fungal Skills and I¡¯m starving¡­ So I¡¯ll have the sporangium right away¡ª-And also, the treasure we¡¯ve been waiting for.] (Shuu)

    The golem was lying on its side, and the stones around the area where the white bodily fluid was spilling out were carefully cracked and removed. Soon, countless yellowish filaments appear. The main body of the golem seemed to be as large as its huge body.

    Noa and I work together to pull out the main body. Tamiko is standing with her ears perked up to warn us of our surroundings.

    After about five minutes of work, it finally came out, and it was about the size of a balance ball. It is heavy enough that Noa staggers when she holds it by herself. It might be storing a lot of Ore Fungus.

    ¡°Come on¡­ it¡¯s finally time to check¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Dazzling white silver¡ªa trait unique to mithril, according to the guidebook.

    I imagine it packed inside this thing. It makes my nose bleed.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll open it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°*Stare*¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    The moment is approaching when the adventures of the past week will come to fruition.

    With their heated gazes on me, I slide my sword into the main body¡ª

    The spoils of the scorpion golem.

    First of all, Me, thanks to the whole giant sporangium, I finally leveled up. 68¡ú69.

    And the stomach. It was indeed chock-full of treasures.

    Large Ore Fungus of gold, silver, and gemstones (with high clarity), and other Ore Fungus.

    And furthermore¡ªGem Fungus with neuron-like mycelium rooted in the transparent interior. Pink and light blue, they are the Parasite Items, when processed into ornaments, produces a special effect on the wearer.

    But¡ªeven if when I turn it again and again inside out.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to level up, but¡­ I¡¯m really happy but¡­¡± (Shuu)

    As I jiggle the gemstones in my hand¡ªmy brows meet.

    ¡°¡­this one¡­ this one also doesn¡¯t have a mithril! Aaaaargh!¡± (Shuu)

    I scream at the monster Mithrilgar.

 CH 61

    As originally planned, or rather, we proceeded toward the center of the floor.

    ¡°¡­ damn it¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I muttered while kicking the pebbles at my feet as we were walking.

    (A golem stronger than that scorpion, come out!) (Shuu)

    Even if I want to cry out, I still have enough brains to keep it to myself. I¡¯d be scared to death if one actually came out.

    ¡°¡­Shuu-san, you should be happier. It¡¯s two Parasite Gems, you know? That¡¯s a great harvest, you know?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°How many acorns is it, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°An acorn calculation.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°How clever.¡± (Noa)

    I knock out the Metro Beasts that are approaching us with [Beast Repellent] and through blasting them with bullets. Take this, take that.

    ¡°That guy is probably the boss of this floor, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Probably a Mature or mutant individual. If it was packed with so many valuables, it might be the former.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s right. If that¡¯s the case, if that guy doesn¡¯t have Mithril, I¡¯m starting to suspect that we won¡¯t be able to have a chance with a gacha anymore. Where is the Consumer Affairs Agency of the Metro Labyrinth, squeak?! Pigyaa!!!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Please calm yourself.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Abeshuu has lost it, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    I cry in outrage at the unreasonableness of the random numbers of the Mithrilgar, while beside me Noa and Tamiko flinch.

    ¡°Shishikaba-san said that mithril was mined quite a bit. If the guy from earlier lived on this floor for a long time¡­ That doesn¡¯t mean it has mithril either¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°No! Pigyaa!¡± (Shuu)

    I screamed until my ears pop. The most dreaded development. The thought that they had run out of mithril.

    My head hanging down in shock, I draw x¡¯s and o¡¯s on the ground with my [Katana] covered with a [Light Blade]. The o¡¯s wins.

    ¡°*Sigh*¡­ This my first adventure after becoming a hunter? ¡­I¡¯m not being naive¡­ I just thought I was pretty good at drawing or something.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Cheer up. Look, I have dried meat.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°*Nom, nom*¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Here, an acorn, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°*Crunch*¡± (Shuu)

    So bitter. I have to spit out the shell.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got the other thing I wanted, the Parasite item.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Your level has also increased.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s true, but you know¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I had heard that it was equivalent to 55, so I didn¡¯t have high expectations, but maybe the things the things that accumulated to this point have finally come to fruition, or maybe it¡¯s because of the high quality of the Mature Metro Beast.

    Now I was at level 69, near level 70. I was honestly happy. At that moment, I forgot myself and was overjoyed. I was so happy that I forgot about myself for that moment and screamed, ¡°Pigya! Pigya!¡±

    ¡°Now all the party members got to a higher level, it was well worth the trip. Let¡¯s search this floor some more. Oh, and let us be careful of golems.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Really?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Shuu)

    This is the end of the depressed Abeshuu.

    I pull myself together, spit out the acorn shell caught in my teeth, and begin to lead the way.

    The normal golem her is around 45, which is even much stronger than the ones on the twenty-ninth floor.

    Still, compared to the scorpion golem, they are not a big deal. It¡¯s not a difficult opponent if I lift my ban on [Ashura] and [Light Blade].

    ¡°This is some kind of bluish iron or steel? ¡­steel? It¡¯s kind of shiny. It¡¯s not the same as other steel, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Maybe it is in the guidebook? ¡­Oh, this, this is Obsidian Steel! It is not as good as Mithril, but it¡¯s suitable for making good quality armor.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Seriously!? Is that true?! I got a Super Rare just below Ultra Rare! Next time is going to be Mithril!¡± (Shuu)

    And so we continue to hunt two more golems.

    And again, Noa¡¯s level went up. I was not only pleased, and also disappointed at the short time it took her to reach the next level.

    ¡°Oh my¡­ Soon, I¡¯m going to have a body that can¡¯t live without Shuu-san¡­¡± (Noa)

    It would be sexual harassment if I told her to tell me about it on the surface, so I wouldn¡¯t say it.

    At the same time, we collect gray stones containing sporangium. This is the third Parasite item. However¡ªstill no mithril drops.

    During the short break, I check the results of the past week.

    Rare metals in the Ore Fungus (Obsidian Steel, Blood Iron, Slime Lead, etc.). Gold, silver, crystals, and other colorful gems. And three Parasite Gems. Bulky biomaterials such as large aluminum- horns have already been released.

    ¡°I¡¯m not Obuchi-san, so I can¡¯t evaluate it correctly, but from my amateur guess, it might be over 2 million.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Really?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu your nose is bleeding, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I was honestly worried until we reached the 20th floor, but the three Parasite items are huge. It¡¯s a ridiculous achievement even without mithril. This is the income of first-class hunters, you know?¡± (Shuu)

    Aside from the harvest, Tamiko and I improved by one level, and Noa gained two levels. In addition, Noa has also acquired the Fungal Skill [Mucus].

    When you look at it this way, it¡¯s certainly more than enough. If I had wished for more, I would have been punished by the Metro Gods.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right¡­ but I still want more¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I wanted it. I really wanted mithril. I wanted to make a chuunibyou weapon. Darn.

    The deepest level of Ouji Metro has attracted the attention of hunters in the past for the mining of rare minerals.

    Certainly, we made wonderful achievements so far, there is no doubt about that, but¡­ is this our limit in Ouji?

    At the 30th floor, the map becomes quite hard to follow. We still made progress while taking a break now and then, and we are probably approaching the middle of the circular floor.

    Noa checks her watch. Night is about to fall. We decided to look for a safe place to rest.

    ¡°¨CHmm?¡± (Shuu)

    My [Sensory Spores] is the ability to scatter ultra-microscopic spores emitted from my body into the air, and to sense objects they attached to in three dimensions.

    Outdoors, its effective range is reduced to less than half due to the wind. However, in enclosed spaces such as Metros where air flow is weak, it can be used to its fullest extent. The range of effect, which was about 30 meters in radius at the time I got it, has been improved through repeated level-ups and now exceeds 50 meters.

    A very small number of spores that have left my body are providing sensory feedback from unexpected places.

    ¡°¡­here?¡± (Shuu)

    There is a small crack in the rock wall. The crack is only a few centimeters wide.

    The [Sensory Spores] have penetrated deep into it. It is about one meter deep. How did it reach that far?

    It occurred to me to lick my fingertip and hold it up.

    ¡°¡­just a little bit of air flowing through it, huh?¡± (Shuu)

    I put my finger close to the crack and I could finally feel it. If I were told it was just my imagination, I¡¯d be convinced.

    ¡°Shuu-san, what¡¯s the matter?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well¡­ I was just wondering if there was something behind this.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa holds up her [Light Sphere], but I can¡¯t see beyond because the crack curved inside.

    ¡°Mugyuu¡­ It¡¯s impossible, squeak, impenetrable, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    The Kunoichi Squirrel puts her nose into the hole, and she can¡¯t pull it out and makes a squeaking fuss.

    ¡°The map shows that there is nothing at this end. I thought it was just a series of rock formations leading to a passageway on the other side.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­is there some kind of hidden treasure, or a hidden room?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ the possibility is not zero.¡± (Noa)

    The three of us look at each other. The division of roles is completed by eye contact alone.

    The first thing to do is to be aware of our surroundings, Tamiko is in charge of that. And then, I took off my cloak and jacket and went into serious mode. Noa supports the two of us.

    While protecting myself with my [Great Shield], I start digging with my arm¡¯s while my hypha arms have [War Hammers] clad in [Light Blade]. Crushed rocks scatter, and the sound of explosions, is scattered about in the tunnel.

    Naturally, it attracts metro beasts. Those that can be affected by the [Beast Repellent] makes a U-turn and run away, but those that can¡¯t will have to be dealt with. It¡¯s not a bad idea, because the sporangium will replenish my strength, although it will cost us extra time.

    ¡°Damn! It¡¯s super hard!¡± (Shuu)

    The rock wall is tough, maybe tougher than a golem. The walls here are clearly different from the others.

    As expected, my hands are chafed, but thanks to [Immortality], they heal after a short pause. Then I resume our work.

    ¡°Shuu-san, would you like to switch?¡±  (Noa)

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, do your best, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko herself is doing a fine job, but her attitude of lying down and scratching her buttocks is inexcusable, so I took a break. ¡°No, no¡­ no more wor, squeak¡­!¡±

    I dug about a meter deeper and sent [Sensory Spores] directly into the crack at the back of it. And then¡ª

    ¡°¡­I knew it, there was truly a cavity on the other side.¡± (Shuu)

    It is not clear what it is like inside, but it seems certain that there is a space of a reasonable size.

    I was no longer worried that it would be a waste of time, but curious about what was out there, and afraid of what awaited us. With all these mixed up in his mind, I continued to swing my [War Hammer].

    Eventually, the [War Hammer] pierced through the rock. A hole opened. The surrounding area is scraped away, and the hole widens to a size where a single person can pass through.

    While desperately calming my racing heart, I quietly peek deep into the hole. It was almost completely dark due to the lack of firefly moss.

    ¡°Noa, [Lightball] please.¡± (Shuu)

    I take the glowing mycelium ball from her and shine it inside.

    ¡°¡­haha, this can¡¯t be real¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I suspect a mistake on the part of the management. Far from seeing Mithril, I feel like I¡¯ve found something outrageous.

    I can¡¯t help but laugh. The first thing I did was go back, beckoning Noa and Tamiko to come in.

    It is a small, cozy room. It is dusty, musty, and dark.

    And then¡ªit goes deeper. Or, to be more precise, even deeper.

    ¡°¡­This wasn¡¯t the deepest floor¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Beyond that is a staircase leading down.

 CH 62

    Pick up a pebble and threw it.

    A crisp, dry sound echoes as it rolls away. For the moment, the possibility of a ¡°Fake¡± or a ¡°Mirage¡± disappears.

    It is unmistakably a staircase. An undiscovered staircase that is not even listed in the official Ouji Metro guidebook.

    ¡°A staircase! A hidden staircase, squeak! Pigya!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko excitedly begins to do hop back and forth. I understand what is on your mind, even I also want to shuffle sideways with excitement and confusion.

    ¡°Wait a minute, hmm¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa takes out some [Lightball] and sets them up in the small room. A space of about six tatami mats is finally filled with brightness. The darkness that continues downstairs becomes even more apparent. Tamiko peeked into the room and shivered.

    ¡°There is no mention of it in the guidebook or in my grandfather¡¯s notebook. As I told you before, ¡®We¡¯ve arrived at the 30th floor, the final floor. We obtained gold nuggets and diamonds from the golems. Shall we make it into a ring and pay a tribute to Akemi-chan? What shall she do for me in return?¡¯ that¡¯s it. That damn f*cking old man¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I wonder what she did for him.¡± (Shuu)

    He didn¡¯t write it down.

    ¡°When Shishikaba-san and the others talked about Mithril, they also said, ¡®The deepest 30 floors.¡¯ That means¡­ it¡¯s most likely an unexplored area.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Wow¡­ Seriously¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Once again, my back tingled.

    ¡°No one can find it unless they are Shuu-san, who has the ability to perceive such things. I don¡¯t know how it used to be, but there¡¯s only a small crack like that to serve as a clue.¡± (Noa)

    No, no, no, I shook my head.

    I then take a deep breath to calm myself.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the stairs are real, but whether or not there really is a thirty-first floor is another matter. It could be that the staircase is real, but it doesn¡¯t mean that the 31st floor is really there. Or maybe someone already found it, but buried it and hid it, and I don¡¯t know why¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯re very skeptical.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Because, you know, I don¡¯t expect something like this to happen to me, you know, something unprecedented. It¡¯s like winning a hundred million yen on the last ticket in a lottery, you know? I¡¯ve never won anything like that in my life, and even the bingo at the company¡¯s year-end party was just a cherry to end the year-end gifts. I¡¯m starting to think that there must be some kind of trap when people become happy. It¡¯s so expensive, so unbelievably expensive, you might die! It¡¯s like that.¡± (Shuu)

    I think the two girls gave me a ¡°what a pain in the *ss¡± look for a moment.

    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike your modesty, but to tell the truth, it¡¯s not very convincing. To begin with, the number of [Itokuri-shi] was only 13 out of a million. No, it¡¯s 13 out of 15 million.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ah, my bad¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°In the Metro, stairs are a rather reliable place to go.  I don¡¯t know why this is so, but it¡¯s the common sense or based on experience for hunters or it is just the fundamental fact.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hmm¡­ but it¡¯s just empirical data used in the common sense of hunters, well, at least it has a good basis for it¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The range that can be searched by [Sensory Spores] can be used to perceive the series of stairs. It¡¯s a straight descending staircase with no turns or landings.

    After giving a signal to me and Tamiko with her eyes, Noa threw one [Lightball] towards the back. Puff! A dazzling flash of light, then a brief moment as it fades into a reverberation, and we catch a glimpse of what lies ahead as the darkness clears.

    ¡°¡­¡­did you see?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­Yeah, I saw it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s a long one, squeak¡­ it goes on forever, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko was right. As far as I could see, the stairway went deeper and deeper.

    ¡°At least it appears to be an underground passageway. We¡¯ll have to go down to see how far it goes.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Right, well, that¡¯s the way it is, isn¡¯t it?¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯d better admit it, in order to think about what to do next.

    ¡°I see. You did find it, right?¡± (Noa)

    An unrecorded entrance to the 31st floor and the right to challenge it for the first time.

    ¡°So, what should we do?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What are we going to do, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What should I do?¡± (Noa)

    There are no maps or information from this point forward. It is completely an uncharted territory.

    What we can expect in return are untapped treasures and resources. The first information and the added value they bring. Mithril may also be among them.

    On the other hand, we should be wary of risks such as traps we have never seen before, changes in the environment, and threats such as Metro Beasts that are more powerful than ever before. Or there may even be a boss-like presence waiting in the shadows.

    ¡°¡ªthat¡¯s expected, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, I think that perception is correct. We have to be prepared for the high risk, not just the return.¡± (Noa)

    So, the three of us discussed the matter.

    Do we go forward, or do we go back and make preparations again? Or give up and hand the chance over to someone else?

    ¡°But first of all, this place is under the direct control of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, right? Do we have to report to them? Would they be offended if I entered without permission before reporting it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I think it¡¯s all right. I think there we an obligation to report it, but usually, the discoverer is the first one to enter in such cases. If you report it, you will probably get a promotion or a reward, maybe.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°So, there is no problem if we go in first?¡± (Shuu)

    We first check our own condition first.

    All three of us are somewhat tired, but we¡¯ve made it this far, and we have plenty of energy left.

    We have water and enough food to last us for a while. ¡°Water is relatively easy to get, and if we can hunt metro beasts, I can take care of the meals,¡± said Chef Highschool Girl reassuringly.

    We are a little short on consumables such as rice, soap, and seasonings, but we will make do with what we can get. In such a situation, a hypha weapon that doesn¡¯t suffer from wear and tear is very useful (although it is a bit of a downside, as it diminishes the purpose of seeking a real weapon).

    ¡°I¡¯m not one hundred percent sure, but it¡¯s not so bad that we have to turn around and prepare.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I know, right? I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good idea to go back and prepare. Do you want to go?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Treasure, squeak! Acorn millionaire, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s scary, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity¡­ and safety is of course paramount, so I guess we¡¯ll just dive carefully and cautiously.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (Shuu)

    Both Tamiko and Noa have eyes glittering in excitement. And, undeniably, it was the same with me.

    It¡¯s a just matter of finding treasure. However, I admit it once I accepted the reality, I¡¯m now itching to go there.

    There is fear and anxiety, of course. But more than that, there is anticipation and curiosity. I have to consciously suppress my excitement.

    ¡°¡­ but¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It is also true that I can¡¯t just go and say, ¡°Let¡¯s go now!¡±

    Up to this point, in a sense, we had been on the same path. Step by step, we have been steadily advancing. There were times when the difficulty level jumped up to the 21st and 30th floors, but it was within the scope of what we could handle on our own.

    However, from this point forward¨Cand this is only a hunch, but I have a feeling of certainty¨Cthere is a possibility of a world that is separate from the floors up to this point. It would not be surprising that a different kind of danger awaits us.

    (If I were alone, or rather, if I were in Outsuka, it was something else¡­) (Shuu)

    (I can¡¯t be the same reckless person now.) (Shuu)

    It is different from those days when I kept betting whether I would live or die. We can selectively avoid possible risks. Above all¡ªthere are more reasons to want to live. There are more things I am afraid of losing.

    ¡°Sorry, Shuu-san.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m here, isn¡¯t it? If it was just you and Sis, you wouldn¡¯t have to worry so much.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± (Shuu)

    That being said, Noa really knows why. She can¡¯t stop but pout in frustration.

    Tamiko¡¯s chances of surviving are high. Natural agility and enemy searching abilities, defensive power of the [White Armor], [Camouflage] and [Avatar]. Above all, she has the experience and achievements of surviving Outsuka Metro together with me.

    Noa has also been gaining strength by the time we arrived here, and her ability to support me and Tamiko have become much more better over the past week. She will not fall behind in a one-on-one battle with anyone other than a golem¡ªjust barely, if at all, on this floor.

    If the opponent is of a higher level, there is no guarantee that she will be able to handle it by herself. Inevitably, there will be more cases where I will be on the defensive, and the risk of accidents will be that much higher.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to say that I won¡¯t be a liability¡­ but if Shuu-san would rather give up because of me, I¡¯d rather be left here¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s also dangerous to stay here alone. Let¡¯s not go down that road.¡± (Shuu)

    I folded his arms and thought.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right¡­ I wish we have at least another person¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The best way to solve this is to have a skilled person who can move between me and Noa. That alone would reduce the burden and risk considerably.

    ¡°¡­Maybe we could invite Obuchi-san and the others to join us¡­¡± (Shuu)

    However, that would take too much time. Even if they were to accept the request, it would take about three days for me and my party to return to the surface, contact them (New Tokyo has a long-distance communication system called ¡°Messenger Bats¡±), wait for their arrival, and then come back here again¡ªIt will take at least a week or more.

    In the meantime, there is a possibility that someone will discover this hole. I am not so much concerned about the honor of being the first, but it would be quite frustrating if someone unearths a treasure or something else before we do.

    ¡°¡­maybe we could team up with the Shishikaba sisters or the uncle duo¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The werewolf, who is a super VIP, would be another risk, so we should reject him, but they could be a great asset. They would be a great help to us, although it would be a hassle to share the spoils and hide myself as a [Itokuri-shi].

    The question is whether we will be able to meet them again in this wide Metro area. So, we can return to the camp for the time being¡­

    ¡°¡ªAre you in trouble? Kiki!¡± (Voice)

    I had turned off my [Sensory Spores] so I didn¡¯t notice the intruder. The voice from behind us made the three of us turn around. And then we were startled.

    A masked man emerged from the hole through which we had entered.

    He was wearing a mask that looked like a green monkey ¨C a goblin. His red hair spills out from the seams.

    ¡°You¡¯re some kind of pervert, aren¡¯t you?¡± (Shuu)

    I know, but I don¡¯t want to accept it.

    ¡°Sh¨CI¡¯m a masked wrestler passing by. My name is Goblin Mask! Kiki!¡±

    The second ¡°Kiki!¡± was too loud, so Noa kicked him in the shin and Tamiko threw a pebble at him. Goblin Mask that is pushed to a corner, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that hurts.¡±

 CH 63

    The masked warrior Goblin Mask clears his throat slightly trying to regain his composure.

    ¡°Even though I thought it was uncouth to eavesdrop, I couldn¡¯t stop myself. Shu¨CI was so fascinated by the sound of your voice. Forgive me.¡± (Goblin Mask)

    I¡¯m not sure what was different about the first ¡°Getting to know¡±.

    ¡°I just happened to see you guys on this floor. I was secretly following you, watching for any danger you might be in. It¡¯s Goblin Mask¡¯s role to protect the peace of the innocent Baby Face.¡± (Goblin Mask)

    Goblin mask. Their true identity is obvious, but they seem to have followed us from outside the range of my [Sensory Spores]. I¡¯m afraid that in addition to being a pervert, he also seems to have the qualities of a stalker.

    ¡°As far as I know, the deepest level of Ouji Metro should be here on the 30th basement floor. However, to my surprise, you guys seem to have found a stairway to the lower level¡­ which should not be here. It¡¯s truly a historic discovery, and I¡¯m honored to have been there. I won¡¯t be so tactless as to ask for a share of the credit.¡± (Goblin Mask)

    ¡°Huh.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But I¡¯ve heard in the grapevine that you and your colleagues are feeling lost. The road ahead may be more dangerous than ever before. You don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to continue on. You want to go! But you can¡¯t go! So!¡± (Goblin Mask)

    Noa¡¯s eyes show disgust, and Tamiko¡¯s ears are flat, as if to say, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry but you¡¯re in charge the pervert.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to ridicule you for being cautious. It is natural for a wise man to hesitate when faced with a new path. The unknown is both a joy and a terror, and to step into it without hesitation would be reckless arrogance.¡± (Goblin Mask)

    ¡°Yes, protein.¡± (Shuu) [WTH? What do you mean by ¡°protein¡± that you have to write it in Katakana? I don¡¯t get it.]

    ¡°I¡¯d say the young lady there is in her mid-twenties in level. It would certainly be a burden on Shu-Leader-kun to take her from here on out, and there¡¯s also the possibility of an accident if to occur with the level of risks.¡± (Goblin Mask)

    Noa leans forward, but just bites her lips. She can¡¯t argue, because it¡¯s the truth.

    ¡°However¡ªthere is someone here who can cover that. Yes, it is I, Goblin Mask!¡± (Goblin Mask)

    Even if I¡¯m told by a master.

    ¡°I can guard the young girl and the little one, and also protect the leader¡¯s behind. I¡¯m not very good at fighting with more than one, but I¡¯m a ¡®wrestler¡¯, and my specialty is to take a lot of hits. I¡¯m the best choice to be the defensive wall for your party. Well, if you want to move forward, why don¡¯t you hire me.¡± (Goblin Mask)

    ¡°Hire you?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s enough of this¡­ Kure Izuho-san.¡±

    Noa interrupts with a frigid tone.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the Goblin Mask, you¡¯re so obvious. Shuu-san told you that he doesn¡¯t want to see you again. You¡¯re asking us to trust someone, who would even approach us under pretenses, hiding his true nature?¡± (Noa)

    Noa, who didn¡¯t even hesitate to break the rule of revealing the masked wrestler¡¯s true identity, made both Kure and the man he had been daring to go out with flinch.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you are after Shuu-san or the treasure, but do you think I would entrust my back to someone who would suddenly attack us from behind? You set us up for a duel and now you want to be friends? Our business is none of your business.¡± (Noa)

    Noa¡¯s sharp tongue lashing took everyone¡¯s breath away. Only an ear-splitting silence remained. [T/N: The Waifu has spoken. Sorry, Tamiko-chan. You¡¯re just the first candidate. LOL]

    Goblin Mask rips off his green mask. His red hair dances around, revealing an annoyingly handsome face. No one is surprised, as it is all too obvious it is Kure Izuho.

    ¡°¡­you¡¯re right. It¡¯s not what a martial artist should have done, trying to get in by disguising his appearance with trickery.¡± (Goblin Mask => Kure)

    He falls to his knees. Then he bows his head. I wonder why this tradition remains in the Senju Tribe, The Dogeza.

    ¡°This is what I should have done first¡­ Shuu-kun, Ikari-san, Tamiko-chan. Give me a chance¡­ please?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°A chance?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Unfortunately, your impression of me is terrible. That¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? I forced you into a semi-intimidating duel, and I know I deserved it. I realize that.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Noa)

    I immediately nodded my head, Kure looked hurt upon seeing that.

    ¡°I want to be friends with you guys. I want to get to know you, not only Shuu-kun but also Ikari-san and Tamiko-chan. So¡­ let¡¯s start again with a contractual relationship between professionals. I will surely do a good job. And I will regain your trust.¡± (Kure)

    It is a strange thing to say to regain something that was never there, but I don¡¯t need to mention it.

    ¡°Um¡­ are you saying you¡¯ll go down there with us and protect Noa and Tamiko?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll protect your behind as well. In the name of Kure-style Life of Death Technique.¡± (Kure)

    The two girls¡¯ eyes rolled back¡ªbut it¡¯s not a bad idea.

    It¡¯s a proposal not worth considering if I am taking emotions into account, but if I look at him as a simple fighting force and workforce, he¡¯s perfect. There¡¯s an unknown number of Metro Beasts that we might deal with, but with his level of strength, it is possible for him to become a wall defending Noa and Tamiko. And as a matter of fact, there is no need to hide my Fungal Skills. If something were to happen, I would be able to do my best to deal with it without fear of repercussions.

    And surely, if we bind him in the form of a contract, he will not break it. He would not harm us, nor would he abandon the job in the middle of it.

    ¡°What is your price?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ How about ten percent of the loot, then?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Ten percent, really?¡± (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t know the market well, but 10% seems modest indeed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in gold or other precious metals from the beginning. I promised Shuu-kun that I would give him what little I had, so as long as I can earn enough money for the time being, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Then, I will pay you ten percent of the loot from the 31st floor and beyond, or the equivalent in cash. In addition, I will return the property you are going to give me (I don¡¯t need it).¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Huh, is that okay? As long as I can help you, I don¡¯t mind.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Tamiko, Noa, are you okay with this?¡± (Shuu)

    They looked at each other, both of them with delicate expressions on their faces.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to do this? A tiger at the front, a wolf in the butt.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°How clever.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu will take care of it, squeak. You don¡¯t need to feed them, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Let¡¯s put him on duty. Let¡¯s all take care of things.¡± (Noa)

    Kure stood up and faced Tamiko and Noa.

    ¡°I will definitely help you. I will protect your backs. I promise.¡± (Kure)

    The two women received a straight stare and didn¡¯t push back any further.

    (Well, the rest is up to me.) (Shuu)

    (If I can hold the reins of this guy, he can be a great asset.) (Shuu)

    (I don¡¯t like it. I really don¡¯t want to hold anything on this guy, whatever they are.) (Shuu)

    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to trust the contract between professional hunters here. If anything should happen, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s because I don¡¯t have enough strength. That¡¯s why I ended up giving Shuu-san trouble¡­ I¡¯ll feed you properly.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°You¡¯re going to start from the bottom, squeak. You¡¯ll do exactly what I squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hey, newcomer, go and flatter your superiors.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Here¡¯s an acorn I picked up along the way as a token of our friendship.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°You know what I¡¯m squeaking about. I¡¯ll take it as a toke of our friendship, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes!¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re too easy.¡± (Shuu)

    I closed my eyes for about a second and sighed. He¡¯s unbelievably prepared.

    ¡°¡­Then the contract is set. You¡¯ll be our friend for this one time. You¡¯ll have to follow our instructions.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Thank you! I won¡¯t let you down!¡± (Kure)

    He held out is hand. When I looked at Tamiko and Noa, they both nod in agreement.

    Tamiko and Noa looked at me and both of them nod their heads lightly, urging me to take hold of his hands. I then kick him in the shin to get him to let go.

    ¡°Nice to meet you! Shuu-kun, Ikari-san, Tamiko-san!¡± (Kure)

    No fanfare, at all. I don¡¯t accept that he¡¯s officially a member of our group.

    But, at any rate, I¡¯m not going to let that stop me. With the addition of a pervert with plenty of ability as a cannon fodder, we were ready to go this time. [T/N: Shuu said bullet sponge, but cannon fodder seems more appropriate.]

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s go together!¡± (Kure)

    The four of us step into the pitch-black staircase that spreads out before them.

    Our real adventure finally begins.

    To challenge the unknown, to the phantom 31st floor of Ouji Metro.

 CH 63.1

    ~An Apprentice Miner¡¯s Perspective~

    The work was hard and scary.

    Of course it was. I had to stand directly in front of a rock doll many times my size.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s almost here! Get ready!¡± (Miner)

    ¡°Rock Doll Mine¡±, Ouji Metro. I worked here as a miner¡¯s apprentice.

    My main task was to distract the golems in front so that the adults would have an opening for their spears and hammers.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move there! Hold it still until I finish it off!¡± (Miner)

    Too close and they would grab you and suck your fluids until you died. Too far away and you would endanger the adults. Still, after more than a year of practice and guidance from my master, I was able to perform my role reasonably well.

    ¡°Die! You big bastard!¡± (Miner)

    ¡°It¡¯s still moving! Hit the vital point properly!¡± (Miner)

    I always stared coldly at the adults with bloodshot eyes as they rushed to finish off the golem.

    I belonged to a medium-sized group of about ten people who were in charge of one floor. My master was strict about work and did not coddle us, but neither did he bully me. Thanks to this, the share I received was not so bad, considering that I was a child, not even close to an adult.

    But I hated my job.

    Most of my earnings were taken away from me by my foster father, a man who drank day and night without working, a man who had taken me in as a child.

    And yet, if I didn¡¯t make enough money, I would get beat up.

    Because the older workers would make me go out with them to relieve stress outside the watchful eye of my master.

    Because they are tough and scary.

    In addition to these reasons, there were other reasons.

    ¡ªAlso, because I felt sorry for the golem.

    They are indeed terrifying.

    They come out of nowhere and slurp up the living blood and sporangium of any living creature.

    They are as ferocious and voracious as they appear. There is nothing cute about them as a the ¡°blessing of the metro.¡±

    But¡ªthe individuals of the floor in which us miners operate are young, stupid, dull and weak.

    Of course, to an ordinary person without a Fungal Class, they must be monsters, but only at a level that can be overturned with numbers, weapons, and experience.

    At least since I joined the group, not a single one of us had fallen prey to a golem. Overall, the story was that accidents and casualties would not disappear anytime soon, but they were also decreasing year by year.

    The golems were no longer the hunter, but the hunted, although we are only talking about the tenth floor and above that had fallen into human hands.

    (And yet those guys¨Cwhy do they keep coming out?) (Apprentice)

    (Do they come out just to be killed?) (Apprentice)

    They are not ghosts or just moving rocks. They are living creatures, and they are undeniably alive.

    They are man-eating monsters, yet they are weak beings that are born from the depths of the earth only to die.

    It was somewhat comical. I felt pity for them.

    I even saw myself in them.

    They can¡¯t go anywhere, crawling around like moles under the ground, exposing their lives to monsters, and in the not-too-distant future, it will only be a matter of time before they die in the Metro.

    I wondered what was different about these rock dolls. They are a reflection of my present and future.

    If so, this was no different than killing my own alter ego.

    That is why I hated this job. I hated the Golems. Every time I saw a golem die, my soul seemed to be quietly being whittled away.

    That day, our group was put in charge of the tenth underground floor. It was the deepest and most dangerous place for miners to work.

    After more than half a day of walking and descending stairs, we finally arrived at the tenth underground floor. We had to stay here for three days.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to get back home, isn¡¯t it?¡± (Miner)

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for the construction of the elevator to start.¡± (Miner)

    ¡°Even if they start now, it¡¯s rumored to be another five or ten years before it¡¯s completed.¡± (Miner)

    ¡°By then, the Golem will have eaten us all up and we¡¯ll be dust in the Metro.¡± (Miner)

    My friends were grumbling about it.

    I decided to take a break and explore the floor I had only been on a couple of times before.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far because there are still Metro Beasts around here.¡± I ignored my master¡¯s advice not to go too far and kept walking. I thought it would be a good idea to just run away. However, I knew there was no way I could escape.

    I felt a tremor under my feet. It was a sign that a golem was about to appear.

    Reflexively, I braced myself, but an arm of rock protruding from the wall caught me.

    I found myself in a strange place.

    I was lying in the grass. The pricking of grass against my cheek woke me up.

    At first, I couldn¡¯t believe I was in the Metro.

    It was like a wide-open field. Firefly Moss lit it up brightly, the rock walls were moist with seeping water, and the soft ground was lush with mycelial plants. Tiny insects were flying around, and mice were scurrying about.

    (¨D¨DWhere is this place?) (Apprentice)

    As I was walking alone, I was caught in the arms of a golem. The moment I thought I was going to be killed, I lost consciousness¡ªbut when I woke up, I was in this place.

    (I mean, why am I still alive?) (Apprentice)

    (No, maybe I am in heaven?) (Apprentice)

    At first glance, this peaceful-looking scene certainly fits the bill. However, for a heavenly place, the rock wall looks a lot like that of the Metro. The plants and flowers are clearly those of the Metro.

    Fortunately or unfortunately, I was sure that I was in the Metro.

    The question was, where in the metro?

    As far as I knew, I had never heard of such a place on the tenth floor.

    So¡ªan undiscovered area.

    Due to the nature of the golems, part of the Metro itself is used as its physical body, the Ouji Metro is said to have many ¡°gaps¡± because of this. These can become so-called ¡°hidden rooms¡± or ¡°hidden passages¡± depending on the metro changing. It was more than a decade ago that Ouji began to operate in earnest as a metro under the direct control of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, but it is said that such things are still often discovered.

    (I wonder if this is one of those places.) (Apprentice)

    (Even so, why am I here?) (Apprentice)

    With a thud, the room shook.

    When I looked back toward the direction of the sound, I saw that part of the wall was being pushed toward me. It was like a door that opened inward.

    What pushed it open and entered was a single golem.

    It looked different from the golems I had faced in the past. None of the golems I had seen had heads or something similar. That was what was expected.

    But this golem had a head. It had no eyes, nose, or ears, but a stumpy, square head.

    The head turned toward me. Even though it had no expression or vision, I knew that its attention was directed toward me.

    Sure enough, the golem approached, stomping on the ground. It was a majestic figure, showing off its own majesty.

    ¡°Hii¨C¡± (Apprentice)

    I fell on my butt and backed away. I wanted to get up and run away, but my legs and back would not listen to me.

    (I¡¯m going to die, I¡¯m going to be killed¡ª) (Apprentice)

    There were no masters or adults here. There was only one helpless child who could only act as a decoy.

    The monster crawling out to die¡ªsomething I pitied¡ªapproached me step by step, like death itself.

    The golem extended its left arm. I clutched my head and cowered to the ground.

    ¡°¡­¡­eh?¡± (Apprentice)

    A tiny white ball of fur was in the palm of his knobby rocky hand.

    It was a young rabbit with horns on its head¨Can Almiraj. It seemed to be curled up and sleeping.

    It set the Almiraj down gently on the grass and the golem turned on its heel, its joints creaking.

    It grabbed the door, pulled it closed, and walked out.

    Silence returned to the field again.

    I couldn¡¯t understand what had happened.

    The golem had brought a baby rabbit. It left it behind.

    I was supposed to be food, but it left me, and the rabbit.

    It did not kill me, did not suck a drop of blood from me.

    One person and one baby were left behind. I stared dumbfoundedly at the white rabbit, which turned over in its sleep.

    A/N: This chapter is about the story told in ¡°Chapter 54: The King Slayer Silver Wolf¡±.

 CH 64

    The four of us were ready to move on, but it was almost night, so we decided to leave the challenge to the 31st floor for tomorrow morning and searched for a safe place near the hidden passage.

    We took turns standing guard. When Kure was on duty, I kept my eyes closed and used my [Sensory Spores] to check on Kure, but there seemed to be no disturbing activity, so I decided to go to sleep.

    But¡ªthe next morning.

    Some of my towels and pants are missing. The used ones are getting washed at a watering hole and were inside out, but the ones that had been hung out to dry were missing.

    Before the exploration, a search of personal belongings was conducted. As expected, we find it in Kure¡¯s pocket. He had given up and said, ¡°I wanted to use it as a good luck charm. I wanted to have something to protect me when I went to an unknown dangerous area,¡± he said. The discussion went as far as terminating the contract, but since his tearful apology showed signs of remorse, we decided to let the matter drop for this one time.

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel like an idiot.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°As reparation, he should give up his pants squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Pants give you dignity.¡± (Shuu)

    We didn¡¯t bother to block the hole, since it seemed that no other hunters had come to this area last night.

    The four of us stood in front of the stairs, once again feeling the excitement and nervousness of being the first to arrive.

    Since the staircase is completely unlit, Noa hands a [Lightball] to Kure and me. I have my [Sensory Spores], so even in the dark it is not too inconvenient for me, but I have not told Kure about it, so he takes it as well.

    Incidentally, we have already shared each of our Fungal Skills yesterday (except [Sensory Spores]). Kure has six Fungal Skills. [Self-Regeneration], [White Armor], [Herculean Strength], [Instant Response], [Telephoto], [Adversity]. [Telephoto] is literally the ability to see things far away, and [Adversity] is the ability to massively increase in physical ability if you take more than a certain amount of damage. It¡¯s a good thing I was able to stop him immediately with my special move, huh?

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± (Kure)

    ¡°I have to pee first, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s our priority.¡± (Shuu)

    The room was wide enough for four adults to walk side by side. Kure was in the lead, followed by Noa and me, Tamiko on my shoulders. The reason I let Kure go first is simply that I don¡¯t want him to walk behind me. I don¡¯t feel like traveling if I feel eyes on my butt from beginning to end.

    We descend slowly and carefully, one step at a time. The sound of three people¡¯s footsteps echoes off the walls. It is cool to the touch as if to indicate that there has been no blood for a long time.

    ¡°Well, Little Shuu, I¡¯m surprised you found this place. May I ask how?¡± (Kure)

    Kure looks back and asks.

    ¡°Well, it just so happens that I felt a very subtle air flow through a crack in the wall¡­ so I thought there might be something in the back. So, I dug into it.¡± (Shuu)

    For this man with the tendency to stalk, it was necessary to keep the existence of [Sensory Spores] a secret.

    ¡°Hmm, maybe it¡¯s just a coincidence¡­ I thought it was some kind of Fungal Skill, like [Sense Heat]. I¡¯m not sure if there¡¯s some kind of sensory ability that I don¡¯t know about. I thought it might be the reason why you intercepted my surprise attack without a second glance.¡± (Kure)

    Very perceptive. He¡¯s a pervert who seems to think only about martial arts and butts, but he¡¯s very perceptive. [T/N: All perverts are skilled e.g. Master Roshi, Happosai, Tio Klarus, Hisoka, Jiraiya, etc.]

    ¡°But I can¡¯t believe you found this staircase that no one had noticed in the decades that this place has been under the direct control of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. You are indeed the man I fell in love with. Your name will go down in history, starting a new chapter in the history of Ouji.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°I don¡¯t really need that kind of thing.¡± (Shuu)

    As long as I can get Mithril, everything is just excess. Excessive honor would only become a pressure, and from my standpoint, it would be a risk. Thinking about it, it may be better to leave it alone without coming forward.

    While talking about such things, I counted up to about a hundred steps, but I still couldn¡¯t see the end of it.

    ¡°By the way, Kure¡­ How old are you?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Twenty-six. I¡¯m twenty-six, just call me Izuho.¡± (Kure)

    Two years younger. I had imagined he would be a little older than that, given his level.

    ¡°You¡¯re twenty-six and level fifty, really?¡± Noa asked.

    ¡°Well, my father was very Spartan. I made my Metro debut when I was seven years old.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Is that normal for Senju Tribesmen or Is Kure special?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m special, but our educational policy is different. I think that the Senju Tribe may be stricter than other tribes, but as expected, there are very few people of the same standard in the same age group. I¡¯m fine with Izuho.¡± (Kure)

    Noa has an indescribable expression on her face. The fact that he reached level 50 at such a young age is still extraordinary.

    ¡°If you put it that way, Little Shuu is the same age, right? I¡¯m surprised that he is a [Master Threadweaver] but his level is also extraordinary. How did you become so strong? I¡¯m really curious.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-eight¡­ I¡¯ve gone through a lot of hardship, you see. It¡¯s a long story.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯d love to hear about it sometime. And just once, call me Izuho.¡± (Kure)

    Kure, who was looking behind, loses balance at the last word. It¡¯s because he didn¡¯t expect that there wouldn¡¯t be the next step.

    I noticed it with [Sensory Spores], but the stairs curve 90 degrees to the right from a small landing. The darkness and stairs continue all the way to the end of the turn, unchanged, and the end is still not in sight.

    ¡°Why is there no firefly moss here?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Firefly Moss¡ª¡± Noa said. ¡°Basically, it grows everywhere in the metro, but there are places like this every once in a while. Sometimes there¡¯s no moss in places where there¡¯s not a lot of traffic, or where there¡¯s not a lot of wildlife.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that the individuals that come through are like spore carriers?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I think that¡¯s one factor. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case in all of them. If people start coming through here, Firefly Moss will grow eventually.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see. Tamiko, are you awake?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Of course, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    She seemed to be awake as she answered enthusiastically, but her eyes were fluttering at high speed.

    ¡°Do you know how much longer we have to travel?¡± (Shuu)

    Her ears twitched. She seemed to be measuring the distance by the echo of our footsteps.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t hear anything, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I guess so. I guess we have a long way to go.¡± (Shuu)

    We continued our descent in silence for a while. We had been descending for more than ten minutes since the beginning. Due to our physical strength as hunters, we were not drained, but it is mentally exhausting to keep going in total darkness. It is even more disheartening to think about the return trip.

    (How many meters did we just descend? More than a hundred meters?) (Shuu)

    (It looks longer than the stairs of the Boss Slime in Outsuka Metro.) (Shuu)

    ¡°If it¡¯s this deep, the metro beasts that come out are going to be a lot different than the ones prior.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It would be nice if there was a golem.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Since I¡¯ve come this far, I want to bring Mithril back with me.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Golem, huh?¡± Kure replied. ¡°Come to think of it, Little Shuu, you were fighting something on the 30th floor that looked very strong, weren¡¯t you? I was watching from a distance to see if it looked dangerous or if I could help out. I was so excited to see you using [Light Blade]. Seeing you penetrating it made me squeal! Kiyaa!!¡±

    ¡°Shut up squeak! You have angered me, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    The angry senior squirrel said, ¡°Evil!¡± and throws an acorn shell like a shuriken, piercing the side of Kure¡¯s head.

    ¡°Well, that weird golem is a mature individual, isn¡¯t it?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Probably.¡± (Shuu)

    Still, it didn¡¯t have any mithril.

    ¡°I see¡­ Do you remember the story Ms. Shishikaba and the others were talking about?  It was about the golems kidnapping orphans?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the Metro ghost story.¡± (Shuu)

    The story is about a golem, a mature individual, that kidnaps child miners and imprisons them as preserved food.

    ¡°In the first place, have you guys ever seen a newborn golem?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°No.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I haven¡¯t either, but the smallest one I¡¯ve ever found was only about the size of my fist. It preys on microorganisms and insects in the ground climbing up the ladder to adulthood while inflating their sandbags. Don¡¯t you think golems are slow and unintelligent in spite of their size?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Well.¡± (Shuu)

    The golem¡¯s body is almost always made of rocks, so it may not matter, but it is certainly not the smartest thing you have ever seen.

    ¡°However, when they become mature individuals, their intelligence massively increases. They are more varied in their attacks and more responsive to threats. It was the same as the one you fought, wasn¡¯t it? The differences between normal and mature individuals are said to be due to individual qualities, age differences, and differences in Metro Beasts they hunt, but in the case of golems, it is said that there are other significant factors as well. Do you know what it is?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°What is it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Experience, they say. When they are young, golems have a very high learning ability. There are rumors that some scholars have even had golems learn tricks with their tentacles. It learns and absorbs various things from humans and beasts. It is said that they take the form of rock puppets because they imitate humans.¡± (Kure)

    To that theory, there should be golems that imitate beasts, but most are uniformly humanoid. Or is it that humans are more intellectually stimulating and influential?

    ¡°In this way, individuals with strong curiosity, who have greedily accumulated experience since childhood, sometimes appear to possess intelligence and even emotions. It seems that the golem researcher¡¯s opinion is that they will become a mature individual. That¡¯s just what I got from a guidebook.¡± (Kure)

    ¡ªWhat is a golem? (Shuu)

    I thought about it again.

    A metro beast is a prehistoric creature transformed by the Super Fungi parasite. Or they are foreign beings that emerged from the depths during the Metro Flood.

    These two theories have been taken, and no decision has been made. I speculate that it is the former.

    But, if that¡¯s the case¡ªI wonder what the golem was in ¡°the previous world¡±.

    At least, I can¡¯t think of any creature that looks like it that I know of.

    Or perhaps it was an ¡°alien¡± who had come through the Metro?

    ¡°Did the guidebook mention such a thing? I haven¡¯t read it all yet.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°You have one of those guidebooks that you can buy at the counter, right? I bought mine at a souvenir shop, so it looks a little different.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Can you show it to me later?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I read it once and threw it away. But I remember everything, so you can ask me anything.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Tamiko)

    A brief silence.

    ¡°You read it once and you remember everything?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Seriously?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not bragging, but I haven¡¯t given it a second look.¡± (Kure)

    The pervert who is looking behind crashes into the wall around the corner. The biggest part is that he¡¯s handsome and talented. I wonder if the sense of disappointment is inversely proportional to that. This might be some divine prank. Noa has an indescribable expression on her face during this exchange.

    ¡°¡ªa.¡± (Shuu)

    After turning there and advancing a little, the steps end and turn into a horizontal passage. And then¡ªa wall is blocking the way.

    It almost feels as if we¡¯ve come to a dead end, but when I bend down a little to take a peek, I see a tiny bit of light leaking through the cracks. There is something on the other side.

    ¡°Tamiko, get down.¡± (Shuu)

    [Light Blade] on the [War Hammer] looks even better in the darkness. The rest of the time, it¡¯s all digging, but the rock wall is clearly more fragile than it was on the 30th floor.

    Kure picks up the broken pieces and threw them to the edge. While picking things up, he tries to brush against my butt, so I swung my [War Hammer] behind strong enough to smash his head. The two girls are watching the silent exchange between the two with white-out eyes.

    Before long, the [War Hammer] punched a hole, and the streaks of light that came in lit up the dust.

    ¡°¡ªGood.¡± (Shuu)

    A single full-powered blow shatters the wall. The flood of light that poured in involuntarily made me cover my eyes.

    ¡ªA new world is spreading ahead.

    The chirping of birds can be heard.

    The ceiling is high, as we have been descending for tens of minutes. And it is very bright. It was as if the sky was real.

    ¡°¡­Woah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I was at a loss for words. The three with me are also stunned speechless.

    ¡°¡­We are in the Metro, right?¡± (Shuu)

    I remember the time when I came out of the Otsuka Metro. It feels similar to that.

    Beyond the darkness is a dense forest.

    Fog rolls in, and the sounds of beasts come and go. Among them, there is a low, rumbling roar, reminiscent of that of a predator.

 CH 65

    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Both of us that grew up in the Outsuka Metro were made to recognize again the insanity of Metros, and our mouths were left hanging.

    Spread out before us is a jungle of mycelial plants reminiscent of the bizarre flora of the subtropics. Behind us, however, is a huge rock wall hundreds of meters high, and the light pouring down from the ceiling is that of Firefly Moss. It is almost certain that we are in the Metro.

    I feel like Alice in Wonderland, but at least it doesn¡¯t seem to have led us to a completely different world.

    ¡°This is a little¡­ unexpected¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡° A pseudo-outdoor floor¡­ I¡¯ve heard the Nerima Tribe has something like that¡­¡± (Kure)

    As one would expect, even with Noa and Kure, these scenes do not seem to be commonplace.

    The Ogre¡¯s territory on the 50th floor of the Outsuka Metro was also a spacious grassland area, but the openness of this space is incomparable. This was definitely several hundred meters down from the 30th floor, and it seemed to be more than a hundred meters from the ceiling.

    I took off my cloak and jacket and used [Leaping] on the spot with Tamiko on my head. I stuck to the rock wall with my [Ashura] arms. I climbed up to the height where I can grab hold of. I don¡¯t have much tolerance for heights, so I don¡¯t look down.

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s quite wide, huh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I look around while hanging from [Ashura].

    The jungle with a slight mist over it is eerie and mysterious at the same time.

    There are many ups and downs, hills and hollows. It is a strenuous walk. The distance to the other side, or to the rock walls on either side, indicates that the floor is almost circular. It is quite wide, and I wonder how many kilometers it is to the other side.

    ¡°¨CHmm?¡± (Shuu)

    I am not high enough to see the entire jungle, but I can see something white and gray peeking out from between the dense growth of green, blue, purple, and other colorful mycelial plants.

    ¡°¡­Stone structures?¡± (Shuu)

    Stone structures, there seem to some scattered here and there in the dense forest.

    (There¡¯s a forest in the metro, and there are even structures in it?) (Shuu)

    (Someone didn¡¯t build them, did they? It¡¯s some kind of metro structure, right?) (Shuu)

    (That¡¯s a bit of an absurdity, isn¡¯t it? Seriously, what is Metro? What does it want to do?) (Shuu)

    I can¡¯t get answers to those kinds of questions in the first place by mulling them around in my head. I put them to the back of my mind and continued to observe.

    A bird is flying in the distant sky. I think I catch a glimpse of a large creature peeking out between the trees, but it disappears before my eyes can focus on it. Even though the Metro has created this environment, the area is so rich in nature that you would expect to see Metro Beasts roaming all over the place.

    ¡°There¡¯s a big one over there, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko was jumping up and down on top of my head. I use [Ashura] to lift my body and raise my head.

    ¡°¡­¡­An altar¡­¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    I can faintly see what looks like a stone altar. It is much taller than the other structures.

    This view, in general, reminds me of something. A group of ruins in the jungle around Central America. Was this the Mayan civilization?

    Ancient ruins lying in the jungle, a ruined prehistoric temple city. That kind of thing?

    ¡°¡­Did the Metro make this¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m about to go down. Hold on to me so you don¡¯t fall off.¡± (Shuu)

    It was a little chilly with my jacket off. I carefully descended along the rock wall.

    I returned to Noa and Kure and explained what we had seen.

    ¡°I saw birds flying around, but no other beasts. What about you, Tamiko?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything either, squeak. I hate birds, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    The trauma of the attempted abduction comes back to life.

    ¡°It¡¯s a completely different world from the one we¡¯ve been in,¡± said Kure ¡°Little Shuu and the others are looking for Mithril, right? This place doesn¡¯t look like a golem¡¯s habitat, does it?¡± (Kure)

    I was at a loss for words. What he says is true. The field has transformed so much that it looks like a different place altogether, there is no atmosphere of rock dolls roaming around.

    ¡°¡­no golems¡­ here¡­¡± (Shuu)

    A 130-year-old sulked remembering the pain of not gaining what I wanted from the scorpion golem. I was patted on the head by Noa and patted on the cheek by Tamiko.

    ¡°Mr. Kure, please read the atmosphere.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Little Shuu.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°The virgin is delicate, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Stop stabbing me in the back.¡± (Shuu)

    I regained my composure and thought calmly.

    Kure had a point. We need to keep that possibility in mind. I can¡¯t be greedy and put my friends in danger by chasing after a phantom.

    ¡°If we want to explore,¡± Noa said. ¡°We can either go around the perimeter of the floor, or we can check out the structures in the forest. The forest doesn¡¯t seem to extend to the outer perimeter, so it might be relatively safe.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Little Shuu. What¡¯s your opinion?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Let¡¯s go please.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If you think about it, if there is something, it¡¯s in the forest, isn¡¯t it? If we are going to explore anyway, why don¡¯t we try to get to the nearest structure from here?¡± (Kure)

    I had no objection. I was thinking the same thing.

    If the Metro Beasts are living in the forest, it is a safe option to go around the perimeter to see what¡¯s going on. But this place is too big, and if we were to go to the other side of the river, it might take half a day.

    If we want to get some results, we can¡¯t avoid going into the forest anyway. It would be better to explore with the stairs behind us. If the need arises, we can escape straight up to the 30th floor.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go in the same line as we did on the stairway. We¡¯ll be relying on Tamiko¡¯s ears, so please take care of us.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Leave it to me, sqeuak!¡± (Tamiko)

    After quickly making preparations, our party finally entered the forest.

    The fog was deeper than expected and visibility was poor.

    The feedback from the [Sensory Spores] is like a noise, although not as bad as on a rainy day. The distance that can be sensed also shrinks, and the precision that allows me to accurately grasp the shape of things can only be maintained within a radius of a few meters. The [Beast Repellent] is always activated, but it is unknown how effective it will be on the Metro Beasts on this floor.

    Tamiko¡¯s ears are the key to spotting beasts. She is constantly twitching on top of my head.

    Birdsong, high-pitched voices like those of monkeys. The rustling of leaves, the sound of something falling.

    The sound of our own footsteps, the rustling of bushes as we passed.

    To my ears, these noises sound like small, ominous cries, but Tamiko¡¯s experience has made it possible for her to discern them to a certain extent. She is a reliable companion.

    ¡°There seem to be no dangerous-looking individuals nearby, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°[Hearing] huh? Ms. Tamiko is an excellent scout. One girl like her makes all the difference in the team¡¯s chances of survival, doesn¡¯t it?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°You get nothing if you praise me, I only give acorns, squeak. Here, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Thank you, Boss!¡± (Kure)

    *Munch, munch*.

    The foothold was soft and the bushes were deep. Even Kure, the most experienced of the group, is having a hard time. The reliable Noa scratched the trunk of a tree. It is a marker towards the stairs.

    ¡°Little Shuu, do you think we are going in the right direction?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Probably.¡± (Shuu)

    We are heading toward the nearest structure we could see when we scrambled up the wall. It didn¡¯t look that far away, so if nothing happened, we would be there soon.

    As I had expected, I see a gray outer wall ahead of me. Up to this point, there had been no disturbing presence in the [Sensory Spores], and Tamiko did not detect any suspicious noises. It¡¯s a tricky thing to do, but it¡¯s going so well that it¡¯s almost scary.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s pretty big, up close.¡± (Shuu)

    It is a vertical stone pillar about three stories high, with a carved relief to resemble a human face. The religious motifs are reproduced in a very artistic way, although they seem to be in somewhat poor taste.

    Surrounding the column is an open space with no trees, where rotting and crumbling stone statues and crushed cobblestones lie randomly. Moss and blackening are noticeable, giving the place the appearance of considerable age.

    ¡°What¡¯s that strange smell? Like it¡¯s rotting? What do you think, Noa?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, you have a good sense of smell.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It certainly smells like it¡¯s rotting¡­ but even I don¡¯t have expertise over the smell of decay. I¡¯m not a cheap girl who¡¯s willing to go along with anything that smells bad.¡± (Noa)

    Noa, perhaps feeling a little offended, is a little upset. I¡¯m wondering how much of this is within my jurisdiction, but I¡¯ll leave that for later.

    ¡°Little Shuu, this is¡­¡± (Kure)

    I thought it was just a mossy rock, but it looked like it was cowering with its arms and legs. It is a golem. I touched it just to be sure I touched it, but there was no sign of movement. It seemed to be a shell or a corpse.

    ¡°It looks like they are going to appear here too, Golems.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It seems so. Good news for you, Little Shuu.¡± (Kure)

    If there is a golem, the possibility of getting mithril is also raised. My excitement is secretly recovering.

    Tamiko twitches on my shoulder.

    I signal to Noa and Kure, and they head for the stone flat behind the stone pillars. I peek inside through the crumbling archway. It is too dark to see clearly, but the structure can be grasped with [Sensory Spores].

    It is a simple, or rather, bleak structure. There is no furniture or furnishings, just an empty space. At the very least, it doesn¡¯t look as if anyone lived there.

    It¡¯s just a piece of prop. If Metro has recreated this floor, it is only a facade.

    But¡ªif you look closely¡ªyou can see hay, mushrooms, and firewood lined up in the corners of the room. I can¡¯t imagine that Metro prepared this, too.

    (No way, was someone here?) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­um, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    There is a ladder in the back and a loft space above it. My [Sensory Spores] catch a sign of moving there.

    And then¡ªa red appears. It is two glinting lights.

    The moment I recognized them as the eyes of the beast, I braced myself¡ª

    ¡°Kyaaaaaa!¡± (Metro Beast)

    (No way!) (Shuu)

    I flick my thumb. A [White Bullet] released at high-speed lands between the two red eyes. The beast¡¯s cry breaks off and is replaced by a scream as it writhes in pain.

    Tamiko jumps out and instantly climbs up to the loft. The slamming and struggling soon stop, and she leaps down from the loft, snatching it in her arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s about level 25, squeak. It¡¯s beneath me, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Good job, but don¡¯t scrub the blood using my cloak.¡± (Shuu)

    I see the Metro Beast lying motionless on the floor. The first time I see one of these, I was in for a surprise. It has large eyes and pointy ears, similar to a tarsier, but it¡¯s about 12 inches or 30 centimeters tall.

    I have a bad feeling about this. When we left the building, Noa and Kure were looking around warily.

    ¡°This was some kind of monkey-like creature.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s a gremlin.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Wow, this is a gremlin! But it isn¡¯t cute!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I mean¡­ the cry just now¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°It is.¡± (Kure)

    I have heard a similar cry in Outsuka Metro. The voice of a goblin calling out to its friends, the voice of a goblin warning its friends of danger.

    A presence approaches. The leaves rustle and shake, and then¡ªwith a rustling, murderous atmosphere¡ªred lights gather from beyond the fog.

    ¡°Ki, ki!!!¡± (Gremlin)

    ¡°Gah, gah!¡± (Gremlins)

    It¡¯s an eerie illumination. Numerous red lights surround us from the trees. There are probably more than thirty of them.

    ¡°We¡¯re surrounded, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Mr. Shuu!¡± (Noa)

    The gremlins slobbering and gnashing their teeth, their mouths grinding menacingly surround us who are back-to-back. The situation is the very picture of a confrontation.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, no problem.¡± (Shuu)

    I fully released [Beast Repellent].

    Invisible spores are released from my entire body. The area of effect is narrowed by the fog but at this distance.

    From our experience so far, depending on the species, it is possible to drive away up to 30 or so with a high probability. Mammals, such as monkeys, are the most affected.

    The gremlins¡¯ expressions stiffen and they recoil. Once this happens, it is a simple matter of pretending to attack them, and they will scatter at once.

    For a moment, the gremlins¡¯ presence flee. They move deeper into the forest.

    ¡°Ki, ki!¡± the gremlins dispersed as they cry. Their escape is even faster than when they first appeared, and in the blink of an eye, all signs of the gremlins surrounding us disappear.

    ¡°¡­phew, as expected of Little Shuu who is Level 69.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°¡­No, something is strange¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I involuntarily covered my nose. The smell of decay is getting stronger.

    ¡°The smell is getting stronger! It stinks!¡± (Noa)

    If the crafter Noa says so, it must not be my imagination.

    ¡°Something else is coming!¡± (Shuu)

    So the gremlins from earlier were running away because of this? Does that mean that a threat is approaching enough to make that huge pack flee?

    Something entered the range of my [Sensory Spores]. They are running, pretty fast.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± (Shuu)

    *Step* *Step* *Step*¡ª-the sound of footsteps is approaching. Soon, a shadow breaks through the gray fog and jumps out.

    ¡°Gii!!!¡± (Gremlin)

    It is a gremlin, running at full speed with the powerful form of a short-distance runner.

    ¡°Pigya!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko screams in my ear. I understand the feeling of wanting to scream.

    At any rate, its appearance is unusual. Its uneven body hair is covered in blood, its skin is sore, its flesh rotting, and one of its eyes is fluttering behind its back. The other eye is not red, but black¡ªa contradiction in terms, but it is a black light that seems to float in the fog.

    ¡°Scary!¡± (Shuu)

    The gremlin opens its big mouth and leaps at me, and my [Katana] runs toward it. The white blade flashes through the gremlin¡¯s head and groin, and the body, cut in half, falls with a thud to the cobblestone pavement.

    ¡°What!? I just cut it in half, but what was that?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It was disgusting, squeak! It was squeaking disgusting!¡± (Tamiko)

    I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not mistaken. That was not only wounded, but it was almost dead. Like an evil gremlin that has been exposed to too much sunlight.

    ¡°¡­no way, undead¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa¡¯s face lost all its color.

    ¡°Undead, like moving corpses?¡± (Shuu)

    Zombies that come running at full speed. I saw a movie about that once, but it was too scary to actually happen.

    ¡°So many! So many, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    *Step* *Step* *Step*¡ª-countless footsteps overlap. It was like the sound of heavy rain pounding the ground without pause.

    The light of black eyes, increasing in number, invades from the fog.

    There is no intimidation, no roar. Just quietly, and forcefully the rotting bodies almost collapse as they run straight toward me.

 CH 66

    Clearly, this is no ordinary beast.

    It is something else that wears the skin of a beast, or rather, manipulates its flesh.

    They come at us in droves. They run at full speed through the trees.

    ¡°I¡¯m just checking, Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°If you get bitten, will you be infected and become a zombie?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Infected? More of poisonous, some might be.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°So, zombies themselves are not contagious. Okay.¡± (Shuu)

    That¡¯s all I need to know for now. In short, just think of it as a Metro Beast in all its creepy glory.

    The zombies responded with D Formation, one of the formations that had been roughly planned out last night. The three of us, me and the others, would be back-to-back, one on each side.

    ¡°What the!¡± (Shuu)

    The flesh of the gremlin zombies, emitting a stench of decay, is soft. Neither the slash that severed the arm nor the thrust that pierced through the chest received much resistance against the zombie¡¯s bodies.

    But the zombies are neither frightened nor do they show any signs of feeling pain. They attack, while the corpse dangle.

    ¡°They are so gross! Target the head!¡± (Shuu)

    This is the typical zombie weakness. If not the heart, why not the head?

    Cut off the head, or shoot the head with [White Bullet]. After that, the enemies will stop moving. The headless, head-exploded corpses continue onward without regard to their situation. If this were a movie theater, I would shout ¡°Pigyaa!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the sporangium! We have to destroy the lower abdomen!¡± (Noa)

    Hearing Noa¡¯s voice, I grasped my [War Hammer] in my left hand.

    ¡°Please, just f*cking die already!¡± (Shuu)

    With my [War Hammer] wrapped in [Light Blade], I bludgeoned their waist. The lower abdomen bursts open and splits into upper and lower sections. This time, they are completely silenced.

    ¡°Mr. Shuu! One for me too!¡± (Noa)

    A [Katana] lands on Noa¡¯s feet, who was standing with Kure behind her.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± (Kure)

    The three zombies that were moving in a group were stopped by Kure. He quickly takes off his jersey, and his naked body is clad in [White Armor]

    From beside him, Noa says, ¡°Yah!¡± and cuts the body in two with the [Katana]. The upper half of its body falls down powerlessly, and the lower half is still trying to get up. Will it die soon even if it is not completely destroyed?

    ¡°Ms. Ikari! Get down!¡± (Kure)

    Cure threw down one of the zombies with a bam, then held its legs on both sides and spun around.

    ¡°Take this! Kure Typhoon!¡± (Kure)

    In other words, a giant swing. The zombie, now a deadly weapon, has its body used to bat away its friends who are swarming around us. Is this a throwing technique and therefore not considered a move in Kure-style? I don¡¯t understand the criteria.

    Still, the zombies are not intimidated, and Kure throws his weapon like a wrecking ball at them, taking advantage of the opportunity to get behind one of them.

    ¡°Take this!¡±

    The suplex, which had been a dud at his duel with me. With an impact so strong that it sounded like a bomb, the zombie¡¯s upper body is ground as it slams into the floor. It¡¯s a powerful attack that should never be done to a human being.

    ¡°Mr. Kure!¡± (Noa)

    A white line runs through the zombie¡¯s head and arm. It was a [White Bullet] that Noa released. I had given it to Noa before entering the jungle in case of an emergency.

    During the ten days of questing before coming to Ouji, she had been trained to fire the [White Bullet] at her own request.

    It is not something that can be produced indefinitely, and like other mycelial weapons, the [White Bullet] will also decay after an hour or so, but it is useful in times like these.

    Perhaps because of her weak explosive strength, the speed and power of the bullet is inferior to those of mine, but she may have a better sense of control than me. I am a bit jealous that someone younger than me can take better action.

    ¡°Noa! Your right, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes!¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko is giving precise instructions over Noa¡¯s head.

    As Noa moves, Kure stand around to compensate for each other¡¯s blind spots. After realizing that breaking their joints is not very effective, he concentrates on power fighting, using a front choke to smash the neck and a back breaker to crush the torso.

    He does this while dealing with the zombies in front of him, I couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.

    Kure¡¯s fighting-style, which dared to seal all attacks other than throwing, chocking, and grappling, are clearly only suitable for one-on-one battles. However, his strangle and grapple are quick, and his throws are positioned to check a large number of opponents. It cannot be dismissed as being a talent man, but experience and training accumulated over a long period of time in order to maintain his self-possession in a harsh environment. Hiring him was a good decision, at least from a practical standpoint.

    ¡°Whoa¨C¡± (Shuu)

    I cut down a zombie that was grabbing at me. It sounds bad to say I¡¯m off my guard, but I have enough time to worry about the others and think about this and that, for the moment.

    The zombies are energetic, abandoning the exhaustion a moving corpse should have, instead dashing with all their might, grappling with all their might, and biting with all their might.

    However, if you observe them calmly, you can see that they have one advantage and one glaring disadvantage.

    First of all, their movements are monotonous. There is no thought, no coordination, and the ¡°me first¡± mentality is so strong that the zombies even collide with each other. They are too strong in their own headlong rush to the point of stupidity. They seem to have lost even the intelligence of an animal.

    The fact that they have no fear of pain or injury is a threat, but many of them are unable to display their endurance and power to the fullest because of their rotting bodies.

    The fact that the head and chest are not their kryptonite was initially disconcerting, but once the weak points were cracked, it didn¡¯t matter.

    (Will I dare to try it?)

    Running the [Katana] horizontally, I split the upper and lower body of the one closest to him.

    The upper body falls and stops moving, but the lower body still tries to run, losing its balance, and falls down. The legs are unable to get back up and flaps its legs like a spoiled child. It was so horrifying that I regretted it a little.

    The sporangium is located in the lower abdomen. The side of the lower abdomen that contains it is still trying to move. In other words, the weak point is the driving force or command center that moves the corpse.

    I look at the individual that was first cut in half left and right in a moment of hesitation. Only one of the halved bodies is trying to get up. I felt as if I had opened a door that should not be opened.

    I don¡¯t know how it works, but something is parasitizing on one of the sporangia, and as long as it is intact, it will continue to move. It is quite a horrifying view of zombies. As one would expect from New Tokyo.

    If this is the case, it might not be a good idea to dismember the zombie.

    I throw the sword in my right hand at the zombie and create a new mycelium at my fingertips. A bright red ball of mycelium.

    ¡°How about this then?¡± (Shuu)

    [Fireball]. The zombie that takes a direct hit burns up with a pillar of fire.

    The classic undead are usually afraid of fire. So how about the New Tokyo version?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s subtle.

    The [Fireball] is certainly effective, and it can kill a zombie with a single ball. But the other zombies don¡¯t seem to be intimidated by the flames. It¡¯s worrisome to me that they are so indifferent. They should be more scared; they are probably going to burn up there.

    The area is humid, and the fog is so thick that it¡¯s soaking my face. The trees will not catch fire if we use it here in the clearing.

    I also let go of my [War Hammer] in my left hand and placed a red ball in each hand. I forgot to tell them.

    ¡°You guys attacked us. No hard feelings.¡±

    ¡°¡­they are not coming anymore, are they?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t think any are nearby, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Silence has returned. Only the smell of decay remains.

    There are still some moving corpses, so I use my [War Hammer] as a broom to gather them up and burn them.

    With this, the battle is over for now. I exhale loudly.

    The impromptu party¡¯s first battle was a victory. The best part is that no one was injured.

    ¡°Thanks to Ms. Ikari and Ms. Tamiko. Though, it was our first time teaming up, it went rather well.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Thank you very much, Mr. Kure. You did a great job.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°As expected of the one in charge of the weirdo, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember being in charge of that, but thank you, boss.¡± (Shuu)

    Even from my eyes, the coordination between the three was not bad. Even though they average at 25, they were able to win over level 30s without getting hurt, so I guess it¡¯s a good thing.

    Kure¡¯s presence was a big factor. Although he seemed to have a disadvantageous fighting style specializing in physical attacks, he is in fact a very versatile fighter. Depending on the situation, he can be a wall, a decoy, or an attacker. Although he doesn¡¯t talk like it, he is very reliable.

    ¡°Hey, hey, can Little Shuu praise me too?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Oh, sure, well¡­ you¡¯ve been a big help. I¡¯m counting on you, so please do well next time.¡± (Shuu)

    I pretend not to see the heated maiden look he has.

    ¡°By the way, what are these zombies? How can a corpse be moving?¡± (Shuu)

    I have a guess, but I want to hear Professor Noa¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°Well¡­ there are two types of moving corpses like this one, the parasitic type and the puppet type.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The parasitic type is a small slug-like creature that lives in the sporangium of the corpse. They extend their own mycelium from the sporangium and manipulate the corpse.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°They seem a bit like golems.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Maybe so. It is similar to a golem in the sense that it senses vibration and sound, and it also kills its prey and drinks its bodily fluids. It kills them and turns more corpses into companions, like laying eggs or something.¡± (Noa)

    It¡¯s endlessly creepy to imagine, but at least you don¡¯t get infected from a bite or something.

    ¡°In any case, zombies are not well-liked because there is little to be gained by defeating them. Their sporangia are inedible, and most of their materials have rotten.¡± (Noa)

    Indeed, not a penny has been gained from killing so many of them.

    ¡°One more thing, how about the puppet type?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, a puppet is something that is remotely controlling the corpse with Fungal Skills.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Fungal Skills?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a Fungal Skill called [Puppet], it¡¯s the ability to embed your own mycelium into the sporangium of a corpse, making it a puppet. It is a very rare skill that can only be acquired by higher rank Fungal Class, such as [Mage] from [Illusionist]. It seems that Metro Beasts can also use it sometimes.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°How do you control them?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know¡­ but I¡¯ve heard that you just have to think and it will move and that you can only give it simple commands.¡± (Noa)

    Kind of like the fictional necromancer. Hearing about it is amazing, but I¡¯m sure to be scared if I actually see it.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s probably the former. I think we were told that [Puppet] can only control one.¡± (Noa)

    Cure puts his hand on his chin and mutters.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think there are that many of them normally¡­ but maybe this is because it¡¯s a closed space¡­ I wonder if the balance has collapsed sometime¡­¡± (Kure)

    The smashed and charred corpses are covered with dirt and buried.

    The next thing to do is to investigate the structure that was put on the back burner. The four of us went to examine it.

    Only the straw and mushrooms placed in the corners of the room hint at the presence of residents, but other than that, there is no sense of life. Even if I check the loft, there¡¯s nothing but the corpse of the mouse that the gremlin devoured earlier. Even from the dust piled up here and there, it doesn¡¯t seem to be enough grounds to conclude that someone used to live here.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What are we going to do now, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What should we do next?¡± (Kure)

    It had only been about an hour since we started our search, and it would be a little sad to run back home in fear of zombies and say, ¡°We didn¡¯t get any results¡­!¡±

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll continue. We¡¯ll keep an eye out for zombies, or Metro Beasts, and try to hit some other structures. Carefully¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    At that moment, some presence enters the range of [Sensory Spores]. Tamiko also noticed it and her ears perked up, though the noise from the fog made it unclear.

    I fixed my gaze beyond the entrance.

    And then¡ªI was speechless. I can¡¯t believe my eyes.

    There is a shadow hiding in the shade.

    Standing on his hind legs, he rests his front feet on the trunk and peers at us fearfully.

    It is small. Probably less than a meter tall.

    Its ears are pointed. Its nose is pointed. They sway up and down with each shallow breath.

    Its pitch-black eyes are dull, and a red tongue peeks out from its mouth.

    I pinched my cheeks. I feel pain. That is neither a dream nor an illusion.

    I take a deep breath and squeeze all my feelings out of my trembling body.

    ¡°A chihuahua!¡± (Shuu)

 CH 67

    ¡°There¡¯s a Chihuahua over there! There¡¯s a chihuahua standing there! Ya-hoo! Hehehe.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa clearing her throat brings me back to reality.

    ¡°Calm down, please. What is where?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Sorry. There¡¯s a Chihuahua over there¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    In front of where my finger was pointing¡ªthere was nothing. I can¡¯t even feel any presence in the area within [Sensory Spores].

    ¡°You saw it too Tamiko, right? I wasn¡¯t mistaken, right?¡± (Shuu)

    I was worried that I might have seen a hallucination. That there was a chihuahua.

    ¡°There was something there, squeak, but I didn¡¯t know what it was, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I guess it ran away when Mr. Shuu suddenly screamed at it.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see¡­¡± (Shuu)

    There was no doubt that there was something there, but I seemed to have alarmed them.

    am a cat person by my own admission, and dogs are the counterpart of them. However, I am not the kind of person who believes dogs are unlikable.

    Both fluffs are the perpetual peacemakers and the universal happiness creator of mankind. I will never forget the debt of gratitude I owe to the cats, Shiba Inus, and Chihuahuas I watched before going to bed, as they provided a small comfort to my tired body and soul after working overtime.

    ¡°Well, Little Shuu, what is a Chihuahua?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°This is my first time hearing about it too, is it a Metro Beast?¡± (Noa)

    Neither of them had ever heard of a Chihuahua. I guess they have missed out on a percentage of their life.

    ¡°They are tiny dogs. It¡¯s about this big, fluffy, with short legs, and big eyes. They are very popular as pet dogs all over the world. They are friendly, but they are easily scared and don¡¯t like the cold, so they wear clothes when they go for a walk during winter.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mr. Shuu.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. There might not even be dogs anymore.¡±

    ¡°What kind of dog is it?¡± asked Kure. ¡°There is a breed of dog called the Senju Inu. They are big and strong, perfect as guard dogs and popular as hunting partners.¡± (Kure)

    They are a breed that did not exist in the original world. So, taking a hunting dog with you was a natural choice. I was blindsided.

    ¡°We have pet dogs at Ikebukuro, but I¡¯ve never heard of a Chihuahua. Maybe other tribes have pet dogs. I mean, Mr. Shuu is surprisingly fond of animals, aren¡¯t you? You even kept glancing at Ms. Yui.¡± (Noa)

    I was found out.

    ¡°Abeshuu is just some virgin, but still quite the manwh*re, squeak. Such a cheater, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko puffs up her cheek pouches cutely. I had no intention of ignoring her, so I apologized for making her feel that way. ¡°Even if you do this, squeak¡­ I won¡¯t be deceived¡­ Squeak¡­!¡± I completely ignore Kure¡¯s gaze full of envy.

    ¡°But there can¡¯t be any ordinary dogs in these depths, can there? A Metro Beast, perhaps.¡± (Noa)

    Is it a coincidence that there is a Chihuahua on this floor that resembles the ancient Mayan civilization, or is it a coincidental prank by the Metro?

    The fearful look in its eyes as it peeks out from behind the trees, the timidity with which it runs away at the slightest disturbance, these are the not characteristics of a ferocious and dangerous animal. However, it would be reckless to expect it to be friendly to people like a pet.

    ¡°Well, we may run into them again if we continue our search. Mr. Shuu, please don¡¯t let your guard down and don¡¯t try to play with them, okay?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­Yeah, I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡± (Shuu)

    The relationship between the beast and the hunter, the hunter and the hunted. That never changes no matter what the opponent looks like.

    Of course. Of course¡­ but¡­

    If I see that fluffy fur in front of me.

    If they look up at you with those big round eyes.

    Or even if they were to make a mewling sound as if pleading for their life.

    Would I still be able to swing my blade down mercilessly?

    ¡°Ugh¡­ I can do it, I¡¯m a hunter¡­ even if my opponent is a Chihuahua¡­!¡± (Shuu)

    I made up my mind even if I have to vomit blood, but clearly Noa and Tamiko¡¯s eyes show distrust from their expressions.

    The Abeshuu Expedition Team is ready to start over again.

    The goal is to find the next structure.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have much trouble finding anything, zombie or alive, maybe more of the gremlins we saw earlier.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I have a feeling it won¡¯t work out that way. It¡¯s a hidden floor.¡± (Shuu)

    Just as Noa had foreseen, a new monster appears before the group¡¯s eyes.

    Thud! With a heavy crash, a large tree falls.

    The tree creaks and swings down, its branches creaking. The force of the swing is so powerful that the ground explodes. Our party scatters and regains our positions, but the heavy sound of falling trees continues to echo around us. A total of five.

    ¡°Those are Treants! And they are huge!¡± (Noa)

    Are they the tree monsters from the video games? It is true that at a glance they look like moving trees, but in reality they are giant insects¡ªstick insects, to be exact. Even the branches and leaves have been perfectly reproduced.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Shuu)

    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, I threw a [Fireball]. Fire is the standard weakness of  the wood element when it comes to games.

    However, although the fireball exploded after the direct hit, the surface was only slightly scorched. It was not a one-hit kill as the fire spread to the entire body. It is indeed a living creature with blood and water in it, and it does not burn up easily.

    ¡°Mr. Shuu, just saving one is fine, let¡¯s defeat it without burning it! It will be a good souvenir!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Seriously!? Let us do our best!¡± (Shuu)

    I was feeling quite enthused, but even so, it was not easy.

    It is more than 10 meters tall. The limbs that swing down are like those of a pendulum in an amusement park. Behind its tree-like outer skin, it has an exoskeleton that a bare [Katana] would not be able to cut down in a single swing.

    According to the [Risk Counter], it is level 45, which is stronger than a golem on the 30th floor. Then five of them at the same time.

    ¡°Kure, take one! Tamiko and Noa, you are supporting!¡± (Shuu)

    With a [Katana] in my right hand and a [Great Shield] in my left, looking up at them are four giant insects that look like something out of a monster movie.

    I can¡¯t help but feel a little uneasy, in the end this is normal, everyday life. It¡¯s far better than when I was fighting with the swarm of Demon Centipedes before learning [Light Blade] and [Ashura] in Outsuka Metro.

    It makes me laugh a little when I think about it.

    Sometimes I still wonder what I am doing.

    In a world a hundred years in the future, in a mysterious labyrinth spreading underground, I am wielding a sword that grew out of my hand against a monster. Even after five years have passed and ¡°this is normal, everyday life,¡± such thoughts sometimes pop into my mind.

    (However, this is the reality.) (Shuu)

    (I live in such a reality.) (Shuu)

    With my usual line, I announced my intention to take their, and leaped with the shining sword on my shoulder.

    After knocking down all five bodies and confirming the safety of the area, we will start the dismantling work according to Noa¡¯s instructions. Torrent¡¯s epidermis and skeleton are said to be good materials for clothing and armor.

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen a Treant this big. It looks like it¡¯s going to give good materials.¡± (Noa)

    The most beautiful material to be used was one that had its joints broken and neck twisted by Kure. It is a little frustrating for me as a person, but I should praise him for killing a giant insect by submission. I won¡¯t say it out loud, though, because I¡¯ll get jumped.

    ¡°It looks like they are not zombies, so let¡¯s take their sporangium.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of zombies. But this one¡¯s fine, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but a Metro Beast with sporangium could still be a zombie.¡± (Noa)

    Carnival pendulum rides-like attacks, oblivious to pain and fear. It is indeed horrifying to imagine.

    It takes rather a long time to dismantle and collect them. We had lunch on the spot and resume our search.

    From my perspective, the unchanging scenery of the jungle continues, but according to Noa, it seems to be a ¡°treasury of natural resources.¡±

    Herbs that can be used to heal wounds, cherry tomatoes that have a tear-gas effect when smashed, and mushrooms that taste like marbled beef when sauteed. Golden cocoons made by golden spiders, black grapes (extremely sour) that are a powerful anti-drowsy medicine, caterpillars and leaves that can be used as seasonings, and so on. We also got some Pearl Peas, which me and my companions found at the Outsuka Metro. They are quite lucrative and easy to sell.

    ¡°Pearl peas grow densely, but only one or two can be harvested. They are said to be lumps of fungus that transferred nutrients to other plants and the pods. These things are quite valuable.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°These are fungus? What the hell, we¡¯ll take them back.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ll boil the other ones in salt and we¡¯ll have them for today¡¯s dinner.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to find a place for them to sleep today. I hope we can find someplace safe.¡± (Shuu)

    The level range of the Metro Beasts that appear in the area is about the same as that of the 50th floor of the Outsuka Metro.

    The strongest enemies above level 40 include Treants, Minotaurs (bipedal cattle, but there are black-and-white ones mixed in, which is surreal), Basilisks (chameleons that spit a fluid that hardens when exposed to air), Mandrakes (giant moles with flower crowns on their heads), and the Wraiths, I¡¯m still harboring some trauma. The strongest we met was a minotaur covered in wounds all over its body that was level 55.

    The level of the beasts are so high that even [Beast Repellent] doesn¡¯t work, and for some reason, these guys seem to be hungrier than normal. The encounter is an immediate attack, so we inevitably have to fight back. I take the lead in dealing with them. ¡°Dinner is getting more and more sumptuous,¡± Noa says, hed eyes shining.

    ¡°Whoa! I leveled up! I am now 51!¡± (Kure)

    Kure quickly takes off his clothes and poses flexing his muscles. It seems to be his own ritual when he levels up.

    ¡°It¡¯s been less than two weeks since my last one¡­ but thankfully, I seem to level up faster with Little Shuu.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°The leftover children has increased again, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    An unchanging landscape, an environment where you can¡¯t even use a compass. After climbing trees several times and checking out the structures peeking out of the trees, we finally reached the second structure around 3:00 pm.

    In the open space, we saw a stone pillar similar to the first one and several stone buildings. There is also a fountain in the corner of the square. Noa¡¯s suggestion, ¡°If it¡¯s safe enough, I guess this is our campsite for tonight,¡± is unanimously agreed upon.

    We rummage around inside the buildings. As in the first building, there are hay, mushrooms, and other supplies left behind. And in the loft, there is a space that looks like a sleeping area made of straw.

    ¡°Little Shuu, this is¡ª¡± (Kure)

    What Kure picked up was a piece of cloth. It was about the size of a handkerchief, and looked like a tattered, frayed animal skin or something. In addition, from another building, we found what looks like a stone knife and the remnants of a clay water bottle. It was hard to believe that the decorations had been prepared by Metro.

    ¡°As expected, there was someone who used to live here.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But it looks like it¡¯s been abandoned for a long time. It could have been a Magic Beast that lived here, or it could have been a human being¡­¡± (Noa)

    The image of the chihuahua flashed through my mind.

    I haven¡¯t seen it since then, but maybe it¡¯s not a Metro Beast, but a Magic Beast.

    This place may have been used by them as a home.

    If that is the case, it might be possible for us to communicate with each other.

    ¡°Abeshuu, your face is so weird, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I bet you¡¯re thinking of something strange, aren¡¯t you?¡± (Noa)

 CH 68

    Noa draws a rough map on the last page of her guidebook.

    Using the staircase on the 30th floor as the southern end, we are on the southwest side of the huge altar in the center. We must have gone about halfway around the radius.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it for today. We are tired but we have a lot of loot.¡± (Shuu)

    If all goes well, I should be able to reach the temple-like building by noon tomorrow.

    At Noa¡¯s request, we decided to use the Waterfall Bath Mushrooms. It¡¯s a mushroom that turns water into hot water.

    ¡°I really want to wash all my clothes, too, but¡­ I want to at least wash my body.¡± (Noa)

    The smell of decay that had seeped into the bodies of both Noa and Tamiko since the zombie battle had been bothering them.

    The water from the fountain fills a water bottle that can be sealed, and then the mushrooms are popped into the water bottle. That¡¯s it, hot water is ready.

    ¡°Ladies first. We¡¯ll keep an eye on things.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Thank you. Sis, let me wash your back.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I can hear the fabric sliding against skin from behind me. I have no intention of peeping on their nakedness, but I at least allowed myself to use [Sensory Spores] to keep an eye on their surroundings as a noble act.

    ¡°Little Shuu, let me wash you too.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Denied.¡± (Shuu)

    The ceiling changes to the color of the night, and a foggy night falls.

    In the middle of dinner, Tamiko suddenly stands up.

    ¡°Something is coming, squeak¡­!¡± (Tamiko)

    The others and I quickly extinguish the fire and hide in the building close by to quiet our breath.

    A gremlin, a minotaur, and a wraith appeared. They all approached with lazy steps. Bringing the smell of decay.

    ¡ªZombies.

    The zombies are not moving as quickly as before, perhaps because they have lost sight of their prey. They just wander around the plaza while rummaging, and eventually leaves into the forest.

    ¡°¡­They are still here, the zombies.¡± (Shuu)

    While Tamiko and Noa were bathing, Kure and I took care of a few of the zombies that were wandering around the area. I had been wary that another one might come by after a while, but it turned out to be as I expected. As was the case the first time, the area around the plaza seemed to attract zombies (and their prey, I suppose).

    Kure puts his hand on his chin and looked thoughtful.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just, how can I say it, it feels a little strange¡­¡± (Kure)

    Noa nods her head. I also feel something is not quite right.

    ¡°What do you think happens to zombies if they are left alone?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t their flesh eventually rot away and they will return to the earth?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The ones we killed today have their sporangium removed, so they don¡¯t turn into zombies. I mean, even when Metro Beasts hunt Metro Beasts, they usually don¡¯t leave behind the sporangium.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    So, they basically don¡¯t multiply uncontrollably as long as they don¡¯t fall prey to the Metro Beasts themselves. No wonder the gremlins were so afraid of zombies.

    ¡°So, normally, even if zombies suddenly sprang up somewhere in the metro area, the number would not exceed a certain number and would naturally settle down over time. But I don¡¯t know, I guess you can¡¯t really ask for common sense in Metro.¡± (Kure)

    The zombie hazard that is currently raging on this floor may be caused by something other than nature. That¡¯s what Kure seems to be trying to say.

    I wonder if we will be able to solve this mystery as we move forward. I¡¯m not sure I want to know, and I really don¡¯t want to know.

    ¡°After dinner, we¡¯ll try not to go out of the house, and I¡¯ll block the entrance with some stones. Tamiko, go pee before going to bed.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I am a lady, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Ladies don¡¯t pee on other people.¡± (Shuu)

    The next day.

    As we approached the center of the forest, the fog grew thicker.

    The usual encounters with Metro Beasts are few and far between, and instead encounter with zombies become more prevalent. The smell of decay also seems to be getting thicker and thicker.

    Undead suddenly appearing from the depths of the fog¨Ceven through the TV, Tamiko goes ¡°Pigyaa!¡± As a punishment for luring the zombies around, everyone will rub her. ¡°Ah¡­ That¡¯s no good, squeak¡­ Punish me more, squeak¡­!¡±

    Before long, when the surroundings became as dim as dusk, the soles of my shoes that were stepping grass changed to stone pavements.

    The altar was now becoming visible through the slightly opening gray veil.

    (¡­¡­we¡¯ve arrived.) (Shuu)

    My party and I seem to have finally arrived. In the heart of this huge dense jungle.

    ¡°Let¡¯s brace ourselves. First of all, we need to investigate that area. Safety is our top priority so that we can leave immediately if something happens.¡± (Shuu)

    We proceeded from the forest side from the left and right to take a look at the situation. A stone-paved path leads radially to the altar. Buildings, stone pillars, and stone statues are densely packed together to form a city, but they are about to be swallowed up by the mold that has crawled out of the gaps in the cobblestone pavement.

    My party and I moved forward, hiding in the shadows of the buildings. Only if there are zombies in the along our path, we sneak up behind them and dispose of them quickly.

    ¡°¡­Stop, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    At Tamiko¡¯s muffled whisper, we stopped and peered out from behind the alley toward the main street. We can¡¯t see zombies or Metro Beasts either visually or with [Sensory Spores].

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is something wrong?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I heard something, squeak¡­ I heard¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Down? Under¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    I look down at my feet.

    I heard nothing¡ªhowever, I felt a faint tremor on the ground.

    ¡°Here, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    The ground shook faintly, I lift the stone pavement. And then¡ªI unintentionally almost let out a voice sound but covered my mouth before it happened.

    A chihuahua pokes its head out from under the ground.

    More than two dozen of the compact, stuffed animal-like beasts crawl out of the ground. Each of them had something like a stone tool in its hand (or paw?). When the red cape-wearing individual who seems to be the leader gives some kind of signal, the beasts split off into separate corridors and disappear soundlessly into the mist.

    ¡°¡­¡­did you see?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I saw it.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I saw it too.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Tiny people, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± (Shuu)

    Finally, the Chihuahua made its appearance. And they have a pack.

    Their gestures, leadership, possessions. Clearly, without a doubt.

    They are different from Metro Beasts, and they have an intelligence close to that of humans¡ªthey are Magic Beasts.

    ¡°By the way, why are they here¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    The ground shakes heavily with a thud.

    (What is that?)

    The air around us suddenly begins to murmur. An intermittent dull sound of destruction is transmitted along with weak tremors.

    ¡°¡­those are the Chihuahuas, right?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Are they fighting something¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    There is also a high-pitched screech mixed in. There is no doubt about it.

    But what on earth are they fighting?

    From the sound of the heavy, echoing destruction (assuming it¡¯s not the Chihuahuas), it¡¯s clearly heavyweight. A Treant, a Minotaur, or¡ªa golem.

    ¡°Everybody, let¡¯s get ready to run.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Are you sure, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    I meet Tamiko¡¯s eyes who is on top of Noa.

    ¡°Do you mean we won¡¯t check on them?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Can¡¯t we save them, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    Right, I realize that I hadn¡¯t even thought of that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a war between the chihuahuas or something else, but I don¡¯t want to get involved in it.¡± (Shuu)

    The Chihuahua Magic Beasts¡­ piqued my interest, though I wanted to make contact with them if possible, however it is regrettable.

    Of course, in this situation, our safety comes first. Anyway, if we could have at least communicated with each other beforehand.

    ¡°¡­The zombies are gathering. Let¡¯s run through the alley and into the woods.¡± (Shuu)

    I lead the way through the narrow alleyway. The zombies that stand in our way are cut down and crushed in one breath.

    The sounds of battle are closing in. The fog is annoying, and the [Sensory Spores] are getting narrower here. I can¡¯t see what¡¯s going on around me.

    To get out to the forest, you need to go out to the main road. We are almost there¡ªand then we paused.

    ¡ªI can hear the voices of the Chihuahuas. They are quite close.

    ¡°Bow! Bow!¡± (Chihuahua)

    ¡°Arf! Arf!¡± (Chihuahua)

    The intonation is too precise for a mere bark. As if it were a language.

    The sound of heavy footsteps grows louder. I peeked out from behind the building.

    ¡°¡­a golem¡­ huh¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s not the misshapen rock dolls we¡¯ve seen before. It is almost a stone statue.

    The body is about three meters tall. A jaguar? A cheetah? It looks like a feline predator. On its head has a protrusion resembling a feather ornament, and it is carved to look as if it were wearing a robe. Its arms and legs are long and stout, and it holds a stone sword in each hand. The tail flicking behind is also made of stone.

    It is obvious at a glance that this is no ordinary golem. It has a mysteriousness that is different from that of a full-grown golem.

    Three Chihuahuas are slowly stepping back to face the jaguar golem. Their fur is shaggy, and dark blotches are all over their bodies. It is blood.

    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡± (Chihuahua)

    One of the chihuahuas cuts in from the left. The jaguar¡¯s cleave cuts through the air. It rolls to the side in the nick of time.

    In the gap, one pounces from the opposite side. The two chihuahuas move with each other in a breathtaking pincer attack, but the jaguar takes it without a second thought. ¡°Creak!¡± The sound of stones colliding with each other echoes high in the air.

    The third chihuahua¡ªthe one with the red cape¡ªthrows a blue hypha ball that it has created in its palm. The jaguar that takes a direct hit freezes its legs (an Iceball) and then it loses its balance. The two chihuahuas immediately follow up. However, they are blocked by the golem¡¯s back hand and are repelled forcefully.

    The leader with Fungal Skills makes full use of the two was in close proximity with [Iceball] and [Fireball] in hand. Its movements are agile, its coordination is skillful, and it desperately moves close to the jaguar, which is undaunted no matter how many attacks it takes.

    ¡°Tamiko, can you check?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko gently peeks over Noa¡¯s head.

    ¡°¡­The Chihuahuas are about 30 to 40, squeak¡­but¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Her voice is trembling.

    ¡°What about the golem?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­70, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    My palms were wet with sweat. Noa and Kure are also left speechless.

    A golem on the same level as that Satan Slime.

    I¡¯m sorry for the Chihuahuas, but the right decision was not to help impulsively.

    ¡°Mr. Shuu, let¡¯s leave here immediately.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah, su¨C¡± (Shuu)

    I hear a dull thud. I turned my attention back to the street.

    A reddish-black liquid is dripping from the tips of the jaguar¡¯s two swords.

    One of the chihuahua is still skewered, its limbs hanging limp, and the other is lying on the ground with its head cut off.

    Boom!¡¡the stone sword growls. A skewered Chihuahua is thrown and hits the leader. He is blown backward and skids on the ground.

    With a small groan, the leader tries to get up¡ªits eyes meeting mine.

    A moment of silence, a moment of frozen in time.

    It¡¯s pitch-black eyes are wide open, as if they are about to cry.

    ¡°¡­hel¨C¡± (Red Cape)

    The leader almost opens his mouth, then hesitates.

    The jaguar is closing the distance. It is swinging its stone sword.

    ¡°¡ªRun.¡± (Red Cape)

    The sword flashes. It shatters the stone pavement.

    The leader, who had closed their eyes, probably realizing their fate, looks up in shock. Their black eyes reflect my figure as I was holding his body.

    ¡°¡­Damn, I f*cked up¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I laughed at my stupidity. I quickly snatched the Chihuahua away with [Leaping].

    The jaguar draws its sword and turns to face the intruder.

    It tilts its head as if to say, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Wh¡­ Why¡­?¡± (Red Cape)

    Leader Chihuahua muttered in my arms.

    ¡°Why¡­ I don¡¯t know either.¡± (Shuu)

    At first, they tried to say ¡°Help¡±. But they swallowed their plea to live¡ªand said, ¡°Run.¡±

    To me who were not of the same species, not allies, not even acquaintances.

    The moment I understood this, my body moved unconsciously. I noticed that my arms were moving.

    (Ah, I was very selfish¡­) (Shuu)

    On the other side, Tamiko, Noa, and Kure had their mouths agape. Of course, the team leader had taken off on his own accord. No matter how much the two girls scolded me, it will not be enough. I could at least give my pants to our temporary member as an apology.

    So much for regrets. I will do everything in my power to get through this situation safely.

    Three humans, one squirrel, and one dog if possible.

    The jaguar with twin swords stood there. I put the Chihuahua down on the ground and gripped my [Katana] that glowed in both hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for jumping in, but if I am going to do this, let¡¯s make sure there are no hard feelings.¡± (Shuu)

    Saying that, I kicked the ground.

 CH 69

    A stone sword and a white sword with a bluish-white light clashed.

    The opponent was a jaguar golem nearly three meters tall. The difference in size between the two is about the same as that between an adult and a child, and I caught the swing from above.

    ¡°Guu¡­ woo!¡± (Shuu)

    It pushed down with a force that crushed the cobblestone pavement. I flicked off the stone sword, using the recoil to push my body, pulling both my knees up to my stomach, and launching myself like an arrow. A drop kick came down, but I used [Leaping] at the moment of impact. A direct hit to the chest pushes the jaguar back, but It holds on and avoids falling as it thrusts its stone swords and scrapes the cobblestone pavement.

    ¡°Noa! Take him (the chihuahua) and run away to the forest!¡± (Shuu)

    I yelled without looking back, and throwing off my cloak as I shouted.

    ¡°I will catch up with you! Go ahead!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Little Shuu, I too¨C¡± (Kure)

    I glance back at him. He seemed to be trying to join me, but the jaguar was already in a fighting stance again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this. Take care of Tamiko and Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, leave it to me! Carry them to safety and I¡¯m going back to your butt!¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Is my butt a place to return to?¡± (Shuu)

    The jaguar comes up to me, stomping its feet. No time to take off my jersey, as I expected, my mycelial arms poking through the back of my jersey. I¡¯ve learned since I bought it that the hunter¡¯s jersey is specially made. It¡¯s blade-proof and resistant to impact (no wonder everyone loves it). Even old ones are quite resistant for my hypha arms to tear through it.

    Anyway, the four-[Katana]-style with the precious weapon coating. My style that specializes in firepower, I have to eliminate this guy as quickly as possible. Before the zombies that are wandering around gather here.

    Like a gray shadow hanging over us. The stone sword¡¯s blade came at me from above. I jumped backwards and crossed my [Katana] to receive it, and I swung back repelling it.

    The jaguar quickly steps in and strikes a second time, slashing diagonally from above. I roll sideways to dodge and moved back by pushing the ground with my hypha arms holding [Katanas]. The sound of air tearing and blowing away echoed

    It is clear at the time our blades clashed. There is no chance of me winning in a simple match of strength.

    Perhaps it is because of its small mass, compared to the scorpion on the 30th floor, even if it has a monstrous strength, it is within the realm of common sense. Even so, it is still a golem, and it is around level 70. The difference in physical strength is obvious. It would be too dangerous to collide with it head-on.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Shuu)

    I slashed at the body of the jaguar that rushed toward me. The stone sword easily blocks it. My mycelial arm thrusts in for a follow-up attack, which is also repelled with a single swing.

    The jaguar twists its hips. The tail running right next to me grazes my right side. A nasty creaking sound can be heard, but I¡¯ll get better soon, so I don¡¯t worry about it.

    ¡°Gah!¡± (Shuu)

    I howled, slashing with all four of my arms creating dancing rays of light.

    If power has no chance. Then, how about speed and mobility?

    A rain of high-density slashes. Particles of light flashed and scattered like sparks as they collided with the stone sword.

    I swung my arm so hard that there was no time for it to respond. I poured all my energy into hitting the target.

    ¡°Aaaahhhhh!¡± (Shuu)

    The giant backs away slowly. But¡­

    (I can¡¯t hit it!)

    Even though he is overwhelmed by the number of moves, even though he is striking each blow with all his might.

    But the stone sword was catching every slash. It is as if it were a precision machine, a sword of unparalleled accuracy. Perhaps it is a master of swordsmanship?

    I have fought many times with goblins, ogres, and other Metro Beasts that use hypha weapons, but only as far as ¡°wild beasts that wield sticks with brute force.¡± I¡¯ve never seen a Metro Beast wield a sword so skillfully¡ªmore skillfully than my own self-polished skills.

    ¡°Then¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    I took a step back and threw the sword in my left hand. It was easily repelled, but at the same time, I ran up the wall of the building next to it. Leaping into the air, I thrust out my left hand.

    The resulting [Great Shield] covers the jaguar¡¯s head.

    The jaguar¡¯s twin swords crossed like scissors to catch it and cut it in two with a flash!¡¡Cutting it in two.

    The [large shield] breaks in two and falls, but beyond it, there is no sign of me.

    I leap once more, kicking the shield, and spinning around behind it.

    As I land, before the jaguar can turn around, I dealt multiple strikes on its back and flank with my three blades.

    (¡ªTake this!) (Shuu)

    The golem froze only momentary. Woosh! The tip of its tail extends and gouges out my left cheek and half of his ear is also torn off.

    ¡°Sh*t!¡± (Shuu)

    I threw a [Smoke Ball] at it as I backed away. Boom! A plume of dark gray smoke envelops the area.

    I took a few steps away while being shrouded in smoke. I crushed a [Holy Healing] in my face. Liquid pours down and seals the wound. Leaving it to my [Immortality]¡¯s regenerative power would consume more of my stamina, but it can¡¯t be helped so I could stop the bleeding.

    (It was one blow, or rather, three blows, with all my might.) (Shuu)

    I slashed with all my might at the rocky body. But there was only a shallow gouge on the surface.

    The body is smart and specializes in speed, precise movement, and hardness. The body is so strong that it is not even affected by the [Light Blade].

    (I need to find a weakness as soon as possible.) (Shuu)

    Perhaps because of the excessive attention to detail, there are almost no flat surfaces. The patterned part, which is usually the weak point, is invisible. Like the scorpion golem on the 30th floor, it may just be made extremely difficult to see.

    Nevertheless, in terms of space for the main body to fit, there can be no other place but the torso.

    First of all, I need to pry open a crack or a gap to smash it inside. To do so, if one shot is not enough, three shots are needed, but since that didn¡¯t work, ten or even twenty shots are needed.

    I¡¯ve got its position with [Sensory Spores]. I¡¯ll take advantage of the smoke and fire two or three more shots.

    As soon as I take a step forward, the jaguar rushes forward. Straight to where I was.

    (Hah!) (Shuu)

    A dash at the same speed as [Leaping]. At the same time, a thrust aimed at the chest my chest rumbles out.

    I ducked and dodge just in time. Then a pitch-black mass suddenly covers my vision. I quickly guard against it with my hypha arm¡ªthe impact felt like I collided with a truck¡ªthus, blowing me back, crashing against the wall of the building.

    ¡°Guh¡­ Ah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    (A drop kick!) (Shuu)

    I staggered to my feet, spitting blood and swearing in my head. I didn¡¯t expect the golem to return the favor.

    They¡¯re very capable learners¡ªI remember now that Kure had said something like that.

    The fact that it was able to pinpoint my location in the smoke is because it recognize its surroundings not by sight, but by vibration and sound. Even though I have [Sensory Spores], it was a bad move to choose the ineffective [Smoke Ball].

    Gradually, the smoke cleared. The sound of jaguar footsteps approached.

    ¡°¡­I knew it, but¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Isn¡¯t it ridiculously durable?

    Moreover, it is really good at direct attacks. Impregnable because of its simplicity. I can¡¯t find any gaps.

    I thought quickly.

    Running away is an option. Tamiko and the others had probably moved away from me by now, I had already bought some time. If I could use my [Leaping] to get away from it, I could escape¡­

    No. With the dashing power it had just shown. Even if it were to chase after me, I would be at a disadvantage. In the worst case scenario, I would have to join them with this guy in tow.

    Even if I were to run away, I would either have to create an opening that would prevent pursuit or inflict enough damage to impede its ability to run.

    And the jaguar swung its stone sword on the spot. The distance between me and the jaguar is seven to eight meters.

    The stone face, expressionless, seemed to have the corners of its mouth twisted into a smile.

    A shiver runs down my spine, and I jump back from the spot at the same time as it swings down.

    Crash! And a crack runs through the building behind me. The wall was slashed diagonally, and it slides and crumbles.

    ¡°¡­¡­Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    Is this a manga? Was that just from the sword¡¯s pressure? Ridiculous. A kamaitachi? Is it Rurouni K*nshin?

    Then the jaguar then swings twice. The air screams. The [Great Shield] with [Light Blade] creaked, and the shock was transmitted to my arms, as I hid behind. It barely managed to cut it, but it¡¯s ridiculously sharp.

    ¡°¡­a thread, huh?¡± (Shuu)

    A fine thread has fallen under my feet. It was mycelium. A sharp mycelium, like a steel wire, had flown from the stone sword. I didn¡¯t know this kind of Fungal Skill existed.

    (I can¡¯t retreat, can I?) (Shuu)

    As soon as I turn my back, I can only expect to be chopped to pieces.

    The jaguar swung its twin swords again.

    ¡°Wai-wait¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    Woosh, woosh, woosh! The slash comes at me, slicing through the cobblestone pavement. As soon as I dodged a blow by throwing away my shield, a second and then a third blow followed almost hitting me.

    High-speed flying slashes attacked in all directions, without pause.

    Buildings around the area were easily smashed like cakes, and debris piled up. Dust mingled with the fog clouded my vision.

    It¡¯s not enough to prevent them, all I can do to avoid them. The direction and timing can be measured from the movement of the sword and arm, but the speed and power are tremendous. A direct hit to my body would cut me in two.

    ¡°Whoa! Oh!¡± (Shuu)

    The flying slashes jump over the side, cleave, and slide into the ground. I sprawled, dodged, and fell back.

    Literally desperately holding on for dear life, a smile forms at the corners of my mouth.

    Because I can¡¯t help but laugh.

    The power of the sword is so great that it easily surpasses my own.

    Swordsmanship that can match the four-[Katana]-style without difficulty.

    A defense that even the [Light Blade] can¡¯t penetrate.

    Dashing ability to keep pace with [Leaping].

    And then there is the cheat skill, flying slash.

    When it¡¯s this clear, you have to admit it.

    This jaguar golem is like a rival stronger than me.

    Is it any wonder that I have no chance of winning in a head-on collision?

    (However¨C) (Shuu)

    It is super compatible with the [Holy Knight] Abe Shuu.

    And that is not my true form.

    (I am an [Master Threadweaver].) (Shuu)

    Muttering to myself, I smiled while facing death.

    Even while desperately dodging the attacks, I was slowly being cornered behind.

    I was being pursued back toward the altar in the back, directly opposite to the forest side where my companions fled.

    As expected, I am short of breath. My body is being torn and gouged here and there, and I am desperately trying to get air through my mouth and nose.

    The jaguar seems to be exhausted as well. I doubt if the golem has a system for running out of breath, but at the very least, there is no way it can carry out that many attacks indefinitely and forever. Obviously, the number of attacks is decreasing.

    ¡°Whoa! Damn!¡± (Shuu)

    But¡ªto make matters worse, it is beginning to imitate and predict my movements and was targeting me. It is even mixing in slow and steady attacks and feints. It is learning its opponent¡¯s moves.

    It becomes harder and harder to dodge. The wounds I received have become deeper. Thanks to [Immorality] the wounds will eventually heal, but how much blood have I shed?

    I backed away. The jaguar closes the gap immediately.

    After all this time of observation, even I am aware of the nature of the attack.

    The range of the tentatively named ¡°Hypha Kamaitachi¡± is about ten to fifteen meters.

    At a distance of more than that, the threads lose momentum and sharpness. The ones that fall to the ground are likewise just a weak thread that can be snapped off by stepping on it with my foot.

    The jaguar measures its range precisely. If I am too close to the target, it will move forward, and if I am too far away, it will shoot from a safe distance. It is torturing me from a safe distance. Like a machine, the jaguar is calmly and coolly devoted to this task.

    That¡¯s why¡ªif I dared to retreat, the jaguar would follow me mechanically.

    Completely, unaware of the trap.

    (¡ªhere.) (Shuu)

    I rolled to the side to dodge the slash, and while I was on one knee¡ªI flicked my thumb.

    I flicked off two [White Bullets] with precise shots. The other one explodes at the jaguar. The other one explodes just before its feet.

    ¡ªJaguar does not recognize the red hypha balls mixed in with the shattered cobblestone pavement.

    When I was at Outsuka Metro, there was a time when I was enthusiastic about the ¡°Burning Mycelium Mine Operation¡±.

    As it turned out, it did not produce good results.

    Red. Suspicious. Too small. Even if I scattered them haphazardly on the ground, they would easily be avoided, and even if I lightly buried them in the ground, I would not know if I stepped on them, or I would forget where I had buried them. I tried many other ways, but in the end, I came to the conclusion that it is still better to use them directly.

    I had no idea that this strategy, which did not even work against Ghost Wolves and Goblins, would be useful against such high-level opponents.

    While rolling on the ground from the constant slashing attacks, I diligently scattered the red hypha balls. To something, who perceives the world through sound and air vibrations, they were so tiny that it could not distinguish them from a pebble. There was a fear that it might have exploded during the scattering, but it seems that I was lucky that I have been practicing this before.

    ¡°¨CBurn.¡± (Shuu)

    The [Fireball] that was hit by the [White Bullet] created a small explosion and a pillar of fire appeared. It burned and destroys the surrounding [Fireballs] and [Thunderballs], causing a chain reaction. The balls turned into a huge pillar of fire with the jaguar at its center, creating a blast so powerful that it blew me away.

    Fog literally dissipates and a cloud of dust settles in the air. At the center of it all¡ªthe jaguar with its arms crossed in front of its chest¡ªstill standing. I focused on it.

    So I¡¯m already kicking off the ground.

    The jaguar tries to move, but its limbs have slowed down as if they¡¯ve run out of fuel.

    It swings its stone sword to release the ¡°Hypha Kamaitachi¡±. At the same time, I jumped close range.

    ¡°Yo, I¡¯m back.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯m finally back. At a distance where I can ignore the Kamaitachi. And at a distance where I can strike with my most hard-hitting attack.

    My clenched fist glowed silver and is covered in light. [Iron Fist] + [Light Blade].

    Kaboom! The stone body, which had boasted of its durability, screamed as I slammed my fist into it with all my force.

 CH 70

    ¡°Aaahhh!!!¡± (Shuu)

    Like an insane fighter, I swing my fist in close range with my opponent.

    Height-wise, I punched straight near the navel of the opponent. I don¡¯t know if the vital point is near, but first I need to break through this guy¡¯s shell.

    This is my only chance to win. If I get out of range again, I will be tortured to death by the ¡°Hypha Kamaitachi¡±.

    [Iron Fist] with the highest hardness, I unknowingly broke the Strongest Material for Weapons called Magic Steel Frame. My fists were wrapped in light and fired one by one, putting my soul into it.

    Four shots, five shots, six shots. I didn¡¯t miss the slight cracks running through the stone¡¯s outer shell, which was only scratched by the [Katana].

    The jaguar slams the pommel of its stone sword in an attempt to push me away. My hypha arms now equipped with the [Round Shield] are strong! I then repel the attack to the side.

    ¡°Raaaaaaa!¡± (Shuu)

    Eight shots, nine shots, ten shots. The cracks spread out. The jaguar¡¯s huge body moves backward, the attacks are now taking effect.

    Boom! And its knees swung up and clashed with my fist. I was thrown back, and a gap appeared.

    The stone sword falls from above. I ducked and slip through. I smashed the crack with the [Round Shield] on my hypha arm. In return, it stabbed with its tail and swung around. My cheek is torn and my side is gouged out while throwing me to the side.

    ¡°Enough!¡± (Shuu)

    The twin swords swung at an unabated speed. I dodged and flicked it with my [Iron Fist]. Then my right hypha arm is cut off.

    I plunged forward with all my courage. My left mycelial arm strikes with my [Round Shield] punch¡ªit is cut off just in time and I fly backward.

    ¡°¡ªThis is f*cking annoying.¡± (Shuu)

    At a distance, I was gripping my [War Hammer] with both hands.

    ¡°Die!¡± (Shuu)

    The stone sword gouges off my right ear and shoulder. At the same time, a light-clad [War Hammer] slams into the crack.

    The jaguar¡¯s body is bent over, and the stone sword falls out of its left hand. Staggering, the jaguar¡¯s hands hold the crack as it crumbles into pieces.

    ¡°Die alre¨C¡± (Shuu)

    As I swung the [War Hammer] once more, countless white threads spread across my field of vision. Tentacles were released from the jaguar¡¯s crack, and they entwined around my body as I tried to jump back. The [War Hammer] torn from my hand.

    ¡°Damn!¡± (Shuu)

    It crawls over my mouth, shoulders, and knees. The restraints are strong, and it is not easy to shake them off.

    This is bad, I stay like this, my blood will be sucked. A new hypha arm¡ª

    The body is lifted above the jaguar¡¯s head. Like a princess being carried by a King Bug. [T/N: A reference to the anime Valley of the Wind.]

    However, what awaits is not a miracle of healing, but a stone sword thrusting toward me.

    The cold tip of the sword was ready to pierce my stomach, but before that, both of my hands with [Ironfist] caught it.

    But it kept pushing. Breaking the skin on my stomach, pass the flesh, my organs¡ª.

    ¡°Guh¡­ Ahhh!¡± (Shuu)

    The [Katana] held by my hypha arms draws an arc. The tentacles clinging to me are cut off.

    The tentacles are pulled out of my wound, and I kicked the jaguar¡¯s head, before landing on the ground.

    My thigs thighs are bursting with power as I lunged low and sharp.

    Tentacles and a stone sword intercept me.

    The jaguar¡¯s flying slash met my hypha arms along with my [Katana] is cut in two.

    My hand plunged into the wound without care, pierces through the bundle of tentacles, and reaches the depths of the crack.

    Damn it, I think. I wish I could have done this with the hypha arm.

    It was a bad turn of events. I had to do it with my real hand.

    But I had no choice. I am already prepared.

    It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve said this. I don¡¯t plan of reusing the same line, but just in case.

    ¡°¡ªEat my balls.¡± (Shuu)

    I clenched the five fireballs I had created in my hands.

    The light was blindingly bright and exploded in front of my eyes.

    My right arm is missing from the elbow down.

    Flesh and bone are exposed, and blood is dripping continuously from there.

    I turned my tear-stained eyes away from the pain to the jaguar lying on its back. The stone body, even the tentacles that covered its whole body, is not moving even twitching.

    I blew up only the inside. It seems that the fatal damage has indeed reached the main body of the jaguar.

    (Though I just barely won¡­ I am already all sorts of messed up¡­) (Shuu)

    I wonder how long it has been since I was injured this badly. Was it when I was forced to retread by the Satan Slime? No, I¡¯ve been badly injured quite often after that. Well, it must have been since the Outsuka Metro.

    I am on the verge of exhaustion. My wounds are healing slowly and my body is losing strength.

    The mine operation has caused a huge explosion. I don¡¯t know when the other beasts will come. I have to leave this place as soon as possible.

    (I¡¯ll just get the sporangium first.) (Shuu)

    I pick up the [War Hammer], smash the body, and pull out the filamentous body from around the chest. The lower half of the body is charred, and its fluid is spilling out from where a piece of stone had pierced through. I feel like I¡¯ve done a terrible thing, but I guess it¡¯s mutual.

    I drag my body, which has become as heavy as a stone and hid in the building close by.

    First, the sporangium. Nourishment to recover from fatigue, and accelerate my regeneration.

    ¡°¡­this is¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The removed sporangia were black.

    It does not seem to have been burnt. There is no smell of burning. It doesn¡¯t smell rotten either. Or rather, I was alive until a while ago, so that wouldn¡¯t be the case.

    (The smell doesn¡¯t seem to be a problem, but¡­ why is it like this?) (Shuu)

    (If possible, I¡¯d like to check with Professor Noa first, but¡­) (Shuu)

    I¡¯m starving, exhausted and my body hurts all over.

    Well, there¡¯s nothing to complain about if it¡¯s just a little upset stomach. Even poisons should be hard to affect me¡ªit¡¯s a delicate matter whether the poison can be resisted in my state.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Leftovers are bad, squeak!¡± (Shuu)

    This is a Metro rule first instilled in me by my teacher. I had no choice but to follow it.

    The first thing to do is to take a bite of the ten-centimeter-diameter piece.

    ¡°¡­Oh, it¡¯s normal.¡± (Shuu)

    It tastes like the usual disgusting sporangium. It tastes a little bitter, but that¡¯s acceptable.

    As I swallow a mouthful, I feel as if every hungry cell in my body is fighting for it. ¡°Give me more, come on, come on!¡± My cells growled.

    When I finish the second meal, I feel a strange flutter in the pit of my stomach, probably from the damage, but it subsides in a few seconds. The cells, now well supplied with nutrients, begin to work. Platelets, please stop the bleeding.

    I had hoped for a little more, but alas, there is no level-up. It was only two days ago, after all.

    While the right arm is being repaired quickly, I also check the sandbag. Normally, I should run back to my friends as soon as possible, but the excuse was that I should wait for the wound to heal a little longer. I couldn¡¯t stop but give in to my greed.

    This time. This time, since I was such a strong enemy, this time I would definitely get mithril¡ª

    ¡°¡­¡­What the f*ck is that?¡± (Shuu)

    When I opened it, there wasn¡¯t even a single jewel inside, let alone mithril. It¡¯s as poor as the golem the floors on the tenth floor.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it¡­ It was so strong¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Once again, like Mithrilgar, my desires were blocked and I was left dejected.

    Tamiko¡¯s [Risk Counter] was never wrong and it was also a super strong opponent. It seems that the quality of the sporangium was quite good as it entered my body. This gap though. How do I evaluate it?

    (¡­Not a Mature individual, but a Mutant individual?) (Shuu)

    Not a strong individual that grew through predation and Maturation, but a different kind of creature that was born as a strong individual. I have heard of such Metro Beasts. If it was a strong but young individual, it may not have had much opportunity to absorb Ore Fungus.

    (Well, it¡¯s no use thinking about it now, is it.) (Shuu)

    (Well, let¡¯s get going. I have to join those guys.) (Shuu)

    My right hand is about to grow fingers. It¡¯s not pleasant to see the flesh rising up, but it¡¯s also somewhat fascinating. If it were someone else¡¯s, it might just be unpleasant.

    Looking down the street from the doorway. As expected, zombies are gathering.

    I go through the empty room and go outside through the back door. Continuing down the back alley.

    I¡¯m lost. I wonder where I am now.

    I used [Leaping] and climbed up onto the roof of a one-story building.

    The fog is settling in just right. I can see some of the scenery around me.

    (¡­not good.) (Shuu)

    There is a huge altar at ten o¡¯clock. It is shaped like a pyramid, more than 30 meters high and quite wide.

    A heavy thumping sound came from the altar. It sounded like stones being rubbed together as if they were coming from a construction site in the distance.

    It echoed intermittently. And in time with it¡ªthe place seems to be writhing slightly.

    For a moment, a disturbing thought crosses my mind.

    (¡­Maybe that¡¯s not an altar, but a go¡ª) (Shuu)

    I verbalized the thought and then stopped myself from going on. It can¡¯t be, it just can¡¯t be. You¡¯re tired, Abeshuu.

    ¡°¡ªWhoa!¡± (Shuu)

    This time it came from one or two o¡¯clock, closer to the forest. It sounded like a dog howling. Then came the faint sounds of battlefield noises¨Ccrashes, destruction, and screams. It was one street over from where he was now, in the direction from which Tamiko and the others had fled.

    I ran along the roof of the building. Taking a detour where there is a difference in height, before going down to the ground. The sounds of fighting are getting closer and closer.

    (¡ªThere they are!) (Shuu)

    From the roof, I spot Noa and Kure. Tamiko is also on Noa¡¯s shoulder.

    Together with several Chihuahuas, including their caped leader, they are fighting back against the horde of zombies that surround them.

    Kure is holding his own against several minotaur zombies. The muscular bull-headed individuals are swarming around, just like in a professional wrestling brawl scene. Kure is kicking them all off at once with his massive body, but he is outnumbered, and it doesn¡¯t look like he will last much longer.

    ¡°¡ªAh!¡± (Noa)

    The Minotaur Zombie¡¯s fist punches Noa in the face. Noa falls to the ground with a spray of blood, and Tamiko jumps up and grabs the zombie.

    The bull¡¯s eyes are looking down from above Noa¡¯s head as she tries to get up.

    It swings its elongated arms that are out of proportion to its large head.

    Noa quickly puts forward her hand. [Sticky Thread] is released from her palm and sticks to the minotaur¡¯s head and arm. However, it is torn off with a light swing of its arm.

    The minotaur swings its arm once more. Noa wobbles as she tries to get up. She can¡¯t evade, and no one can cover her in time, neither Kure nor Tamiko.

    ¨CI made it in time.

    My [War Hammer], which has the momentum of [Leaping], smashes the Minotaur¡¯s head in one blow.

    Noa was staring at me in shock as I slid in scraping the cobblestone pavement.

    ¡°¡­Mr. Shuu¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Shuu!¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    I get up and tried to coolly reply to my friends, but this headless macho body is still trying to move.

    Just as I was about to kick it out of the room, the minotaur stops moving. A red line runs in a straight line from its neck to its buttocks, and it falls in half and bursts into flames.

    A double-edged sword that burns red¡ªThe hand that held the [Knight Sword] was covered with fluffy silver hair. The [Knight Sword] that was swung was distorting the air like a mirage.

    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re in the middle of a party¡ªdid I make it in time?¡± (Giran)

    The impetuous handsome werewolf looks around with his blue eyes, his mouth grinning as his fangs peeking out.

    The strongest hunter of the Ikebukuro Tribe. He is Giran Taichi, the ¡°King Slayer Silver Wolf¡±.

    A/N: For Shuu¡¯s ¡°Fluttering in the stomach¡±, see ¡°Summary of the Setting so Far¡±.

    T/N: Noa is gonna be depressed again.

 CH 71

    After clearing out the zombies in the vicinity, we run toward the forest with Chihuahua leading the way.

    There is no sign of pursuers in the area. The dense greenery and dense fog seem to hide us, and we finally catch our breath.

    ¡°Ah, that¡­ sorry everyone, woof!¡± (Red Cape)

    Noa gives me a tackle-like hug, and I was struggling to breathe.

    ¡°Muuu! You jumped out on your own! We were worried about you, IdiotMr. Shuu!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± (Shuu)

    While feeling tremendous muscle pressure on my torso, I grabbed the head of the pervert who was trying to hug me.

    ¡°Guhgi¡­ Little Shuu, what happened to that monster?¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Ah¡­ It was super strong, but somehow¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Even if you look at me with such flirty eyes, I will not allow you to stick to me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your excuses later! You¡¯ll get a penalty, you promise! I¡¯ll make you do anything I say!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yeah, got it¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Finally, I am released from the pressure of Noa¡¯s Mount Fujis. I was relieved because my brain was getting a little bit overheated.

    ¡ªAnd before I knew it, Tamiko was clinging to my upper arm.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tamiko. I made you worry.¡± (Shuu)

    She remained motionless with her face buried in my arm. She looked like a furry Dakkochan doll. [T/N: Dakkochan was a doll that was discontinued in the 80¡¯s in Japan.]

    ¡°¡­Tamiko? Should we get going now?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    She is sniffling and blowing her nose. She is probably going to cry for a while.

    ¡°Sis was very worried. Mr. Shuu was in danger, so, she plans on running to where Mr. Shuu was.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­I am frustrated, squeak¡­ We promised to be together always, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­Yeah, I¡¯m sorry. Partner.¡± (Shuu)

    I grab her from behind, gently prying her away from me. Tamiko¡¯s snot stretches like mozzarella.

    Finally, I put her back on my shoulder, this time she rubbed against my cheek. *Squish*. It looks like she¡¯ll be on runny-nose mode for a while.

    ¡°¡ªWell.¡± (Giran)

    Giran was the next to open his mouth.

    ¡°If you guys are here, does that mean you are the ones who found the way to this floor.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. ¡­or rather, why are you here?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, I think we have a lot to talk about. Somewhere we can relax¡ª¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Mau!¡± (Red Cape)

    The chihuahua was barking, it was the Chihuahua leader wearing the hood. They wagged their tail and looked up at me.

    ¡°Tha¡­ Thank¡­ You¡­ You helped¡­¡± (Red Cape)

    It¡¯s broken, but it¡¯s decent Japanese¡ªbut how can they speak it?

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay now. However, I couldn¡¯t save your friends¡­¡± (Shuu)

    For a moment, they looked down sadly, but the leader shook their head as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ ¡®Threadweaver¡¯?¡± (Red cape)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    I was startled. Don¡¯t tell me they know I¡¯m an [Master Threadweaver]?

    ¡°Do you mean one of the ¡®People of the Thread¡¯?¡± Noa added.

    ¡°Oh, I see. Yeah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m Abe Shuu one of the ¡®People of the Thread¡¯.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A-A-Abe? I, Makko.¡± (Red Cape => Makko)

    ¡°Makko huh. (What a cute name!)¡± (Shuu)

    It was their first time saying ¡°I¡±? Though I couldn¡¯t tell whether they are male or female. Would they be sexually harassed if I asked?

    ¡°I have, safe place, um¡­ Understand?¡± (Makko)

    ¡°Yes, I understand. Is it safe at your place? I mean, can we go there?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mau!¡± (Makko)

    The other three Chihuahuas were nodding their heads in agreement (it seems they had joined him while I was away). It seems that I have won their trust. I can¡¯t see any malicious intent in their black eyes, planning to trick people into becoming their prey, but a beast is a beast, even if it they are magic beasts. I wondered if I could trust them.

    I have nowhere else to go, so I decide to accept the very curious invitation to the Chihuahua¡¯s home.

    We followed the Chihuahua leader, or Makko, to the east through the forest and arrived at an open space lined with stone huts. There is a well on the outskirts of the well, and when the wooden lid is removed, there is a ladder inside.

    The wooden ladder is sturdy enough to hold a person, but the steps are spaced to accommodate the short legs of the Chihuahuas, making it quite difficult to climb down. At the end of the rungs, there was a hole in the ground where an adult could bend down and pass through, and the light from the firefly moss continued dimly to the far end of the rungs. Giran, who is taller than me, is curled up on his back, looking cramped.

    After passing through the staircase, we came to a staircase. There are many twists and turns, spirals, and mazes. Perhaps one of them leads to the place where Chihuahua and his friends came out of the ruins of the city.

    After a long, narrow flight of stairs, you suddenly come to a stairwell¡ªor rather, a cliff on one side.

    ¡°Woah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Ouji Metro, 32nd underground floor.

    The floor is not as large as the 31st floor, but it is considerably wider. Below us, the earth is bumpy with cracks and ridges. It is dimly lit, perhaps due to the lack of light from the moss, creating an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere. A bird, presumably a carnivorous bird, is heard, ¡°Caw! Caw!¡± I hear a screeching caw that seems to be that of a carnivorous bird.

    An orange glow, which seems to be the light of a fire, can be seen. It is a small fort surrounded by crude barricades.

    ¡°Is that your home?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Mau!¡± (Makko)

    The path to the village was surprisingly steep. The footing is not good for walking, and strange creatures, some of which could easily be described as monstrous birds, sometimes fly out of the cracks. When I quickly kill one, I am greeted with ¡°Mau, mau! Thank you!¡± with the chihuahuas overjoyed.

    Looking into the crack, we can see many horizontal holes below. There may be an area further down than this, or perhaps there is another floor.

    The guard at the barricade and Makko have a mau-mau conversation, and the chihuahuas are allowed to go inside. Humans are not rare, or maybe, as Chihuahuas from all over the place look at us. I had been inwardly excited to find a mofu-mofu paradise until we arrived here, but I was concerned about the small number of Chihuahuas in comparison to the size of the village.

    Most of the dwellings are tents. The large tent in the middle of the village was taller than the height of the residents. It is a large tent made of wood, as if the chief were within it.

    Sure enough, there is a Chihuahua with an excessive amount of ornaments waiting for us. Their fur is so long and shaggy rather than fluffy, and they look much older than Makko and the others. They were panting and out of breath, and the bandana and robe wrapped around their head were shabby, suggesting that they had hurriedly prepared himself upon receiving the news of their visitors.

    ¡°We-welcome. Please come, please¡­ woof.¡± (Chief)

    ¡°Ah, yes¡­ woof?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I am the leader of this place, my name is Nai¡­. woof.¡± (Chief => Nai)

    ¡°Oh, yes, thank you very much. My name is Abeshu. ¡­woof?¡± (Shuu)

    They spoke more fluently than Makko and the others, but I was worried about the end of their words.

    ¡°This Chihuahua has a strange way of talking, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Huh? Huh.¡± (Nai)

    Nai suddenly became very angry and bared their fangs toward Tamiko, barking, ¡°Mau, mau!¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s a Chihuahua? We are the proud Xolotl!¡± (Nai)

    ¡°Pigya!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, sorry, sorry. How do you know what a Chihuahua is?¡± (Shuu)

    Nai¡¯s shoulders heave as they breathe hard. Are they really as old as they look? Nai then said, ¡°Kuh¡­¡± and sat down flat on the spot, so we followed suit. The floor is wooden. [T/N: Xolotl, a dog-headed god of fire & lightning, guide of the dead, and the evil twin brother of Kukulkan.]

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, woof. Even though you¡¯re our benefactor who helped our Makko¡­ woof.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°No, no, no. It¡¯s this little one who¡¯s sorry.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeaky.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I heard that Chihuahuas are canine creatures much like us, woof. They are lowly creatures that sell their charms like slaves, wag their tails like whores, and have not a shred of pride, woof.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°That¡¯s some extreme prejudice.¡± (Shuu)

    Is Chihuahua a derogatory term for them? I mean, where did they hear that? From whom?

    ¡°So, we got another name, woof. Xolotl, woof.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°Um¡­ who?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The People of the Thread, woof. They appeared when I was a little furball and taught us language, woof.¡± (Nai)

    ¨CSo.

    As soon as Makko spoke Japanese, I thought of this possibility. Whether human or magical beast, language must be learned before it can be used. Language and communication are acquired. In other words, someone had taught it to them.

    ¡°Perhaps even the ending of the sentences?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, yes. ¡­The ¡®People of the Thread¡¯ like this kind of thing, woof¡­ But I haven¡¯t used it since the previous chief taught it to me, so I¡¯m not very familiar with it, woof.¡± (Nai)

    It¡¯s a healthy effort to increase their sensitivity to humans, but I can¡¯t help but feel a sense of mischievousness, like teaching a foreigner strange Japanese.

    Even those Chihuahuas probably do not normally use Japanese. Perhaps the chief¡¯s fluency and vocabulary are for negotiating with the visitors who will one day come.

    Giran quickly raises his hand.

    ¡°Excuse me. I would like to confirm first that this is not the first time that the ¡®People of the Thread¡¯ have appeared in this village, or rather, in front of you?¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡­¡± (Nai)

    Nai looked doubtful as if they could not tell whether he was a human or on our side, but Nai continued.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. According to the Earth Calendar, it was more than 70 years ago. Masuo Oyama visited this place. Language, construction technology, life wisdom, and that kind of thing. Those are everything he gave us.¡± (Nai)

    Kure stumbles to the floor and puts his hands on the floor. Giran¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°¡­Haha, I never thought that Oyama¡¯s ¡®seven years of blank space¡¯ would be filled in by this place¡­¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Kure, do you know them?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­For someone from Senju like me, he¡¯s a senior, or rather, a figure of reverence.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Oyama Masuo, the first chief of the Senju Tribe,¡± said Giran. ¡°Oyama Masuo was one of the founders who lost his life in the [Demon War] fifty years ago, but his life after handing over the position of chief to his own son has been recorded in a biography called ¡®Oyama¡¯s Mysterious Journey¡¯ diary. The story is that he had retired and was traveling around New Tokyo. There existed a period of ¡®seven years of blank space¡¯ in his life. So, there was a piece here to fill in the blank. For the Senju leaders, this information is worth as much as this undiscovered floor.¡± (Giran)

    Nai put their hands on the floor and bowed reverently.

    ¡°Please help us¡­ to defeat the Gran Golem and take back Kukulkan¡¯s eggs and that land¡­.¡± (Nai) [T/N: Kukulkan is an ancient Mayan feathered serpent deity.]

    Gran Golem, Kukulkan¡¯s Egg. New words have appeared.

    ¡°When that is accomplished¡­ We will give you our hidden treasures. So, please¡­¡± (Nai)

    At the mention of ¡°hidden treasures¡±, My party¡¯s ears perked up

 CH 72

    T/N: I didn¡¯t remove the woofs. Nai stopped saying woof.

    The line ¡°five years ago¡± at the end of this story has been corrected to ¡°three years ago¡±.

    According to Chief Nai, the Xolotl tribe began with only ten beasts.

    More than a hundred years ago¡ªafter the [Tokyo Judgment], they are not sure how they found themselves on the 31st underground floor of the Ouji Metro.

    (I guess you could say they developed an ego¡­) (Shuu)

    (Did a normal Chihuahua become a magical beast because of the [Super Fungi], and then they grew an ego¡­) (Shuu)

    (Or did they come to this world from somewhere and just lost their previous memories?) (Shuu)

    Anyway, the Xolotls built a modest base in that ruined city, and gradually increased the number of individuals to form a pack. Fortunately, at that time, gremlins and minotaurs were neither as strong nor as large as they are now. They thrived while their numbers increased and decreased while competing for survival with the Metro Beasts.

    Then, more than seventy years ago.

    The first ¡°human¡± visited this land.

    The ¡°Giant Hairless Gremlin¡± called itself ¡°People of the Thread¡± who live on the surface. They had only their own primitive language, which they could not understand.

    Perhaps because they liked the Xolotl so much, the ¡°People of the Thread¡± settled in the area and patiently kept their distance from their people. At first, they were wary, but gradually they opened their hearts, realizing that they meant no harm.

    The ¡°Master Threadweaver¡±, who called himself Masuo Oyama, brought many things to them.

    A language that enabled detailed communication, counting, arithmetic, the concept of a calendar, hunting techniques, building technology, and wisdom for daily life. Oyama was very happy when he talked about his homeland, the ¡°Land of the People of the Thread¡±.

    Karate, the unarmed martial art, was also taught with great enthusiasm, but it was difficult for short-limbed people to master it. Unfortunately, it is now almost extinct.

    ¡°Oyama Masuo was a language teacher at a school in the ancient world. He also taught karate to volunteer students,¡± adds Kure. So he is both a Japanese language teacher and a karate club adviser?

    It was with Oyama¡¯s advice and cooperation that they were able to discover the 32nd floor and build this fortress. They and Oyama formed a deep bond, and Oyama remained in this underground world for seven years.

    At first, Oyama proposed the name ¡°Chihuahuas,¡± but when they learned that they were helpless lapdogs, they were furious. The name ¡°Xolotl¡± was given to the tribe. The name was derived from the name of a god who was worshipped in a place that resembled a prehistoric city of ruins.

    When it was time to say goodbye, Oyama asked them, ¡°Would you like to come to the surface with me?¡± they declined then.

    Oyama respected their wishes and swore to protect the secrets of their land. He said, shyly, ¡°I would be very happy if someday when another group of ¡°People of the Thread¡± appear, you and they become friends through the words and knowledge I have taught you.¡±

    In a day or two, the stairs that Oyama had walked through would be blocked by the changing of the metro. No one seemed to have noticed it after Oyama came and after he punched a hole in the wall again to return.

    For almost sixty years, the Xolotl lived in isolation, never forgetting their debt to him or his teachings, until his return to the surface and the revelation of his secret again by another group of people.

    ¡°This is our text¡­ Oyama¡¯s legacy. It has been handed down to the chiefs so that the words of the ¡®People of the Thread¡¯ would never be lost.¡± (Nai)

    Nai brought a thick, tattered bundle of papers bound with string. The chief, a few members of their entourage, and a candidate for the next chief¡ªMakko, apparently¡ªcan read and write.

    ¡°Without this, the words will be lost further and further. I¡¯m glad you came here before they were completely lost.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°As you can imagine, we don¡¯t understand the Mau language either.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Giran put a paw on Shuu¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°How did you guys discover the secret paradise that only the legendary ¡®Master Threadweaver¡¯ could discover?¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Ah¡­ um¡­ it¡¯s a complete coincidence¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Kukulkan is the name of a giant snake that lived near that ruined city.

    It was Oyama who gave it its name. It is the name of the twin god of Xolotl in Mesoamerican mythology.

    It was stronger and more agile than any other beast, with poisonous fangs, scales that repelled all attacks, spitting flaming debris, and a life force that would not die no matter how much it was wounded. Oyama estimated that the mature individual would be at least level 80.

    ¡°How interesting¡­ A huge, undiscovered Metro Beast¡­ ¡± said Giran.

    For the Xolotl or the Metro Beasts of the 31st floor, Kukulkan was at first an absolute force to be reckoned with, like a natural disaster. Many of their people fell under its fangs, were burned, and became its food.

    But at the same time, it was like the guardian deity of this land.

    More than ten years after Oyama¡¯s departure, countless golems appeared on the 31st floor, devouring the Metro Beasts and causing mas chaos. The Xolotl tribe also suffered many casualties.

    As the catastrophic damage was spreading, Kukulkan took the lead in kicking out the army of rock dolls. The Xolotls could not help but be in awe of their god of destruction and protection.

    ¡°Kukulkan has no partner but it can lay a single egg.¡± (Nai)

    It is something called parthenogenesis. I¡¯ve seen on the net that there are snakes where some females lay eggs, even though there are males.

    ¡°When the eggs hatch, the parents take care of them for a while and then die. Their last job is to feed their young. Their lifespan is about twenty years.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing.¡± (Shuu)

    It is the exact opposite of filial cannibalism, where the parents eat their children. Letting children eat themselves is the ultimate in food education. As I recall, there was a spider like that in the deserts of the Middle East or something. My source as usual the Internet.

    ¡°The eggs hatch within 10 years after they are laid. It hatches exactly 3,600 times after night falls. That¡¯s the way it¡¯s always been.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°Exactly? So, the eggs stay that way for ten years? That¡¯s amazing.¡± (Shuu)

    Even dinosaurs had only been in their eggs for a few months, I think.

    ¡°But we never encountered such a snake, did we?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even notice it, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    If we had suddenly encountered a level 80 giant snake in the jungle, all the members of my party would have wet their pants.

    ¡°¡­ Kukulkan is gone now.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    Nai stared blankly and shook his head.

    ¡°He was killed three years ago by a second individual who came here¡­¡± (Nai)

    The others and I were at a loss for words.

    A second individual? Three years ago?

    Killed that? A level 80 monster?

    ¡°There are only seven days left until the next Kukulkan is born from the egg left behind. We must do whatever it takes to retrieve the egg trapped in that altar before then.¡± (Nai)

 CH 73

    T/N: I didn¡¯t remove the woofs. Nai stopped saying woof.

    The line ¡°five years ago¡± at the end of this story has been corrected to ¡°three years ago¡±.

    According to Chief Nai, the Xolotl tribe began with only ten beasts.

    More than a hundred years ago¡ªafter the [Tokyo Judgment], they are not sure how they found themselves on the 31st underground floor of the Ouji Metro.

    (I guess you could say they developed an ego¡­) (Shuu)

    (Did a normal Chihuahua become a magical beast because of the [Super Fungi], and then they grew an ego¡­) (Shuu)

    (Or did they come to this world from somewhere and just lost their previous memories?) (Shuu)

    Anyway, the Xolotls built a modest base in that ruined city, and gradually increased the number of individuals to form a pack. Fortunately, at that time, gremlins and minotaurs were neither as strong nor as large as they are now. They thrived while their numbers increased and decreased while competing for survival with the Metro Beasts.

    Then, more than seventy years ago.

    The first ¡°human¡± visited this land.

    The ¡°Giant Hairless Gremlin¡± called itself ¡°People of the Thread¡± who live on the surface. They had only their own primitive language, which they could not understand.

    Perhaps because they liked the Xolotl so much, the ¡°People of the Thread¡± settled in the area and patiently kept their distance from their people. At first, they were wary, but gradually they opened their hearts, realizing that they meant no harm.

    The ¡°Master Threadweaver¡±, who called himself Masuo Oyama, brought many things to them.

    A language that enabled detailed communication, counting, arithmetic, the concept of a calendar, hunting techniques, building technology, and wisdom for daily life. Oyama was very happy when he talked about his homeland, the ¡°Land of the People of the Thread¡±.

    Karate, the unarmed martial art, was also taught with great enthusiasm, but it was difficult for short-limbed people to master it. Unfortunately, it is now almost extinct.

    ¡°Oyama Masuo was a language teacher at a school in the ancient world. He also taught karate to volunteer students,¡± adds Kure. So he is both a Japanese language teacher and a karate club adviser?

    It was with Oyama¡¯s advice and cooperation that they were able to discover the 32nd floor and build this fortress. They and Oyama formed a deep bond, and Oyama remained in this underground world for seven years.

    At first, Oyama proposed the name ¡°Chihuahuas,¡± but when they learned that they were helpless lapdogs, they were furious. The name ¡°Xolotl¡± was given to the tribe. The name was derived from the name of a god who was worshipped in a place that resembled a prehistoric city of ruins.

    When it was time to say goodbye, Oyama asked them, ¡°Would you like to come to the surface with me?¡± they declined then.

    Oyama respected their wishes and swore to protect the secrets of their land. He said, shyly, ¡°I would be very happy if someday when another group of ¡°People of the Thread¡± appear, you and they become friends through the words and knowledge I have taught you.¡±

    In a day or two, the stairs that Oyama had walked through would be blocked by the changing of the metro. No one seemed to have noticed it after Oyama came and after he punched a hole in the wall again to return.

    For almost sixty years, the Xolotl lived in isolation, never forgetting their debt to him or his teachings, until his return to the surface and the revelation of his secret again by another group of people.

    ¡°This is our text¡­ Oyama¡¯s legacy. It has been handed down to the chiefs so that the words of the ¡®People of the Thread¡¯ would never be lost.¡± (Nai)

    Nai brought a thick, tattered bundle of papers bound with string. The chief, a few members of their entourage, and a candidate for the next chief¡ªMakko, apparently¡ªcan read and write.

    ¡°Without this, the words will be lost further and further. I¡¯m glad you came here before they were completely lost.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°As you can imagine, we don¡¯t understand the Mau language either.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Giran put a paw on Shuu¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°How did you guys discover the secret paradise that only the legendary ¡®Master Threadweaver¡¯ could discover?¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Ah¡­ um¡­ it¡¯s a complete coincidence¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Kukulkan is the name of a giant snake that lived near that ruined city.

    It was Oyama who gave it its name. It is the name of the twin god of Xolotl in Mesoamerican mythology.

    It was stronger and more agile than any other beast, with poisonous fangs, scales that repelled all attacks, spitting flaming debris, and a life force that would not die no matter how much it was wounded. Oyama estimated that the mature individual would be at least level 80.

    ¡°How interesting¡­ A huge, undiscovered Metro Beast¡­ ¡± said Giran.

    For the Xolotl or the Metro Beasts of the 31st floor, Kukulkan was at first an absolute force to be reckoned with, like a natural disaster. Many of their people fell under its fangs, were burned, and became its food.

    But at the same time, it was like the guardian deity of this land.

    More than ten years after Oyama¡¯s departure, countless golems appeared on the 31st floor, devouring the Metro Beasts and causing mas chaos. The Xolotl tribe also suffered many casualties.

    As the catastrophic damage was spreading, Kukulkan took the lead in kicking out the army of rock dolls. The Xolotls could not help but be in awe of their god of destruction and protection.

    ¡°Kukulkan has no partner but it can lay a single egg.¡± (Nai)

    It is something called parthenogenesis. I¡¯ve seen on the net that there are snakes where some females lay eggs, even though there are males.

    ¡°When the eggs hatch, the parents take care of them for a while and then die. Their last job is to feed their young. Their lifespan is about twenty years.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing.¡± (Shuu)

    It is the exact opposite of filial cannibalism, where the parents eat their children. Letting children eat themselves is the ultimate in food education. As I recall, there was a spider like that in the deserts of the Middle East or something. My source as usual the Internet.

    ¡°The eggs hatch within 10 years after they are laid. It hatches exactly 3,600 times after night falls. That¡¯s the way it¡¯s always been.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°Exactly? So, the eggs stay that way for ten years? That¡¯s amazing.¡± (Shuu)

    Even dinosaurs had only been in their eggs for a few months, I think.

    ¡°But we never encountered such a snake, did we?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even notice it, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    If we had suddenly encountered a level 80 giant snake in the jungle, all the members of my party would have wet their pants.

    ¡°¡­ Kukulkan is gone now.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    Nai stared blankly and shook his head.

    ¡°He was killed three years ago by a second individual who came here¡­¡± (Nai)

    The others and I were at a loss for words.

    A second individual? Three years ago?

    Killed that? A level 80 monster?

    ¡°There are only seven days left until the next Kukulkan is born from the egg left behind. We must do whatever it takes to retrieve the egg trapped in that altar before then.¡± (Nai)

 CH 74.1

    Once we returned to the tent from the Xolotl tribe¡¯s secret treasure vault, we asked Nai and Makko to give us some privacy and discuss the matter with the humans plus a squirrel.

    ¡°But still¡­ I never thought I¡¯d be offered a quest by a Magic Beast in the metro.¡± (Shuu)

    The first adventure I started out on was for mithril, or a cool weapon, but I never thought I would be involved in a fight for the survival of a tribe.

    The request was to defeat a golem and retrieve Kukulkan¡¯s egg. The deadline is seven days.

    Their reward is a collection of treasures that they have been collecting for generations in case they are forced to interact with humans someday (on Oyama¡¯s advice). In an underground treasure vault (or rather, cave) set up on the outskirts of the village, Kukulkan scales, molted shells, rare ores and gems, bones and fangs of powerful beasts, and other junk of unknown origin were piled up in a messy heap.

    You can do what you want with all of these things, Nia said.

    Bones were what they recommended, as dogs would do, but my eyes were glued to the silvery white ore.

    ¡°It¡¯s mithril. Mithril.¡± I say it again, ¡°Mithril.¡±

    Since they did not have the skills to process it, they only knew it as ¡°a hard, shiny stone.¡±¡ªOr rather, I cried a little. A lump of my dream that I had been chasing was just within reach.

    ¡°¡­Abe,¡± Giran opens his mouth. ¡°Forgive me for being rude, but can you tell me your level?¡±

    ¡°Ah, um¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I was a little unsure if I should answer truthfully, but I had no choice.

    ¡°I turned 69 the day before yesterday.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°69? At your age?¡± (Giran)

    ¡°I can¡¯t prove it because I don¡¯t have a Test Sheet. By the way, Giran, how about you¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I am 72. I am probably a year older than you.¡± (Giran)

    Kure is sending a passionate gaze. It¡¯s no problem if your feelings are directed to him, so I¡¯ll send you off with a smile.

    *whisper* ¡°He¡¯s super strong and handsome, but my dearest is only Little Shuu.¡± (Kure)

    *whisper* ¡°Keep in your mind that I don¡¯t mind.¡± (Shuu)

    Or rather, the level is almost as estimated.

    I couldn¡¯t tell from his appearance, but is he some wannabe alpha wolf? He¡¯d even make a move on some high school girl even though he¡¯s around 40, right? A cradle-robber wolf. [T/N: Says the more than a century old man.]

    ¡ªI was surprised to hear that they had never spoken to each other since their reunion.

    Noa seems to be ignoring him, or at least showing him to stay away from her, but it¡¯s surprising that Giran doesn¡¯t even show any signs of closing in. I thought he liked Noa enough to throw a pickup line on their first meeting.

    Did he give up on her because she was with a man?

    If that¡¯s the case, good. Let¡¯s let bygones be bygones.

    ¡°I see. ¡­Well, I don¡¯t mean to be skeptical. I¡¯m not doubting your ability to get this far into the forest and find this place. You guys came to Ouji in search of mithril, didn¡¯t you? If that is the case, their offer is a godsend, right?¡± (Giran)

    On the way back from the treasure warehouse, we briefly discussed the matter, but the answer to our question was almost certain.

    First of all, as human beings, we can¡¯t just abandon them and say goodbye. It would be too much of a waking nightmare.

    And then there are the rewards. Even if we don¡¯t go for the golem gacha, we can have the actual thing that we have been chasing all over the place.

    Of course, our safety comes first, but if there is something we can do as part of our job, we will do it. We are willing to do our part for them. That is the consensus of the four of us.

    ¡°But if it were true, the best thing to do would be to take the treasure with us and we all go back to the surface.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, if we¡¯re thinking about their safety and ours, that¡¯s the best plan.¡± (Nai)

    I casually suggested this, but just shook their heads. They chose to share their fate with their homeland, whether it led to life or death. Tamiko then whispers while drooling, ¡°It¡¯s full of delicious food, squeak.¡±

    ¡°But the pain of choosing to abandon one¡¯s homeland is something outsiders can¡¯t understand¡­ Even if it is the right choice, it is a death sentence for those who have lived there for a long time, no matter what kind of place it is.¡± (Nai)

    As a citizen of a former disaster-prone country, this is a painful story to hear.

    ¡°What about you, Giran? I¡¯d be very happy to have you work with us, to tell you the truth.¡± (Shuu)

    As for me, the risk of being exposed as an ¡°Master Threadweaver¡± would be higher, but the presence of a level 72 would more than make up for it. The name ¡°King Slayer¡± is a bit of a risk, but he is a great man who has risen to the highest level in one of the tribes.

    ¡°Well, their treasures notwithstanding¡­ I have my own thoughts on the matter. If you and the others are willing to take on the task, I¡¯ll be happy to accompany you, if only in a small way.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Thank you.¡± (Shuu)

    This is big. There is even a sense of wrongness, as if the God of Thunder who broke the game balance was on your side. [T/N: It¡¯s another game/anime reference. No idea which Raijin he is talking about.]

    For a split second, I think he glanced at Noa. Noa, however, didn¡¯t seem to notice.

    ¡°Three boss-class golems¡­ Since you defeated one of them, then if we and the Xolotl can cooperate well¡ªor if we can get a little more help¡ªIf we have seven days, it might not be too difficult to finish off the other two.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (Shuu)

    We¡¯ll have to rely on Tamiko, but I¡¯d like to get information on the other two sooner rather than later.

    ¡°The only problem is the woman who brought the golem to this place¡­ If I¡¯m right, if she comes back here¡ªeven if it takes all of us, including you and me¡ªwe won¡¯t stand a chance.¡± (Giran)

    Huh, my eyes turned into dots.

    ¡°¡­¡­demon.¡± (Noa)

    Eyes gather on Noa who murmured that word.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Giran. ¡°There is only one known creature in New Tokyo that is capable of such feats: possessing a Metro Beast, controlling it, and bestowing powers equal to those of mutated individuals. The woman is a Demon. If there are still survivors of the war fifty years ago¡­ This is a situation that could threaten the very existence of New Tokyo.¡±

    The Hunter¡¯s Guild has set the extermination of demons as one of the organization¡¯s missions.

    If the woman who appeared before the Xolotl was a real Demon, it would be a matter of national importance and an opportunity for the Hunter¡¯s Guild and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to deploy their forces.

    However, if the only witness is a member of the Xolotl clan, who has no contact with the government, it would be impossible to mobilize them within seven days without any verification.

    Giran, on the other hand, has an unrivaled position in Ikebukuro. He says that he has a subordinate or a private army that can be used somewhat freely, but he needs the chief¡¯s permission to move it, but it is difficult to bring them here before the time limit.

    ¡°It is better to make it a last resort to take care of her. If the real enemy is a demon, as I imagine, we don¡¯t know where she is lurking. They say that demons have many forms and like to lurk in the shadows of the human world. I don¡¯t know where she is right now, but if she gets wind of it and we call her in, it could lead to a second [Demon War].¡± (Giran)

    I cleared my throat loudly. As expected, when it comes to national emergencies, it is inevitable to pause.

    ¡°Let¡¯s face it, we¡¯re not going to be able to get reinforcements at least within seven days. Let¡¯s carry out our mission professionally, the Xolotls and the five of us¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    There is a commotion outside. Mau-maus and excited barking are exchanged.

    I flip open the curtain at the entrance to peek in, but my face is buried in something soft. Poof.

    It took a full second to realize that they were plump fleshy balloons, that is, boobies, ¡°Pi-pigya!!!¡±

    ¡°Hey, virgin boy. You¡¯re sexually harassing me as soon as we meet again?¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Screaming while pressing against an older sister¡¯s sacred parts makes you a rude virgin.¡± (Aoi)

    The four sacred mountains all shook together. The green and blue-colored jerseys are so stretched that they look like they¡¯re about to burst, and their long, curly hair is fabulous. The Shishikaba Sisters have the exact same smile on their faces.

    ¡°¡­Seven people, maybe? We¡¯ve got the noisy people here.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Did you say something, useless barking wolf?¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Explain the situation, you sexually harassing gaze wolf.¡± (Aoi)

 CH 74.2

    The time limit ¨C Kukulkan hatching is in seven days.

    Therefore, the final battle is set for six days from now, and the first step is to simultaneously conduct reconnaissance and thin out the enemy forces.

    First, the humans will be split into three teams and begin a zombie cleanup operation around the city.

    The twins were brought along by the Xolotl tribe to participate in the quest.

    Giran and Kure, (Kure insistently whispered, ¡°I want to be with Little Shuu¡±, but I just ignored him).

    And then there was me.

    The teams are joined by volunteers from the Xolotl tribe. Since they have lost many talented people in the past fights, their main strength is now warriors around level 40, including Makko. Makko, in particular, has acquired [illusionist] abilities such as [Fireball] and [Windball], and adds strong firepower for rear guard.

    Zombies do not spring up infinitely. They require resources, and there is a limit to the number of zombies that can be created. Since they are the biggest obstacle in the final battle, it is almost a prerequisite to reduce their numbers.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless fighting them,¡± said Noa, ¡°even if we beat them, they¡¯re still useless.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just work,¡± I said.

    They also serve as a weapon to attack. This is also a food catching tactic. The boss golems¡¯ food situation is based on the plan of using zombies to capture their prey alive, kill them by taking their blood and sporangia, and then use them as empty vessels to implant their own alter egos into. It seems that they are from the scheme of being porters and materials. As if to prove this point, we dissected a gremlin zombie we captured alive in detail and found small hairy bodies buried in the sporangia.

    I have heard horror stories that certain species of fungi manipulate the brains of parasitized insects to lead them to suitable breeding grounds. But in the case of these guys, rather than such bio-horror stories, it was more like ¡°Go get a contract even if you die! Dumbass.¡± I feel that it is more of a power tripping. Like the Boss Slime, I wonder if it is the same for Metro Beasts and humans to force people around them to be black when they get big.

    Anyway, reducing the number of zombies is the same as reducing their limbs.

    In the first two days, we will clean up most of the zombies around the outer edges of the city. The Xolotl will bring back the corpses of their brethren and give them a memorial. They seem to be feeling good about their unprecedented success, and our morale seems to be growing by the day.

    ¡ªOn the third day, however, something unusual happens.

    *Whisper* ¡°A zombie over there, squeak.¡±

    Leaving the team to scout the center of the city, Tamiko and I observe from the treetops. There are Gremlins, Sahuagin, Minotaur zombies, and other zombies roaming around here and there. There are also some small Xolotl zombies.

    (¡­they don¡¯t decrease at all¡­) (Shuu)

    In many cases, Metro Beasts have no concept of mating season. They are not in heat all the time, but they don¡¯t only reproduce one time per year, and they are increasing in number every day for the preservation of their species and prosperity in the labyrinthine metro, where the ¡°law of the jungle¡± is truly the law of the jungle.

    I remember once worrying about the dwindling population of Ghost Wolves in the Outsuka Metro, but it was not until I went above ground that I realized that one or two people hunting a few a day was just a drop in the bucket. They were being hunted and killed every day in a race for survival with other Metro Beasts, and yet their numbers were not decreasing because they were increasing by the same amount.

    It would be possible to cull them over the years if they were on a smaller floor, like the Ouji¡¯s shallow floors¡ªbut on this lush, green 31st floor, they would have no trouble finding food and zombie material. It¡¯s not going to be endless, though, some people might think so.

    (But¡ª) (Shuu)

    The zombies have changed in their area, or rather, their movements.

    Many of them are huddled together in the center of the city. It is as if they are on the lookout for an attack and are putting up a defense.

    Is this the Bishop¡¯s team¡¯s response to the thinning out of the zombie population?

    What should we do when we see the changes that are beginning to appear on this battlefield?

    ¡°Tamiko, is it there?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t find it, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    The original goal of the two of us was searching for Bishop and Rook and to measure their level for the coming battle.

    But for the past three days, neither of them has made a single appearance.

    Bishop may be busy making a more wandering corpses somewhere, but the altar, Rook¡¯s main body, is still sitting there. A golem was caught by [Risk Counter], so if he is in there, he should be caught by the [Risk Counter].

    (Is the body of the golem too big to see, or is it resting on the ground or somewhere else?) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ there it is squeak! There it is squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko pointed to the bottom of the altar steps.

    ¡ªThere it was. A giant wearing a jagged, ostentatious feather-like ornament.

    It was Bishop.

    ¡°Tamiko, how is it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Um¡­ seventy-two¡­three, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡° A little more than the jaguar, I mean Knight.¡± (Shuu)

    The golem has no eyes or sense of vision.

    The head on the rock doll is merely a decoration.

    But¡ªits head turned towards us while sending a creaking that should not be heard from a distance. My back shuddered.

    Bishop raises the stone staff in its hand.

    ¡°Oh no! Let¡¯s run away!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°S-squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Something is flying through the range of my [Sensory Spores]. Just before I used [Leaping], I looked back for a moment. There is a dozen or so red mycelium balls.

    (Seriously!?) (Shuu)

    Without a moment to decide where to land, I leapt. A rumbling explosion sounds behind me, and my back is pushed by the hot wind.

    Losing my balance, the two of us land hard on the street. We rushed into a melee with the zombies that were nearby.

    Five minotaurs surrounded us. They are powerful and tough, like ogres.

    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re all f*cking annoying!¡± (Shuu)

    If any more reinforcements arrive, we¡¯ll have to make a run for it, but before that happens, we¡¯ll blow them all up.

    ¡ªAnd then, another unusual thing happens.

    A few minutes later.

    I jogged through the dense forest and arrive at the place where Noa and the others are hiding.

    ¡°Mr. Shuu, Sis! I¡¯m glad you¡¯re both safe!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Amazing, you safe. You, okay?¡± (Makko)

    Noa and Makko greet us. They seemed to be worried that the sound of battle had reached here.

    Tamiko and I looked at each other. A frustrated expression must be visible on our faces.

    ¡°¡­ what¡¯s wrong, both of you?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­ Well, it¡¯s a long story¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I picked up Tamiko and put her on Noa¡¯s head. Then I straightened my back in front of the three of them and cleared my throat, ¡°Ehem¡±

    Grabbing my right hand, my palm facing forward to my right ear.

    I concentrate as before. And¡ª

    A ball with a red cross [Holy Healing] is suddenly produced in the palm of my hand¡ªbut it was many times larger than before, about the size of a Chara Ball. [T/N: Chara Balls are ball shaped containers with toys/candies inside. They vary in size from a golf ball to a small coconut. They are usually inside a dispenser where you can get random characters from a popular franchise.]

    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so big!¡± (Shuu)

    All three of them have blank stares. It seems that the story of the strongest Mage in the Heisei era had not been passed after another hundred years. [T/N: Shuu is still a virgin at 30 so he¡¯s now a mage. It¡¯s a joke that if a man stays virgin until 30 he¡¯ll become a mage.]

 CH 75

    ¡°Mr. Shuu¡­ it¡¯s probably a Fungal Ability.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°A Fungal Skill? Eh, ah, an ability!?¡± (Shuu)

    A rare ability that varies rarely appears and is varied per person, separate from Fungal Skills. Kaike¡¯s mind-reading technique, [mind¡¯s eye] is one of them. [T/N: Shuu got it after having the butterflies/fluttering in his stomach in chapter 70.]

    ¡°Seriously? Did I get a Fungal Ability?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ability, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What the¡­¡± (Noa)

    A Fungal Ability that makes hypha balls big?

    ¡°Can you create a normal-sized hypha ball?¡± (Noa)

    I try it out as usual. I¡¯ll use [Detoxification] since [Holy Healing] is very consuming. It¡¯s the usual tiny size. Tamiko takes it and puts it in her cheek pouch.

    ¡°Then, the next one, I¡¯ll make big¡­.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Okay.¡± (Makko)

    I was about to say, ¡°big balls¡±, but I stopped myself from doing so, being aware of the possibility of sexual harassment.

    When the zombies were approaching earlier. I created a [Fireball] as a distraction. I had a wicked thought, ¡°It would be so nice if I could kill them all with one shot,¡± but then I realized that the [Fireball] had exceeded its usual size and was quickly swelling up.

    ¡°¡­ here.¡± (Shuu)

    In my hand, a Chara Ball-sized [Detoxification] appeared.

    My [Fireball] before literally blew Minotaur to pieces with a single ball. It was several times the firepower of a normal [Fireball].

    ¡°I feel like I could do as long as I think about it. I didn¡¯t even know I was doing it at first.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I think it¡¯s the Fungal Ability of [Accumulation],¡± Noa said. ¡°It¡¯s the kind that builds up power to increase the effect of a Fungal Skill.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, like charging up?¡± (Shuu)

    The number of cases of Fungal Abilities have been very small, and the actual nature of Fungal Abilities has not yet been understood or tested. But if Noa knows, does that mean that there was a past instance of [Accumulation] in the encyclopedia of Fungal Abilities?

    ¡°So, it¡¯s not that rare? I don¡¯t mind that.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, it is not. But it is a very useful Fungal Ability. You said you used it with [Fireball], but for an [Illusionist] it is a Fungal Ability that will make them cry from happiness. [Fireball] gains the same power as [Great Fireball]. Moreover, [Great Fireball] is like an ancient weapon.¡± (Noa)

    So, it¡¯s an ability for rear-guard firepower-focused support characters. It¡¯s like ¡°having your friends protect you while you chant magic for a long time and then kaboom!¡±

    ¡°I think it might be clearer if you ask him¡­ Mr. Giran. He¡¯s a veteran.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ah, well¡­ this isn¡¯t the time to hide, right?¡± (Shuu)

    So, end of the day. I¡¯ll ask Giran at the 32nd-floor fortress.

    ¡°Oh¡­ it certainly resembles [Accumulation].¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Resemble?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°[Accumulation] is one of the well-known Fungal Abilities, but its effect may vary from person to person. How much of a Fungal Skill can be enhanced and expanded, which fungibility can and cannot be enhanced, the degree of fatigue and continuous use per use¡­ or rather the Fungal Ability itself is still a mystery because there are so few samples.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°By the way, what about yours Mr. Giran?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°There are some things that are not clear. It¡¯s not visible to the eye, so I am not sure, but I probably have the Fungal Ability [Perseverance].¡± (Giran)

    ¡°What is it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It seems to have the effect of reducing physical exhaustion when moving and the use of Fungal Skills. I can¡¯t say for sure because I can¡¯t make an exact comparison with others, but I certainly feel less tired after learning it. It¡¯s a very modest power, but it¡¯s not bad, because it improves my ability to fight in succession and helps me to explore the Metro.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Noa says that when you eat a sporangium and your ¡°stomach flutters¡± it is a signal that you¡¯ve learned a Fungal Ability. The only thing that comes to mind is that thing, the Jaguar Golem known as Knight.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of that pitch-black sporangium¡­ I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t throw them away even though they looked like crap.¡± (Shuu)

    Then, I wonder why only that one had black sporangium. Maybe it is unique to Mutant individuals, or¡ªis it because a Demon is involved? If anything, the latter seems more likely. If it is the former, Giran and Noa must know that such a phenomenon exists.

    (Is it an individual enhanced by a Demon? Bishop¡¯s balls are probably black, too.) (Shuu)

    (What is a Demon, anyway? A monster from the other world who came from the depths of the Metro?) (Shuu)

    Noa is grinning a little. While looking at my expression, she brings her face closer. Whispering.

    ¡°I was sure that since it was Mr. Shuu, you were going to get another broken, super-rare Fungal Ability. But this time, you didn¡¯t get one, didn¡¯t you?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯m glad it was a usable ability, but you know¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hmm?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­Fungal Abilities are not limited to just one, right? In the case of [Master Threadweaver].¡± (Shuu)

    When I said that with a mischievous grin, Noa¡¯s cheeks puffed up, and punched me in the face warmly, saying, ¡°Sly Shuu, squeak!¡± Haha, that was funny. [T/N: Everyone is starting to squeak.]

    On the fourth day.

    I ask Giran to take me off duty so that I can spend more time verifying and understanding my Fungal Skills. Noa, Makko, and the others join the twins¡¯ team, and only Tamiko follows me. It seems that my actions yesterday are still in their mind.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try them one by one. Tamiko, please be vigilant of the surroundings.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie down right away.¡± (Shuu)

    On the 32nd floor, a short distance away from the fort, the verification began. The monster birds were noisy and sometimes attacked us, so we asked them to be our test subjects for various experiments. They come from the other side, so there are no hard feelings.

    First, start with the hypha weapon.

    While summoning my [Katana], I try to wish, ¡°grow big¡± just like yesterday. There is a sensation of my strength being sucked up from my arm, which is different from the normal Fungal Skill.

    The [Katana] swells up quickly and becomes a huge sword with a curved blade like a kitchen knife. The length from the tip to the end of the pommel is about a meter and a half. The blade looks like something a god of death would carry on his shoulder. [T/N: I think it might look more like Ichigo¡¯s Zanpakutou]

    The handle is barely long enough to hold in one hand, and it is quite heavy. The normal [Katana] is as light as a tree branch, but this one is quite heavy. But it is not difficult to wield it with a level 69¡¯s ridiculous strength.

    Conveniently enough, a monster bird rushes into the room. Tamiko estimates its level at 30, which is just right for a test cut.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Shuu)

    Shuuug! Cutting the bird felt more like a slap than a slash. The bird is torn in half from the head and falls. Tamiko¡¯s mouth is hanging.

    ¡°¡­This¡­  [Light Blade] would become something else with this.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯ll give it a try. It is actually a big deal. It cuts down a large rock with a single swing. Even a golem in the deepest layer could be smashed with a single blow.

    My observation on [Accumulation] shows that it consumes a lot of energy and requires time to accumulate before it can be used. It took about five seconds for the [Katana] to grow to this maximum size. In a real battle, I have to be careful how I use it.

    Next, [War Hammer], the head has been enlarged, and its total length has also increased to about one and a half meters. The head of the hammer is heavy, to begin with, but now it is even heavier. I feel like I become a gorilla of some kind, but compared to the [Katana], it¡¯s just a bit more difficult to handle.

    ¡°You look like an Ogre, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s definitely a muscle-brain¡¯s weapon.¡± (Shuu)

    We have limited stamina, so I move on quickly before Tamiko gets sleepy.

    [Round Shield], and [Great Shield] => Success.

    The [Round Shield] doubles in diameter and the [Great Shield] expands to about my height. It is heavier and thicker. It is no longer a shield but a barricade.

    [Holy Healing], and [Detoxification] => Success.

    The size is about the same as a Chara Ball, just right for grabbing. The hypha film on the surface is so thick that I have to poke it a little harder to break it. According to Tamiko¡¯s tasting, the taste is ¡°the same as usual¡±. I wonder if the medicinal effect is the same as usual, but with an increased dosage.

    ¡°¡­ Abeshuu?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, yeah¡­ it¡¯s a little tiring.¡± (Shuu)

    Even normal [Holy Healing] consumes a lot of stamina, but when it comes to the giant [Holy Healing], it¡¯s quite the beast. I finally ran out of gas, partly because I had tried so many different things. I am starving, and my hands feel weak. I recovered by eating the sporangium of the monster bird we just saw.

    [Fireball], [Thunderball], [Smoke Ball] => Success.

    All of them swell up to the size of a Chara Ball, just like a [Holy Healing], and are several times more powerful than normal. The [Smoke Ball]¡¯s point of impact was too close to the target, resulting in a catastrophe.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to release them from my fingertips because of their size. ¡­I have to throw them as if I were hitting a convenience store robber.¡± (Shuu) [T/N: Japan has giant paintball bullets to throw at thieves. It¡¯s relatively hard to remove and it¡¯s bright orange so it¡¯s very visible.]

    ¡°A convenience store?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°In the ancient world, there was a store that sold delicious food for 24 hours a day.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Woah¡­ Are there any acorns?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Sorry, but I doubt it.¡± (Shuu)

    [Iron Fist] => Success.

    ¡°Wow! I got thick!¡± (Shuu)

    As if I had eaten spinach, my forearms and beyond became huge. This power knuckle feeling. The yawning squirrel wouldn¡¯t understand.

    [Leaping] => Success.

    But because I jumped 50% higher than usual, my landing resulted in a huge sprain. It hurts like a son of a b*tch.

    [Immortality], [Beast Repellent], [Sensory Spores], [Light Blade] => Failure.

    It seems that these are not subject to [Accumulation]. No amplification of effect occurred. I compared [Immortality]¡¯s speed of recovery, but there was no change even if I consciously use it.

    ¡°Now, all that¡¯s left is [Asura] and [White Bullet]¡­¡± (Shuuu)

    [Asura] => Success.

    A ¡°four-armed monster with macho arms sprouting from his back¡± is born. Practicality: It seems to be powerful, but it is difficult to move. It takes some getting used to.

    And [White Bullet] => Success, but¡ª

    ¡°¡­isn¡¯t this dangerous¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    The result of the test shot¡ªa large hole in the half-destroyed rock, and smoke rising from the rock. Tamiko, who was rowing the boat, jumped up.

    Perhaps this has the best result at this time.

    As a common denominator, ¡°hypha weapons, hypha balls, hypha bullets,¡± and other ¡°hypha generated Fungal Skills¡± showed increased size and power. Conversely, ¡°Fungal Skills that disperse spores¡± showed no increase in effect.

    Success (Target Fungal Skills)

    [Katana], [War Hammer], [Round Shields], [Great Shield], and [White Bullet].

    [Holy Healing], [Detoxification], [Fireball], [Thunderball], [Smoke Ball]

    [Iron Fist], [Leaping], [Asura].

    Failure (Atypical Fungal Skills):

    [Immortality], [Beast Repellent], [Sensory Spores], [Light Blade]

    ¡°Well¡­¡± (Shuu)

    How far do I report to Giran about my result?

    ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± (Giran)

    At night, I reported to Giran at the fort.

    My Fungal Abilities were already shared with him, who was the staff officer of the operation this time. Specifically, the ten that were shared with the Sugamo branch, plus [Fireball] and [Thunderball].

    I could not divulge to him [Asura] and [White Bullet], not to mention [Immortality], because it would destroy my [Holy Knight] setting. As a key figure in their Tribe, whether or not I could keep from him me being [Master Threadweaver] a secret could be a matter of life and death in the future.

    ¡°I see that you have mastered the use of your Fungal Ability without any problem. It¡¯s great that you have [Fireball]. Thanks to you, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to devise some interesting strategies for the possible battle for Rook.¡± (Giran)

    Giran moved closer to me and whispered in my ear.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m sure there are other abilities you¡¯re not telling us about, right?¡± (Shuu)

    My heart nearly stopped for a moment. I tried my best to remain calm and shrugged my head lightly, ¡°that¡¯s impossible¡±.

    ¡°¡­you¡¯re an easy-to-read man, you know?¡± (Giran)

    The handsome wolf¡¯s mask breaks into a grin. I broke out in cold sweat, but Giran didn¡¯t pursue it any further.

    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re the key to this operation, Abe. Let¡¯s win for the future of the Xolotl and our honor and profits.¡± (Giran)

    The morning of the sixth day, the morning of the decisive battle arrived.

    It would be the last time I would be awakened by Giran¡¯s howls and the howls of the Xolotl tribe.

    ¡°¡ªLet¡¯s fight.¡± (Shuu)

    For the Xolotl. For ourselves. And for Mithril.

    A/N: The Ouji Metro Underground Floor is finally at its climax.

 CH 76

    A light blue stone necklace hangs from my chest.

    It is a natural stone, a Parasite item dropped on the 30th floor, which the Shishikaba sisters had neatly shaved and threaded through a hole. As one would expect from the co-owners of a jewelry store.

    ¡°The necklace is a piece of amateur work, and we didn¡¯t have the time or the equipment, so it¡¯s nothing more than a piece of jewelry.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°It¡¯s a piece of equipment for a hunter. The finish should be done later by a professional.¡± (Midori)

    The surface is a little muddy and the shape is distorted, but this is not bad because it looks like a souvenir from a tourist attraction. The appearance is secondary in this case.

    According to the sisters, you can roughly tell what kind of mycelium is parasitizing the stone and what kind of effect it has by looking at its color and type. Since there is no such thing as a convenient appraisal skill, it is an estimation based on the verification and results that the industry has accumulated over the years. It¡¯s amazing.

    Light blue aquamarine is an instantaneous power enhancer. I will take one.

    Pink morganite improves vitality. It is said to help wounds heal faster. The color is also perfect for Noa.

    The gray eagle eye improves eyesight. I wanted to give it to Tamiko, but it was too big for her, so I had no choice but to give it to Kure.

    ¡°My own¡­ My own jewel¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Let¡¯s have it carved later.¡± (Noa)

    The stone resonates with the mycelium in the owner¡¯s body to produce an effect, according to the studies. The effect of the stone is said to be due to its resonance with the mycelium in the owner¡¯s body, but this has not been proven, nor does it have a dramatic effect.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost like a tiny error.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s not good to rely on it too much, so be careful.¡± (Noa)

    Still, it is somewhat reassuring. Just a few millimeters, a few tenths of a second. Because from now on, we will challenge the battlefield where such a fine line will be the difference between life and death.

    ¡°¡ªEveryone, are you ready?¡± (Giran)

    Giran spoke to the six hunters and 30 armed dogs, or Xolotl warriors. It¡¯s the kind of speech you see in the movies before a war.

    ¡°We are about to go to war, and what awaits us are hundreds of pathetic, moving corpses that have strayed from the path of life. They are an army of puppets who will trample on your history and your pride, take your homes and your people, and devour your future. They are strong. Their flesh knows no pain, their eyes know no fear, and they will devour our lives.¡± (Giran)

    The twin sisters complained of boredom with synchronized picking of their noses, an unbecoming behavior for a lady.

    ¡°Everyone, look at each other¡¯s tails. You¡¯re not the only ones shrinking. The fear is on us all equally¡ªeven me. Look at my tail, it seems to have shriveled up under the weight of this day.¡± (Giran)

    The Xolotl are listening with serious faces, but I wonder if that over-qualified wolf remembers that most of them are not that proficient in the Japanese language.

    ¡°There may come a time when they will tremble with fear and stop dead in their tracks. There may come a time when they will run away from their pride. But when that happens, think of your friends! Think of your family, your loved ones! Then the fangs will regain their luster and will surely pierce the rocks! Yes, we are here now, u, u¡­¡± (Giran)

    U?

    ¡°Woooooooooooo!¡± (Giran)

    Excitement reaches its peak and instincts are exposed. He howled.

    ¡°Mauuuuuuu!¡± (Xolotl)

    ¡°Mauuuuuuu!¡± (Xolotl)

    The Chihuahuas follow suit. They raised their short paws and howled inspiring themselves. The humans and squirrel also join in with ¡°Yeah!¡± and ¡°Squeak!¡±.

    Gillan finishes with a phew.

    ¡°I hope this will dispel some of your fears.¡± (Giran)

    It is true that the fear of zombies among the Xolotl still persists. As one of the less outspoken sisters put it, it¡¯s ¡°three years of loser¡¯s guts.¡±

    The guerrilla warfare victories of the past few days have helped to dispel some of this fear, but the sad expressions on their faces this morning, like bees confronting hornets, were still persisting. If this was somehow a morale booster for them, it was a great honor for Giran to be here.

    ¡°The pervert wolf was being a bit unnecessary.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely ripped off someone, terrorist wolf.¡± (Midori)

    Incidentally, it was only after they came here that the sisters learned Giran¡¯s real name and true identity, but even after learning it, their attitude did not change, even a millimeter.

    Giran put a paw on my shoulder.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to go, Abe. I¡¯m relying on you, okay?¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do my best to help.¡± (Shuu)

    I am now a powder keg. I will squeeze it out until I am exhausted.

    That¡¯s what I told myself. I was carrying a bag of sporangium that had been freshly harvested first thing in the morning.

    I have a pretty good idea of the habits and abilities of Bishop and its zombie minions. The verification team is competent, which makes it all the more reliable.

    First, the minions are divided into two main groups: those in charge of food and those in charge of security. The first group is actively working in the ruins city, and the second group is guarding the city.

    The former actively leave the ruin city and roam in the jungle. The latter just wander around the ruins city. If there is any sign of life nearby, they will come up to them like sugar cubes dropped in front of an ant¡¯s nest and attack them without question.

    There is no difference in the fact that both kill their opponents and bring them to the boss while they are still fresh. In other words, the only real difference between the two is their territory and range of activity.

    Next is Bishop. The only thing we know about their abilities is that they generate zombies and use a large number of [Fireballs], but some hypotheses have been made based on our observations so far.

    It seems that the grouping of his minions is not done at the time of creation. In one case, zombies marked were assigned different roles: yesterday they were food gatherers, today they are security guards, and so on. In other words, Bishop is manipulating the zombies as he intended.

    Is it a kind of telepathy, or are they communicating their intentions through sounds and vibrations that other creatures cannot hear? It does not matter which is the case, but what we do know is that it is ¡°one-way from Bishop, not two-way,¡± and that ¡°the range of operation or command from a distance is just barely within the city of ruins.

    The former is based on the lack of coordination and poor formation of the zombies when Bishop does not control them, and the latter is based on the position of the zombies whose movements changed when Bishop is near them.

    Bishop lurks near the central altar. Basically, it doesn¡¯t try to be away from it. Except for the occasional dive into the ground, leaving empty stone statues behind.

    And now, due to the daily guerrilla warfare.

    The deployment of the minions has changed to more defense-oriented positioning.

    There are fewer zombies out in the jungle, and the ruins of the city are full of them. From the watchtower built by the Shishikaba sisters, Kure peeks out with his [Telephoto] and sees quite a few in the vicinity of the altar. They are obviously on the lookout for an attack.

    The number of these beasts is estimated to be more than three hundred, a difference in strength that cannot be compared to the forty or so people with [Peasant], including the Xolotl.

    ¡°Well, but it is exactly as expected.¡± (Giran)

    Giran grins.

    ¡°¡ªLet us show you the horrors of people with the skin of reason stripped away.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°That¡¯s a villain¡¯s line.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°As expected, wolves are evil.¡± (Midori)

 CH 77

    A/N: 6/26- I had reversed Midori and Aoi.

    The correct order was Midori (elder sister) and Aoi (younger sister).

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    The main camp of the allied forces of the humans and the Xolotl tribe is positioned on the east side of the ruined city.

    ¡°The fog was thinner than usual. It¡¯s a good day for war,¡± said the werewolf, his fangs gleaming.

    While quietly eliminating the few zombies in the jungle, they entered the city from the main street to the east. Fifteen canine infantrymen of the Xolotl tribe, led by Giran, moved forward.

    ¡°Hey, here we go!¡± (Giran)

    The zombies in the area immediately sense it and come rushing toward them at full speed. About a dozen of them, a mixture of Minotaurs and Sahuagin.

    ¡°Not yet, keep them close.¡± (Giran)

    The front line is lined with [Great Shield] the size of them, about fifty centimeters in hight. In front of the hulking Minotaur, they are as tiny as toy soldiers. At this rate, they would be easily blown away by the force of the charge.

    ¡°¨CFire number one through number three!¡± (Giran)

    ¡°¡°¡°Mauuu!¡±¡±¡± (Xolotls)

    At Giran¡¯s signal, bright red spheres are released from the hands of the rear guard. In their hands, large balls hits the minotaurs and its surroundings, creating a column of fire with a rumbling explosion. A hot wind hits the front shields and burns the fur of Giran, who cannot hide under a shield.

    ¡°Over there! Over there!¡± (Giran)

    The force of the blast is immense. With three shots, it blows off two minotaurs and blows off the arms and legs of two of them.

    ¡°Well, well¡­ as expected of a high-rank Fungal Skill. It¡¯s already something of a siege weapon.¡± (Giran)

    Giran, too, holds a [Fireball] derived from my [Accumulation], and throws it at one of the approaching corpses. It hits the body head-on, and with a thud, rock fragments scatter. The giant body falls on its back.

    ¡°A direct hit would knock out a minotaur or two. But still¨Cis it a matter of phrasing when throwing someone¡¯s balls away?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right, this is Little Shuu¡¯s ball¡­ that he created, you know?¡± (Kure)

    Kure rubbing his cheek against the [Fireball] next to him. Giran thinks that it might be nice if it exploded while Kure is doing that.

    Zombies react to the sound of the explosion and gather one after another from the back. The Xolotl let out a mau-mau and a fearful cry.

    ¡°Well, here we go.¡± (Giran)

    Giran just laughs as he thrusts his [Knight Sword] forward.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, just keep going! With dignity and gallantry, you will charge headlong through the enemy lines! Let¡¯s make sure they know we are here, and let¡¯s set off some fireworks with even more flair!¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Mau?¡± (Xolotl)

    ¡°Mau?¡± (Xolotl)

    ¡°Yeah, you know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± (Giran)

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    The ruin city has eight main streets radiating out from a huge altar in the center.

    Zombies on the south, north, and near the center of the city react to the huge sound of destruction at the east end.

    Agile corpses move unsteadily down the alleyways between the abandoned houses and rubble that separate the streets.

    ¡ªRocks rains down from above their heads. It hits their flayed skin, crushes it, and blasts it.

    ¡°Little ones, we have a customer.¡± (Midori)

    Shishikaba Midori instructs the five animals under her command while playing a trick with Abe Shu¡¯s [Fireball].

    A [Fireball] is shot from the roof. Explosions and pillars of fire erupt here and there, and dust and stones scatter.

    The bodies of the zombies are torn apart. Some are unharmed, but their paths are blocked by debris and the wreckage of their allies. A traffic jam is created by those lured by the sound of explosions.

    ¡°Gyahahaha! Please don¡¯t push! Manners are important, you know? ¡ªeh?¡± (Midori)

    A minotaur grabs a piece of debris and hurls it at Midori. ¡°Whoa!¡± Midori dodges a chunk of rock as big as her head just in time.

    Another minotaur uses its companion as a springboard to climb onto the roof. It approaches Midori and the others, traversing the narrow foothold.

    ¡°Wait¡ª¡± (Midori)

    Midori throws a  [War Spear]. It lodged shallowly in its head, and as it staggered back, she delivered a full-body flying kick. The massive body tilts and falls into the alley.

    ¡°Suck on that, you rotten cow-head! We¡¯re on top, you¡¯re on the bottom!¡± (Midori)

    Midori¡¯s back was sweating coldly as she dared the others to do the same.

    £¨I knew we couldn¡¯t do it.) (Midori)

    There are too many enemies for the remaining ammunition. The range that can be covered by one person and five animals is known. They can¡¯t stop them from moving toward the main group. They can¡¯t last long here either.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste ammunition! Use the terrain to divide them! Let¡¯s show these dumbasses the wisdom of the weak!¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Mau!¡± (Xolotl)

    ¡°Mau!¡± (Xolotl)

    Explosion in the north. That is her younger sister Aoi¡¯s area.

    She must be in a similar predicament by now, as she shares the same genetic makeup.

    ¡°Hang on a little longer! If we run out of ammo, we¡¯ll retreat to the perverted wolf!¡± (Midori)

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    In a corner of the city that is Bishop¡¯s territory, a battle is being waged with unprecedented intensity.

    Even without moving from the altar square, Bishop senses it by the sounds and vibrations coming through.

    This golem has a relatively high intelligence among Metro Beasts, and as a mutant among them, and through its three years of experience here, Bishop is acquiring intelligence, something close to logical thinking ability.

    Day after day, there are multiple hostile entities tearing up the yard and hunting the zombies that are its limbs. Their scarce egos are alerted by the realization that they have finally revealed their true nature and bared their fangs.

    The bishop has only two principles of action.

    Hunt on prey other than its own kind. Eliminate those that threaten its garden. That is all.

    A sound wave is emitted, inaudible even to himself or to other members of his species.

    The terminal that receives it starts running on command. The sound of heavy footsteps pound through the garden.

    Stone buildings are blown away. A huge torrent of zombies rises up, clinging to the debris in a flurry. Bishop had 15 pawns in total, which he had put to sleep because they were not suited for capturing prey.

    Bishops do not have a high level of strategic thinking. There has never been anyone to learn and cultivate it.

    This decision is nothing like that, but even so, it senses, as an unspoken sign, that something is changing in it. It feels the stirring of something budding.

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that thing is here, a Treant¡ª¡± (Giran)

    Giran scratches his head with his sharp claws. It¡¯s an insect-type metro beast that appears in many places, but he has never seen one that¡¯s the size of a two-story building other than this one.

    When it comes to zombies, the threat level is far greater than that of the Minotaur. The giant monster would swing its huge legs down on them without pain or fear. The barricade of the Xolotl tribe would be useless against that.

    The twin sister¡¯s unit has already joined the main group and is somehow fighting off the swarming zombies with [Fireballs] and bullets. If the Treant joins the battle, they will be kicked out in one fell swoop.

    (This is for Rook, but this is no time to be stingy.) (Giran)

    He takes a deep breath, sweeping the dusty air away with his cloak.

    ¡°Awooooo!¡± (Giran)

    A roar rumbles out, shaking the area. Soon a small shadow crosses overhead. Two short riders are riding on a bird monster through the sky.

    The [Illusionist] system has a rare Fungal Skill called [Training]. This has the ability to tame a Metro Beast by feeding it a ball of mycelium.

    There are some restrictions, such as the target¡¯s low level, lack of high intelligence, and the type of beast, but the more the beast is fed, the more obedient it becomes and the more it will be attracted to people other than its master. The Wanyuudou and Gigalizard (a.k.a. Crocodile Busses) used on the surface are Metro Beasts bred and trained in this way.

    The monstrous birds that the Xolotl tribe rides are individuals that appear on the 32nd floor. Shishikaba Aoi spent several days taming it for the occasion. In the end, only two of the birds were of any use, but the addition of the Abe Shuu bombs dramatically increased their strategic importance.

    ¡°Mau!¡± (Xolotl)

    Three red spheres, tied together with ropes, were dropped from by rider flying over Treant¡¯s head. Aoi¡¯s Spartan training had only lasted one day yesterday, but it was a success, and the spheres landed on Treant¡¯s torso accurately. The Treant¡¯s huge body shakes and it is knocked off its feet.

    ¡°A-ha-ha! That¡¯s good! War is really all about firepower. Don¡¯t you think so, younger Shishkaba!¡± (Nai)

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, there¡¯s a huge difference in mass.¡± (Aoi)

    It¡¯s good that we were able to bring two Treants to a standstill, but as time goes on, the zombie army is growing in number. Initially, they estimated three hundred, but clearly there are probably more than that.

    On the other hand, Abe Shuu was about to run out of [Fireballs] that he could prepare.

    No matter how high the level is, it is not possible to create an infinite number of [Fireball]. There is also the time required to produce one and the expiration date. No matter how many sporangia one eats, the lost energy will not be fully recovered immediately, and there is also a limit to how much a human stomach can take. It was both amusing and enviable to watch two of my fellow girls forcibly stuff sporangium into Abe Shuu¡¯s slack mouth.

    The younger sister eventually joins the main group, but it seems that they too are poor and cold. Like [Knights], they pulled out their [War Spears] and jumped over the walls of the Xolotl tribe and cut into the front line where Kure was struggling.

    (Well, we¡¯ve done all we can, haven¡¯t we?) (Giran)

    (With such a large force, it was worth it to draw them in with such fanfare?) (Giran)

    ¡°Older Shishikaba, take command.¡± (Giran)

    Giran raises the [Knight Sword] in front of him and puts his strength into it. His white blade blazes with red flames and burns orange. It¡¯s [Flame Blade] that only [Holy Knights] can learn.

    ¡°Giran Taichi, the Kingslayer. Lifting a sword against a hero¡¯s adversary.¡± (Giran)

    Naturally, the edges of his mouth lifted and his fangs peeked out. In the end, it all comes down to this. After all the tricks he had, the question to be asked is really a simple one. Which violence is stronger?

    Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. In any case, they are pawns to be discarded.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m begging you, Thirteenth [Master-Thread-Weaver]!!!!¡± (Giran)

    The silver wolf runs toward the approaching army of corpses, pointing his red blade at them.

    ~Shu¡¯s Perspective~

    With a clank, I lift a stone tablet like a manhole cover and steps out onto a deserted southern street. The zombie parade of the past few days, which seemed to be the Halloween of Shibuya, was a complete waste of time and energy.

    ¡°Thanks to Mr. Giran¡¯s loud fanfare, I guess.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    No matter how high-level Giran and I are, if we rush headlong toward the opponent¡¯s main camp and gets surrounded by such a large force, we will not be able to hit the main camp.

    Therefore, the main force was a diversion. Then, a detach force would attack the main base, which had thinned their defenses. This is a very typical tactic, but one of the worst-case scenarios, the Treant zombies, are real and rampaging around the place. How long can they endure?

    Waiting in the dimly lit underground tunnels was also quite a patient experience. Thanks to the zombies, we had time to recover our strength.

    We ran, our footsteps silent. Soon, we arrived at the plaza surrounding the huge altar.

    ¡°Yo, long time no see.¡± (Shuu)

    The rock doll, which should have been expressionless, turns its humanoid face to him in surprise.

    The five minotaurs that had remained behind as its cronies brace themselves.

    Noa and Makko swing their arms holding the enhanced [Fireball].

    Tamiko is placed on Noa¡¯s head, and Shuu holds a huge [Katana] on his shoulder, gazing at the enemy.

    ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯re going to end this as fast as we can.¡± (Shuu)

 CH 78.1

    It is Noa and Makko¡¯s [Fireball] that literally opens the fight.

    Two giant hypha balls hit the minotaurs that has become the bishop¡¯s barrier. The rotting corpse¡¯s flesh exploded.

    ¡°Ha!¡± (Shuu)

    At the same time, the my huge [Katana] runs into it. It passes through the rotting muscle body diagonally with a single slash.

    From the front, left and right, the remaining three minotaurs close in. They rush forward with a sharp thrust that does not resemble their heavy bodies.

    One of them is caught tangling its legs and falls to the ground. It is Noa¡¯s [Sticky Thread]. I leapt backward at an angle and fire a [Fireball], which makes a huge hole in the Minotaur¡¯s chest.

    Makko jumped around and tossed around lightly, throwing [Piercing Needle]¡ªhypha needles one after another, but they only pierced shallowly and didn¡¯t reach inside. Shuu slashed the zombies arm from the side while trying to grab hold of Makko¡¯s tiny body with a ¡°Raah!¡±.

    ¡ªOur eyes widen at the same time as the arm is cut off. Numerous red spheres fall down overhead. It is a rain of Bishop¡¯s [Fireball].

    A chain of small explosions, dazzling flashes, and cheek-burning blasts, including those of its men.

    I quickly grabbed Noa and Makko by the collar and used [Leaping]. Just in time; one step too late and we would all have been burned.

    ¡°Over there! Damn, no hesitation at all!¡± (Shuu)

    I hurriedly brushed off the fire on the sleeve of my jersey. The Metro Beast society in every metro a black company.

    Noa and Makko get up and threw some [Fireball]. Bishop doesn¡¯t avoid it, and it hits it directly¡ªright in front of us, raising an explosion of flames. Something like a translucent light seems to have created a wall and blocked the attack. Like a fantasy magic barrier.

    ¡°Mr. Shuu, that¡¯s [Barrier]!¡± (Noa)

    Noa shouts to me. I vaguely remember that it is an ability to create a barrier using spores from the [Healer] system.

    ¡°Shaaa!¡± (Shuu)

    I thrust my [Katana] into the ground, letting go of it, and shoot [White Bullet] with both hands. The sound of metal scraping against an invisible wall. The bullets burst in mid-air with a metallic scraping sound and roll on the ground . Furthermore, Noa and Makko threw more [Fireball]. With the flames and smoke clearing away¡ªof course, the bishop is unharmed.

    While desperately avoiding the rain of [Fireball] that were scattered in return, I felt a little frustrated saying, ¡°Cool! I want that too!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, everyone back off!¡± (Shuu)

    They were insurance in case there were too many pawns are left. I am not stupid enough to boast about single-handedly fighting against a large number of opponents, including those of higher ranks.

    Now that I¡¯ve managed to remove that¡ª[Fireball] doesn¡¯t work (there are few more left for the two of them), In addition, it  has the ability to control a wide area, so it¡¯s hard to take advantage of my skills. I¡¯m more afraid of an accident.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take over from here.¡± (Shuu)

    This is the situation that Giran and his team had earned by drawing the small fires to them and cutting them down.

    The same tactics would not work against an opponent with a high learning ability. If we don¡¯t finish this off here (and in time), we won¡¯t have another chance. It is not a matter of just getting smacked around by the twins.

    ¡°¡­Hey, let¡¯s settle this in a one-on-one fight. No hard feelings.¡± (Shuu)

    Did it understand my words¡ªBishop thrusts its staff into the corpse of the fallen Minotaurs with a thud. Shhhh¡­ The corpses are connected by something mycelium-like, and the two rise up again.

    Looking back, the obedient girls were already hiding in the shadows and are in spectator-mode. ¡°Take care Mr. Shuu!¡± ¡°Do your best, squeak!¡± ¡°Mau!¡±, I just swallow my spit and words.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m f*cked! F*ck this!¡± (Shuu)

    With the girls cheering me on, I strained my arms. The enhanced [Iron Fist] swells up like a robot¡¯s arm. Goma, goma! And the fists slammed together in front of my chest making a dull thud, raising a feeling that is hard to convey to the girls.

    Round two, start.

    [Fireball], [Thunderball], [Iceball], [Piercing Needle] pour down like rain.

    The ground explodes and scatters stones and debris. Ear-splitting electric shocks gush out. The spot where the bomb landed instantly freezes. Sharp needles pierce the cobblestones.

    I desperately dodge the blast, but driven back from the square to the side of an abandoned house.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± (Shuu)

    I quickly ducked behind a wall, but the minotaur¡¯s thick arm breaks through the wall and grabbed me.

    ¡°Aaaaa!¡± (Shuu)

    The Minotaur bends down, however, cloaked in glowing spores, I thrust my fist with [Iron Fist] into the wall. The wall and the minotaur are blown away. As soon as my vision clears, I see the multicolored mycelium balls glowing above my head.

    ¡°You¡¯re a cosplay golem and you¡¯re also a villainous type, damn it!¡± (Shuu)

    The power of each shot is not as powerful as my enhanced [Fireball], but the rapid-fire and continuous-fire capabilities are off the charts. The abundance of maneuverability is also bad.

    It is completely unexpected that it is as good as a bullet shooter so far. It is indeed a level 70+ monster.

    It is a relief that the bullet speed is not so fast, but like Knight, it is beginning to learn my movements. It is doing a bombardment that anticipates the position of the target when dodging and time difference. It then uses encirclement bombardment to eliminate my escape route. It was also hard to get close.

    His jersey and skin are scorched, my his arms and back are still pierced with [Piercing Needle]. My shoes are already gone because they were frozen. Even if I concentrate on evasion, my vitality is being chipped away.

    ¡°Damn it all!¡± (Shuu)

    Bishop¡¯s instructions or not, I punched down the zombies positioned to block my escape route. Taking into consideration the power, defensive capabilities, size and balance, the enhanced [Iron Fist] is my top melee attack weapon. If I am covered with [Light Blade], even a level 40 minotaur can be crushed with a single blow. A barrage of bullets attacked without a pause. Damn it, let me feel a little smug.

    Enhanced [Iron Fist] boasts outstanding ease of use, but it has one drawback. If this is not canceled, other Funbgal Skills that ¡°produce mycelium from the hand¡± cannot be used (as is the case with normal [Iron Fist]). [Asura] can produce Fungal Skills from my hypha arms. I don¡¯t really understand this difference, but I can¡¯t help it because I can¡¯t do what I can¡¯t do.

    Therefore, the all-purpose sub-weapon [Asura] compensates for long-range attack and defense with the [Round Shield] and [Great Shield]. By the way, I didn¡¯t wear a cloak for this kind of thing. The hole in the back of my jersey has now become a sleeveless garment for my hypha arms.

    Anyway, I kept dodging. I jumped over the rubble and runs across the cobblestone pavement.

    In the gap, there is a normal hypha ball. The attack is blocked by [Barrier], but the attack stops only for that brief moment. It is only a momentary interval, but it seems that the Bishop cannot attack and defend at the same time.

    It is not that I am trying to make Bishop run out of energy, but even so, there is no sign that it is running out of breath, even though it is using its Fungal Skilly so lavishly.

    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    Suddenly, my knees buckle and I rolled on the ground to escape the bombardment. Immediately, I hit the ground with my [Iron Fist] and stand up.

    I don¡¯t plan on doing endurance battles, but I¡¯m not good at physical strength games. The original strategy of squeezing out fireballs was taking its toll on me, and the damage recovery from the [Immortal] was not worth the effort.

    In the second round, less than three minutes have passed yet, but any more than that and they will be out of their depth.

    (¡ªAm I hungry?) (Shuu)

    Just a few moments of empty time. Bishop is readying its staff.

    ¡°Fuh, fuh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I catch my breath.

    (If it¡¯s the current me, I can do it. I can win.) (Shuu)

 CH 78.2

    (If it¡¯s the current me, I can do it. I can win.) (Shuu)

    (I¡ªwill squeeze it all out.) (Shuu)

    Sharpening my nerves. I let my brain perceive every bit of feedback from [Sensory Spores].

    ¡°Huh¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    Bishop swings its staff. At the same time, I kicked the ground.

    The scenery flows backward at high speed, and the rain of hypha balls that pours down is felt slowly, like a frame-by-frame feed.

    A pair of [Great Shield] wrapped in light burst overhead. My lower body pushes forward my upper body is pushed by the impact. I crossed [Iron Fist] in front of my head and threw myself into the path with the least amount of damage, regardless of being scraped.

    ¡°Ooooh!¡± (Shuu)

    The last distance is covered with [Leaping], and with the same momentum, I punch  with [Iron Fist].

    Bam! And the translucent wall cracks. Can I go in?

    ¡°Ohhh!¡± (Shuu)

    With all my weight, all my energy, and all my force, I unleashed my fists.

    The [Barrier] cracks into pieces and dissipates. However, a new [Barrier] is born from where it vanished.

    ¡°So cunning!¡± (Shuu)

    Even so, I continued to attack with all my might. Bishop cannot counterattack during this time.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time, I¡¯m at my limit¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    Five shots, ten shots, fifteen shots, twenty shots.

    I¡¯m out of breath, my shoulders are creaking, and I can¡¯t turn my arms.

    I want to catch my breath. I want to stop. I want to take a bath.

    ¡°¡ªthis.¡± (Shuu)

    My hypha arms wrap around the [barrier]. In my hand, I hold a white cannonball about ten centimeters in diameter.

    ¡°¡ªis the end.¡± (Shuu)

    A full straight punch hits the bottom of the cannonball along with the mycelium arm.

    At that moment¨Ca line piercing the [Barrier] pierces the left chest of Bishop.

    The stony look on its face does not change. Still, the expression on Bishop¡¯s face as it stumbles a step and puts its hand over the hole in its chest seems to say it can¡¯t believe it.

    The mycelial arm was prepared to show that I was desperately trying to break the [Barrier] with the [Iron Fist].

    [Accumulation] enhanced [White Bullet] was like a cannonball and could not be shot with a flick of the finger.

    It is difficult to aim, but its penetrating and destructive power are the strongest of all the long-range attacks I have at my disposal.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t finish, but I have one more shot.¡±

    The right mycelial arm, which was the launching pad for the enhanced [White Bullet], is burnt and the fingers are shredded. Instead, the left mycelial arm, which held the other bullet, is set in front of me.

    Bishop raises its cane. At the same time, I laughed.

    ¡°¡ªeat my, bullet.¡± (Shuu)

    A white cannonball is fired straight as if drawn with a ruler.

    The barrier shatters, shimmering like a scattering of glass.

    The white line is sucked into Bishop¡¯s gut, and then pierces through.

    Bishop¡¯s entire body convulses violently. Thread-thin tentacles and bodily fluids spill from its mouth, from the holes drilled into it , from the cracks all over its body.

    And then the cracks spread to the rest of its body.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry, senior.¡± (Shuu)

    The face of the [Master Threadweaver] who once descended upon this land crumbles to the ground with a dry, rattling sound.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Mr. Shuu!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Mau!¡± (Makko)

    Three girls come running up to me as I fall on my butt.

    ¡°Oh¡­ you saved me in the end. Thank you.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We can only do so much! I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay! That was also a new Fungal Skill!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°That was a close call, squeak! You should have done it earlier, squeak!¡±

    While the two of them were excitedly pounding at me with their hands, Makko was removing the spikes from my body. The Chihuahua girl is showing her concern like a kind wife.

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t hit it if I don¡¯t get close to it. I can¡¯t aim and shoot like before. I guess that will depend on my future training.¡± (Shuu)

    And since it requires a launching pad, it comes in a set with [Asura]. It¡¯s a powerful special move, but it¡¯s difficult to use.

    ¡°Wait, it has suddenly become quiet.¡± (Shuu)

    Before I knew it, the sound of fighting on the east side had stopped. The zombies have stopped functioning.

    If the controller dies, the zombies will return as corpses. As we first suspected, this ability is like an enhanced version of an [illusionist] [Puppet] ability. In any case, this should have nullified the forces that were concentrated on Giran and his group.

    No more zombies will be born on the 31st floor.

    The Xolotls and the other Metro Beasts can breathe a sigh of relief.

    (¡­ I still have one more job to do.) (Shuu)

    I look up at the huge altar. Rook, who was supposed to be lurking there, still showed no sign of its presence, even after such a loud clash nearby, or even after two of its companions were killed. I too, have felt its presence only once.

    (I¡¯m sure it¡¯s there, but why hasn¡¯t it come out?) (Shuu)

    (Well, it¡¯s not like I would like them to come out right now, it would be terrible¡­) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure if I should eat Bishop¡¯s sporangia, but I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d take them out for me.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± (Noa)

    Soon after, Noa brought a black sporangium.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can I have one?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Since it¡¯s Mr. Shuu¡¯s accomplishment, I¡¯d rather say that you should take both.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I¡¯d like to try one too.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Mau.¡± (Makko)

    ¡°Honestly, you guys.¡± (Shuu)

    So, I ate one of them, and the other one was divided into three equal portions.

    ¡°Munch munch, the usual taste, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I thought it would be more like a stinky type, but it¡¯s normal.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Mau.¡± (Makko)

    Regardless of the taste, with each mouthful, the fatigue and pain that weighed heavily on our bodies eased away. No level up or acquisition of Fungal Skill occurs¡ªbut it feels as if a warm flame has been put into your muscles and bones, and your body is invigorated. I look down at my palms.

    (¡­perhaps, like a status increase?) (Shuu)

    I have heard sometime ago that there are cases in which the body is strengthened by eating sporangium, apart from the level-up. I wonder if this is the case. It does not seem to be a drastic change like Parasite Items, but I would be grateful if it is still one step stronger after a life and death fight.

    ¡°S-squuee!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Aah!¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Mauw!!!¡± (Makko)

    All three girls pulled themselves together at almost the same time. It seems that they have also improved together. Tamiko is now 42, Noa is 28, and Makko is probably 41.

    ¡°Even though they¡¯re boss level, were they just that much high quality¡­ or are their black sporangium something special?¡± (Noa)

    Noa is more surprised than delighted.

    ¡°The Knight was the same way, but I knew it was quite the monster. I¡¯m not sure if that means that the ones that are affected by the ¡®Demons¡¯ turn black or not. The only way to know for sure is if the woman is really a demon.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­it wasn¡¯t written in my great-grandfather¡¯s memo¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa and I made thoughtful expression. In the meantime, Makko, who has become the third sister of the Leftover Sisters, is so overjoyed that she is flipping her older sister and licking her stomach. ¡°Ah¡­ what a beast¡­ so rough¡­!¡±

 CH 79.1

    At the same time as the stillness returns, the fog seems to have returned as well.

    Footsteps can be heard coming from beyond the murky white air. It¡¯s Giran and the others. Kure and the Shishikaba sisters, plus a few Xolotls.

    ¡°It looks like they have defeated Bishop. You did a good job, Abe.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Yes, thanks to you¡­ It was very strong, though.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ah, as expected of my Little Shuu¡­ this is how shy he is, even while calmly doing things that no one else can do.¡± (Kure)

    He¡¯s trying kiss me, so I push his chin with the palm of my hand.

    Giran sits down in front of me who was still crouching and offers his paw/palm. I accept and shake hands with him.

    ¡°Ours was also tough. Treant was a nuisance, and I shot all the [Fireball] I have on hand.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see any beef for a while.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll have pork at the next BBQ?¡± (Aoi)

    The twins also sat down next to me and patted me on the shoulder. Everyone is covered in blood and dust.

    ¡°Um, what about the other Xolotls?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I sent them back with the wounded. No one has any life-threatening injuries. They are all alive and there were no casualties.¡± (Giran)

    Makko rejoices at the safe reunion with her friends and there was a cry of Mau Maus.

    ¡°Well, thanks to your diversion, I managed to manage it, but if it was a solo fight, wouldn¡¯t Mr. Giran be better? You¡¯re stronger than me.¡± (Shuu)

    In that case, my role would have been to fight an endurance battle against the zombie army.

    ¡°¡­No. Even if I am your senior, the difference in potential our obvious. At the time you got [Accumulation], you¡¯ve already surpassed me.¡± (Giran)

    I thought he was being modest, but his rather serious face made it difficult for me to respond.

    ¡ªWhat does this man, Gillan, think about me? I wonder how aware he is about my situation.

    Even if I wanted to ask, I couldn¡¯t. I would be digging my own grave.

    ¡°¡­Well, this is the end of our short break. The war isn¡¯t over yet. I¡¯d like to finally capture their base, but¡ª¡± (Giran)

    All eyes looked up at the altar.

    The largest and tallest in the city is still silent, not even a single movement of its body.

    (That reminds me of an ¡°Aztec Altar¡± which was treated like a taboo topic on the Internet.) (Shuu)

    The place closest to the sky where sacrifices are made to the sun god.

    According to Nai¡¯s story, Kukulkan¡¯s egg was hidden away behind a shrine at the top of the altar by the woman who brought out the golems. When it is about to hatch, it was to be the first to become their food. A true sacrifice.

    Unless the egg is retrieved and Rook is killed, there will be no peace on the 31st floor. But then¡­

    ¡°¡­It still hasn¡¯t come out yet?¡± (Giran)

    ¡°¡­Yes¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Giran and I whispered for some reason.

    I look at Tamiko. She shakes her head pensively. She can¡¯t see its level, which means she can¡¯t seem to confirm its presence.

    ¡°The top, is it really there?¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that these are all golems?¡± (Aoi)

    No wonder the twins are skeptical. Even the Xolotls, who have been fighting for three years, have never seen it since they first appeared on the scene.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it is not here, but¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I sensed it once. If asked if it was just my imagination, I can¡¯t disagree with it.

    ¡°The only way to find out is to climb up on the altar once anyway. It would help if it had been asleep for a long time, or if it had secretly starved to death.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Sha-sha! Or it¡¯s afraid of me, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    The lively squirrel begins to shadowbox. After her tiny fists hit the altar several times through the air¡ªKaboom! A something heavy hits the ground.

    ¡°Pigyah!¡± (Tamiko)

    Without a pause, the ground shakes with a low rumbling. I stood up and looked in the direction of the epicenter of the tremor, which was clearly coming from the altar.

    ¡°¡­Seriously¡­¡± (Shuuu)

    ¡°¡­is it coming¡­?¡±

    And then¡ªthe side of the altar exploded, and a pair of gigantic arms emerged from within.

    ¡°There it is!¡±

    It is a scene that seems to reproduce Nai¡¯s words. Rook, the giant golem, has appeared.

    But why at this timing? Was it really because of Tamiko¡¯s provocation? ¡ªno way.

    Its arms, arched like the horns of a helmet¡ªit swung down toward the top of the altar. The shrine is blown to pieces, scattering dust.

    ¡°¨CEh?¡± (Shuu)

    Everyone is stunned.

    The golem¡¯s arm destroyed the shrine. If that entire altar was used as a body, it was like a monkey swatting its own head to get rid of a fly.

    And¡ªthere is something falling mixed in with the flying debris. Bouncing on the cobblestone pavement, it lets out a voice like a squashed frog,

    ¡°Ouch¡ªWhat the hell are you doing, you idiot!¡± (Anna)

    It¡¯s a human, a woman. She is yelling at the altar with her eyes wide open.

    I mean, how could she have fallen from that height and only ¡°ouch¡±? It didn¡¯t look like she had taken a passive stance.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ isn¡¯t that Anna?¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Really¡­hey, Anna!¡± (Aoi)

    The twins called out to her. They seemed to know each other.

    ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯ve been spotted. I was sneaking around.¡± (Anna)

    Showing an embarrassed expression, she is wearing a white robe over her jersey. I wonder if she is around 30 years old, she is a beautiful woman with long chestnut hair. She is very beautiful (very important).

    ¡°Do you know her? What a beautiful girl.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Ah, that is Anna Yano. She is an apprentice preacher in the Church.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°She used to be a hunter, and we used to see each other in the metro.¡± (Aoi)

    I think I saw a lot of Metro Church preachers and their apprentices wearing clothes like that.

    ¡°Why is that girl here?¡± (Midori)

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s dangerous. Hey, Ann¨C¡± (Aoi)

    Giran stopped them by grabbing them by the collar as they were about to run up to her.

    The altar rumbles again, drowning out the protests of the two.

    The surface of the altar rattles and crumbles. The sharp-edged pyramid roars low and changes shape.

    ¡°¡­Rook¡­¡±

    Soon there appeared a rock giant more than 20 meters long. It was the third golem, Rook.

    The twins involuntarily back away, but Rook does not even look at them (although it probably does not have eyes) and takes its first step toward the woman, Anna, whom the twins have called. With that single movement, the ground shakes, fog blows away, and dust rolls up.

    I turned to Tamiko, who is riding on Noa¡¯s shoulder. As I have guessed it¡ªher body is trembling slightly.

    ¡°¡­The Golem is around 75, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    It¡¯s the highest of the three, but it¡¯s not like it¡¯s out of standard. However, that huge body alone is a threat.

    ¡°But¡­ that person, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s eyes are not on Rook, but on the woman facing it, who is as tiny as an ant in comparison.

    ¡°Ahhhh¡­ You seem to have completely forgotten what your mommy looks like. Well, I don¡¯t remember your name either.¡± (Anna)

    Anna shakes her head and holds up her hand as if to say, ¡°Oh dear.¡± She then holds the a [Katana].

    ¡°That¡¯s why I have to punish naughty kids~!¡±  (Anna)

    ¡ª99 squeak.

    Tamiko¡¯s muffled murmur barely reached my ears, as it was almost drowned out by the sound of destruction emanating from right in front of us.

    As Anna jumped up and thrust her fist into Rook¡¯s chest, a series of shocks shook the giant¡¯s body, and for the third time, things burst out of his body. The staggering giant slowly, frame by frame, falls on its back.

    Behind the dusty dirt, the shadow of a woman standing with a sword on her shoulder looks like the most ominous god of death.

 CH 79.2

    ¡°Ugh, patoey. I got sand in my mouth.¡± (Anna)

    Anna approached us at a brisk pace, spitting all over the place. She drags a white ball of hair the size of a balance ball along with her. Is that Rook¡¯s body? He is spilling his thick bodily fluids and not moving a single tentacle. It seems to have already died out.

    ¡°Anna¡­¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Seriously¡­¡­¡± (Aoi)

    The twins seem to have finally realized.

    Whether they are deceived by Anna or she hid her true nature well, we don¡¯t know.

    But it doesn¡¯t matter now. The things she says and does, the fact that she is here, and her demonic power.

    ¡ªThere is no longer any doubt.

    She is the mastermind behind this whole affair, the one who unleashed the Golems.

    ¡°Damn¡­ I was worried that he was dead so I just secretly entered the place, but he forgot his parents¡¯ faces and saw me as his enemy. I¡¯m sure that egg hadn¡¯t hatched yet, but I wonder if protecting it had become his principle of action.

    She  dusted her clothes as she mumbled.

    ¡°You¡¯re a lot smarter than the other beasts, but you¡¯re still empty in the middle, so you¡¯re quick to bug out in absurd directions. ¡­When are you going to grow some decent instincts or something? Metro-beast-that-evolved-from-an-A-I.¡± (Anna)

    For a moment, my thoughts stop.

    If I had not misheard, what emanated from her mouth was a phrase familiar to my original era.

    ¡°¡­Huh? A¡­I?¡± (Shuu)

    Anna reacts with a twitch and looks up.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just talking to myself. Am I by myself? Am I having a meeting with myself? It¡¯s just that the pure feelings inside me are being dampened by Golem¡¯s betrayal.¡± (Anna)

    I don¡¯t know what she is saying. Still, I can¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Um, are you talking about an AI?¡± (Shuu)

    There are so many other things to do and think about, but I can¡¯t help but ask.

    Anna¡¯s eyes widen. She seemed intrigued.

    ¡°¡­AI is AI, though. Artificial Intelligence, you know what I mean? I only know the word.¡± (Anna)

    I felt as if I had been grabbed not only by my thoughts but also by my heart.

    I never thought that in this day and age, deep in the metro, I would hear such words.

    (Could a golem be a Metro Beast that evolved from an AI?) (Shuu)

    (Assuming that¡¯s true, what does it mean?) (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, who are you? Oh, I¡¯m Anna Yano. I¡¯m an apprentice of the Metro Church!¡î¡± (Anna)

    Anna winks with a peace sign in the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly! You can¡¯t be Anna!¡± (Midori)

    ¡°You¡¯re a fake! Where¡¯s the real Anna!?¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Shishikaba. I¡¯m the one you¡¯ve been talking to on the twentieth floor with whiskey in your hand. I¡¯m the real Anna. I was wearing a face on the surface, but no one noticed the real me. I don¡¯t have one.¡± (Anna)

    The twins¡¯ shoulders are shaking. ¡°That¡¯s a lie¡­¡± the younger sister murmured in a muffled voice.

    ¡°But, well, they found me here, and they found out about Sneaky Anna, too. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve figured out who I am by now, right?¡± (Anna)

    ¡°¡ªOh, of course.¡± (Giran)

    Giran takes a step forward. While pulling out his [Knight Sword].

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who started all this, demon.¡± (Giran)

    Anna¡¯s mouth turns up at the corners and she smiles. A sinister smile that sends chills down the spine of anyone who sees it.

    ¡°The first time in many years that I¡¯ve been called that¡­ Arato, the demon Arato. That is my true name.¡± (Anna => Arato)

    Arato¡ªshe tells me her real name, and slowly raises her arm. She lightly grips her fingers and retracts her thumbs.

    ¡ª[White Bullet]!

    She mumbles, and at the same time, her thumb flicked.

    I quickly tried to guard her, but I couldn¡¯t make it in time.

    With a cough, Noa choked behind me. There is a hole in the side of her solar plexus that goes all the way to her back. A smear of blood slowly spreads.

    ¡°Noa!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Princess!!!¡± (Giran)

    Giran and my cry did not reach her. Noa collapses helplessly, and just as she is about to fall, I caught her. My [Fireball] rolls out of her hand.

    ¡°Aaaah!¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Damn it!¡± (Aoi)

    At the same time, the twins are running towards Arato.

    The Midori thrusts her [War Spear], and Aoi shoots a [Thunderball] from her fingertips.

    ¡ªTheir arms. Midori¡¯s right arm, Aoi¡¯s left arm. Their arms are cut just under their elbow and are sent flying away.

    The two screamed in pain, but it didn¡¯t last long. Both of them are kicked in the stomach and blown away.

    ¡°Ha ha ha! I¡¯ve been thinking for a long time that it¡¯s hard to tell them apart because they have the same face! Now it¡¯s easier to tell them apart¡± (Arato)

    Arato brushes off the blood on her [Katana] and her body shakes like she is enjoying this.

    The wound of Noa is covered with [Holy Healing]. The wound regenerates itself. After gently touching her cheek, I stood up.

    ¡°¡­Tamiko, Kure. Take care of Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Little Shuu¡­¡± (Kure)

    The burning heat that surges up as if a fire is all concentrated in my feet and legs as I used [Leaping]. The surroundings fly backward in afterimages, and the woman wielding the [Katana] fills my field of vision.

    ¡°Aaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    Both hands, hypha arms, and two pairs of [Katana] left glowing steaks. Arato, who had caught them all, still slid back more than ten meters and wiped the slightest scratch on her cheek with the back of her hand.

    ¡°¡­[Asura] and [Light Blade], what an interesting combination.¡± (Arato)

    Breathing roughly and desperately trying to calm my head that is about to boil with anger and hatred¡ªno, f*ck, no. I can¡¯t calm down at all.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting more and more interested in you after what you said earlier about AI. Okay, I¡¯ll let you live. Or I can kill you clean and welcome you into me.¡± (Arato)

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but¡­ I¡¯ve decided I¡¯m not going to let you live.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ahaha, I¡¯m scared. Why are you so angry? Was it because of that kid or was it the twin sisters? You must be a virgin, right?¡± (Arato)

    Giran grabbed me by the shoulders and stopped me from rushing forward.

    ¡°Calm down virgin!¡± (Giran)

    ¡°I-I-I¡¯m a virgin.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Cool your head. If you¡¯re like that, you have no chance of winning.¡± (Giran)

    Even Giran stood next to me, his hair standing on end and his fangs quivering. A low growl escapes from the back of his throat.

    ¡°Eh, did I hear you wrong? Do you really think you can win? You said it yourself, handsome wolf. I¡¯m a Demon.¡± (Arato)

    ¡°Yes, you may be a Demon. However, we are hunters. We have sharpened our fangs to avenge the scourge of our ruined country. You are just a clown who can do nothing but crawl around in the shadows, don¡¯t ever underestimate the human race.¡± (Giran)

    The [Knight Sword] held in his hands are tinged with red light. It¡¯s [Flame Blade].

    The smile disappears from Arato¡¯s face and she snorts in a bored manner.

    ¡°You¡¯re a human being with a wolf¡¯s face, aren¡¯t you? If want it that badly, I¡¯ll have no choice but to get serious, won¡¯t I?¡± (Arato)

    The robe she was wearing fell off in pieces as her [Katana] sliced through the air.

    ¡°[Light Blade] and [Asura], and [Flame Blade]. Six against tho is not fair.¡± (Arato)

    Rip! Her back is ripped open and four hypha arms are generated¡ªtwo pairs, four arms.

    Four [Katana] appeared and adding the two she holds, a total of six, are tinged with a black haze. If it were a game, you could call it a demon sword or a cursed weapon.

    ¡°Are you even on par with mine? Since you¡¯ve criticized this lady that much, why don¡¯t you entertain me a bit?¡± (Arato)

    ¡°¡­Mr. Giran, you didn¡¯t have to provoke her, did you?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ If you¡¯ve calmed down enough to make a joke, it wasn¡¯t for nothing, was it?¡± (Giran)

    Anger still simmers in the pit of my stomach, but the cold sweat oozing all over my body freezes it.

    Arato laughs again, her six arms flailing like spiders.

    ¡°¡ªWell, let¡¯s get started. I¡¯m the self-proclaimed final boss of Oujimetro, the Demon Arato. Nice to meet you, and please die.¡± (Arato)

    A/N: It¡¯s the final battle in the Depths of the Ouji Metro arc.

 CH 80.1

    ¡°¨C¨CWhy did you jump out at that time?¡± (Noa)

    On the night we were invited to the Xolotl tribe¡¯s fortress. Noa suddenly asked me why I had jumped out, as I had promised, or rather, she asked me to explain why I had saved Makko.

    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m not blaming you. Though, I should blame you for putting all of us in danger by acting on your own.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°My bad. My bad.¡± (Shuu)

    Kure was taking a bath, the twins were looking for something to eat, and Giran and the Xolotls had something else to talk about. Tamiko was snoring on top of my thigh.

    ¡°At that time, Makko said ¡®Run¡¯, didn¡¯t she? You should have known the strength of the Jaguar Golem, so why did you help her?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, erm¡­¡± (Shuu)

    How should I answer that question? I searched my mind for the right words.

    ¡°I was going to stay out of it at first, and not I let my companions die. ¡­But right before the jaguar hit her, I looked at Makko and she almost said, ¡®Help¡¯, but she swallowed it and said, ¡®Run¡¯. I didn¡¯t check with her, but that¡¯s what it sounded like to me.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°For some reason, when I was almost about to die, I often said those words. I would have been desperate to ask for help. What¡¯s with her magnanimity? Compassion (apparently she¡¯s female) I could feel all that.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I-in that instant?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, no¡­ Technically, I had already jumped out when I thought that.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°So, even if Makko just said ¡®Help¡¯, you would have helped her, right?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well¡­ maybe¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Noa chuckled.

    ¡°No, but come on¡­ I think it¡¯s kind of strange for me. I think it was hypocritical. An actual hero would have come to their rescue much earlier¡­ But then again, I would have involved my friends. It¡¯s like I¡¯m halfway there.¡± (Shuu)

    Noa shook her head lightly.

    ¡°But that¡¯s also very like Mr. Shuu, isn¡¯t it?¡± (Noa)

    Her slender fingers poked Tamiko¡¯s stomach She laughed again when she saw Tamiko¡¯s twitching.

    I didn¡¯t tell her.

    I had felt an overlap with Makko, who had mumbled, ¡°Run¡±. I later realized that this was the same as Noa, when she had she first met us in Outsuka Metro.

    As expected, I don¡¯t think she knew that. But she put her hand on top of mine and gave a small nod.

    ¡°No matter what anyone says¡­ Mr. Shuu has been my hero ever since we first met.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ooooooooo!¡± (Shuu)

    That hero is now clinging to the six-armed beautiful demon with so much tension is having a runny nose.

    The hero continues to deliver slashes from the left and right, flanked by Giran. The four rays of light drawn by [Light Blade] are blocked by the three black fogs, and each time a particle of light is shaved off. It is the same with the red blade wielded by Giran.

    ¡°Ha-ha-ha! That is amazing, wonderful! Both of your breathing are perfectly in sync!¡± (Arato)

    Simultaneous pincer attack of two level 70. Even as she completely blocked all our blows, she still had room to laugh.

    (Damn it!) (Shuu)

    (I can¡¯t make a hit!) (Shuu)

    (What¡¯s going on!?) (Shuu)

    The speed of her hands moving is unbelievable, but the brain that can handle it is also unbelievable. I wonder how many of the latest CPUs are capable of such processing.

    Moreover, her left and right eyes are moving independently the like a chameleon. What is this? Is she some kind of martial arts master?

    Light flashes and scatters. The sound of a hard collision that never ceases.

    The weight of reality transmitted to my hands. The pain that gradually constricts my lungs.

    ¡°Kuu¡­ aaaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    The heat builds up in my brain to the point where the fog seems to turn to steam.

    But still, it does not reach.

    Her bones are just a few centimeters away, even her skin just a few millimeters away, seems hopelessly far away.

    ¡ªNo, the margin is only a facade. Just to survive such an onslaught must be more exhausting than it appears. Perhaps. I hope so.

    ¡°Then this time, it¡¯s my turn!¡± (Arato)

    ¡°Of course (I might die).¡± (Shuu & Giran)

    After knocking the two of us at once, Arato puts both hands on the ground.

    ¡°Dodge!¡± (Giran)

    Giran shouts, and at the same time, I leaped backward. At the spot where Giran and I were standing, several white stakes broke through the ground. If I had been one step slower, I would have been covered in holes.

    ¡°Well, how about this?¡± (Arato)

    The six arms that had let go of their [Katana] folded their fingers inward. It is a familiar form.

    The first thing I do is throw [Fireball] and [Thunderball] at the same time. But before they reach the target, they are shot down by a white line and exploded in mid-air. Those are Arato¡¯s [White Bullet].

    Then, the six-armed machine gun, which surpasses my four-armed machine gun, showered us with bullets.

    ¡°Ohhhhhhh!¡± (Shuu)

    I can no longer stay on my feet. But then, I almost stumble forward and rush to take shelter behind [Great Shield].

    ¡°Hyaha! I¡¯ll turn it into a honeycomb!¡± (Arato)

    Aimed and shot by a beautiful woman in a good mood. Gah! The impact echoes through the [Great Shield] as if my entire body is being punched. It is clad in [Light Blade], but at this rate it will surely be shot through.

    ¡ªAt that moment, the [Sensory Spores] catches an unexpected behavior.

    (¡­ Are you still alive!?) (Shuu)

    I didn¡¯t look in that direction, but a small smile appeared on the corner of my lips.

    I threw myself off the shield and jump and threw a hypha ball like a great pitcher.

    The ball is released not in a straight line but in an arc, but it is shot down before it reaches Arato.

    A large amount of smoke is then dispersed. It¡¯s a [Smoke Ball].

    ¡°Match!¡± (Shuu)

    Shouting, I dived, using [Leaping] into the smoke. I switched to the [Katana] + [Light Blade] four-sword style again, and cut into Arato in the depths of the gray fog.

    ¡°Oops! I can¡¯t see very well!¡± (Arato)

    She moved her eyes separately to recognize the two pincer attack. Unlike me, who accurately catches enemy form even in smoke, she does not seem to have anything similar to [Sensory Spores].

    ¡°Ooh!¡± (Shuu)

    I finally gained one advantage¡ªthat was a time when I thought so too.

    Even with this poor visibility, Arato still manages to survive the barrage of blows I throw whole-heartedly. Her defensive power was so strong that I could feel her dogged determination to not let even a single shot graze her.

    But even so¡ªMy spirit slightly surpasses him. Even as the black blades grazed his face and body, he roared like a beast and lunged forward.

    Arato¡¯s back pops out of the gray cloud. I had already noticed who was waiting for her.

 CH 80.2

    Arato¡¯s back pops out of the gray cloud. I had already noticed who was waiting for her.

    A moment later, Arato reacts by swinging her hypha arms behind her back. Giran dodges it, and a sword slashes deeply from her back to her waist.

    ¡°Guuu!¡± (Arato)

    Her face contorts in pain, and I pursue and attempt to take advantage of the gap, but Arato jumps back wide to the side just in front of me. The tip of my [Katana] sliced through her thigh, but it was shallow. Still¡ªit reached. It finally reached.

    ¡°I finally got something good.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh¡­ but¡­¡± (Giran)

    Giran, standing on his side, swayed unsteadily, stabbing his sword into the ground and enduring. A pained groan escapes from the back of his throat.

    ¡°Mr. Giran!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­that black blade¡­ has poison¡­ even though I have [Poison Resistance]¡­¡± (Giran)

    When he said that, even I felt a sharp pain in my wounds. It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t move.

    ¡°[Detoxification].¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Thank you.¡± (Giran)

    A green ball of mycelium is released from my finger, and Giran catches it with his mouth. It was somewhat like I am feeding him.

    Meanwhile, Arato is prioritizing checking her own wounds. She can afford it.

    ¡°Oh my God¡­ it¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve been wounded. I feel like it¡¯s that time with that giant snake.¡± (Arato)

    Aside from my stab, Giran¡¯s swing going in pretty deep. The blood is dripping, but she doesn¡¯t seem to be in pain or concerned about it.

    ¡°¡­The demon has the ability to regenerate with [Self-Regeneration], or even better [Immortality]. A little damage is meaningless.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°What¡¯s with that? Isn¡¯t she already immortal?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, she has a weak point. It¡¯s her head.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Most creatures do. I¡¯ve never tried to see what would happen to me if I got hit in the head.

    ¡°To be precise, there is a small stone in the back of her brain, the [Fungus Stone]¡­if you can destroy it, you can completely kill Demons. If you cut off her head, she won¡¯t be able to move her body. I tried to do it earlier, but she dodged my attempt.¡± (Giran)

    Fungal Rock? A Fungus Stone, maybe? Is it like monster cores?

    ¡°No one is immortal. Every living thing will eventually die, and they can always be killed. There is no such thing as perfect immortality.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°So, I guess that means break time is over, right?¡± (Shuu)

    Arato, who was stretching and twisting her body, placed a hand on her waist and nodded.

    ¡°Even so, virgin boy. You¡¯re so versatile that you are probably not any normal hunter. It seems that the [Ruin Blade]¡¯s poison doesn¡¯t work either¡­ I¡¯m starting to get curious. You know?¡± (Arato)

    Seeing a beautiful woman who was licking her lips, I thought it was a waste, that she wasn¡¯t human. So, I held up my [Katana].

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    Noa is laid out in the shadows, and from there while Kure look out into the square, which has turned into a fierce battlefield.

    Shuu and Giran are desperately fighting back. If anything, Shuu is in the front and Giran is compensating for what he lacks. It is a feat of their excellent sense of stability and broad vision, and it is a sign that they have not been through a lot of rough patches.

    However, Arato the witch completely surmounted the onslaught that would have made it impossible for any beast to even stand in front of her, and on the contrary, she was steadily inflicting damage on Shuu and Giran.

    Moreover, from what Kure sees, she has not yet turned serious. Or should to be exact, she has not yet decided to become serious? She is standing there as if she is having fun, without any sense of danger to her life.

    ¡°Noa¡­ Noa¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko continues to call out to Noa, who does not wake up. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be all right, Little Tamiko. The bleeding has stopped. She will wake up eventually.¡± (Kure)

    The truth is, Kure doesn¡¯t know what will happen. Even if the visible wounds are healed, how much damage and how much influence remains deep in the flesh? As neither a doctor nor a [Healer], Kure has no way of knowing for sure. All he can do now is say that to Tamiko, who looks worried.

    ¡°What about Abeshuu¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°He is fighting, desperately¡­ But the opponent is so strong that I can¡¯t see the bottom of their power.¡± (Kure)

    Watching the dizzying battle and exchange between the three from behind, Tamiko burst into tears.

    ¡°¡­I¡­I can¡¯t do anything¡­ Abeshuu and Noa¡­ even though they¡¯re like this¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Kure gently stroked her back as she sniffed.

    ¡ªKure bites his lip and nods toward himself.

    ¡°There¡¯s something you can do, Little Tamiko.¡± (Kure)

    When Tamiko turned around, Kure handed her an item he had taken out of his pocket.

    It was the [Fireball] charged with [Accumulation] that Noa had.

    ¡°¡­can you take her out with this, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. The person who will use it is different.¡± (Kure)

    Tamiko, who had confusion written on her face, Kure took off his jacket and showed off his bulging pectoral muscles and six pack abs.

    ¡°Little Tamiko, throw it at me. Little Shuu¡¯s ball against my body.¡± (Kure)

    Tamiko¡¯s eyes go wide as she holds the [Fireball] in both hands. The eyes of someone asking, ¡°What is this human talking about?¡±

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t do this by myself. Strangely enough, self-injury doesn¡¯t trigger my skill. It¡¯s my true hidden skill [Adversity].¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Adversity?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The more damage my body takes, the stronger I become. Like a candle before it burns out, a spark that gives a brief glimmer of light in the void. It won¡¯t last long, but just for a little bit¡ªI will gain enough strength to fight next to Little Shuu. For that to happen, Tamiko, I need you to bust Little Shuu¡¯s ball against me.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Me?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why. If done by my hands my Fungal Skill won¡¯t activate. However, on the other hand, even if there is no hostility or harmful intent, damage done by another person¡¯s hands can trigger it. I¡¯ve done it.¡± (Kure)

    Kure flexed his chest muscles to make his words more convincing as he explained.

    Tamiko finally seems to understand, but she is still hesitant.

    ¡°But¡­ that sounds amazing, squeak. But what if you die, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­Fufu, thank you for your concern. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right, it¡¯s powerful enough to blow away even a minotaur with a single shot.  I could lose my life as it is¡­¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Then¡ª¡± (Kure)

    ¡°But that¡¯s why. That¡¯s why it has to be. It has to be Little Shuu¡¯s ball. Or rather, that¡¯s the only thing, it has to be his ball!¡±

    Kure¡¯s handsome face and beautiful body turned pink with heat.

    ¡°My muscles have been trained for this moment! Only after I have received his massive balls with all my might, will I be able to open up a future standing next to him! Conversely, I don¡¯t care if I burn to the ashes under the Metro if I cannot accept his balls! If I¡¯m going to die with his balls, then so be it! You know, I think the word ¡®cherished wish¡¯ is in an apt des¨Cwait a minute, Little Tamiko. If I say go, throw it, okay? You were just about to aim at my face, but don¡¯t do that, okay?¡± (Kure)

    Each of the Shishikaba sisters is dragged by the Xolotl tribe and taken care of. They wake up at the same time at a distance.

    The right arm/left arm has lost everything from the elbow onward and has had the bleeding stopped. Broken ribs and injured internal organs.

    Recognizing them, Nai expels a deep sigh, then bites his lips so hard that blood oozes.

    And then, with a mau-mau and an anxious cry, Nai gives them an order at exactly the same time as the twins.

    ¡°¡ªTake me to Aoi (Big Sis)!!¡± (Midori & Aoi)

 CH 81.1

    A/N: 12/22 ¨C Slight modification of the fungibility of the Shishikaba sisters.

    Kure Izuho

    Fungal Class: Fighter (Level 51)

    Fungal Skills: 6 types [Self-Regeneration], [White Armor], [Herculean Strength], [Instant Response], [Telephoto], [Adversity]

    Giran Taichi

    Fungal Class: Holy Knight (Level 72)

    Fungal Skills: 11 types [Knight Sword], [Throwing Axe], [Round Shield], [Flame Blade], [Healing], [Self-regeneration], [Leaping], [Enhanced Nose], [Iron Bite], [Roar], [Poison Resistance].

    Fungal Ability: [Perseverance]

    Shishikaba Midori

    Fungal Class: Knight (Level 41)

    Fungal Skills: 5 types [Cudgel], [War Spear], [Round Shield], [Herculean Strength], [Cold resistance]

    Shishikaba Aoi

    Fungal Class: Illusionist (Level 41)

    Fungal Skills: 5 types [Thunderball] [Windball] [Impact Ball] [Training] [Heat Resistance]

    Detailed information such as age will be released later in ¡°Summary of the Main Characters¡±.

    Every time we strike each other, my bones and heart are cut down.

    Death is right in front of me with every blink.

    ¡°Gaaaaaaaaa!¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Ooooooooooo!¡± (Shuu)

    The screams emanated from deep within my chest. My body is on the verge of crying out in despair, desperately trying to rouse itself.

    ¡°Ahaha! You¡¯re still fine, right?¡± (Arato)

    Black blades are raining down. The number of attacks and speed are off the charts.

    Giran attacks from behind Arato. Two hypha arms intercept the two [Flame Blade].

    The exchange of sparks is dizzying. A rain of crashing sounds shakes my entire body.

    Dodging a fatal blow a few centimeters away, I unleash my clenched killing intent.

    The first step taken without regard for the splattering of blood is pushed back with even more pressure.

    In the midst of the dizzying sword fights, I still do not retreat. It is not out of willpower or determination, but because I understand that if I retreat, I will be overwhelmed in an instant.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Nice! I love children with foul mouths!¡± (Arato)

    Woosh! In an instant, cuts ran through my whole body. Without pause, a heavy impact hits my cheeks, and another roundhouse kick blows Giran away.

    ¡°Guu¡­ Ah, my ba¨C¡± (Giran)

    I quickly go to Giran, but he remains down and unable to get up.

    His chest is rising and falling quickly. The silver body hair that covers his entire body is covered in darkened blood¡ªmore than mine.

    ¡°Mr. Giran!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s okay, I can still do it¡­¡± (Giran)

    He creates several [Healing] in this palm and throws them into his mouth. He also has [Self-Regeneration], but it seems that the regeneration of wounds has not yet started.

    Together with my [Detoxification], he swallowed another one. The effectiveness of the healing Fungal Skills is said to decrease if it is used continuously for a short time. Giran may not last long.

    ¡°¡­ you know, you.¡± (Arato)

    Arato approached, walking slowly, and called out to me.

    ¡°What is it, that blue one? What is it?¡± (Arato)

    I looked at my own body with alarm and saw blue-black fungus clinging to my wounds. It¡¯s a mycelium of [Immortality].

    ¡°¡ªa.¡± (Shuu)

    Giran saw it. Perfect.

    ¡°¡­ Fuh, No need to hide it now, Abe. My eyes are not for decoration.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯re a [Master Threadweaver] aren¡¯t you? The thirteenth person to appear in the hundred and seventh year of the Tokyo calendar.¡± (Giran)

    My eyes open wide. Giran just nodded slightly.

    ¡°I knew it! I had a feeling that was coming! Amazing, quite the auspicious meeting!¡± (Arato)

    All of a sudden, Arato immediately starts yapping and laughing.

    ¡°I heard there were only three of them left, but I didn¡¯t expect a new [Master Threadweaver] to show up! I didn¡¯t expect to meet the new [Master Threadweaver]! What do hunters call this kind of thing? Ah, yes, ¡®thread is a connection, thread is fate¡¯!¡± (Arato)

    Gillan stands up, leaning on his [Knight Sword].

    ¡°¡­He is a [Master Threadweaver]. He is the vessel of the hero who returned the surface to human hands, which was destroyed before the calamity, and continues to protect people and the country even now. He is the hunter of fate, who will defeat you and all other incarnations of chaos.¡± (Giran)

    (No, no, even if bring me up.) (Shuu)

    (I am far weaker compared to the three.) (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, it is said that Demons and [Master Threadweaver] have a strange relationship. The war fifty years ago is another example. ¡­I wasn¡¯t born then. Could it be that you, too, are my fated?¡± (Arato)

    ¡°He is the hope of our country. However, young Demon, I will not let you kill him. Even if this head leaves me, my fangs will bite down on your evil.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Ugh, hey wolf that¡¯s always interrupting! No matter how much you try, you can¡¯t reach me, you know?¡± (Arato)

    ¡°¡­maybe. If I¡¯m alone.¡± (Giran)

    The figure is also in my sight. The shadow of a handsome, macho man looms behind Arato.

    ¡°¨Ceh?¡± (Arato)

    ¡°Sory for the surprise attack.¡± (Kure)

    A low tackle by Kure, clad in [White Armor], closes in. It was a tackle of a speed, much faster than the one he had made on me.

    Arato quickly turns around and swings her black blade. But the faster Kure surpasses it for a moment. He dives close to Arato¡¯s, his brow furrowed. The punch¡ªis not completed. Arato is holding her ground with a crouch.

    ¡°Even handsome men can be guilty of sexual harassment, you know?¡± (Arato)

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not remotely sexually interested in you.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Oh really, then die.¡± (Arato)

    Arato thrusts her black blade into Kure¡¯s back¡ªjust before she does so.

    ¡°Guoooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!¡± (Giran)

    What emanated from the depths of Giran¡¯s fanged mouth was a roar like a shockwave that shook the air. A directional sound bomb. It is the Fungal Skill [Roar] that manipulates vocal cords and turns them into acoustic weapons (it seems to be peculiar to canine demihumans).

    Arato, receiving a direct hit, jerked back as if struck by an invisible fist. A momentary delay in reaction. And then¡ª

    Arato collapses forward with a jerk. Her knee, which had been entangled with Kure, makes a dry sound.

    ¡°Gah¡­!?¡± (Arato)

    ¡°Got, one.¡± (Kure)

    Arato¡¯s eyes widened from shock and severe pain, and my figure jumping from above was reflected.

    ¡°Raaaaaaaaaaa!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Damn it!¡± (Arato)

    Arato¡¯s palm punches Kure in the jaw, and her six arms spin around, cleaving both Kure and me together.

    Kure is on top of me as he is blown away again and falls to the ground with a thud. A large amount of blood spills from his mouth.

    ¡°Kure! You were badly injured from the start¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Underneath the cracked and shattered [White Armor], burnt and bloodied flesh peeks out. It¡¯s clearly not from Arato¡¯s slashes.

    ¡°¡­I wanted to stand with you even for a second¡­ this is the price for that¡­¡± (Kure)

    ¡ªAdversity]? He forcefully activated it¡ª

    Power and heat are draining from Kure¡¯s body.

    ¡°¡­This is where I will die, huh¡­ This is something I want¡­¡± (Kure)

    And then Kure¡¯s words, and consciousness, fade away.

    ¡°Hey, Kure! Don¡¯t die!¡± (Shuu)

 CH 81.2

    ¡°Hey, Kure! Don¡¯t die!¡± (Shuu)

    Just as I thought, the arm that was wrapped around my back was unexpectedly strong, and Kure buried his face in my chest and kept sniffing.

    I pull him off forcefully and stand up while creating [Holy Healing]. Giran is alone with Arato.

    It seems that even if she is a demon, she cannot instantly repair a destroyed knee. Her balance is shaky and her sharpness is dulled. She is being pushed by Gillan¡¯s deadly attacks.

    I crouched to join in. Arato¡¯s attention is slightly diverted as she is wary of my [Leaping].

    At that moment¡ªin my eyes, I see the shadow of a warrior maiden standing on the other side.

    Lacking her right arm, she leaps at her, clutching her [War Spear] in her left hand. It is Midori the older Shishikaba.

    ¡°Annaaa!!!¡± (Midori)

    Why is she yelling when she is doing a surprise attack? Just as I thought, the [War Spear] was easily repelled by a swing of a hypha arm. But the next moment, the tip of the spear ripples through the air. A tremendous impact and thunderbolts are scattered.

    ¡°Hyaha! I hit jackpot!¡± (Midori)

    Midori was overjoyed while being blown away. It is that technique, she¡¯s shown that to me once a few days ago. Midori¡¯s [War Spear] was wrapped in [Sticky Thread] by Aoi, a combination technique in which hypha balls such as [Thunderball] were abundantly sprinkled on top of it. Its name is ¡°boba soft serve¡±. By the way, it seems that it is still popular in Akabane. [T/N: Yep, it¡¯s a real sundae with boba.]

    As expected of Arato, she was unable to resist or dodge. She sticks a [Katana] of her mycelial arm into the ground to support one of her legs.

    ¡°¡­Guh¡­¡± (Arato)

    Her hair is charred and blood is dripping from her forehead.

    The body is battered and shaking, is it due to the damage, no¡ª-

    ¡°I to do this on a weak lady¡­ That¡¯s why humans¡­¡± (Arato)

    ¡°It¡¯s not human, but there¡¯s another one.¡± (Shuu)

    A huge shadow covers Arato who turned around.

    ¡ª-A Golem.

    A golem with only the upper half of its body, pieced together from the surrounding rubble, raises its huge tree-like arms.

    I gues it was when Arato was going trigger-happy with [White Bullet]. My [Sensory Spores] caught the fact that the main body of the golem, Rook, was still moving. I blocked Arato¡¯s eyes with [Smokeball] and threw [Holy Healing] at Rook.

    It was a high-stakes gamble. I had hoped that his Mama, whom he had once identified as an enemy, would be his target again, but if it turned against me and my companions, our chance of winning would be completely destroyed.

    But in any case, the odds of winning were slim. So, I gambled on its ¡°absurd actions.¡± The result was¡­.

    ¡°Smash her, use your rebellious hammer.¡± (Shuu)

    The words that spilled out of Arato¡¯s mouth as her eyes widen at the moment the stone hammer was about to strike down did not reach my ears.

    But her lips looked like she murmured, ¡°Wonderful.¡±

    The impact and ground shook as if it were a bomb. The wind pressure blew away Giran, who was closest.

    In the center of the sunken ground, blood slowly oozes from a crushed lump of flesh.

    The golem is still in the posture of a hammer striking the ground and has stopped moving.

    In the meantime, I rushed to Giran¡¯s side, who is crouching down.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Oh, thanks to your stupid bet. If it had backfired, I would have beaten you up, but for now, I¡¯m grateful.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Thanks.¡± (Shuu)

    Taking Giran¡¯s hand and helping him stand. He is still unsteady, so I lend him my shoulder.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go away immediately. I¡¯m not sure how the golem will react to us.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ wait. Is the demon really dead?¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Could you please not raise any strange flags?¡± (Shuu)

    There is no change in the golem. My [Sensory Spores] show that there is no figure inside.

    ¡°She was definitely crushed or something, I feel like we¡¯re done.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Then that¡¯s good. We¡¯ve won. We¡¯ve done well for each other, Abe.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Thanks to the fact that the other side beat our asses all over the place¡­¡± (Shuu)

    If we had challenged her without schemes or having her guard down, We wouldn¡¯t have had a chance of winning. I the end it took everyone to finish her off, and in the end, we even took advantage of the enemy¡¯s carelessness, and with that, we finally grabbed the narrow victory. It¡¯ was pathetic, but it¡¯s the best we could all do.

    ¡°She was probably¡­ a just a juvenile.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Juvenile?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It was a young individual. We could barely handle it. It was probably not even close to the level of the real demons that raged in the war fifty years ago.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Are you serious¡­¡± (Shuu)

    With that ridiculous strength, is that really a young demon?

    ¡°More importantly¡­ In the end, it never showed it. Perhaps she was aware that she couldn¡¯t control the power of her awakened body¡ª¡± (Giran)

    There is a dry crack.

    The golem¡¯s arm cracked and dropped pieces. The cracks instantly spread throughout the body, turning it into a mountain of rubble.

    ¡°¡­¡­eh?¡± (Shuu)

    At the top of the pile, countless threads dance.

    They are different from the familiar white mycelium.

    It was black. Black mycelium.

    They are interlinked, tangled, overlapped, and bundled. They swell up and take shape.

    ¡°¡­an awakened¡­ body¡­¡± (Giran)

    ¡°¡­Haa, I thought I was going to die.¡± (Arato)

    The voice sounds eerie, neither male nor female.

    ¡°Well, if one of me could die at the hands of a golem, I was about to accept it.¡± (Arato)

    That thing must be more than two meters tall.

    Its slimy, dull, shimmering body is gray with black spots. Its abdomen swelled up like a balloon.

    Its supporting limbs are made up of countless intertwined tentacles. On its back are wings that are also bundles of tentacles.

    ¡°But¡­ That was not me. I am not Jirou. I am not Anna, Junhei, or the nameless beast.¡± (Arato)

    A horn resembling a knob grows randomly on its head, and pus-like mucus drips down from the tips.

    The face is reminiscent of a skeleton, with blackened, sunken eyes and nose, and a huge mouth that hangs from side to side like a crescent moon.

    ¡°¡­This hideous figure that is so repulsive is the real me. I am Arato¡­ the demon who will bring chaos and rejoices at the destruction of the world of man. It is I, a demon reborn!¡± (Arato)

    Arato¡¯s month pops open. I can only see an unparalleled darkness and terror in the depths.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure, People of the Thread, and Master Threadweaver. But let¡¯s put an end to the sideshow. This is my true self, and this is the end of you.¡± (Arato)

    On the edge of the battlefield, a girl wakes up.

    ¡°¡­Noa, Noa! Are you okay, squeak!?¡± (Tamiko)

    The girl vaguely looks at the carbuncle tribe beside her, listens to the noises around her, and then rises up with a jerk.

    ¡°You should still be sleeping, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s okay Ta-mi-ko~¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­¡­Noa?¡± (Tamiko)

    The girl¡¯s eyes soften. She caresses Tamiko¡¯s forehead with her index finger and nods.

    ¡°¡­I have to go. Shuu¡ªto protect my-s-p-a-r-k-l-e~¡± (Noa)

 CH 82

    Majin Arato, who has turned into a dark buldging monster, jumps from the top of the rubble. The tentacle arms swung in the air, instantly swelling their mass many times over.

    ¡°Run¨C!¡± (Shuu)

    I quickly used [Leaping], moving back with Giran in my arms. At the same time, the tentacle arm pierces the ground.

    The arm wriggles from the impact. The exploding ground rises up to form ripples that sweep away the area.

    Although I avoided a direct hit, I lost my balance and fall to the ground in the wake of the shockwave.

    ¡°¡­Are you serious¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    Dust is already rising in the air to take the place of the fog that was blown away. The cobblestone pavement around Arato has been obliterated. It¡¯s impossible, it¡¯s like a scene from a shonen manga.

    ¡°Ugh, guh!¡± (Arato)

    Arato¡¯s back wriggles in agony and spills their bodily fluids from his crescent-shaped mouth. The sticky, tar-like liquid spurts out in a cloud of steam.

    ¡°Ugh, gaaaaaaa!¡± (Arato)

    The tentacle arms clawed all over its body. Bodily fluids scatter everywhere.

    ¡°¡­The Awakened Body, it seems far from perfect¡­ It is no different from [Demonic Disease]¡­¡± (Giran)

    Beside me, Giran was trying to get up on his elbows.

    ¡°¡­There is still a chance to win¡­¡± (Giran)

    ¡°No, but that ridiculous power is still there¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Break the [Fungus Stone]¡­ there is no other way to kill them¡­¡± (Giran)

    The Kure was left lying on the ground in a remote location. As for the twins, Aoi and the Xolotl are taking care of the battered Midori in the shadows. Giran, too, from what I can see, has wounds all over his body.

    (A one-on-one battle against that monster?) (Shuu)

    (As expected, it¡¯s a bit of an impossible fight, isn¡¯t it?) (Shuu)

    Nevertheless, there is no other choice. The only way to end this nightmarish situation was for either of us to die.

    Giran rummages in his pocket and pulls out a small mushroom. It is a bright red mushroom about the size of a piece of shimeji mushroom.

    ¡°Red Shiitake¡­ They are nutritious, good for recovering from fatigue, and has the effect of raising the spirit¡­ It¡¯s my final trump card, but you should be the one to eat it.¡± (Giran)

    Red Shiitake¡­ is that safe? I¡¯m especially scared of the ¡°raising the spirit¡± part.

    It feels bad to refuse Giran¡¯s serious expression, so I have no choice but to take it. It tastes strangely sweet once I chew it.

    ¡°By the way¡­ That¡¯s a million yen¡­¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Why are you telling me after I ate it?¡± (Shuu)

    There is no contract of sale. If push comes to shove, I¡¯ll fight it all the way to the supreme court.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry. But¡­ that¡¯s the only way to save everyone.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°¡­¡­I know.¡± (Shuu)

    Is it because he thought of the two people who are now hiding in the shadows? Or is it the effect of the mushrooms?

    The heat in my stomach is burning. The heat is transmitted to the whole body.

    The sluggishness fades away and my strength returns.

    (What the hell is this?)

    I feel elated, like if I don¡¯t restrain it, it will break through my back and grow wings. And yet, my vision is strangely clear it¡¯s frightening.

    I¡¯m ready. I feel like I¡¯ve felt perfect after the mushroom, but I don¡¯t think about that anymore.

    (If I have to do something, I have to do it, right?) (Shuu)

    ¡°Cough, cough¡­ Oh, [Master Threadweaver]¡­ You¡¯re still able¡­¡± (Arato)

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in trouble if I am not.¡± (Shuu)

    We are about five meters away from each other, and I stopped. I pulled out [Katana] in both hands and my hypha arms.

    ¡°This is the second time I¡¯ve been in this form¡­ It¡¯s fun, it feels good¡­ it¡¯s ugly, it¡¯s disgusting¡­¡± (Arato)

    The killing spirit swells enough to be palpable.

    ¡°¡­Oh, I¡¯m hungry¡­ I want to throw up¡­¡± (Arato)

    I widened my eyes to not overlook what was happening and slightly bent my knees.

    ¡°Sporangium¡­ I want it¡­ I want the sporangium of the [Master Threadweaver]¡­ I want it! Aaaaaaa!¡± (Arato)

    The tentacle arms groan with a scream that shakes the air.

    I jumped into Arato¡¯s chest, dodging the wind pressure that alone, seemed to scrape his skin.

    ¡°¡ªI refuse!¡± (Shuu)

    I calmly connect consecutive attacks from one blow after another. Everything hits neatly¡ªbut Arato¡¯s flesh is thicker and harder than I thought.

    ¡°You haaaaack!¡± (Arato)

    A careless swing of the tentacle arm. The tip extends and cleaves the ground. If I had dodged backwards, it would have been the end for me.

    ¡°Ooooh!¡± (Shuu)

    With a yell, a series of strikes that took advantage of the gap between the end of the strike and the end of the attack. The damage of [Light Blade] did not reach the deep enough.

    ¡°I got youuuuu!!!¡± (Arato)

    Arato spreads their tentacles like a net and scratches the ground. I avoided this too, just in time. The arm that was grazed is gouged.

    ¡°Oh daaaaamn!¡± (Shuu)

    After having an Awakened Body, their power and toughness have improved to the point of insanity.

    Their attacks are sharp and heavy, but thoughtless and crude. They leave room to be taken advantage of.

    The difference in size is so great that to strike to their head, I must stop the opponent¡¯s movement.

    A lethal blow passes just a few centimeters to my side.

    The wind pressure and aftermath alone leaves my bones creaking, accumulating pain in the core of my body.

    Cold sweat beads up and evaporates from the side of my body, taking away the heat.

    I cannot take my eyes off this ugly monster¡¯s every move. If I lose focus, it will take everything away in an instant.

    One hit and you¡¯re dead immediately.

    Moreover, this monster has unreasonable specs that I can¡¯t tell if my attack on the monster is effective or not.

    I slashes at it repeatedly, dozens of times. The only response I felt is from my strained clenched fists.

    I feel as if the effects of the Red Shiitake are wearing off.

    My breath becomes harsh, my vision clouds over, and I can no longer ignore the drain on my strength.

    Still, Arato does not collapse. They do not stop.

    They only wriggle slightly, like they are tickled, as they spray a large amount of their bodily fluids all over me.

    (Nevertheless.) (Shuu)

    There is no choice but to move forward. If the distance between us is too great, it will be a one-sided torture.

    The only way to win is to jump in.

    This is the only way to win, the only way to live.

    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaa!¡± (Shuu)

    But¡­

    Boom! The tentacle arm pierces the ground.

    (F*ck!) (Shuu)

    To evade or block the attack. My decision to evade or block the attack is delayed.

    With a wriggling motion, the ground is hit and a rippling shockwave is released. I chose to evade with [Leaping], but the shockwave that pierced my body caused blood and bodily fluids to pour from my mouth and nose.

    While falling from the sky, I noticed something black rising from Arato¡¯s mouth.

    A lump of flesh like an iron ball is released. I twist my body, but my right ear and shoulder are hit, and my right hypha arm is ripped off.

    I gasped in pain and I lose my balance upon landing. For a brief moment, Arato is out of sight. When I look up, I see a gray shadow covering my eyes.

    ¡°¡ªah.¡± (Shuu)

    A closed fist closes in. I can¡¯t dodge it.

    I guard against it using my [Round Shield] but it is ripped off and I am punched in the stomach. The sound of my ribs breaking echoes clearly in my ears. A large amount of blood spurts from my mouth as I was blown backwards. I bounced around on the ground like a stone skipping over water.

    The sound of dragging footsteps and a voice saying, ¡°Geh, geh, geh!¡±

    I am on my back, trying to raise my upper body.

    (Move, move, move¨C)

    My body is rejecting my will. I can¡¯t breathe.

    Impatience and fear rise from the pit of my stomach.

    ¡°¨CIt¡¯s okay.¡± (Noa)

    My head is lifted and placed on something soft.

    Noa¡¯s face, turned the other way, peeks out from above.

    ¡°¡­¡­Noa?¡± (Shuu)

    She responds to my muffled call with a faint smile.

    ¡°¡­ good, you¡¯re safe.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko comes over to me and climbs onto my belly. She looks up at me and Noa alternately, uneasy.

    ¡°Both of you¡­get away¡­that guy¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯m about to say, ¡°is coming,¡± when I notice that Arato has stopped in their tracks. Their eyes wide and filled with emptiness and their crescent-shaped mouth is half open.

    ¡°But¡­ Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    I know. There are probably fewer areas that are no longer safe.

    Still¡ªit was good to see their faces.

    I was able to reaffirm my motivation to stand up, to confront them.

    The only thing left to do now is to make this scared body do what I tell it.

    ¡°Yes, you can stand up, Shuu. You can still do it.¡± (Noa)

    (Shuu? You?) (Shuu)

    Mycelium weaves from Noa¡¯s fingertips. It¡¯s a shimmering ball of silvery white mycelium.

    ¡°Now, show me your most beautiful part¡ªmy hero, my sparkle.¡± (Noa)

    Her thin lips held the hypha ball in her mouth and pressed it against my lips.

    *Gulp*, it went down my throat.

    The pain is gone, as if it never existed. The [Immortality] mycelium that covered my body has also receded.

    ¡°Noa! Noa!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko called out to Noa who was lying down.

    I gently touches her neck. She has a pulse and is breathing. She¡¯s just asleep.

    (¡­what I just saw was¡­) (Shuu)

    Was it real? Was it a dream? It feels that way.

    But what happened to me¡­

    What she said to me earlier¡­.

    ¡°Tamiko, take care of Noa and that o-n-e.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner when you¡¯re done. I¡¯ll cook today.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu you going to mess cooking, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯ll surprise you.¡± (Shuu)

    Arato stood still, stunned. They turned their black eyes behind me.

    ¡°¡­ that child is¡­ that child is also¡­ De¨C¡± (Arato)

    ¡°She¡¯s my friend. That¡¯s it.¡± (Shuu)

    The [Katana] that arises from my palm grows long and heavy.

    ¡°Well, today is full of strange events. I¡¯m exhausted.¡± (Shuu)

    The killing intent that makes my skin crawl leaks out from Arato once again.

    The ¡°Huge [Katana]¡± is on my shoulder and is covered with light.

    ¡°I have my own anger and hatred towards you, but I don¡¯t care about that now. I¡¯m fighting for me, my friends, and everyone else¡¯s survival. I mean, isn¡¯t that what a real hunter does?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯re really funny. I can¡¯t believe you can say that to me. Well, I¡¯m going to eat.¡± (Arato)

    ¡°You are going to eat?¡± (Shuu)

    A moment of silence.

    And then, at the same time, we kicked the ground.

    The cleave bites deep into Arato¡¯s stomach and passes through.

    The returning slash sword crosses with the tentacle arm and is repelled.

    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaa!¡± (Shuu)

    Not only have my injuries and fatigue disappeared.

    I am filled with power. My nerves are sharpened. My body is surging forward as if I was a different person.

    Tentacle arms swinging around. Explosions everywhere. Black cannonballs, hypha needles, poisonous fog, and strong acid breath.

    I dodged them all and attack with the giant [Katana] in both hands. The black bodily fluids that splashed out leap with a dull gleam.

    ¡°Ahahahahaha! So fun! I¡¯m hungry! One bite, just one bite!¡± (Arato)

    Arato, unmindful of their injuries, pounces on me like a raging storm.

    Still, fear does not dominate my brain. The pain of being cut does not stop me from moving.

    I am more physically and mentally fit than when I ate that weird mushroom. It¡¯s not only the effect of the hypha ball, but also the lips of the beautiful girl, that¡¯s what it is. That¡¯s how simple and stupid men are!

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I got that!¡± (Shuu)

    The blade that I raised cuts off both tentacle arms at once.

    ¡°I can¡¯t lose!¡± (Shuu)

    The blade he brought down deeply slashed the torso.

    Arato stumbled to the ground and putting their hands on the ground. A reddish-black light flashes behind their vacant eyes.

    ¡°So what? I¡¯m a demon.¡± (Arato)

    A hypha spear emerges from the ground. In the nick of time, I used [Leaping] upward, but my flank and legs are cut deeply.

    Aiming at the moment I pause at the top, Arato shoots countless hypha needles from their mouth.

    ¡°Woosh!¡± and with a dull sound, it bites from the side¡ªa charged [White bullet] in Arato¡¯s flank.

    ¡°Nice, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    It was Tamiko who released it. I had secretly given it to her when Arato was stunned.

    As I had signaled, I wanted her to aim at the right moment when I used [Leaping]. The trigger is unstable, as she bites it with her [Hardened Front Teeth], but the control is perfect, the training had paid off.

    And there were two more shots left. The charged [White Bullet] that I had created with my hypha arm during our banter.

    ¡°My name is¡ªAbe Shuu.¡± (Shuu)

    I throw out my sword and hit at my hypha arms with [Iron Fist].

    Two [White Bullet] are released. One pierces Arato¡¯s shoulder, and the other pierces their face.

    Arato¡¯s huge body shakes. Arato, who has lost half of their face, still supports themself with their tentacles, refusing to fall.

    On top of it, the sword lands on the ground. The giant [Katana] that I threw out in the air is back in my hand.

    ¡°¡ªIf you hate someone, it should be me.¡± (Shuu)

    As I swung down, I felt my eyes meet theirs.

    The sword smashes the top of Arato¡¯s head in half, and I can feel the crack of something hard with my hands.

    A/N: Noa¡¯s hypha ball, its name and effects are likely to be explained next time.

    Next time, ¡°Ouji Metro Depths¡± is complete.

    T/N: Is that who Shuu thought it was?

 CH 83

    A/N: 11/1 ¨C The scene of Kukulkan hatching and other scenes were added.

    T/N: I am editing my translating style and removing the ¡°-sama, -san, -kun, -chan, etc.¡± and replacing it with more western words. I¡¯ll edit the previous chapters.

    In the fortress of the Xolotl tribe, a bonfire is being built as a ritual. A flame is burning in the center with firewood arranged in a well in front of Tamiko and me.

    They say that when difficulties occur, such as a war, which involves many casualties, they hold a mourning ceremony by burning together some of the victims¡¯ belongings and fur. The faint crackling sound of flames dyes the fur of the solemnly watching Xolotl a bright orange.

    ¡°¡­The lives of our people lost over the past three years have been as heavy and significant to us in our world, the metro.¡± (Nai)

    Chief Nai, who watches the fire next to me, has tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

    ¡°Yet we made it to this day alive¡­ We made it through this ordeal. We were able to overcome this ordeal thanks to the guidance of another ¡®Master Threadweaver¡¯.¡± (Nai)

    Nai turns around and bows deeply.

    ¡°Thank you very much. Lord Abe and Lady Tamiko.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°Everything went well, but it is the result of everyone¡¯s desperate efforts.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We were great, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re getting a big head.¡± (Shuu)

    The body of Arato, the demon after receiving the final blow, melted into a black puddle and vanished without a scream of despair or a lingering curse. Only golden pebbles that had been shattered into small pieces, the ¡°Fungus Stone¡±, remained.

    After that, the wounded were treated mainly by those with [Healer]-sytem Fungal Skills. Immediately after the battle, I ran out of gas again, but Rook¡¯s black sporangium helped me my strength. On top of that, my level had increased by one more level, and I finally reached the 70 mark, which was the cherry on top.

    At any rate, the final battle ended in victory for the Xolotl tribe, with not a single casualty. Another objective, the retrieval of Kukulkan¡¯s egg, was also accomplished. It was a tough egg because it remained safe under the rubble even though it should have been crushed.

    And as for the Kukulkan egg itself¡ªactually, it has already hatched.

    It was not long after we brought the egg here that they hatched. It was a day earlier than Nai had expected, but whether that was just an error, or whether it was because I had startled it with all the slamming around, no one but the snake hatchling could tell.

    At any rate, the moment was a mysterious sight beyond description.

    As if to signal the completion, a black crack appeared in the robust shell that no one had been able to break. With a faint cracking sound, it slowly disintegrated, having completed its task.

    Eventually, a pure white snake peeked out through the cracks.

    The snake¡¯s soft skin glistened wet with its own fluids, its eyes were sleepy, and it seemed to be writhing helplessly. Tamiko had called it a ¡°squeaking cute,¡± but I thought it was god-like.

    I could understand why people in ancient times sought for gods and religions in the white snake. The Xolotls, too, I think the adults were crying. They had fought through many sacrifices for this day.

    As I turned my eyes toward the snake, I saw a snake hatchling curled up in the center of the straw bundle. It has just finished eating all the food laid out in front of it, gulped down a bowl water, and now seems to be sleeping contentedly. The Xolotls will take care of the snake in place of the parent snake until a certain point (when it dies and becomes nourishment for the child), and eventually return it to the 31st floor.

    ¡°Well, what are you going to do now?¡± (Giran)

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we can avoid interacting with the people on the surface. I will have to rely on Mr. Giran for that.¡± (Nai)

    I was very surprised to hear that Giran was talking to Nai in secret. It¡¯s like political and concession negotiations unique to village chiefs.

    The hunters who have learned about the existence of the 31st floor will probably advance to the 32nd and 33rd floors through this village. Nai must have been preparing for this when he asked for help for the Xolotls. It would be a turbulent time for the Xolotl tribe.

    And it takes several years for Kukulkan to grow up and become the guardian deity of the 31st floor. When that happens, will the hunters become their second invaders?

    ¡°We, the Xolotls, the ¡°Thredweavers¡± and Kukulkan will be able to spin a new bond¡­ We, too, must be prepared. We must also educate ourselves in the New Tokyo language while we are at it.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°It¡¯s important to show off your cuteness.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abe! Tamiko!¡± (Xolotl Cubs)

    Xolotl cubs come running. And we were surrounded by them.

    During the mission, I had no chance to talk to the non-combatants, including the children, but now that I have become the hero of the village, the children are more than willing to not leave me alone. Fluffy dogs rush toward us. They come and romp around. I¡¯m ascending heaven in the middle of the day.

    ¡°Hey, hey stop that.¡± (Shuu)

    Yes, this is it. I was looking for this.

    Yes, this is it. This is what I was looking for.

    Harassment from petting is not a crime if they come from the other side. My whole body is drowned by the fluffy stampede, and the innocent hugs, endless barking. In other words, I am happy. I want to live here. Tamiko could only say, ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m being squeaked¡­¡­ so squeak¡­¡­!¡± as she is pounced by the Xolotl cubs.

    ¡°Hey Abe! Let¡¯s go drinking, Mr. Virgin!¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Virgin [Master Threadweaver]! Master Virgin for short!¡± (Aoi)

    The Xolotl cubs run away like scattering spiders. Oh, no.

    The Shishikaba sisters hug me from both sides. One minute a peaceful Fluff Heaven, next I am sandwiched between bouncing sacred mountains ready to suffocate me. I can¡¯t help but think this is my end.

    In their hands is a bottle of whiskey. The Xolotls are not in the habit of drinking. In other words, it is their private stash.

    ¡°Um¡­ Seriously, please keep it a secret.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The urban legend that the [Master Threadweavers] are monsters is true, isn¡¯t it?¡± (Midori)

    ¡°They¡¯re better than us. They¡¯re truly the cheat of the cheats.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Is it okay for an injured person to drink?¡±

    Older sister Midori¡¯s right arm and younger sister Aoi¡¯s left arm are missing starting from the elbow. My [Holy Healing] was unable to regenerate their missing limbs, because too much time had passed, they were in a state where they could not be reattached. Their arms are now tightly wrapped in bandages to keep her wounds from opening.

    ¡°Well, this will keep us out for a while.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°As for the drinks we¡¯ll be having in the Metro.¡± (Aoi)

    The two women lightly waved their lost arms.

    ¡°It is said that it will take time to get [Divine Healing].¡± (Midori)

    ¡°We¡¯re going to take a break from hunting for a while.¡± (Aoi)

    [Divine Healing] is the highest level of the Healer-system, such as [Healing] and [Holy Healing]. It¡¯s a super rare ability limited to the high-rank class of [Healer], [Sage], but only 3 people are known to use it. And all three of them were related to the Metro Church¡ªor rather, they said they were the Founder a [Master Threadweaver] and two high-ranking clergy. In other words, it is practically a Fungal Skill monopoly.

    It is said that it is possible to regenerate missing limbs, but the healing requires an exorbitant amount of money in offerings and admission to the Metro Church. The two women initially suggested giving up on the treatment (mainly for the latter reason) and retiring, but Giran, who is well known to the leaders of the church, offered to take care of the matter. He said that they would be able to avoid joining the church, despite the offerings.

    ¡°I hope the medical bills don¡¯t blow our earnings this time.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Let me add a little extra to your cup, Abe.¡± (Aoi)

    So, I had no choice but to join them for a drink. The amber liquid burns my throat. Tamiko and the little Xolotl look at us blankly as we, the three adults shout in unison.

    Leaving the bonfire ring to visit the man who was most seriously injured this time around almost upto life and death.

    ¡°Oh, Little Shuu. Little Tamiko.¡± (Kure)

    Kure, who has recovered well thanks to [Self-Renewal] and [Holy Healing], is out of his bed and drawing on the ground with the Xolotl cubs.

    ¡°I¡¯m not in perfect physical condition yet, and I want to swallow [holy healing]¡ªno my Little Shuu¡¯s balls.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it that way.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I need a snack. If you want it, feed me first, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Kure quickly presents an acorn. Our superior put it in her cheek pouch and gave a nod with her chin. I reluctantly created [Holy Healing] and smacked it between kure¡¯s eyebrows.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hmm¡­ *lick**lick*¡­¡± (Kure)

    Kure desperately tried to lap the juice dripping from between his eyebrows. As expected, the little Xolotls are also creeped out.

    ¡°Shuu, you were also someone from the world before the collapse, right? Like the other [Master Threadweavers].¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Well, to put it plainly, yes.¡± (Shuu)

    I only gave him a rough explanation about it.

    ¡°The Tokyo dialect in this country is based entirely on the Japanese of Little Shuu¡¯s time. The letter structure is the same, kanji, katakana, and hiragana.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°On the other hand, the Roman alphabet and other ¡®foreign characters¡¯ have also been inherited to some extent. Literacy rates were low until a few decades ago, but in recent years there has been a Renaissance, especially among young people and middle-class workers, because they think to do this ¡¯emo¡¯. It¡¯s almost more of a fashion statement than something practical, though.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Renaissance?¡± (Shuu)

    Of course, some of those who survived as ¡°Threadweavers¡± were foreigners. Giran, too, was blonde-haired and blue-eyed boy before he developed his demi-human characteristics.

    ¡°So¡­ about the golem.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Don¡¯t suddenly change topics.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°As you know, golems have a pattern on the surface near the vital spot. In the guidebook I read, it says, ¡®The less experienced the golem is, the more often it shows up. When a golem gets a chance to be targeted in the vital spot in a battle with a hunter, it learns that the cause of the attack is the pattern it made appear, and it hides it. Makes sense, right?¡± (Kure)

    Knights and Sages couldn¡¯t confirm the vital points due to their complex shapes, but strong individuals such as scorpion golems didn¡¯t have a vital point.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine if I don¡¯t put out such a thing from the beginning?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true. They may have their own reasons for doing so. So here¡¯s the thing¡­ Rook, who showed up twice today, had a vital point pattern on its left chest. I notice.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t notice.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I barely noticed it with the [Telephoto]. There is a theory that the vital point pattern ¡®looks uniform¡¯, but it was never officially determined what it is. It could be blurred, broken, or too small to see! You, can¡¯t see it! But Rook was so big that I could see it rather clearly.¡± (Kure)

    As one would expect from a man of his talents, Kure remembers what things even if he sees it only once. His hand scrapes the ground.

    ¡°It looked like this, but this looks like the Roman alphabet, doesn¡¯t it? I thought Little Shuu would know what it meant.¡± (Kure)

    ¡ªWhen I saw the string of letters, I fell flat on my back. A dry laugh escaped.

    ¡°¡­Are you serious¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Indeed, it is both a letter and a picture.

    To be more precise, it is a corporate logo.

    TAIRA-TECHNICS

    In those days, I saw it almost daily in TV commercials. TAIRA, one of Japan¡¯s leading corporate groups. One of its subsidiaries was also a client of the advertising company where I worked.

    Taira Technics was one of the core companies in charge of development for the group¡¯s products. I remember reading in a Nikkei newspaper that ¡°in recent years, the company has been focusing on the development of drones for work in special environments and on-board AI.¡± As I recall, it was something about ¡°drones for research and exploration of undersea and subterranean resources¡± or something.

    ¡ªAI. Oh yeah.

    The words from that demon Arato came back in my mind. Metro Beast evolved from AI.

    (The golem¡­ is it a product developed by Taira Technics?) (Shuu)

    (It has the habit of roaming the underground¡­ Can store minerals¡­) (Shuu)

    (A drone for exploring subterranean resources¡­ is it an organism that evolved from that?) (Shuu)

    (Due to the influence of ¡°Super Fungi¡±? No, no, it¡¯s impossible, right?) (Shuu)

    When I looked up, Kure, Tamiko, and the Xolotl cubs were looking at my face curiously.

    ¡°¡­Sho what is it? I thought Little Shuu would know something.¡± (Kure)

    I could only smile wryly and shake my head weakly.

    ¡°¡­I found out that¡­ I don¡¯t understand what I found out.¡± (Shuu)

    A/N: The next chapter will be the final chapter of the Ouji Metro Depths Arc.

    T/N: Kure is reliable, strong and smart. He¡¯s also a good-looking beast of a man. He just has a flaw that¡¯s dangerous to our MC (his booty).

 CH 84

    ¡°It looks like everyone has finally fallen asleep.¡± (Shuu)

    In a corner of the fort, I am alone with Giran. In fact, Tamiko is there, too, but she is sleeping and her eyes are fluttering.

    I think it¡¯s a weird thing to have a secret meeting with another man late at night. I use [Sensory Spores] to confirm that Kure is not nearby.

    ¡°The main subject is about what I will report to the guild when we return to the surface. I think you and I will decide on a general direction and share it with others.¡± (Giran)

    The emergence and defeat of the demons. The fact that the appearance and subjugation of the demon is a national crisis cannot be hidden from the governemnt.

    Even I thought that it would be fine as long as they avoid exposing me. Giran is willing to have you bear the brunt, by becoming the hero. I¡¯d rather give up the honor of discovering the 31st floor.

    ¡°But first, you have a lot of questions you want to ask me, don¡¯t you?¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Well¡­ since when did you notice?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°When we met again, there was a hole in the back of your jersey, wasn¡¯t there? I knew at that point that you had [Asura].¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Oh.¡± (Shuu)

    Right after the battle with Knight? It¡¯s too elementary of a mistake.

    ¡°However, you say that you are a [Light Blade] user. It is a combination that is not normal. Well, the same goes for the breed of dog that Lord Oyama knew, the ¡®Chihuahua¡¯, and your own presence is different. I was vaguely convinced that you were similar to a [Master Threadweaver]¡­¡± (Giran)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    Although it was partly an irresistible force, it seems that I had been exposed to a lot of minor things. It¡¯s something to reflect on.

    ¡°¡­I understand your desire to hide it¡­ I¡¯m not going to throw sand on the face of my benefactor.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°You have a persuasive power unique to canines.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I use it from time to time, though I¡¯m a hominin. I promise to keep your secret, as a comrade-in-arms.¡± (Giran)

    I feel a little embarrassed but I don¡¯t feel bad.

    ¡°Ah, erm¡­ about the boss, or maybe the chieftain of Ikebukuro?¡± (Shuu)

    Giran scratches his head in embarrassment.

    ¡°If our chief knew about it¡­ he would probably try to recruit you at any cost. He loves talented people more than three meals a day. But if that were to happen, there would inevitably be a mess, both inside and outside the tribe. I am sure I will be so busy that I won¡¯t have time to pick up any women. I definitely don¡¯t want that.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°So it¡¯s personal.¡± (Shuu)

    Well, whatever your intentions are, I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d keep your silence.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m fine with that. So¡­ I¡¯m going to change the subject. What¡¯s a demon?¡± (Shuu)

    Gillan takes out a small bottle from his pocket. Inside is the finely shattered golden stone, a ¡°Fungus Stone¡±.

    For those of us from a generation poisoned by manga and anime, this is a ¡°what if it comes back!? What do we do?¡± But Giran says there is no problem because the stone is completely dead. He will submit them to the guild as research material.

    ¡°The incarnation of the [Super Fungus], a negative legacy that condemns the misdeeds of mankind. ¡­Various speculations are still being made, but to put it simply, this [Fungus Stone] is the very essence of demons. The [Fungus Stone] is the demon herself.¡± (Giran)

    He shakes the vial. The fact that such a beautiful little pieces of gold is the very essence of that horrifying monster still doesn¡¯t sink in.

    ¡°They parasitize the bodies of other creatures out of nowhere, reading their memories and experiences, and they grow while changing hosts. Eventually, they completely take over their host and become monsters that demonstrate greater power than the host. We call them Demons.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Parasitize¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Oddly enough, I think they are an overlap between golems and zombies.

    ¡°The origin, nature, and purpose of the Demons¡­ are still unknown to us. They are alien creatures¡­ but one thing is clear¡ªmost of them have obvious malicious and harmful intentions toward humanity.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Mostly? You mean there were demons who were not hostile?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ah¡­ I heard that there were demons who took a neutral position during the war. I don¡¯t know much more than that. It¡¯s been more than fifty years since they were recognized as the archenemy of mankind, but the demons are still full of mysteries. The church is the organization that is most enthusiastic about demon research, but my knowledge may be just the tip of the iceberg.¡± (Giran)

    Tamiko can¡¯t join this conversation. Her nose twitching on on my thigh. I guess it can¡¯t be helped because I¡¯m also tired, but it¡¯s an important conversation, so I share it later.

    ¡°The self-proclaimed Demon Arato this time transformed into what is called an Awakened Body, a form that exhibits the true power of a demon, but she was clearly inexperienced in handling it. If she had been on the same level as the demons who were active during the war, we wouldn¡¯t be tending to our injuries right now.¡± (Giran)

    If she were still immature at that level of strength, how strong would a mature demon be? It is hard to imagine.

    ¡°On the other hand, there is a theory, not yet officially accepted, that the manifestation of the awakening of an immature demon is identical to the symptoms of what we call the [Demonic Disease]¡­ There are too few cases and too few witnesses to speculate, but I believe it to be a reasonable theory.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°¡­Demonic Disease¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I remember the morephed appearance of the bandits¡¯ boss. That face, the atmosphere, the black bodily fluids overlap with Arato in many areas.

    The chieftain¡¯s eerie lines overlap with Noa¡¯s words. My hero, my sparkle¡ª

    If the hypothesis that Demons are something that changes the host, and is of the same nature as Demonic Disease, is true¡ª

    ¡°If that¡¯s true, it would mean that patients of the Demonic Disease are a breeding ground for future demons. They could be the worst bomb of all for mankind. ¡­We can¡¯t leave them alone.¡± (Shuu)

    Giran clutches his palms tightly.

    After the battle, I confided in Giran about Noa¡¯s strange condition. I did not tell the others who had fainted, but only Giran.

    I did not even tell them that I had fought a man with Demonic Disease. But Giran now seems to have come to the same conclusion as me.

    ¡°¡­your decision on the origin at that moment. What kind of being it becomes. Will it become a disaster for the Country of Threadweavers and you, or will it change history?¡± (Giran)

    About the silvery-white hypha ball that Noa had created at that time¡­ that something inside Noa had created. Giran guessed that it was a [Spirit Ball] similar in color to the mithril ore we had seen in the hidden warehouse.

    That is a very famous Fungal Skill that brought about a healing effect greater than that of [Holy Healing] and improved various abilities simultaneously. Thus, leading to mankind¡¯s victory in the Demon War. It is said that only one person in the history of mankind, the founder of the church, has used it

    Without it, ¡°that thing¡± I would not have been able to defeat Arato.

    What was their intention? What did they want?

    What is their true nature? What do they intend to do with Noa?

    ¡ªI have to find out. With my own eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can. First of all, we need to gather information from the beginning. The church seems to be a crooked bunch, though, so I can¡¯t be too careful.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Thank you¡­ I suppose, for the sake of the princess.¡± (Giran)

    Gillan¡¯s ears twitch.

    ¡°When Noa was shot by Arato, that¡¯s what you called her, wasn¡¯t it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­maybe you heard me wrong?¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Do you have any personal connection with that girl?¡± (Shuu)

    So I wonder if he¡¯s trying to push it deep down in his chest. About what he might know about her.

    Giran stands up and turns his back, shaking his head slightly.

    ¡°¡­You can hear it from her own lips¡­ It¡¯s uncouth for a man to uncover a woman¡¯s past. And¡­¡­ if possible, I wish to have her keep it in the dark, for her sake.¡± (Giran)

    He waved his hand lightly without looking back. And then the sound of footsteps moving away. When his back is out of sight, his footsteps hurry back.

    ¡°¡­I almost forgot. We didn¡¯t get to the main topic yet.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Right?¡± (Shuu)

    When I go back to the tent to lie down, Noa, who was sleeping next to me, wakes up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I wake you up?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­No, I¡¯ve been asleep for a long time.¡± (Noa)

    After the battle ended, she woke up several times, but she slept most of the time.

    However, she still looks sleepy. Her eyes flutter sleepily.

    ¡°¡­just checking, but do you remember anything?¡± (Shuu)

    The [Spirit Ball]¡ª-directly with her mouth¨Cwoahwoahwoah.

    ¡°¡­Yes. That Demon shot me. By the time I noticed, it is all over. Well, did something else happened? (Noa)

    ¡°No, umm¡­ you didn¡¯t see my awesome heroic form. The time when I kill the Demon using the Red Shiitake?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t¡­ but I wished I could¡¯ve seen it. I wasn¡¯t of any help¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± (Noa)

    Gently I pat Noa¡¯s head. She shakes her head.

    ¡°¡­sparkle?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°No, nothing.¡± (Shuu)

    Are they asleep deep inside her? Or are they pretending not to hear me?

    I must exchange words with them again sooner or later. I will have to find out. Someday¡ª

    ¡°¡­If Noa is well tomorrow, let¡¯s leave this place. So, for now, rest easy and have a good night.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Okay, good night¡­¡± (Noa)

    As soon as Noa closes her eyes, I heard peaceful breathing. Confirming that, I also sat down next to her.

    I let Tamiko, who was in my pocket, lie next to me, and I also lie down.

    ¡°¡­ Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hmm? Did I wake you up?¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko turns over and turns her back to me. Her tail swished.

    ¡°¡­I couldn¡¯t do anything, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You saved me.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The only thing that I could do was to watch, squeak¡­ even though everyone was squeaked¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    I hear her sniffle.

    ¡°¡­I want to be stronger, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    I nodded and gently stroked her back.

    ¡°Me too.¡± (Shuu)

    I lie on my back and close my eyes.

    ¡°I have to become stronger, to the point where I can protect everyone even against demons. So I need to know more about this world So¡­ starting tomorrow let¡¯s work together again. Let¡¯s work hard.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I will. I will follow you, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s how it should be, sir.¡± (Shuu)

    I felt something soft on my cheek. Tamiko is rubbing against my cheek. It¡¯s a little hot and it¡¯s harder to sleep, but that¡¯s okay.

    ¡°Good night, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Good night, Abeshuu.¡± (Tamiko)

    The next morning, after sleeping like the dead with a sense of accomplishment and exhaustion, we were again awakened by the howling of that werewolf, which only annoyed everyone.

    Noa is feeling better now, and it is time to return to the surface.

    The fortress of the Xolotl tribe where we stayed for a week. The Xolotl cubs and I finally get to know each other. I can¡¯t say that I lived a civilized human¡¯s life, but I would be lying if I said I didn¡¯t regret it. I want to hug everyone goodbye for about an hour each.

    Makko¡¯s face with tears in her eyes saying ¡°Longer, Abe!¡± what a cutie!

    But before we leave, there is something to do. It was time to split up the quest rewards. So us seven hunters set out for the treasure warehouse of the Xolotl tribe.

    ¡°Gems! Give us the jewelry!¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Sis, I found an emerald! It¡¯s a massive haul!¡± (Aoi)

    The two sisters, with their eyes bloodshot, claw their way through the warehouse, leaving the stunned chief in their wake.

    ¡°How ugly, so ugly¡­ so this is what heroes look like¡­¡± (Giran)

    ¡°¡±The pervert wolf should suck a snake¡¯s egg!¡±¡± (Midori & Aoi)

    Giran has come here in search of gold ore (he wants to make a ring and send it to a girl, which sounds like a motive he has heard somewhere), and he is looking for something that looks like one.

    Kure doesn¡¯t seem to want anything in particular, so he¡¯s randomly looking for treasure. My group were also promised to receive treasures from the request.

    And then there¡¯s me. Mithril, my goal. At any rate, I got my hands on some Ore Fungus that were randomly lying around. How much can we make from this? Basically, I heard it is processed into an alloy, but it would be nice if I could make various kinds of things with it. Hehehe.

    With Giran¡¯s warning, ¡°Consider the future economic exchange with humans, we should be moderate,¡± we decided to keep to what caught Noa and Tamiko¡¯s eyes. Tamiko is rummaging around for a shiny stone anyway.

    ¡ªAnd Noa is stiff in the corner of the room.

    She starts flipping through her grandfather¡¯s notes while trembling.

    ¡°Noa, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°¡­M-M-Mr. Shu, here, let¡¯s take this¡­¡± (Noa)

    The pupils are dilated and breathing heavily, and Noa presented a beautiful reddish-orange ore. It was a large Ore Fungus the size of a ball, shimmering like the sun. It is heavier than it looks.

    Everyone gathered around to see what it was.

    ¡°We¡¯ve never seen this stone before.¡± (Midori)

    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s worth a lot.¡± (Aoi)

    ¡°Chief Nai, what is this?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s a stone that our old warriors found on the floor much lower than here.¡± (Nai)

    ¡°¡­hihi, hihi¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Calm yourself Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Noa broke, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Looking around at everyone who was shocked (only Giran seemed to notice something and opened his mouth), Noa squeezed out her words with a serious face.

    ¡°¡­I think this is Hihiirokane¡­ it surpasses mithril¡­ it is a great material for making a Parasite Weapon¡­ The strongest metal on the surface¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, Noa has the nose of a squirrel, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

 CH 85

    A/N: 11/1 ¨C Along with the addition of Kukulkan hatching in ¡°Chapter 83: Let¡¯s Be Strong I¡±, the description of Kukulkan in the main story has also been revised.

    Rushed by Giran, who has turned into a demonic instructor (a shoulder-breathing superior who rants and nags), the miners reach the surface in a forced one-day march. Tamiko and Noa go up in the commercial elevator with the miners and other mined goods, and as expected, they vomit.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of damp¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I think my injuries going to get mold, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    The group was greeted on the ground by a light misty rain. The temperature is rather high and the humidity feels like it is clinging to your skin.

    Before I knew it, it was past the middle of June. This is the first rainy season in New Tokyo.

    The deeper one goes into the metro, the more one loses a sense of the seasons. When I was in the Outsuka Metro, there was almost no difference in temperature throughout the year. As a former air conditioner dependent, I am half looking forward to the coming summer and half worried about it.

    ¡°The rainy season and summer are the best time to be a hunter. The number of Metro Beasts increases dramatically, and there are mycelium plants that bloom only during this time of year.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    When Giran reported what had happened at the hunters¡¯ guild, the Ouji Metro was immediately put on lockdown, and the town of Ouji fell into a bit of chaos. Miners and hunters rushed to the guild entrance, and shouts and curses flew about. The guild officials at the end of the chain of command are not informed of the situation, and the town is flooded with unfounded rumors about ¡°the digging up a gold vein¡±, ¡°the appearance of an impossibly powerful golem¡±, ¡°the spread of poison gas¡±, and other such rumors.

    The guild has prepared a hot spring hotel for all of us. In short, it is time to wait until the guild¡¯s investigation is complete.

    We visit the hot springs (drown the underwear thief in the pool), eat hot spring steamed buns (¡°This is squeaking yummy!¡±), sell some of the loot through the guild (other than Mithril and Hihiirokane). Just with a nosebleeding amount came back, exceeding a million yen.

    We have a picnic on Asukayama Hill (return of rice with a reall rice ball), I drank so much with the twins (a valuable fact was revealed, Noa wants to take off her clothes when drunk), and we trained in the nearby forest.

    Or when Tamiko had her first shedding in her life and said, ¡°I¡¯m loosing my hair, squeak! I¡¯m going bald, squeak!¡± and a big fuss ensues. I have heard that indoor pet keeping and the spread of air conditioning have made pets¡¯ hair-growth/shedding period more confusing, but this seems to be the result of her body¡¯s proper reaction to the temperature on the ground.

    She constantly asks Noa to brush her fur, but after a few days, she gets used to the changes in her body and shows off her somewhat slimmer body, saying, ¡°So, do you think I¡¯ve lost a little weight, squeak?¡±

    And so, we enjoy our days of peace and tranquility. It¡¯s as if the hell we¡¯ve been through in the deepest depths is a lie.

    Fortunately, or rather, fortunately. Noa, on the surface, nothing in particular has changed.

    Every once in a while, I try to talk to ¡°Sparkle¡± (my nickname), who seems to be inside her, but there is no response. The usual Noa expression of puzzlement is all I get from her.

    (¡­but¡­) (Shuu)

    It is certain that there is something inside her. Both Tamiko and I are convinced of this.

    And it grows bigger day by day, and eventually it will take over Noa, and, I feel anxious and paranoid like that.

    Will such a day ever really come? I wonder how much time we have left until then.

    (I need to find out more about Demons.) (Shuu)

    In order to talk to the Church, which is the authority of demon research, I visit them without telling Noa.

    There is a veteran preacher in this town. He is that scary man who glared at Noa when we arrived in Ouji. I am a bit reluctant to meet with him, but I can¡¯t it and I ask him to meet with us. However, his disciples and others who seem to be part of the church turn me down. They say that someone he knew died in an accident in the metro, and that he has been depressed for some time.

    (Ah, that¡¯s right.) (Shuu)

    (Arato¡¯s host, the beautiful woman, wasn¡¯t she from here?) (Shuu)

    (And it was me who killed her¡­) (Shuu)

    There is no sign of disquiet among the disciples. At their level, it seems that the lie of accidental death is being passed on as fact.

    The bosses must have been told the truth. The person who ate out of the same pot for so many years was the sworn enemy of mankind, and they failed to see it. I can imagine how painful that must have been for him.

    (Well, if only I have more information than what Giran told me¡­) (Shuu)

    (I guess I¡¯ll have to ask the higher-ups of the church or something.) (Shuu)

    Metro Church leader. One of the three existing Master Threadweavers.

    If I could meet them, I might learn something.

    However, when that happens, I have to be prepared for it.

    The my own secret will be revealed and I will be caught into the mysteries that lies at the heart of this country.

    I feel that I need to be prepared for that.

    Giran seems to be cooperating with the investigation, and although we share the same inn, we hardly ever see each other. He seems to be busy with the negotiations between the Xolotl tribe and the ¡°threadweavers,¡± as he is said to be the mediator for the exchange.

    Two weeks after his return to the ground, finally I received a call from the guild.

    Waiting with Giran in the spacious conference room is a man in his sixties with impressive gray hair and a beard. He has a stout physique and a tall build. He exudes an air of dignity and stature that he is not someone ordinary.

    ¡°It is the first time I met you.¡± (Old Man)

    The man says his name in a stern voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m Tougo Adom, the Commander of the Hunter¡¯s Guild.¡± (Old Man => Tougo)

    The twins gasped in unison.

    ¡°Please seat.¡± (Tougo)

    He offers us to sit across the table. The twins push me to sit right across him.

    (What an aura!) (Shuu)

    I heard that there are about sixty thousand hunters belonging to the guild. That is about half of the population that has a Fungal Class other than [Peasant]. This person is at the top of the sixty thousand individuals.

    His eyes are sharp, and they are filled with a visible, dense vigor. His mustache is covered with steamed bun crumbs, but no one can point them out.

    ¡°*Whisper* (Tamiko.)¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°*Whisper* (Eighty he¡¯s over eighty, squeak.)¡± (Tamiko)

    As I recall, the upper level limit for the High-Rank Fungal Class is supposed to be around eighty, so this person has reached that level. He is also the Commander of the Guild and has strongest hunter in the human race. Even the twins, who are the epitome of unreasonable, are like small fries.

    ¡°No, no, no, I am honored to meet you all, the ¡®Demon Hunters¡¯. It has been twenty years since I assumed the position of Commander, but I have never had the opportunity to receive such an honor. In that sense, you and your colleagues are heroes who have accomplished feats that I could never hope to match.¡± (Tougo)

    ¡°¡®Demon Hunter¡¯?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s a title given to hunters who have subjugated demons or cooperated with killing them. Nonetheless, there is not a single person in active service who bears the title. My predecessor got it at the time of the war fifty years ago. But now he is just an old man sipping tea on the porch. Ha-ha-ha!¡± (Tougo)

    ¡°Commander,¡± said Giran.

    ¡°Even for you, Giran. I can¡¯t believe that the boy who was a snot-nosed wolf just a few years ago has not only defeated the tyrant of Ikebukuro whom even the Tokyo Metropolitan Government was having trouble with, but also defeated a demon. I¡¯m getting old, aren¡¯t I? Ha-ha-ha!¡± (Tougo)

    Giran¡¯s head is being ruffled by his large hand. He looks a little annoyed.

    At the mention of the word ¡°Tyrant of Ikebukuro,¡± Noa next to me twitched, which I did not miss.

    ¡°¡­you¡¯re Shuu Abe, aren¡¯t you?¡± (Tougo)

    ¡°Um, yes¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    His gaze was suddenly focused straight at me, and I flinched slightly.

    ¡°I have heard about you. You are A hero who did everything in his power to slay  the demon alongside Giran.¡± (Tougo)

    ¡°Yes¡­ Thank you.¡± (Shuu)

    Giran is considered to be the most outstanding fighter in the war against the demon, excluding the Xolotl tribe. By my own wishes.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that to be Sugamo¡¯s strongest rookie, who was also rumored to be the strongest rookie at the headquarters. On the one hand, I tried to believe it, but on the other hand, it was too good to be true even for some heroic epic. I hate to say it, but it seems that despite your flashy career, the rumor of your unimpressive appearance is true.¡± (Tougo)

    Who is the source of rumors? Kaike or Aomoto?

    ¡°There were a few skeptics at headquarters about your background and abilities as reported by the branch¡­ but I knew the moment I saw you at first glance that you were the real deal. I¡¯ve lived this long, and I have a certain amount of confidence in my ability to measure people.¡± (Tougo)

    ¡°Yes I trained him well, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Why we are not some big fish, you know?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hahahaha. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a reliable duo. Abe and Tamiko, I hope you will continue to do your best for New Tokyo and the guild.¡± (Tougo)

    ¡°Commander, let¡¯s get down to business,¡± said Giran.

    ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯m sorry to call you, but I also have something next on my schedule. I have two things to tell you: the matter of defeating the demons, which I have already told you about, and the matter of the Xolotl tribe. Let me tell you about the latter first.¡± (Tougo)

    With a cough, Tougo cleared his throat once.

    ¡°The city government¡¯s delegation and the Xolotl tribe are expected to sign a friendship agreement with Chief Nai as the representative of the interests of the two groups in the near future. They will come under the protection of the Metropolitan Government and the Hunters¡¯ Guild and will be provided with life skills and education. We will ask for their cooperation in mining resources from the 32nd floor onward. Of course, we will also work to protect their various rights.¡± (Tougo)

    For the hunters, mithril and other rare mineral resources may be their top priority, but if they can establish friendly relations with the Xolotls, it may not be a bad deal for them either.

    ¡°Some volunteers want to station themselves in their villages, and they are willing to do so. I actually went there too, but how can I say¡­ During the mission, there were many people who have been drawn to their adorableness. Well, well, I am too¡­ Those innocent eyes, the abundant fluff, the sly ¡®woof¡¯ at the end of the sentence¡­ Damn it, Mr. Oyama¡­¡± (Tougo)

    Tougo bites his lip hatefully. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said inwardly. In the end, mankind is no match for the fluff.

    ¡°The reason why we were able to have such friendly negotiations on our first contact is largely due to your contributions. On behalf of the Hunters¡¯ Guild, I would like to express our gratitude. Thank you, you are heroes to their tribe.¡± (Tougo)

    ¡°What I am worried about¡ªKukulkan, Commander.¡± (Giran)

    ¡°Yes, I have seen it with my own eyes. It was a beautiful snake. Though it is already taller than me by a good margin.¡± (Tougo)

    Before our group left there, it was at most one meter long. In the short time since, it seems to have grown more than twice as long.

    ¡°The Xolotls are still feeding it, but¡­ reptiles don¡¯t imprint, so it won¡¯t recognize them completely. I¡¯m going to let the guild¡¯s [Illusionists] use [Training], but I¡¯m not sure it will work. The first thing we need to do is to make sure that its territory is as far away as possible from the route connecting the 30th and 32nd floors when it is released on the 31st floor¡­¡± (Tougo)

    Tougo stammers and shrugs his shoulders.

    ¡°Well, as a hunter, it would be the least risky to subjugate it now, but of course, the Xolotl tribe doesn¡¯t want that. A day may come when we will be forced to make a difficult choice.¡± (Tougo)

    As for the Xolotls, Kukulkan is an object of worship in a sense. If their people are harmed, they will accept it as fate. However, the hunter is not so lucky. If the beast is expected to cause human damage, it is necessary to plan a countermeasure with extermination in mind.

    Man and Metro Beasts. How far can we live together? As a matter of hope, I can only hope that the future will be as peaceful as possible.

    ¡°There are many issues that need to be addressed, but we are still seeking to build a friendly relationship with the Xolotl tribe. You should visit them from time to time. They will be happy to see you.¡± (Tougo)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Shuu)

    I am still lacking in fluff.

    ¡°Then, one more thing. Regarding the subjugation of the demon¡­¡± (Tougo)

    Tougo paused there and sipped his tea.

    ¡°As you all know, demons are a calamity that threatens the peace of New Tokyo, and it is the Hunter¡¯s Guild¡¯s earnest wish to kill them. I personally think that we should honor and consider awarding honors and rewards¡­¡± (Tougo)

    Us, heroes have our ears twitch with the word ¡°rewards¡±.

    ¡°The top management of the guild, the metropolitan government, and the Metro Church is split in half over whether the worst news of the return of the demons is really to be announced to the world as it is¡­ It is no wonder that the nature of the demons, who disguised themselves as people and lurked in the world during the war fifty years ago, caused suspicion and discord among the people.¡± (Tougo)

    Both Tougo and Giran are making difficult faces. What they have just said may differ from their views.

    The fact that the demons were defeated is an opportunity to showcase the strength of New Tokyo and the success of the hunters, and it also serves as a wake-up call to society about a potential crisis.

    On the other hand, publicizing the fact may cause confusion in society, and if there are other demons hiding out in the city, it may also provoke them.

    It may sound bad to say that it is a cover-up, but it is a difficult decision to make when considering the continuation of social stability and order.

    ¡°So¡­ I am sorry to say that the current information control will continue for some time to come. I ask that you keep your mouths shut. Of course, the Guild Headquarters will not forget its debt of gratitude for your contributions. We promise to repay you in some way in the future.¡± (Tougo)

    The heroes nodded, their eyes filled with £¤.

    ¡°Fifty years later, the Demons reappeared¡­ I hope that this will not be the catalyst for a turbulent world. The fact that there are people like you is really reassuring for an old man like me who is on the verge of retirement. Please keep up the good work.¡± (Tougo)

    We chatted for a while and then decided it was time to go.

    ¡°¡ªAbe.¡± (Tougo)

    When I was about to leave the room, I was stopped by Tougo.

    With a startled expression, I approach him as he beckons me, and the man with a shaggy white beard walks right up to me.

    ¡°I have good news for you.¡± (Tougo)

    ¡°Good news?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yeah. It is about the Hihiirokane you got.¡± (Tougo)

    That perverted wolf, he¡¯s the one who tipped us off.

    ¡°I heard that you want to make weapons with it, but there is only one craftsman in all of New Tokyo who can handle it. He is the same master craftsman who made the sword for the Governor of New Tokyo. Do you have any way to cross swords with him? I don¡¯t mean to be presumptuous, but¡ª¡± (Tougo)

    I take back my previous comment. Good job Mr. Wolf.

    A/N: ¡°Rikugi Metro ¨C The Omen¡± Arc, here we go.

 CH 86

    ¡°So, thanks for taking care of us!¡± (Midori)

    ¡°When you visit Akabane, be sure to visit Shishikaba Jewelers!¡± (Aoi)

    Like that, the Shishikaba Sisters left in a very brusque manner. They were manly sisters from beginning to end.

    ¡°¡­ Well, I think it¡¯s time for me to go, too.¡± (Kure)

    Cure carries his rucksack on his shoulder. She seems to have decided to temporarily return to the Senju Tribe.

    I was a little worried that Sugamo wouldn¡¯t be able to follow him, but he said that the upper echelons of his and the guild branch had ordered him to return. It seems that they are asking for a report from the person concerned about the missing period of their tribe¡¯s founding father.

    ¡°We are conservative when it comes to outside politics and interests, but not when it comes to Lord Oyama. They all have a father complex. They have portraits and replicas of hanging scrolls hanging in their houses, and they worship him every day. Sooner or later, this place will be filled with Senju people making pilgrimages to the sacred land.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for everything you¡¯ve done for me. I am really grateful to you for taking my request. You should live a good life back in Senju.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to stay long after I¡¯m done with my report. I¡¯ll be back with you soon.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°So long, Kure. I may never see you again, but I won¡¯t forget you until I forget you.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Little and your companions have a house in Sugamo, right? Can you tell me your address?¡± (Kure)

    After the parting greetings that didn¡¯t quite mesh, I forced myself to send Kure on his way.

    ¡°Well,¡± I said,

    ¡°I guess we should go home too. To our beloved home.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Noa?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What is it?¡±  (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just want something¡­¡± (Noa)

    I¡¯ve been crammed with lots of things lately, so I¡¯m not sure how much more I can take.

    Sugamo is the first town I visited after leaving Outsuka Metro.

    I stayed in Sugamo for less than a month and lived in a rented house for about two weeks.

    I didn¡¯t realize how much I had come to know about the city. The modern cityscape surrounded by city walls, the lively faces of the townspeople, and even the smells were nostalgic. I don¡¯t want anyone to know that I almost cried the moment I opened the door to my home.

    So I spent a few days leisurely.

    I get a lot of new mushroom bread from my landlord¡¯s bakery, wholesale some of Ouji¡¯s loot to Konno, and research the history of New Tokyo and the Demons at the library.

    I wanted to wholesale the rest of the loot to Obuchi, but they had already vacated the inn and gone to another town. I was a little disappointed because I wanted them to introduce me to a craftsman who could handle mithril and I also wanted to see Yui again.

    Since I was not going to carry around my valuables, I went to the underground vault of the Sugamo branch office to deposit my valuables, including the mithril. It is said to be safer than a bank in terms of reliability and security. But even if a safe-cracker were to appear, no one would know the value of Hihiirokane.

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Abe.¡± (Aomoto)

    When I returned to the first floor, I ran into Aomoto. She is still as sharp and beautiful as ever, but she has lost some weight and her voice has lost some of her lift. She looks like an office worker who has been working overtime.

    ¡°¡­is Tamiko with you today?¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s with Noa¡­ They went window shopping.¡± (Shuu)

    With such a blatantly disappointed face, I¡¯m not sure how I feel about that.

    At any rate, without even saying hello, I was taken to the eating and drinking area and treated to a cup of coffee. Mushroom coffee from Nelrma.

    ¡°I heard about Ouji. It seems that you were quite active.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Huh, what?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You found a hidden floor with the Silver Wolf of Ikebukuro and met with an unknown tribe of Magical Beasts, I hear.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± (Shuu)

    The demon case has not come this far down, as I thought.

    ¡°Seriously¡­ a man like you doesn¡¯t like to be measured by any ordinary standard. I can¡¯t help but feel that I, who was hailed as a ¡®Sugamo¡¯s Child Prodigy¡¯ when I was young, am a very insignificant person.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯m indebted to Mr. Giran. I also owe it all to Tamiko and Noa.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯re already one of the top two, maybe even the top, in Sugamo in terms of ability. It¡¯s been more than two decades since the establishment of the branch¡­ and the time may finally come when a single-digit ranker will be born from Sugamo.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Single digit ranker?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s the Hunter Ranking.¡± (Aomoto)

    The waiter brings a sandwich and offers me one. It is corned beef, cucumber, and lettuce on buttered toast. The salty taste of the corned beef and the crunchy texture of the vegetables are good. A yum-filled squeal is inevitable.

    ¡°The hunter ranking is an annual ranking system that takes into account the number of rewards earned from quests, the rate at which Metro Beasts are killed, the profit from the sale of Metro dives, and other factors, and establishes a pecking order based on the level of activity.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Of course.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The first dan and above will automatically participate in the hunter ranking system. You reached first dan, but because of this incident, a letter of recommendation for promotion to first dan was issued to you by Ouji, correct?¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Um, yes.¡± (Shuu)

    The official notification has not yet been given, but with the help of Tougo, all seven members of the team to defeat the demon are to be promoted to the next level. The top ranks will be given to the deserving names. In particular, Giran is now 4th dan, the highest rank in active service.

    ¡°The top rankers will not only receive the prestige they deserve but also a variety of other privileges. Ask Kaike or one of the other staff members for more details, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find out what you need to know.¡± (aomoto)

    ¡°Is Mr. Shimoyanagi at the top of the Sugamo rankers?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ah, I think his highest rank was 19th. However, my uncle S¡ªShimoyanagi doesn¡¯t care about such things, so if he¡¯s serious, I think he might have had a chance to enter the top 10. By the way, my highest rank is 312th. The number of first dan and above seems to be around 3,000, so I guess I did well even with this.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Looks tough¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If I remember correctly, even Mr. Giran¡¯s highest rank would have been third or fourth. But you will surpass even that someday, I believe so.¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Your words are wasted on me¡­¡± (Shuu)

    From what I¡¯ve heard, it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s enough to subjugate Metro Beasts with your brute force. The world is still far away for me, who lacks knowledge and experience.

    ¡°Fufu. Well, I have high expectations for you. Your comrades and I, here at Sugamo have high expectations for you. I forgot to mention one thing: welcome back, Mr. Abe.¡± (Aomoto)

    I then notice that all eyes are on me. When our eyes met, they raised their coffee cup and bowed.

    Somehow, I feel a little bit of excitement in my heart, which makes me nod vaguely.

    ¡°¡­Yes, thank you. I¡¯m back.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°So, by the way, well¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°Ehem¡±, Aomoto cleared her throat and began to tear the bread into balls.

    ¡°¡­the magic beasts that you guys interacted with¡­ it the Xolotl tribe, right? What were they like?¡± (Aomoto)

    I instantly understood and inwardly chuckled in my heart.

    ¡°Well¡­ they are basically a small dog, about this tall.¡± (Shuu)

    I gestured about 50 centimeters apart with my hands.

    ¡°They have short limbs and a fluffy tail.¡± (Shuu)

    I draw their silhouette with my index finger and thumb.

    ¡°Their eyes are round, they have twitchy noses, and their fur is very fluffy.¡± (Shuu)

    The coffee cup in Aomoto¡¯s hand shook.

    ¡°They are a bit cautious, but once they get used to you, they are very friendly, and when I hold them in my arms, I can¡¯t help myself.¡± (Shuu)

    Crack! The handle shatters and the cup rolls onto the table. The dark brown liquid spreads out.

    ¡°Um, hey¨C¡± (Shuu)

    I tried to wipe the coffee with my handkerchief in a panic, but a half-smiling Aomoto began to scrub it with her sleeve.

    ¡°¡­Oh, forgive me, fufu, fufu¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    Her eyes glow menacingly. A chill runs down my spine.

    ¡°I have already paid for it, but please pay for the cup with this.¡± (Aomoto)

    The wiped the blood on her nose with the bill she took out and added a few more, saying, ¡°Oops, I made a mistake.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, I remember I have an urgent business¡­ Please take your time¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    Aomoto¡¯s back shook as she leaves upstairs, and I quickly clean up her mess and quickly exits the room.

    That evening, Kaike arrives at my house. She asked me if I could accompany her, and I tried to ignore her, but I was forced out of the house by several staff members. I tried to play it cool and told them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a misunderstanding. I¡¯ll be home soon,¡± I tell Tamiko and Noa.

    According to Kaike, there was an incident in which Aomoto, in tears, pleaded to go to Ouji, and was seized by the staff because she was in the middle of work until the end of the next month. She said Aomoto is still sobbing and immersed in paperwork.

    ¡°It¡¯s because Mr. Abe sent something strange into her head, isn¡¯t it?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°May I have a lawyer represent me?¡± (Shuu)

    I lament that even though interrogations have begun and the world has become like this, the value system that focuses on confessions has not changed. But alas, I am not falsely accused and I was a criminal, so I spew everything after a few minutes. Yes, I did it.

    After the hour long lecture, I was made to promise to actively accept requests. . When I returned home, I was disappointed, but my friends, to whom I had entrusted my life, were unsympathetic, saying, ¡°What a cheater, squeak¡± and Noa said, ¡°Just like what Sis said. He wanted to brag about the fluff.¡± I was left wallowing in despair.

 CH 87

    From ¡°the hottest rising star in Sugamo¡± to ¡°the rebel who made our beloved clumsy leader cry,¡± I am increasing my own brand here. Just when I was thinking it would be better not to show up at the guild for a while, a staff member comes to my house again.

    ¡°This is a letter from headquarters to Mr. Shuu Abe.¡± (Guild Staff)

    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡± (Shuu)

    I received the letter with a red wax seal with the guild¡¯s logo on it. I thought it might be about my promotion to first dan, but the signature on the letterhead was that of General Tougo. I was a little surprised.

    ¡°Eh¡­ are you serious¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    It was written in a rather casual tone of voice, but it was disappointing to me at the moment.

    ¡°What happened?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Ah¡­ About the craftsman who can handle Hihiirokane¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The master of the blacksmith said that he was willing to take on the project because it would be a valuable experience for both himself and his apprentices, as it is a rare material that is rarely available.

    Unfortunately, however, his schedule is packed for the next three months and he is not available. That¡¯s not a bad thing. He is said to be one of the best craftsmen in the country, so he must have an endless supply of requests.

    There¡¯s another part of the problem¡ªthe price.

    ¡°From the smelting to processing of Hihiirokane, it takes a lot of manpower and money, so they need to pay up to twenty million yen out of my own pocket¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Twenty million?¡­ Two, ten, millions¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°How many acorns is that, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to calculate in acorns, but I think you can have a pretty nice house in Sugamo with that money.¡± (Noa)

    The price is based on the guild¡¯s negotiation and a favorable discount from the craftsman¡¯s side, so it would probably cost twice as much as it would if I asked for it normally.

    (I wish the guild would pay for everything¡­) (Shuu)

    However, I can¡¯t say that out loud. I¡¯ve been given a lot of favors so far, and my motive is purely personal taste in the first place. It is the nature of a serious ex-office worker who cannot say that taxes are being paid for personal greed. Well, now, of course, I¡¯m hoping that it¡¯s not just a trinket, but also practical.

    ¡°Perhaps¡­ For a hunter of my level, do you think it¡¯s only natural that they have the financial ability to pay that much?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, I think there are only about a hundred people in this country who are over level 70.¡± (Noa)

    I would like to say that they should not a fooled since I was an amateur ancient man until two months ago.

    ¡°I think you are well-off even now. Including the sale of Ouji¡¯s loot, I think you have more than three million yen in savings.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I want an allowance, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Your Mom gave you 1,000 yen yesterday, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of funny, it¡¯s all gone, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re going to get fat again.¡± (Shuu)

    If I sell the mithril, I would have enough money to pay the fee, but that would be a complete waste of money. I¡¯ve heard that mithril can be processed into fibers and made into high-quality lightweight armor, so I¡¯d like them to make armor for Noa and Tamiko.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve found a way to craft the weapon, so I wonder if it¡¯s okay to slowly raise money. If I¡¯m serious about doing quests and diving in the Metro, I¡¯ll probably save enough money.¡± (Shuu)

    Suddenly, I remembered that thing. I went past Noa and into the bedroom and opened the door to the closet¡¯s underfloor storage.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± (Shuu)

    It smells like mold. It was not due to the powerful ¡°Super Fungus¡± or anything like that, but simply the stench of neglected socks during the rainy season. I gingerly lifted it and peeked in with trepidation, but I was glad to see that the contents were safe.

    It was the wolfskin bag I had been using until I left Outsuka Metro. When I brought it into the living room, Tamiko and Noa looked blatantly disgusted.

    ¡°Moldy, squeak! Get rid of it quickly, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s a memento. It¡¯s outrageous to throw it away!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I told you before, I¡¯m not in charge of this kind of junk.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Hmm, well, it might be fine to dispose of the bag.¡± (Shuu)

    I place the contents inside on the table. A pure white carrot with a missing tip¨Cwell, it¡¯s actually a long, thin carrot-shaped horn. Old Man Uni¡¯s horn, also known as the Tsundere Unicorn, is a chipped-horn unicorn, with who we formed a friendship on the Outsuka Metro.

    ¡°Old Man Uni¡¯s horn, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s a real unicorn horn¡­ amazing¡­¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I hid it to protect it from burglars, but I forgot to leave it in the safe.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Old Man Uni, how is doing, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s doing well and has a new horn.¡± (Shuu)

    While clearing my throat.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s a valuable item before, and I was wondering how much it would be worth if I sold it. I don¡¯t intend to give it away, though, you know? It¡¯s a token of our friendship, right? Just checking, you know?¡± (Shuu)

    I glanced at Professor Noa.

    ¡°Basically, it¡¯s an ingredient for medicine. I¡¯ve only heard about it in passing, but it¡¯s supposed to be a cure for [Mycelial Failure]. That¡¯s all my great-grandfather wrote in his notes.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Mycelial Faliure?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°In short, the mycelium in the body doesn¡¯t work properly and various symptoms occur. In the past, there were a lot of cases like that, but nowadays you don¡¯t hear much about it.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I know that squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Liar.¡± (Shuu)

    Putting aside the ¡°know-it-all squirrel,¡± the disease seems to have something to do with resistance and compatibility with ¡®Super Fungi¡¯. It makes sense, then, that the number of patients would decrease over time. The fact that the human body is infested with the strange mycelium is still a mystery.

    ¡°The story is that unicorns were often hunted in the past, and now they are rarely seen.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°They¡¯re like an endangered species, huh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But they are very strong horses, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It would have taken a population that strong to survive.¡± (Noa)

    The fact that it was an unpopular metro with low yields may have been a blessing. But with that said, there is a possibility that because of me coming out and defeating the Satan Slime in Otsuka, perhaps hunters or guild members will investigate. I haven¡¯t heard any further news since then, but I can only hope that the humans won¡¯t find him out.

    Well, they are cautious beasts to begin with, and it is probably only because they have been accustomed to us since we were little more than insects that we have been able to communicate with each other, and I would like to think that they would not be easily captured because they could even erase the sound of their footsteps.

    ¡°Anyway, I think unicorn horns still fetch a pretty high price. I don¡¯t care how much use they are, they are rarely on the market.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    A chipped corner at the tip. Old, dirty, and heavier than it looks. We stare at it in my hand. Stare.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a memento, right?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You won¡¯t sell it, right? ¡­¡­Why are  you not replying?¡± (Noa)

    I¡¯m just checking. I just want to make sure how much it¡¯s going to cost.

    It would be nice to have Obuchi around at times like this, but unfortunately he hasn¡¯t come back yet.

    The guild¡¯s loot counter will also give me an appraisal, but then they¡¯d have to ask, ¡°Where did you get it?¡± Combined with the fake past history of Tamiko and Mine, it would be confirmed that I lived in Outsuka Metro. It is a going to create difficult questions.

    Then, is there Konno? Since they do a wide range of business, let¡¯s ask them. I should ask him without looking like a person who has it.

    ¡°Ah, a unicorn¡¯s horn. Well, it¡¯s a long-cherished desire for a Sugamo hunter.¡± (Konno)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Konno)

    ¡°Why do all the Sugamo hunters want it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t know the story about the mayor?¡± (Konno)

    Konnno was saying something like, ¡°You¡¯re a fisherman, why are you asking me how to catch fish?¡±

    After a quick explanation, I ran to the guild with the wind knocked out of him. As if he were running to my fallen friends.

    ¡°Wow! Mr. Abe, You surprised me!¡± (Kaike)

    As I passed through the entrance, I happened to run into Kaike. He was breathing hard, so she had a look of suspicion.

    ¡°Well, you came here for a quest, didn¡¯t you? There are a lot of dangerous ones out there for Mr. Abe, you know?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Um¡­ they¡¯re all posted on the bulletin board by the stairs over there?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, there is another one next to the counter over there. There you can find advanced and difficult quests.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    If you look at it, it certainly looks like it¡¯s going to be very difficult. I see. There are quests for defeating a certain metro boss, searching for treasure in a hidden place, and clinical trials for a new drug.

    At the top of the page, there is a quest written on a relatively new piece of paper. The client is¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s a request that the mayor has issued.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°¡­This is¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We regularly post them with higher rewards, but it¡¯s hard to find takers for the content. It can¡¯t be helped ¨C unicorn horns are very hard to come by these days.¡± (Kaike)

    Request: Procurement of horns, Metro Beast Unicorn.

    Due date: As soon as possible.

    ¡°It¡¯s a famous story in Sugamo. The mayor¡¯s daughter was born with a serious illness and needs a unicorn horn to cure it, so we¡¯ve been sending out quests for it for the past few years.¡± (Kaike)

    I stared at the reward amount written in the middle.

    ¡°¡­30 million yen¡­¡± (SHuu)

    ¡°Mr. Abe, your nose is bleeding.¡± (Kaike)

    A/N: Doctor Mario is a very good time thief.

 CH 88

    That evening, we had a small meeting before dinner.

    On the agenda was whether or not Old Man Uni¡¯s horns should be used for the mayor¡¯s quest.

    ¡°What do you want to do Mr. Shuu and Ms. Tamiko?¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko and I looked at each other and both shaking our heads.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I can¡¯t bear to let it go, but if it means that one girl suffering from an incurable disease can be saved¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, you¡¯re just in need of money, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko, what do you want?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I know the memories are in my heart, sqeuak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I like that side of yours.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What! Who is your wife? Not me, squeak! (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s slap me on the wrist.

    Well, Old Man Uni wouldn¡¯t blame us if we used it to help people. And the other party is an innocent girl under ten years old.

    ¡°But¡­ The only question is how to explain how I got it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If you answer honestly, Outsuka will experience a unicorn hunting tour.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Right.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But I feel like it can¡¯t be helped. Hunters and Metro Beasts originally have that kind of relationship.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°But we¡¯re friends. It¡¯s nothing to do with them being a Metro Beast. If possible, I¡¯d like him to live in peace.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s what I expected. From both of you.¡± (Noa)

    Although he did not do anything specific for us, his presence was a comfort and encouragement for the lonely Tamiko and I, who could feel the warmth of a living creature. Even when we parted, we felt a small bond with him.

    I would never do anything to put him in a difficult situation because I was blinded by greed.

    ¡°If this would save a sick girl, that would be fine. But I don¡¯t want to cause any trouble for Old Man Uni. So, I¡¯d like to see if there¡¯s some way we can make it work. ¡­Noa, what do you think?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you play with my tail later, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko and I looked at each other while putting our hands together. Noa takes a deep sigh and nudges Tamiko¡¯s tail. ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯m going to regret this later¡­!¡±

    The next day. It was not raining, but it was a slightly overcast.

    Kaike is at the sales counter as usual. ¡°Mr. Abe, good morning,¡± she responded along a professional sales smile to the suspicious person who ran away after talking and having a nosebleed yesterday.

    ¡°What!? Really!?¡± (Kaike)

    Even Kaike was taken aback when I told her in a whispher. She immediately withdraws to the back of the room, consults with her superior as usual, and takes the complainants upstairs to the interview room. ¡°Please wait here for a while,¡± she says then serving and tea and rice crackers.

    Tamiko bites into the rice cracker with a noise like a construction site. Noa drinks her tea quietly. I was there looking sleepy.

    I was not sure how long it has been, but I felt alert when I heard the door open behind us. Entering the door is Kaike, and a handsome man in his mid-thirties whom I have never met before. He is tall and slender, with black hair that is gently naturally permed, and wears a white work shirt and black-rimmed glasses. He doesn¡¯t look like a hunter.

    ¡°My name is Eiki Nomaguchi. I am the attending physician for the daughter of the Mayor of Sugamo.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    The man sitting across from me also has a soft demeanor. He seems kind. Come to think of it, the person who was in charge of my operation when I was in the hospital a long time ago was also like him.

    ¡°They told me that you had brought a unicorn horn, so I came here in a hurry.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    I was sweating profusely on my forehead and forcing myself to not breathe hard. I choked a few times because of that.

    ¡°So, um, let me see it¡­¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°Um, here.¡± (Shuu)

    I put it on the table. Nomaguchi and Kaike gasp.

    ¡°Is it okay if I touch it¡­?¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°Sure.¡± (Shuu)

    Nomaguchi holds it in his hands with trepidation. He looks at it from various angles, peers at it with a loupe, and smells it. The wet wolf smell is still there, and as expected, he frowns a little.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been saying that since the interview, and with Ouji and this case¡­ Mr. Abe you are really outrageous, you know?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Is that a compliment?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Of course.¡± (Kaike)

    Phew, Nomaguchi returned the horn to the table and rubbed the inner corners of his eyes with his fingers. His hands are shaking.

    ¡°This is the second time I¡¯ve seen the real thing¡­ and it looks a lot like the real thing. I can¡¯t believe it¡­ it¡¯s impossible¡­ to be real¡­¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s real.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, if you are offended. I¡¯m sorry, I hope you don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ve been presented with many items that look like the real thing¡­ After all, they are very rare.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°I see (calm down).¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Where did you get this¡­?¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°Umm¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°It was a memento of my father¡¯s. I didn¡¯t ask him where in the metro he got it. I¡¯ve always had it with me.¡± (Shuu)

    The story of a father and son (Noa¡¯s idea) is not easy to go into in detail.

    Nomaguchi¡¯s face became thoughtful.

    ¡°I heard that Mr. Abe¡¯s father was a very good hunter. Mr. Abe himself has not been a hunter for some reason, but he is a master at his level and experience.¡± (Kaike)

    To be honest, I did not expect Kaike to be present at this meeting. Should I have called someone else from the beginning?

    [Mind¡¯s Eye] ¨C Kaike, who is the bearer of a rare Fungal Ability that recognizes people¡¯s emotions with a colored vision (supposedly). I wonder if she sees through the lies about the origin of this and only the intention is genuine, and if she is willing to match the story.

    ¡°¡­May I collect just a few fragments to verify its authenticity?¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°Sure, but just a little?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If you would allow me to cut away a little bit of this broken part and collect a few fragments.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°And you can tell if it is genuine?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to try it on a rat with [Mycelial Failure], just like the mayor¡¯s daughter.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°[Mycelial Failure]?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes. Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I haven¡¯t explained it yet.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    Nomaguchi pushed his glasses up.

    ¡°It¡¯s a disease that the mayor¡¯s daughter suffers from. It is a congenital disease that occurs only at an early age and causes the hardening of all the muscles in the body. The mycelium that surrounds the entire body stiffens, inhibiting the movement of muscles and internal organs, and eventually leads to death.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°Woah¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It is a type of the [Mycelial Failure] disease, the specific cause of which is still unknown. The disease is particularly susceptible to serious illnesses, and normal treatments can only do so much to halt the progression of symptoms. The only way to cure the disease is to administer a cure made from a Unicorn¡¯s horn.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°Is there a lot of children with that disease?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We don¡¯t know the exact number, but it is said to be in the tens to hundreds of thousands. There are currently only two patients here in Sugamo City. The young lady was four years old when she contracted the disease. For the past four years, she has not been able to leave the mansion, and has spent her days just trying to stave off the disease that has been slowly progressing.¡±

    Nomaguchi¡¯s somber gaze hid behind his glasses.

    ¡°She clung to the hope that in a distant tomorrow, she would be able to get the medicine, but she endured a slow despair that was like a tightening of a cotton wool rope. How terrifying that must be for her as a young girl. Adults can only hold her hand, encourage her, comfort her, and be a receptacle for her sometimes raging heart.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    The words cut off there, and the room falls silent. Tamiko and Noa are both looking sorry.

    Nomaguchi made a deep sigh and gave a small nod.

    ¡°¡­I personally can¡¯t help but hope that this is the real thing we¡¯ve been looking for¡­ However, we can¡¯t let that child and her parents feel false hope. We will verify it rigorously, and we would appreciate it if you would wait for us.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡± (Shuu)

 CH 89

    Three days later.

    Again, I was taken to the interview room, where I found Kaike, Nomaguchi, and another new face, a middle-aged man.

    ¡°My name is Susuyama, and I am the secretary of Mayor Ayukawa of Sugamo.¡± (Susuyama)

    He hands me a square piece of paper. His name and title are written on it. It was the first time for me to receive a business card in this world.

    He must be in his mid-forties. He has a slightly thinning head of hair, a morbidly thin frame thinner than a nomaguchi, and a small stature. He wears a white shirt and a suit-like jacket. The fountain pen in his breast pocket is shiny.

    ¡°Originally, Lord Ayukawa himself should have met you all in person, but he¡¯s busy preparing for the Sugamo Founding Festival¡­ and on behalf of him I ask for your understanding and thank you all for your kindness.¡± (Susuyama)

    I heard from my landlord and Kono that later this month, Sugamo will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its incorporation as a city. It seems that behind the scenes, preparations are steadily underway for stalls and events, and everyone in town seems to be in a state of excitement.

    I heard that important people from other tribes and the city will gather, so naturally, the city administration is also very busy. Incidentally, it seems that Aomoto is being kept busy by the city police and guild working together on various security measures around the city, and at this rate he will not be released until after the festival is over. If I had known that, I wouldn¡¯t have done such torture as boasting about my moha. I am so sorry.

    Nomaguchi and Susuyama sit on the sofa, and Kaike sits in the chair behind them. This seems to be the formation for today.

    ¡°The results of the tests¡ª¡± Nomaguchi said. ¡°We purified the drug from the powder of the sample we received and administered it to rats suffering from [Mycelial Failure], and found that their symptoms improved dramatically. There was no doubt that it was the real thing.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good.¡± (Shuu)

    I did not doubt the authenticity of the horn, but it was a relief to hear that it really had medicinal properties. It proved that Old Man Uni was a magnificent unicorn.

    Susuyama leaned forward, like he was about to leap at us.

    ¡°I would like to ask you once again for a favor. Would you be willing to sell the unicorn¡¯s horn for thirty million yen as a quest reward?¡± (Susuyama)

    I looked at Tamiko and Noa. They both nod.

    ¡°¡­Yes. We¡¯ll give it to you.¡± (Shuu)

    Nomaguchi and Susuyama¡¯s faces light up. For the first time seeing them, they were bent over and closed their eyes tightly. Their shoulders are shaking. Savoring the joy of having their long-cherished wish come true.

    ¡°Thank you¡­Thank you very much!¡± (Nomaguchi)

    Nomaguchi stretches out from the sofa and asks for a handshake. He shakes me so hard I feel like my shoulders are going to come off.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this day to come¡­ and now that it has, milady¡­ you are her lifesaver!¡± (Susuyama)

    Susuyama is a ragged mess, tears spilling down her face. He hugs Noa and me, then shaking hands with Tamiko.

    ¡°Um, before I do that, I¡¯d like to make one condition.¡± (Shuu)

    Susuyama¡¯s expression turns slightly cloudy as I says this.

    ¡°Speaking of conditions, is it the amount of compensation?¡± (Susuyama)

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not dissatisfied with that.¡± (Shuu)

    The thought of being able to raise the price of the product is not a bad one, but it might look bad. I decided not to do it.

    ¡°Umm, about how to use the medicine?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Use?¡± (Susuyama)

    I picked up the unicorn horn in my hand. It felt cool to the touch.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done a lot of research up until today, but I heard that one of these horns can be enough for two people, right? Well, If the mayor¡¯s daughter is properly cured, I¡¯d like to see the other child in Sugamo treated as well. If it costs money to treat them, you can deduct the cost from my reward.¡± (Shuu)

    Nomaguchi and Susuyama looked at each other.

    ¡°Why? Do you know each other?¡± (Susuyama)

    ¡°They are not someone I know¡­ I just went to visit them yesterday.¡± (Shuu)

    I went to see another [Mycelial Failure] patient in this town. He was a boy of ten years old.

    He had contracted the disease at the age of five and had never left the hospital since then. His condition was so advanced that he was already having difficulty walking on his own, his hands were shaking so much that it took him several seconds to open them, and he was unable to speak freely.

    According to the doctor, he has two years to live. His parents, who both worked, seemed to be spending every spare moment they had to earn money for his treatment, and they did not come to visit him often.

    ¡°Why that child?¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°Well¡­if I can help him, I just want to help her if I can. I don¡¯t have any deep reason.¡± (Shuu)

    Unio¡¯s horn is a gift from the very beginning. If there are lives that can be saved, I don¡¯t mind if the reward amount is slightly reduced.

    I am aware that I am doing it for self-satisfaction, but no one will complain if I am being selfish from giving a child a future.

    After consulting with Tamiko and Noa, they agreed. Noa was almost aghast, making light remarks such as, ¡°Mr. Shuu¡¯s good-naturedness is at its peak here, isn¡¯t it?¡± She seemed quite pleased, though.

    Nomaguchi and Susuyama whispered in each other¡¯s ears. Then they nodded.

    ¡°Yes, we will do as you requested,¡± Nomaguchi said. ¡°We will give priority to milady¡¯s treatment, but we promise to treat him with the rest of the medicine. We will pay for his treatment, and we will make sure that you and your colleagues are paid in full.¡±

    ¡°Um, okay.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°As a matter of fact¡­¡± Susuyama said. ¡°We were planning to do the same.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°He is milady¡¯s only friend. They have never seen each other, and have only known each other through letters.¡± (Susuyama)

    Come to think of it, I remember that there were many opened envelopes in the boy¡¯s hospital room. Were those the ones she had sent out?

    ¡°It was the milady¡¯s wish,¡± Nomaguchi said. ¡°She wanted me to share the medicine with him if I could get it.¡±

    (No way! That¡¯s so unreal!) (Shuu)

    I subcontiously touched my eyes. If this were on TV, I would probably be crying.

    ¡°We got almost a whole horn, so I think we¡¯ll have enough medicine for both of them. I have been preparing for this day for several years. I promise¡­ I will save them both.¡± (Nomaguchi)

    Susuyama shook my hand again.

    ¡°We have two stokes of luck to be thankful for, it seems. One is that we have obtained what we have longed for. The other is that it was people like Abe and your companions who brought it to us. On behalf of the Mayor and as a member of milady¡¯s family, I would like to thank you again for your kindness. Truly¨Cthank you.¡± (Susuyama)

    After signing a few documents and completing the formalities, Nomaguchi and Susuyama leave their seats together.

    ¡°We expect it will take a couple of weeks for the treatment to be completed. If possible, please keep it confidential until then¡­¡± (Nomaguchi)

    ¡°I understand.¡± (Shuu)

    He bowed his head and thanked us over and over again as they left, and me and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Although the flow had been almost decided, it was still a big job worth thirty million yen. I was probably more tired than the first time I went on a sales trip.

    Kaike sat down on the sofa across from us. His cheeks are slightly perky.

    ¡°The reward will be paid at the end of next month. It will be transferred to your account. Of course, the fee and city tax will be deducted.¡± (Kaike)

    As I recall, they will take a little more than 20% of the total. I had to be content with the fact that I would still have more than twenty million yen in my pocket.

    ¡°Mr. Nomaguchi said earlier that it was a secret, but in other words, the quest itself is neither completed nor suspended yet, and it will be treated as an ongoing request.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°What if someone else brings it to you in the meantime?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We will be paid the same amount as Mr. Abe and your party. Even if that happens, the medicine itself won¡¯t be wasted.¡± (Kaike)

    So it will be given to someone in another city, or left as a reserve in this city?

    ¡°By the way, is that from the mayor¡¯s own pocket?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡¯s right. His father, the first mayor, is a legendary merchant who built this city with his own fortune. Ten years ago, the previous owner passed away due to illness, and after that, his son was appointed as the second mayor after an election by the residents.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°His predecessor was so powerful that some people still compare him to his predecessor, but I think the current mayor is loved more by the people because he seems more like a commoner. That¡¯s why everyone is worried about his daughter¡¯s illness as if it were their own child¡­¡± (Kaike)

    Whether it was Konno or the landlord, when I asked them about the mayor, they all spoke in the same way. They trusted the mayor and were concerned about his daughter¡¯s condition.

    You can see it in Nomaguchi¡¯s and Susuyama¡¯s heartfelt joy. This must have been one of the long-cherished wishes of the citizens of Sugamo.

    ¡°Could it possibly be more important than we imagined?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, I think so. When it is announced that she is cured, Mr. Abe¡¯s and your companion¡¯s names will be known all over Sugamo. They are truly the heroes of Sugamo.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Umm¡­ I just handed over a gift.¡± (Shuu)

    It doesn¡¯t feel bad to be praised for doing good things, but it¡¯s not because of my power either.

    ¡°But even so, I think what you just said was a very good decision.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Is it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Are we going to become famous, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Maybe.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko was busy polishing the jewel on her head.

    ¡°¡­¡­Finally, can I have a bit of your time?¡± (Kaike)

    Kaike¡¯s voice becomes a little stiffer. Naturally, my posture stiffens too.

    ¡°As you may have heard, I have a Fungal Ability called [Mind¡¯s Eye]. It is the ability to read people¡¯s emotions with their eyes. In my case, it is expressed in color.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°So¡­ I could see a bit of guilty feelings when Mr. Abe used to talk about your personal life or when you showed your fungibility. This is the color that arises when lies are mixed with words and deeds. This was also the case the other day when you told us how you had the horn of the unicorn.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°¡­Ummm¡­ that thing¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Even though it is as I had expected, when you say it to my face.

    In front of Tamiko and Noa, I can¡¯t easily apologize and admit that.

    ¡°But¡­ there was no murky color, no color of malice like lying to trick or mock the other party. Above all, both Abe and Tamiko had that pale, bright, gentle colors at the root of them. So¡­ if Mr. Abe didn¡¯t want to talk about it, there must be some a circumstance¡­ but it was my job to make sure of that as well¡­¡± (Kaike)

    Kaike looks up and smiles. The loose hair on her head are fixed as she spoke.

    ¡°But¡­ I think now that I made the right decision at the time. Being able to interview Mr. Abe and the others was probably the best job I¡¯ve ever had in my life!¡± (Kaike)

    I looked at Tamiko and Noa. They both nod.

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re okay with the quest order thing, then?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ah, but that is separate. Please work for Ms. Aomoto as well.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± (Shuu)

 CH 90

    Now that we have found a way to raise money, we decide to take on a quest.

    Noa left the room first because he had some business to attend to, and Tamiko and I went with Kaike to the reception desk on the first floor.

    ¡°Mr. Abe, do you remember Rikugi Village?¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°We were there as a guard before, weren¡¯t we?¡± (Shuu)

    It must have been about a month ago. One of the quests I received before heading to Ouji was to guard a village that was being harassed by a group of Baphomets. That was the village of Rikugi.

    I stayed there for three days to guard the village and exterminated about ten Baphomets that had tried to harm the livestock and villagers under the cover of night. The villagers were so hospitable to me, I thought I would like to go there on a personal visit.

    ¡°Actually, after that, a [Baphomet Colony Subjugation Squad] was dispatched to Rikugi Metro. They were tasked with identifying the boss and his nest, but they left the village¡­ ten days ago and haven¡¯t returned yet.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Either they are still working in the Metro, or they are in some kind of trouble¡­¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    It seems that the guild did not expect this.

    ¡°The subjugation team was formed jointly with the city of Komagome, but all thirty of them are individuals with Fungal Levels Thirty or higher. The squad is not expected to be annihilated unless there is something goes very wrong¡­¡± (Kaike)

    Baphomets are metro beasts that operate in families or herds and are often found on the ground or in shallow Metro areas. They are reasonably intelligent, but their individual killing power is not that high. It only takes a few villagers armed with farming tools to deal with them, and if you are a hunter, they are perfect for newcomers to gain experience.

    The problem this time, however, was the number of them. They appeared night after night, no matter how many were exterminated, suggesting that a colony had sprung up, a type of Metro Beast that reproduces in large numbers and occupies an area inside or outside the metro.

    In a sense, the number of metro beasts increases like a pandemic, and Mature and Mutant individuals are more likely to occur. If left unchecked, the surrounding ecosystem and human settlement will be affected in no small way, so it will be necessary to thin out the colony¡¯s considerable numbers, including the colony bosses, and bring them to a close. The words from before are from Professor Noa.

    ¡°Since it is possible that some kind of unforeseen situation may have occurred, I wanted to ask someone above 1st dan to conduct a scouting, but unfortunately everyone was quite busy with the Founding Festival¡­¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°By ¡®scouting¡¯ you don¡¯t mean taking over the task of defeating the colony, do you?¡± (Shuu)

    No matter how small they are, it¡¯s hard to deal with hundreds of them with just my party. They might be stronger than Ouji¡¯s zombie army.

    ¡°Yes, first we need to investigate. I want you to dive into the Metro and find out what¡¯s going on in the Rikugi Metro and the colony right now. If the strike team is safe, it would be helpful if you could help them. ¡­If not, I hope you can bring them back. In the unlikely event that¡ª-that happens, we¡¯d be happy to just get their IDs.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°By the way, is it just us? With another team or something?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If that is what you want, I will ask the others to join.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°If we are just going to check on them, not take them down, it might be easier for us to go alone.¡± (Shuu)

    The Rikugi Metro is not that large and the deepest level is the fourteenth floor. If it¡¯s just looking around, it would be quicker for us to move alone.

    ¡°I understand. Then will you accept¡­?¡± (Kaike)

    I looked at Tamiko and she nodded. I would have liked to check with Noa, but she would not have said no, given the level of difficulty and the reward.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ve always wanted to go to Rikugi Village again.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Thank you! If it¡¯s Mr. Abe and the others, we will feel at ease as well!¡± (Kaike)

    I don¡¯t feel bad when a gentle beauty smiles at me like that. Tamiko¡¯s tail slaps me on the cheek looking quite annoyed. I could only say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I¡¯ll give her belly rubs when we get home

    ¡°In this case, your top priority is to bring back any information, no matter how small. I¡¯m sure that at the level of Mr. Abe and the others, you will be able to return safely¡­ Please don¡¯t do anything reckless.¡± (Kaike)

    ¡°Oh, welcome back.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Um, what?¡± (Shuu)

    When I returned home, Noa was hurriedly packing up her belongings. I haven¡¯t informed her that I had received a quest yet.

    When I told her about the quest, she just nodded her head.

    ¡°Well¡­ is it okay if I leave?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you on such short notice, but¡­ I¡¯m thinking of going back to Ikebukuro.¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko and I had our jaws drop after hearing Noa.

    ¡°What? Why all of a sudden?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Noa, you¡¯re leaving squeak¡­?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko and I were flustered. Noa suddenly wanted to go home, did she felt that I sexually harassed her? I didn¡¯t do anything to disrespect her, right? ¡­Maybe.

    Noa looked up at me and Tamiko while feeling a little embarrassed and shy.

    ¡°¡­I thought I¡¯d take this opportunity to officially transfer to Sugamo. So I wanted to go back to Ikebukuro and go through the formalities.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Oh, seriously? You are moving here.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s easier for us to work as a team, and it¡¯s also easier for us to go through the procedures in the future. Truthfully¡­ I would still like to stay over there and do some things that I want to do¡­¡± (Noa)

    Noa narrows her eyes looking a bit regretful and lonely. As someone who was born and raised in Ikebukuro, she seems to have some regrets. Or she¡¯s stuck on something from her past¡ª

    ¡°¡­But seeing what happened in Ouji, about the mayor¡¯s daughter, and seeing Mr. Shuu and the others being active, I thought I¡¯d like to do my best as a Sugamo hunter together with Mr. Shuu and Sis. I¡¯m sorry that I decided on my own without consulting either of you.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°Well, it would have been better if you had consulted me.  But I like your idea. What do you think?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak! We¡¯ll always be together!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes, thank you!¡± (Noa)

    Tamiko and Noa are playing with each other.

    That¡¯s good That¡¯s fine, but¡ª

    ¡°But¡­does that have to be done right now?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I think it will take a few days to process, so I thought it would be better to do it soon as possible.¡± (Noa)

    Sounds troublesome. Or rather, I¡¯m worried.

    Doing the quest without Noa, and that means we¡¯ll be without the brain of our party.

    But more than that¡ªI¡¯m worried about being away from Noa now.

    From the time we left Ouji until today, the mysterious presence in her has not been seen even once.

    I went to the library and read the materials available at the Church¡¯s branch office, but there was nothing more than the information I had received from Giran regarding demons and [Demonic Disease]. I was beginning to think that if I wanted to know more, I might have to go deeper into the Church.

    At any rate, for the moment, the situation is quiet and I don¡¯t see any signs of it. Maybe it¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be fixed right now¡­ but still, to be separated from her for a few days¨C

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I¡¯d like Noa to come with us if you can¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s about investigating the inside of the metro, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m not sure if I can be of much help right now. I can¡¯t be too much help to you if I don¡¯t have the right skills.¡± (Noa)

    ¡°No, but without¡­ Noa, we¡¯ll be in trouble in case of an emergency. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to find a way to get the job done quickly. You are in charge of our tactics.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Shuu and Sis are studying a lot, right?¡± (Noa)

    What should I do? If I confess, that it is about the quest or transferring.

    Should I cancel the quest and accompany her to Ikebukuro?

    No, it seems they are short on staff right now, and seeing Kaike¡¯s happy face, I can¡¯t bear to cancel it.

    Ah, the word I said to Noa earlier boomeranged. Please consult before accepting. A century since leaving the company, the importance of ¡°HouRenSou¡± [T/N: Houkoku/Report, Renraku/Inform/Update, and Soudan/Consult/Advise] seems really important.

    At the very least, someone who knew what was going on should go with Noa. It would have been a blow, but I had no other choice but to put Tamiko on Noa¡¯s side.

    ¡°Pigyah!?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko lets out a scream.

    I turned my gaze to the glass door of the living room, along Tamiko¡¯s line of sight.

    A red-haired man peeks through the gap in the curtains, his face stuck to it.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me.¡± (Kure)

    It¡¯s Kure.

    He opens the glass window and enters. I won¡¯t let him through the front door.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t give you my address, so how did you know where I was?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I followed the smell of Little Shuu and found this place.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°That¡¯s creepy.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Fufufu. That¡¯s a joke. I remembered hearing that the a was rented near a bakery, so I searched all over Sugamo for a bakery. It took me all day.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°That¡¯s creepy.¡± (Shuu)

    Kure took off his shoes and tried to get into our home. I tried to stop him with all my might, but I changed my mind and welcomed him in.

    ¡°You went back to Senju, right? You returned quite early.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ve already done what I came there to do. Regarding the history of Lord Oyama Masuo, Senju is going to send a special envoy directly to the Doggy Tribe. From there, the story about the Demon was passed on to the chief, and he was very concerned.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a national crisis.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, when I told the Chief that I had mastered grappling, he was very excited. It was hard to go on and on about joint training classes and sparring.¡± (Kure)

    As one would expect from a brain-muscle tribe.

    ¡°In a sense, it was the earnest wish of the Tribe to have my Life or Death Technique recognized. I¡¯m still in training, and I want to hone my skills rather than teach others. Because I¡¯m also a member of Team Abeshuu.¡± (Kure)

    I don¡¯t recall ever having heard of such a team, nor do I recall ever having allowed myself to join it. And the female members of the team, as expected, are looking at me with white eyes.

    In a sense, however, this was the right time for him to join the team.

 CH 91

    A/N: 12/22 ¨C Kaya Matsuko¡¯s job title is changed from ¡°sniper¡± to ¡°knight¡± (since ¡°white arrow¡± is not a fungus for ¡°snipers¡±).

    Noa, with a confused look, staggered along behind Kure, who was in high spirits. After watching their backs as they headed for Ikebukuro, Tamiko and I returned home to get ready for the day.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you and I have been alone in the metro.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you a good squeeze, squeak! I¡¯m going beat you so hard you¡¯ll be new squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Suddenly, your sergeant switch has been flipped.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Shut up, Shuu! The answer is ¡°Yes¡± or ¡°Squeak¡±! ¡­Oh! ¡­Don¡¯t you dare rub my belly!¡± (Tamiko)

    Still, it was quite a painstaking task to convince the two of them.

    If it¡¯s Kure, he was also quick-witted and surprisingly thoughtful, and with Noa, I could ignore his perversions, there was no one better qualified than him to act as a chaperone.

    However, Kure wanted to go along with us on our quest. He says, ¡°It sounds more interesting, and I think I can be of help.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave now that we have met again.¡± As expected, the first negotiation broke down, and we had to renegotiate on the condition of giving and receiving a reward.

    ¡°At least one pair of Shuu¡¯s underpants. I will settle with that.¡± (Kure)

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the one I bought yesterday.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Since when did you become a clerk in the underwear department?¡± (Noa)

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll put on a new one I used once after I get out of the bath. I can¡¯t make any more concessions.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The amount inside is not enough. It¡¯s what you use on a daily basis that has the soul.¡± (Kure)

    After the shittiest negotiation in my one hundred and thirty years of life, I agreed to give up one of my favorite underwear. According to Kure, ¡°I can eat three bowls of rice every day just by this! It¡¯s an endless side dish!¡± I hope it gets moldy during the rainy season.

    Noa, the person who was in the middle of such an exchange, was understandably distrustful, wondering why she had to bring such a thing back home with her. After some persuasion, I finally succeeded in splitting the team into two groups, saying, ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of commotion lately,¡± ¡°That thing would be a good protection against attacks,¡± and ¡°If you want, you can leave it as an offering to Ikebukuro. By the way, it seems that Ikebukuro is still alive and well in a different form (which is a little worrisome).

    Noa and Kure are, for whatever reason, ¡°surprisingly on the same page,¡± I thought. They are both intellectually curious people, and they have often discussed the Metro and Metro Beasts in Ouji. The process should only take a couple of days at the most, and they¡¯ll get it right.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go. We have to get to Rikugi Village by evening.¡± (Shuu)

    I put my drill sergeant, who was twitching on her back, on my shoulder, and off we went. I left from the east gate of Sugamo and headed for Rikugi village.

    We disembarked from the carriage on the western road leading to Komagome City and headed south to the forest road. While nibbling on the new ¡°fluffy melon bread with walnuts¡± that we bought at our landlord¡¯s bakery (all the walnuts were eaten by Tamiko), we walked at a brisk pace for a little over an hour. Before evening, we arrived at a village surrounded by a moat with muddy water and fences.

    We call out to a villager guarding the entrance (a face we didn¡¯t see last time) and show him our hunters¡¯ guild identification card. Tamiko says, ¡°Mine too! Let me show mine, squeak!¡± I was urged by Tamiko to have her show her recognition card as well. The villagers politely welcome us and show us where we think the village chief might be.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a month.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Rikugi Village.

    From the direction and location of Sugamo, it is easy to imagine that the village is built on Rikugien, a garden in Bunkyo-ku. In reality, however, there is no trace of the elegant garden associated with the Tokugawa shoguns, but rather has a tranquil rural landscape of fields, livestock, and thatch-roofed houses.

    The population is said to be about 200, which is rather large for a village of Free Folk. The village is not only self-sufficient in agriculture and livestock farming but also engages in trade with Sugamo and Komagome, with whom it has an agreement. Their specialties are medicines made from mycelial plants produced in Rikugi Metro, and non-food working animals such as ostriches and horses.

    Along the way, I watched the villagers hard at work. Some are laboriously plowing the soil with a hoe in their hands. Others tackle the removal of weeds that are growing stronger during the rainy season. Some are watching the crops with strict eyes for mold and damage and are picking the side shoots. Some brush the feathers of ostriches and those mend the fences of the pastureland. Everyone is sweating because of the sweltering weather.

    ¡°It seems peaceful in the daytime, doesn¡¯t it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Smells good, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Something smells like simmered vegetables. It was probably the evening meal being prepared. The last time I had dinner here, all the dishes were delicious. The meat and vegetables were fresh, and the taste of home was comforting to a bachelor¡¯s mind.

    Today, after finishing the business in the village, I intend to head directly to the metro. It will be after all the work is done. It was going to be a tough job, and I would be more motivated if I thought of it as a small reward.

    ¡°Ah, Mr. Abe! Ms. Tamiko!¡± (Woman)

    A woman in a straw hat came running up the farm road, pulling the ostrich by the reins.

    ¡°Hello, Ms. Kaya.¡± (Shuu)

    Kaya Matsuko.

    She was twenty-two years old, I believe. Her chestnut-colored hair was pulled back and she had freckles around her nose. When she smiles, dimples appear. She is a simple, healthy beauty.

    Although he has a small physique that is not much different from Noa, she is also a [Knight] who fights at the front of the village with a ¡°white arrow¡± in her hand in case of emergency. And, to tell you the truth, she is the current village chief of Rikugi Village.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time! It¡¯s good ta see ya here again!¡± (Woman => Kaya)

    ¡°Brufu!¡± (Ostrich)

    The ostrich chimes in with a rough snort.

    Kaya is lovely and pretty to look at. Her personality is also bubbly and vivacious, but one thing that bothers me and that I just can¡¯t get past is that she has a very thick accent. She has an accent so thick that it is hard to tell what her original dialect is.

    ¡°Tamiko is as fluffy an¡¯ soft as eva! I¡¯m going ta have ya nibble on acorns again!¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°Squeaka!¡± (Tamiko)

    Her accent is contagious, and her voice is getting louder along with it.

    ¡°Hey, Ms. Ikari, not wit ya?¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°Oh, she has a different business.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry ta hear that. I promised ¡®er that I would give ¡®er the recipe fer our pork and veg¡¯table miso soup next time I saw ¡®er.¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°A recipe? I¡¯m here today at the request of the guild. I¡¯m going to head to the metro to investigate the current state of the colony and search for the unit sent.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ye of course¡­ those people¡­¡± (Kaya)

    Kaya put her hand on her chin and her expression clouded.

    ¡°We also wanna go ta the Metro, but I cana¡¯ find ¡®em in the shallows. We want ta believe they are safe, but we cana¡¯ dive that deep by ourselves. If Mr. Abe is goin¡¯, we can rest easy.¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°For now, I want to gather information with the hunters stationed in the area, so can you show us the way?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Leave it ta me! Then come ¡®ere, boy!¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°Thank you¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Kaya, you still have a strange way of talking, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Hmm? Hmm.¡± (Kaya)

    With an ostrich breathing down my neck, I followed Kaya to a row of houses.

    As I can observe, New Tokyo¡¯s ostrich is closer to an emu than an ostrich. The neck and head are covered with long thin feathers, the body and neck are gray and black, and the head has a single white pattern. Its wings have degenerated, and its legs are surprisingly thick. The eyes are large and sharp, and when viewed from the front, it looks like a dinosaur.

    When I touched its belly, I felt a warm, fuzzy sensation on my palms. Wow!

    Tamiko jumps on the back of the dinosaur, and it doesn¡¯t show any signs of being reluctant to be touched. She climbs on top of his head and spreads her arms to feel the wind.

    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m the king of the world, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Is it a flag where you sink?¡± (Shuu)

    A private house on the west side of the village. It is said that four Sugamo hunters are renting the place.

    As someone who was born and raised in Gyoda, I felt a sense of nostalgia for this old house. At the end of the upper part of the house, there is a living room with a sunken hearth at its center. Four men are relaxing there, each in his own seat.

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Shuu)

    There was a familiar face among them. Noticing my concern, he rushes to his feet and sits down in an upright position.

    ¡°Oh, thank you for your hard work! Mr. Abe, or rather, Big Brother!¡± (Kurano)

    What was his name?

    Oh, I think his name was Kurano Atsushi.

    He had taken the hunter¡¯s interview test on the same day as me, in other words, we were contemporaries.

 CH 92

    ¡°Everyone! Mr. Abe, Big Bro is here!¡± (Kurano)

    Kurano calls out, and the hunters, who had been relaxing on the tatami mats, suddenly stand up and dutifully prepare tea and cushions.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work! Welcome, Mr. Abe!¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s got the carbuncle tribe with him! It¡¯s just as rumored, it¡¯s real!¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Amazing! Sugamo¡¯s new hero! The greatest rookie hunter in history!¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Just like the rumors say, he has that smooth as baby¡¯s butt face! (Hunter)

    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± (Shuu)

    It seems that the guild has been informed (by a messenger bat) that Kurano and his friends came here, but I am perplexed by the unexpected response from the young men. Kurano pushes me from behind and makes me sit by the hearth. Tamiko, without a second thought, plunges her head into a basket full of rice crackers.

    ¡°No, no, don¡¯t trouble yourself. We will leave as soon as we ¡®re done.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What are you talking about, Big Bro! Please have a cup of tea and take your time.¡± (Kurano)

    ¡°Okay fine, I¡¯ll have a teacup¡­ *gulp**gulp*¡± (Shuu)

    By the way, it¡¯s at the right temperature. And then, from the tea set, wow! And from a magic beast¡¯s cheek pouch comes the sound of chewing.

    ¡°I want to know about Ouji!¡± Describe it, please. Let¡¯s hear about your epic adventure.¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re very versatile.¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°How did you find the new floor? Did you really turn a thousand magic beasts into your disciples? Did you really turn the Wolf of Ikebukuro who was trying to take all the credit into a floor rug after you beat him in a fight?¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Is it the birth of a legendary provincial delinquent?¡± (Hunter)

    The other three were also glancing at me with fiery gazes. They all look about the same age as the 18-year-old Kurano, and in terms of air, each one seems to be just starting out.

    ¡°So~ what is it Big Bro?¡± (Kurano)

    I had a vague recollection of his face and name, but I had not forgotten that he had called me ¡°uncle¡± twice when we first met.

    ¡°Well, you see, Only three of us were classmates. We¡¯re from the Sugamo branch the 107th May Flower.¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°It¡¯s a small branch school in the countryside, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°When I first met you, you were modest and said you were level 28. Later, when I heard your real level, I was scared to death!¡± (Hunter)

    The one who misunderstood the level and age and answered.

    ¡°I was surprised to find out that you were the first rookie in the history of New Tokyo at level 68! We are the golden generation, the Abeshuu generation! I¡¯m going to follow you for the rest of my life, and we¡¯re going to make history.¡± (Hunter)

    I was too agitated, so I try to calm myself down while clearing my throat.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t need a younger brother or a follower.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu is my disciple, squeak. My virgin disciple, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    I shove the squirrel with its cheekbags full into the bowl once more.

    The four boys were fidgeting and looking as if they wanted to say something.

    ¡°The rumors were true¡­ He¡¯s a virgin¡­¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Sugamo¡¯s strongest virgin¡­¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Brig brother¡­ me too, actually, I¡¯m still one¡­¡± (Kurano)

    ¡°I¡¯m not a virgin. I don¡¯t remember admitting it even once.¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯m not going to get anywhere at this point, so I cut off the idle chatter and moved on to talk about my work. It¡¯s not because I don¡¯t want the allegations of my virginity to be dredged up.

    ¡°From this month, the four of us and two young hunters from Komagome City will be working as night guards. Together with the village¡¯s other Fungal Class holders.¡± (Shuu)

    Baphomets are nocturnal, despite being goat-headed, so we are only on duty after dark. During their stay, the day and night were usually reversed like this.

    ¡°They always come every day, don¡¯t they, those goat pests? They never seem to get tired.¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°The only ones that come into the village and misbehave are five or six a day at the most. Their number and movements have become more active during the rainy season, and recently the number has been increasing little by little again.¡± (Hunter)

    It seems that the situation has not changed much from a month ago.

    ¡°Are you, Komagome, and the other villagers doing all right so far?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We have plenty to spare, Big Bro! To tell the truth, the village chief is stronger than us!¡± (Kurano)

    ¡°Don¡¯t be arrogant. Didn¡¯t the others go to the metro?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°This is where we work, but when we are not busy, we go to help the villagers. However, we just go to the first floor to gather medicinal herbs and mushrooms and hunt beasts.¡± (Kurano)

    ¡°What have you done since the strike team came in?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I went there once, but nothing special happened. The first time I went there, I saw a lot of people and I was like, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The goat monkeys, even the ones in the shallow layer, were just going about their normal business.¡± (Kurano)

    ¡°I see¡­¡± (Shuu)

    A subjugation force consisting of 30 people rushed in, and if they are currently active, it would not be surprising if some kind of change appeared in Baphomet¡¯s behavior. Without any information, it¡¯s incomprehensible or even eerie¡­

    In addition, we also ask for information on the location of the metro and the beasts that inhabit it. It¡¯s an important story for the mission, so I pull Tamiko out of her tea break.

    ¡°¡­Yeah, I got it. Thank you, that¡¯s very helpful.¡± (Shuu)

    When I stood up with my cloak and luggage in hand, Kurano and others looked puzzled, saying, ¡°Huh? What?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to the Metro now, by any chance?¡± (Kurano)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s almost night. Those goat monkeys are so excited after the sun goes down; you know? Are you going around making havoc at night?¡± (Kurano)

    ¡°Do you still think that?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Big Bro, even if you¡¯re the strongest in Sugamo, jumping into their nest alone, or even just the two of you, at night is¡­¡± (Kurano)

    ¡°I know what you mean.¡± (Shuu)

    Certainly, it would be safer to wait here until morning.

    However, I am not doing this out of self-confidence or conceit.

    ¡°The reason for this is to investigate the situation, so I need to see them at night. And if there is a strike team struggling in the deeper levels, I need to go help them as soon as possible.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But I learned in the guild training that our safety comes first when we go on a scouting quest, right? If we don¡¯t return safely, we won¡¯t be able to bring back any information.¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°I¡¯m very aware that Big Bro is a god amongst men, but¡­ it¡¯s better to wait for dawn¡­¡± (Kurano)

    Well, their point of view is probably more correct.

    The only thing is, I¡¯ve already made my decision. I¡¯ve discussed this with Tamiko along the way.

    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t intend to be reckless and act beyond our means. Even so¡­ if there¡¯s someone waiting to be saved, that¡¯s reason enough for us to put our bodies on the line.¡± (Shuu)

    The young direct a gaze like I¡¯m the sh*t.

    ¡°Big Bro¡­¡­¡± (Kurano)

    ¡°Our Big Bro¡­¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Abebro¡­¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°I don¡¯t need that kind of look. Also, I don¡¯t know what Abebro means.¡± (Shuu)

    A/N: I¡¯m afraid the chapter is bit short on words.

    Next chapter, they will finally go to the metro.

 CH 93

    As I step out the front door, the sun is fading, and it feels a little cooler. It was only a slight feeling because of the humidity.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been here almost a month, so it¡¯s time for us to go home.¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°We rented an ostrich and went back to Sugamo on our days off, but life here is not so bad at all. It¡¯s not as urban as Sugamo and there is no entertainment, but the villagers are nice and the food is good.¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Everyone has an accent, though, and sometimes it¡¯s hard to understand them.¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°If the disturbances were resolved, the villagers would be able to live in peace.¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (Hunter)

    That preliminary investigation is an important task.

    ¡°Be careful! Abe-bro, Squirrel-sis!¡± (Hunter)

    ¡°Squirrel-sis?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°If you want to be my disciple, you¡¯ll have to get me the best acorn by the time I get back, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes! Squirrelsis!¡± (Hunter)

    After Kurano and the others saw us off, we next headed for the hut used by the hunters of Komagome City. I was about to knock on the door just to say hello, when I heard a snoring sound, so they might be asleep, so I left it alone.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s say a few words to Kaya before leaving.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    As soon as I say that I bumped into Kaya, who is pulling an ostrich.

    ¡°This one¡¯s nails are crackin¡¯. So, I¡¯m goin¡¯ to paint resin to protect ¡®em.¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    We talked about my mission and the recent animal damage, and I followed her to the nearby ostrich pen.

    The ostrich pen with a pile of straw by the entrance. When I peeked in through the entrance, I saw that the ostriches were separated individually like a stable, and they smelled quite bad.

    ¡°Smell like sh*t, eh? Well, all animals sh*t, don¡¯ they?¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Until a little while ago, I was living like an animal, so I can¡¯t say anything about it.

    ¡°But¡­ we¡¯ve bin t¡¯getha since we were kids¡­¡± (Kaya)

    Kaya clung to the ostrich¡¯s neck and buried her face in its feathers.

    ¡°Ratha, right now¡­ I cana¡¯ get enough of this smell¡­ I feel like I¡¯m not calm ev¡¯ry day. Mufufu¡­¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°Grufu¡­¡­¡± (Ostrich)

    ¡°The Ostrich seems baffled?¡±

    She has a similar attribute to Noa.

    ¡°Ah, Mr. Abe. Hey, can ya hold this one down?¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°Oh, sure.¡± (Shuu)

    He put his arms around her torso and held her down so she wouldn¡¯t move, feeling her feathers fluffing up. The ostrich was docile even without my help. They bend their neck and stare at Kaya, their caretaker, as she brushes the surface of their nails.

    ¡°Are these ostriches used as transportation or for laying eggs?¡± (Shuu)

    Ostrich eggs and riding ostriches are both specialties of this village.

    ¡°They are for lay¡¯n eggs. Though it is not the egg-lay¡¯n season. The eggs are big, tasty, n¡¯tritious, and popula ¡®especially with Sugamo.¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°I would like to try them again.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Kaya¡¯s egg rolls were perfect, squeak. I want to try it again. It was so soft and fluffy, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I made it befer, in a whim. I¡¯ll make some mo¡¯ in the fall. I hope ya lay healthy eggs, Monjovino.¡± (Ostritch)

    ¡°Kueeeee.¡± (Ostrich => Monjovino)

    Monjovino rubbed their head against Kaya, whether they understood or not. Her naming sense is amazing.

    ¡°Our village is ¡®lmost entirely made up of fields, medicinal ¡®erbs, and ostriches. When the Rikugi Metro appeared more than ten years ago, the village was crowded wit huntas and city survey teams, but nothin¡¯ has changed¡­¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°I heard that mycelium plants are plentiful.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, wound med¡¯cines and simple an¡¯dotes are materials that aren¡¯t that exp¡¯nsive. There aren¡¯t any rare Metro Beasts or treashas, but we¡¯re caged in the mid¡¯l of the day. Gran¡¯pas, Gran¡¯mas made ostrich buns, rice crackers, and other things, but most of ¡®em were food fer ourselves.¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­Once the attacks from the Mtero Beast is ova, it¡¯s back ta bus¡¯ness as usual. It will be a peaceful, relaxin¡¯ village until we b¡¯come old and wrinkly. (Kaya)

    ¡°Sqeaka.¡± (Tamiko)

    I was just about to leave when I saw her slightly forlorn profile and asked her a question.

    ¡°¡­Kaya.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yeah?¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°¡­well, I hope you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­ but do you like this village?¡± (Shuu)

    Her hand stops but she doesn¡¯t lift her face.

    ¡°What do ya mean?¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°Well, I am not sure¡­ I heard before that you were chosen as the village chief because of an old custom.¡± (Shuu)

    Rikugi Village is a historic village that claims to be ¡°one of the oldest villages in New Tokyo¡±.

    The village has been through the wringer of the Tribal War Period, lost its workers during conscription and the exodus during the ¡°Demon War,¡± and has been tormented by repeated epidemics and beast attacks. Even so, it has never belonged to any other tribe or city and has continued to exist as an independent settlement until the present day. The villagers are proud of the fact that they were deeply involved in the establishment of Sugamo City 30 years ago as a labor force.

    Although it is an old village with such a long history, it has recently been losing young people to cities including Sugamo, and is suffering from an aging population and a declining birthrate. In the worst case, it may be said to be on the verge of collapse. The last time I stayed in this village, I was often a sounding board of elderly people who came to have lunch with me that ¡°all the young people have left¡± and that ¡°this is just the times we live in.¡±

    On the other hand, there is a long-standing custom in the village that the village is ruled by a person who has a Fungal Class. Kaya is the daughter of the former village chief, and she herself was born a [Knight]. She was groomed from an early age to be a leader of the village and took over her father¡¯s position two years ago when he died of illness at the age of 20.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been doing your best to take care of livestock and protect the village, but¡­ I wonder if there¡¯s something else you want to do¡­¡± (Shuu)

    While other young people her age were leaving the village, she was not given that choice. For her, her lineage was her destiny, and her talents could be a curse.

    I can¡¯t ask her straight out if she really wants to leave the village but¡­ I was somewhat curious.

    Kaya put down her brush and began filing the nails.

    ¡°I have neva thought of becomin¡¯ a hunta? I¡¯m not good at rough things.¡± (Kaya)

    The ostrich shakes its head from side to side as if urging her to finish the grooming.

    ¡°I cana¡¯ read much, and I¡¯m not educat¡¯d like the city pepl¡¯. Then, if ya ask me what merits I have, I can only cook, work in the fields, and take care of the ostriches. there¡¯s no one in the whole metro area who¡¯ll take a hick like me.¡± (Kaya)

    Kaya nonchalantly shrugged her head. I hesitated a bit whether it would be better for me to follow up. Putting aside her accent and animal odor fetish, she is young enough, beautiful, and good-natured. There will be plenty of potential employers.

    ¡°I wond¡¯r¡­ I really like this village. Howeva, when I was a lil¡¯ girl, I had a lot of troubles. Still, I don¡¯ think I wanna live anywher¡¯ but here. Then, the role of village chief b¡¯came excuse for me not to go out, ya know? Ahaha¡­ But it¡¯s just that¡­ The boys and girls who left the village¡­ Abe and the oth¡¯rs¡­ I cana¡¯ deny I am dazzled by the others who left the village.¡± (Kaya )

    Her slightly troubled smile is illuminated by the slightly tilted, reddish sunlight.

    Her eyes turn to the other side of the fence, beyond the forest, and into the distance.

    Looking at that profile¡ªthere was something squeezing my heart.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, I asked you something strange.¡± (Shuu)

    I lowered my head a little so that my expression could not be seen.

    I felt a faint heat warming up my chest tightly like a cloak.

    ¡°Ahahaha, not really. I cana¡¯ tell anyone ¡®ere ¡®bout this, so I¡¯m glad I did.¡± (Kaya)

    Kaya stood up and patted the ostrich¡¯s neck. She faced me while patting my shoulder and patting Tamiko.

    ¡°Mr. Abe, Little Tamiko, be careful. Ya mustn¡¯t push ya¡¯self hard. If ya come back safe n¡¯ sound, I¡¯ll make ya a delicious meal. (Kaya)

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do my best¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Leave it to me, squeak! I want Kaya¡¯s yummy eggs, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Rikugi Metro is a small metro as a whole, but it has multiple entrances and exits. There are three entrances: the west side, southwest side, and south side, all leading out to Rikugi Village.

    In most cases, baphomets come from the southwest and south. It was Kurano and his team¡¯s job to exterminate them, and my job was to check on the colony, which was said to be located on the sixth underground floor, and its surroundings. So, in order to avoid encountering any enemies, I decided to go in through the western entrance, using my [Beast Repellent Spores].

    ¡°¡­Abeshu, what were you thinking, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko asks me as we exit the western gate on the outskirts of the village.

    ¡°Hmm? What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Something is strange. Since you talked to Kaya earlier, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    As expected from my partner, Tamiko was very perceptive. I have not been sleeping and eating with her for five years.

    ¡°Are you by any chance¡­ Being Squeak-xist to Kaya? Are you some sh*thead, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°No, no, I am not. Somehow, your words are slightly strange.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeaking confess! It¡¯s dangerous to hide things from your wife, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What wife? Who is she? Ouch, ouch, I get it, I get it.¡± (Shuu)

    I received a lot of slaps on my cheeks and leaned against the trunk of a tree. Talking while walking might provoke the magic beast, so let¡¯s get it over with before we head for the metro.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. How to say it¡­ I thought, ¡®Humans are amazing.''¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    I wonder if you would understand if I explained it to you. I¡¯m not sure if you can understand. I¡¯m not even sure if I understand it.

    ¡°Even in the previous era, it was a common story. Villages shrinking, young people leaving, children worrying because they can¡¯t have dreams for the future. I, too, couldn¡¯t get a job in my hometown, so I went to a Tokyo university and studied thoughtlessly, and even though I didn¡¯t have much to offer, I got the only job offer I could get¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Looking back, I saw a light on in the village. The light from a lantern. It was still bright enough to see all around, but it seemed to be used to guide the livestock. It is probably Kaya.

    ¡°What I meant was, even if times change, even if a civilization dies out. Humans come together, build houses and villages, eat meals, work, and laugh. We eat, work, laugh, worry, fight, and sometimes make mistakes. In the end, human beings live through recurring events. Even though civilization collapsed a hundred years ago. That¡¯s why people are so amazing! ¡­I think about it all over again.¡± (Shuu)

    The scenery I have seen in this village. The sight of Kaya working. The smiles and complaints of the elderly. The sight of livestock running around.

    They may not be anything special. But ¨C because they are everywhere, it was very precious.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s just natural. Sugamo and Rikugi villages were all created by humans, and humans live there. I thought it was our job as hunters to protect such important things. I know it¡¯s too late to say this, but I was able to put it firmly in my heart. It¡¯s like I¡¯m even more motivated now.¡± (Shuu)

    I patted my blanked-out partner¡¯s head and chuckled.

    ¡°The point is, I¡¯m going to do my best at work.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Humans are great, but I¡¯m also great, squeak. Let¡¯s do our best.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°How reliable.¡± (Shuu)

    Once again, I turn my attention toward the village. I saw Kaya with a lantern in her hand and a flock of ostriches being drawn by the light.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do our job for Kaya and the others. Nice working with you again, partner.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak! I am not a lazy squirrel, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You sometimes are.¡± (Shuu)

    Finally,

    Let¡¯s go to Rikugi Metro.

 CH 94

    A road has been paved from the village to Rikugi Metro, just wide enough for carts to pass. Although the path is merely a flattened and graveled path, it is a great help to not have to wander through the forest.

    The forest is already welcoming the night. The air is cooler and the humidity is less unpleasant.

    Even though it is dimly lit, thanks to my [Sensory Spores], I don¡¯t trip. As I walked, I listened. The sounds of insects and birds, like whispers in the forest, and the trickling sound of water. The sound of Tamiko chewing acorns, like an industrial machine, ruined the atmosphere.

    ¡°Tamiko, you feel that right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Since [Beast Repellent Spores] is in effect, no beast will approach me carelessly, and none has yet enter the range of [Sensory Spores], but I can feel the suppressed breathing of a beast with my skin. From beyond the dull darkness of dusk, the beast timidly watch for those who enter their territory. Is it Baphomet or some other beast?

    ¡°Do we go, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it alone for now. I hope it doesn¡¯t attack us.¡± (Shuu)

    After walking for about 20 minutes without getting tangled up with anyone or getting lost, we finally see our destination. I had been told how long it would take, but now that I was actually walking, it felt like it was just a stone¡¯s throw away.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± (Shuu)

    entrance to the building has an exterior wall that resembles ivy-covered concrete. From there, a staircase leads down to the basement. Beside it, there is a signboard that seems to have been made by the villagers. ¡°Rikugi Metro, West Exit.¡±

    A crow cawed as it flew overhead. Is it my imagination or does it sound ominous?

    My heart beats a little faster. I feel warier. It seems that there are no powerful Metro Beasts, but still, a Metro is a Metro. There¡¯s the matter of the strike force, and you never know what might happen when you enter. From here on out, it¡¯s a realm outside the norm, ruled by a mysterious entity that is neither human nor beast, but something much more.

    ¡°¡­All right, are you ready?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I have to pee, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Go on.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko came back from picking flowers in the grass, and I put her on my shoulder and lightly slapped my cheeks.

    ¡°What we¡¯re entering is the real thing. Let¡¯s get fired up, but don¡¯t let your guard down, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ah (shiver)!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°What is it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just a joke, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s not just that. You promised to squeeze it all out before I put you on my shoulder. Don¡¯t just move quietly to my left shoulder.¡± (Shuu)

    Anyway, just like that, the two of us set foot into the dark cave.

    Our adventure in Rikugi Metro begins.

    After descending a long flight of stairs, a high-ceilinged space opens up. Thanks to the moss, it is brighter than the outside, but the bare rock walls and spiky stalagmites make it look somewhat like a terrifying natural cave.

    We were wary of a surprise attack by Baphomet as soon as we descended, but there was no sign of the beast. This is probably due to the fact that there is usually a lot of traffic near the entrance and exit on this side.

    The Rikugi Metro is a new metro that appeared more than ten years ago. It may have just been hidden underground before that, but at least this entrance was discovered about that long ago.

    The metro is still changing rather frequently, and while the deepest level was initially considered to be the tenth underground floor, it is now said to be expanding to the fourteenth floor.

    (We¡¯re talking about metro beasts springing up at the same time as the expansion.) (Shuu)

    (I should not forget, the Xolotl tribe also said that they had been in the Metro there since the floor was made.) (Shuu)

    It is as if a seed that has been sleeping deep in the ground is somehow awakened. Truly, Metros are full of mysteries.

    Officially, the map of the Rikugi Metro only shows a rough route up to about the third floor. Villagers only wander around the first or second floor, which they know as a garden, and even for hunters, it is not a place they would go to carelessly.

    According to the report of the survey team, the center of Baphomet¡¯s colony is on the fifth floor. To be precise, it is the territory of the boss who is the core of the herd that has reproduced abnormally this time.

    For some reason, a certain type of beast reproduces abnormally within a certain area, becoming a huge herd led by a boss or a number of special individuals, and affecting other beasts and the ecosystem inside and outside the metro. This is the definition of a ¡°colony¡± as defined by the Hunters Guild.

    As the population grows, more food is needed, and the surplus will be released to the ground. Or they devour other beasts, and the colony grows to an unmanageable size. If left unchecked, the damage will only spread.

    In order to quell the problem, it is necessary to kill the boss or something similar and reduce the herd population to a certain extent. The bosses are naturally more powerful than the rest of the herd, and they are expected to be surrounded by their minions, so even a small fry beast like a Baphomet would require a several dozen-man force to take it down.

    (I have a bad feeling about this.) (Shuu)

    (I feel like something unexpected is about to happen.) (Shuu)

    (Maybe it¡¯s because my experience at Ouji was so intense¡­) (Shuu)

    With renewed vigor, I begin our descent deeper into the metro.

    They say, ¡°Rikugi Metro is a water metro.¡±

    Soon the two of them come upon such a feature.

    ¡°Woah~!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak~!¡± (Tamiko)

    A large river flowed in front of us. The muddy stream, more than 20 meters wide and splashing with water, is quite strong. During the rainy season, the water volume increases here and there throughout the metro area, and even villagers who are used to going to the river sometimes have accidents.

    ¡°Tamiko is a bad swimmer, so we have to make sure you don¡¯t fall in these kinds of places.¡± (Shuu)

    Tamiko¡¯s specialty is the dog paddle or squirrel paddle. She uses her tail, which I thought to be in the way, to propel herself, but she is not good at holding her breath, so she ends up sputtering water.

    ¡°Heh, I got better from going on a bath with Noa, squeak. I¡¯ve gotten better, now I¡¯m swimming like a Sahuagin, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    A squirrel wading in the bathtub. Noa coaching. Two plump floaters, covered by steam, rise to the top. I shake my head, almost imagining this enviable scene. I squeaked.

    ¡°There¡¯s a phrase, A River Drowning a Kappa. It doesn¡¯t mean the same thing, but it¡¯s so muddy that a squirrel wouldn¡¯t even leave a hairball behind.¡± (Shuu)

    Even someone like me is not good at it, because I only learned it in physical education at school. Although my physical fitness and my cardiopulmonary system have improved, I really don¡¯t want to fall into this muddy stream.

    ¡°For the time being, the second floor is downstream of the river. Let¡¯s go.¡± (Shuu)

    We started walking along the stream. The path veers off to the side and downhill along the way, but we are careful not to lose our sense of direction.

    Water flows along the rock walls, pools here and there. It is indeed a Water Metro. I have brought a water bottle with a filter for filtration, so I will not suffer from thirst even if I have to go on a somewhat strenuous hike.

    Water is plentiful, but so is greenery. Mycelial plants grow everywhere, like an oasis in Outsuka Metro. Most of the plants and shrubs were flowers and bushes, and just by wading through them, I was soaking wet from the dew.

    ¡°Oh, here it is, the medicinal herb that is used to make wound healing medicine.¡± (Shuu)

    A spiky, slightly yellowish wildflower resembling mugwort. It is said to be called ¡°Siberian yarrow¡±.

    It is one of the ingredients of a special wound healing concoction called ¡°potion¡±. It is not as potent as [Healing], but its medicinal effect is more immediate, and it is especially useful for hunters (Noa has two bottles of it in her pack). Incidentally, it is said to cost about 10,000 yen per bottle.

    Other plants kept in the village hut include purple hexagonal leaves and white grass with a whirling stem like a spring. In Rikugi Village, these wild plants are picked, dried, smoked, ground, and other simple processes, and then sold wholesale to medicine manufacturers. It is a valuable source of income.

    ¡°So, why isn¡¯t this grown in the village, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good question.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hmm~¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Because you can¡¯t grow them on the ground, I guess. I don¡¯t know how it works, but some of the mycelial plants in the metro can¡¯t be grown in the soil or light of the surface.¡±

    I read that in a book I checked out from the library.

    ¡°For example, Nerima coffee mushrooms can be grown in the ground, and I hear that plant breeding is progressing. However, they say Siberian Yarrow doesn¡¯t grow on the ground. That¡¯s why the people of Rikugi go out of their way to come here to pick them I guess it¡¯s the kind of industry you can only get in a village like this where there is a metro nearby.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu, you¡¯re looking smart, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m studying too. Since I am older, I don¡¯t just want to keep asking Noa all the time.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m doing my own research, too, squeak. I¡¯m also quite learned, for example, the flower seeds over there are the yummy kind, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    She jumps out and picks up something that looks like a sunflower seed.

    ¡°The risk and burden of coming here to pick up the sunflower seeds are much greater now that the number of Baphomets has increased. The village is going to have to put in more manpower than usual, and that¡¯s going to put a strain on the other jobs. Kaya seemed busier than before.¡± (Shuu)

    Continuing to hire hunters to provide security (although they say they are subsidized by Sugamo) would still be a financial burden. The lives of a hundred villagers would be at stake, whether it was a subjugation or surveying request.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry ahead. I hope we can reach the fifth floor by the end of the day.¡± (Shuu)

    Soon we moved along the river, and after walking further, we came to a waterfall that cascaded down a dozen meters or so. A whitish plume of water is drifting around the waterfall basin.

    It is said that metros with a lot of water flow usually have many ups and downs on the floors. From this point onward, villagers rarely enter the battlefield of metro beasts and hunters.

    As someone who normally trains with [Leaping], I could jump down, but the footholds below are too narrow, so I decide to climb down by grabbing the rock wall. I have done rock climbing once or twice with my friends when I was in university, but now I am confident that I can climb slopes steeper than a vertical line with just the strength of my arms.

    (I wonder if Baphomets goes through places like this¡­) (Shuu)

    Goats, despite their appearance, are good at climbing trees and cliffs, and above all, they are monkeys from the neck down. It is a fusion of two masters of three-dimensional movement, and when they fought in the village, they were quite acrobatic in their movements.

    It didn¡¯t take us long to descend to the side of the waterfall. My superior officer gives me a ¡°Thank-squeak¡± (Thank you very much) and an acorn. *Chew* *Chew* *Chew*.

    After that, if I go straight ahead, there should be stairs to the second underground floor¡ªbut, suddenly.

    ¡°¡­don¡¯t you want to take a peek behind these waterfalls?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    Growing up in a generation accustomed to RPGs, I can¡¯t help but suspect the existence of treasures and hidden rooms.

    Well, I know there is most likely nothing there. The first underground floor of the metro is close to a popular, or unpopular, neighborhood. I¡¯m sure every nook and cranny has been investigated

    Still, however¡­ It would be worthwhile to take a peek at the place. If nothing was there, I could just say, ¡°I knew it.¡±

    So, I went down there. I followed the narrow foothold, and with my back against the rock wall, I slid into the back side of the wall of water that was pouring down without a pause. And¨C

    ¡°Oh! Are you serious?!¡± (Shuu)

    There is a gaping hole in the wall. It was as if to say, ¡°How nice of you to have found it.¡±

    I had not heard about it beforehand, but someone might have already found it. Even so, I could not help but be excited.

    I speed up my crab-walking and twist myself into it. There is a small space in the back. It is truly a hidden room, a secret base¡ªand the first resident.

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    My eyes dart and turned to dots. It¡¯s the same for them.

    The three beasts were lying down and relaxing. They looked back at us and stiffened.

    They were about 150 centimeters tall. Dark brown body hair, hairy and slender limbs. A devil-like pointed tail. On top of its scrawny chest is a goat¡¯s head with crescent-shaped horns on its forehead.

    They are Baphomets.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Well¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The Baphomets jumped to their feet and stood alert. ¡°Meh! Meh!¡±, they shout angrily trying to intimidate me.

    ¡°Charge! Dinner is waiting for my return!¡± (Shuu)

    I also panicked and summoned [Katana]. Immediately the battle started.

 CH 95

    Baphomet, the goat monkey.

    A familiar goat-headed devil in various ancient legends. It is often associated with the image of sitting in the middle of a feast of evil people.

    It¡¯s definitely a demonic and symbolic idol, but in New Tokyo, it actually exists as a wild beast with the senses of the living.

    The level of a normal individual as a metro beast is 15 to 20, which is a little tougher than Ghost Wolf or Blue Goblin, and a little tougher than Red Goblin by Outsuka¡¯s standards. If we consider the level of the metro beast as a criterion.

    ¡°Meeh!¡± (Baphomet)

    ¡°Meeh!¡± (Baphomet)

    Three Baphomets were jumping up and down as they approached the not-so-wide cave behind the waterfall. Kicking the rock wall with their bipedal walking and strong legs trained in bouldering, they leap through the air and performing Rolling Sobats [T/N: Street Fighter, Guile¡¯s move].

    A Metro Beast¡¯s killing ability doesn¡¯t depend on its level¡ªthe strength and growth of the hypha inside its body. It depends on their physique, muscular strength, intelligence, and various innate characteristics. These factors work as correction values, so it cannot be measured by appearance or estimated level alone.

    As for Baphomet, compared to other beasts of the same level range, it can be said that ¡°they are not as cunning as goblins, but they are a muscle-brained race that excels in explosive power and jumping ability, and prefers hand-to-hand combat¡±. They are a group of wild animals that deviates considerably from the traditional religious/mythical image.

    When ordinary people or low-level hunters face them, the practice is to kill them by shooting or throwing projectiles from a long distance, but the danger level increases dramatically when they are brought into close quarters combat. Even melee fighters in the same level range, such as [Knights] and [Warriors], are subjected to tricky and acrobatic footwork that is difficult for humans to handle.

    The reality is that for a level 70, they are not much of a threat.

    Baphomet, who fell to the ground with a sticky clatter, realized after a one-second delay that it had lost its kicking leg and let out a shrill, muffled ¡°BEEEEEEEEEE!¡±

    As the screams echo in the cave, the remaining two beats also attack from above my head. The right one jumped straight at me with its sole, while the left one swung down at my head with a heel drop. It was a straightforward attack with no pretense of making a feint.

    The kick was explosive! Raising a roar and piercing through the air.

    My takes a half step back and my head dodges the downward attack at an angle.

    ¡°Sha!¡± (Shuu)

    With a short exhale, the [Katana] was raised at an angle and swung down without a pause. It is a compact swing that takes into account the narrowness of the space.

    The right side of the beats is cut off from the side of the head to the brain, and the left side is cut off from the shoulder to the waist, and both sides fall to the ground. A muffled cry escapes, but it soon stops.

    The last one is leaning against the wall, writhing in agony and dragging itself backward with its arms. The goat¡¯s eyes are already losing their will to fight as it stares back down at me, but like a goat, its pupils are dilated horizontally, making it look creepier than normal.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± (Shuu)

    I thrust the tip of my sword into the goat¡¯s throat. Soon the screams die down and the only sound around us is the sound of the waterfall¡­

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Before I can reply, I turn around. My eyes meet those of the fourth one, which jumped at me from behind.

    The [Katana] that I was about to swing at it struck the rock wall.

    If it was aiming for that, from his positioning, this goat-monkey is a schemer, not a muscle-brain.

    The soles of its feet straighten out. It has a hoofless, monkey-like, almost human-like foot. At the end of the trajectory was my nose.

    ¡°Ooh!¡± (Shuu)

    With a spirited effort, I swung the [Katana] with a force that shatters the rock wall and blows away the foot that is closing in on my face from the joint. The second blow, delivered from the returning blade from the right eye, splits the horns like bamboo and spraying a large amount of blood on the wall.

    ¡°¡­phew.¡± (Shuu)

    I checked the front, back, left, right, and even the ceiling to make sure there are no ambushers or reinforcements. Finally, I take a breather.

    ¡°I was a bit nervous for a moment.¡± (Shuu)

    In an unexpected way, I almost opened my eyes to the depths of Jigen Ryuu. Next time I¡¯ll try pinching them with my fingers.

    Rather, it was my mistake that I had deactivated [Sensory Spores], when I am entering the back of the waterfall, due to the narrowness of the space and my exasperation from the splashing water, I canceled the [Sensing Spores] for a while and entered the battle as without, albeit abruptly.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear it either because of the sound of the water.¡± (Shuu)

    It wasn¡¯t a big deal due to the level difference of the surprise attacker, but there is one thing to reflect on. The same thing happened with the dense fog in the depths of Ouji, but the feedback of the [Sensory Spores] is noisy and its range is narrowed in places where there are splashes of water and mist dancing around. If it is as loud as the sound of a waterfall, Tamiko¡¯s enhanced hearing will be affected. We¡¯ll have to be careful next time.

    ¡°Now¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I¡¯ve been waiting for this. It¡¯s the sporangium munching time since Ouji Metro.

    Four Baphomets. I was able to kill them rather neatly, so all the sporangia are safe, including the fourth one like a split bamboo.

    ¡°The rice balls I got from Kurano will be our late-night snack, so this is dinner.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    I glared at the fact that one of the reasons why hunters were periodically urged to dive in the Metro regularly was the unsatisfactory sporangia. Once you get used to the taste of food on the surface, this chewy texture and bitter taste that sticks to your tongue can be a factor that keeps you away from the Metro. Humans are creatures that are vulnerable to the corruption of gastronomy. Oh no, another one.

    A total of eight sporangia, slightly smaller than a ping-pong ball. I made Tamiko eat one and a half of them (I forcefully stuffed it into her reluctant mouth, saying, ¡°I¡¯m still eating one, squeak!¡±), and I ate the rest.

    The difference in level between us and the enemy may not be worth much in experience, but it is a hunter¡¯s duty not to leave the sporangium behind. We gratefully accept it as a sign of respect for the enemy with whom we have exchanged our lives. And, thankfully, there is plenty of water wash it down our stomachs.

    ¡°At times like this, Noa¡­ if Noa were there, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to force it on your little sister. It¡¯s only the first one that tastes so bad you want to puke, from then on it¡¯s just the usual bad.¡± (Shuu)

    This guy has a very discerning palate. Not only her stomach, but her tongue as well. If we don¡¯t give her a metro boot camp regularly, she will go straight to being a chonk squirrel.

    By the way, goat meat is not tasty. It tastes bad when it is cooked improperly (only Noa can eat it). In the village, Kaya carefully prepares the meat and cooks it into grilled with ginger or Yamatoni [T/N: Boiled with ginger, soy sauce, and sugar], which is quite tasty.

    Horns can be sold, but it is not really priced. They are not used for medicine like Unicorn Horns but are simply processed into materials for crafts and daily necessities. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll just take the sporangium and leave the rest in the side. I will leave for the road.

    ¡°Abeshuu doesn¡¯t leave any sporangium, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s it. It¡¯s human nature to want to see them, you know, a legend. In fact, the Baphomets were hiding.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°They might have been the kind who wouldn¡¯t be afraid of people, squeak. Maybe they were just quietly running around, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± (Shuu)

    If you¡¯ve been to the home of a harmless metro resident and made them and their friends your dinner, you¡¯re going to feel a bit uncomfortable.

    ¡°But they were pretty motivated, too. I guess they were starving.¡± (Shuu)

    Baphomet is basically an omnivore and will eat anything, including humans. However, they also have an unexpectedly cautious side, and compared to other beasts, aggression is high for a muscle-brain beast. The reason these guys are turning violent is because of the food situation due to the overpopulation.

    ¡°If a strange-looking animal suddenly appears on the scene, anyone would be startled, squeak. They are very eager to get rid of us, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Why though, I have a forgettable face¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I feel bad, really bad, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko put her hand together and prayed over the corpses that were lined up. For some reason, I began to dig a hole. Then I offer one rice ball in front of the grave.

    ¡°Even so, your movements are squeaker, Abeshuu.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh? You saw?¡± (Shuu)

    I smiled. As expected of my partner, she is a squirrel who knows the difference. She has not been watching over me for five years.

    With Ouji, I have gained two levels, and have now reached the 70 level. Two levels are not a dramatic change, but it is still a clear improvement in mobility and a slight increase in Fungal Skills.

    It has been several weeks since we left Ouji, but that doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t do anything before that. I have been moving my body regularly to get acclimated, and I have been training a lot to get used to [Accumulation].

    I do not intend to be overconfident, but I feel that I am still growing even after leaving Outsuka. I can still get stronger.

    ¡°If I say that I want new Fungal Skills, Professor Noa will get angry. Even if I say that I¡¯ve become stronger, I am still a half-baked hunter, and I have to make use of my experience here for the future.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Be humble and kind. I hope you will be blessed with a bald head in the future, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh? Yeah.¡± (Shuu)

    We descended the wet, rock wall that shone like metal, this time into a swampy area where mangrove-like tree roots served as footholds.

    A hill with misty rain from cracks in the ceiling. A pond with huge vines hanging over it like a bridge. A meadow with small fish swimming in floating bubbles.

    One person and one animal marveled at the scenery that changed with each step, saying, ¡°Wow¡± and ¡°Squeak¡± one after another. It was like a fantasy land.

    ¡°I wish Noa could see this too.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯d like to try fishing in that pond.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    It is said to be an unpopular metro, but with such a fantastic scenery, it would be nice if more people came here. Well, the metro is not a tourist spot, and not many hunters go out of their way to seek it out. Or maybe Outsuka and Ouji were just too orthodox, and this kind of strange scenery is not uncommon in New Tokyo.

    Of course, I cannot afford to stay in a sightseeing mood. Metro Beasts roam everywhere, including the familiar Sahuagin, the Hermit Crabs and Tentacle creatures that also appeared in Outsuka, and Giant Piranhas that roam the ground with their fins.

    If I activate [Beast Repellent Spores], they rarely come close to us. Even so, the beasts are somewhat frightened but still seem to be constantly on the lookout for their surroundings.

    I know the reason. It¡¯s the Baphomets.

    The drooling goat headed beasts enter every scene, making me want to quip that they are very unphotogenic. Even if I use [Beast Repellent Spores], they will approach me slowly and hesitantly. It¡¯s troublesome when they call their companions, so I¡¯m trying to deal with them promptly, but there are still a lot of them.

    The scenery is not all breathtaking. Nuts and leaves are being devoured, bones of beasts with pieces of meat are lying around, fish carcasses are floating in ponds, and the bare reality of the situation is everywhere. It is like a beast infestation caused by the overpopulation of Baphomets.

    The lives and cycles of Metro flora and fauna, including metro beasts, are so powerful that it is impossible in the commonsense world that I know. They are constantly rising and falling in the midst of the weak and strong and the changes of the metro, sometimes even involving the metro¡¯s surroundings, creating their own unique ecosystems.

    I remember the 49th floor of the Outsuka Metro, which was full of slimes. The irregular and explosive proliferation of one species will probably have a great impact even on the balance of the system. If this situation continues for a long time, the environment of this metro may change drastically, just as the overpopulation of goats, deer, and other species that have no natural predators will turn lush mountains into bald mountains.

    (What would the Metro Church say?) (Shuu)

    Something like, ¡°The changes within the Metro should surrender itself to the will of the Metro?¡±

    Or ¡°In order to preserve the Metro ecosystem, some intervention is unavoidable in the face of rapid change¡±?

    I have a feeling it¡¯s the former, but I doubt it.

    In this respect, the hunters and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government are (or should be) governed by ¡°people¡¯s lives and property,¡± not by doctrine. Even for this request, if there had been no damage to the Rikugi Village, they would have left it alone.

    The other party is nature (or the supernatural), and it is a beast. Even if a great deal of damage is caused by beasts, it is not evil. However, justice was not part of it.

    ¡ªAs long as the opponent is not a Demon.

    Suddenly, I see the carcass of an Almiraj, which has been eaten and infected by insects and rats.

    ¡°¡­ Abeshuu?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­¡­nope.¡± (Shuu)

    I slap my cheek.

    Should I be overthinking this or that?

    No matter what the emotional argument is, no matter where I stand.

    In the end, there is no good or evil.

    It¡¯s a fight for profit and survival between different races. That¡¯s all.

    I¡¯m just doing my job as a hunter. That¡¯s all.

    ¡°Over there, the stairs of the fourth floor. Let¡¯s be careful.¡± (Shuu)

    After a few short pauses, about three hours after entering the metro area.

    Shuu and Tamiko finally set foot on the fifth basement floor.

    There, a new ¡°evil¡± awaits them.

 CH 96

    A/N: 10/6 ¨C Sou Utsuki¡¯s hair has been changed from ¡°black¡± to ¡°blond¡±.

    ¡°Nin Nin! Nin Nin!¡± (Tamiko)

    Squirrel Ninja, who has blended the color of her body into her surroundings with her camouflaging ability, comes back to me. For a moment, I suspected that she had been mumbling ¡°Nin-nin-nin squeak.¡± throughout the reconnaissance, but she didn¡¯t seem to be aware of it, since she didn¡¯t have any goat monkeys in tow.

    ¡°Good work Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Nin Nin!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°How was it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ve only seen a few of them around here. It¡¯s kind of quiet, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Is that so? Hmm¡­¡± (Shuu)

    How strange.

    From the 3rd floor to the 4th floor, and finally to the 5th floor.

    As we dive deeper and deeper, the sense of unease becomes stronger and stronger.

    In the Baphomet colony this time, in the preliminary investigation prior to the subjugation, it was said that there are two bosses in the center of the colony¡ªhuge mature individuals. Since they did not fight, their estimated level is unknown, but it is said that it was clearly larger than a normal individual, dignified, and pompous. We don¡¯t even know if it was the second or not, but at least two mature individuals were confirmed to have been seen at any rate.

    Baphomets are metro beasts, which do not possess the intelligence of magic beasts, and they do not form civilized groups when they swarm. Still, the leadership of the beast as a herd is strong, and its will is unified in protecting the boss and expanding the herd.

    Nevertheless, it is not absolute. As their numbers increase, there will inevitably be a shortage of food, and some will become stragglers. It was the initial assumption that these individuals were the ones who appeared near the surface.

    However, something strange began to haunt my mind as w descended to the third floor.

    As we approached the colony, the number of Baphomets increased, their leadership grew stronger, and they blocked our way more fiercely. In fact, I thought that their numbers were even fewer than on the upper floors.

    This became more apparent when we descended to the fourth floor. There were no goat monkeys, who were taking advantage of the violence of their numbers. Rather, we saw more of the other beasts.

    Baphomets often work in groups of several beasts, but they showed no signs of cooperation between groups. In other words, it was as if a nuclear family had developed. The situation that I had feared most, that once they were seen, they would meh, meh, meh, and more and more companions would join them, never happened.

    Although Tamiko and my level were also a factor, we never once encountered a situation where we would have had to struggle. If there had been proper coordination within the colony, the individuals at this level would have received information about the intruder by now, and they would not have been able to relax like this.

    ¡°Something weird is going on, I guess. Something that would affect the people in the strike team¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Nin?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just take a look around this floor for now. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen, so let¡¯s be on our toes.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Nin-squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You mixed it up.¡± (Shuu)

    Rikugi Metro B5F.

    This place is similar to the 31st floor of Ouji Metro. It¡¯s probably not as big as that one, but it¡¯s a huge pseudo-outdoor floor where one room occupies the floor. Not only the type, but also the appearance is somewhat similar to the urban part over there.

    While the 31st floor of Ouji was ¡°a vast forest and a group of ancient Aztec-like ruins,¡± the 5th floor of Rikugi was ¡°a submerged temple city¡±. If I were to use an easy-to-understand analogy, it would be as if you were strolling around with a princess muttering, ¡°It¡¯s too big for my pocket!¡± However, the one who was by my side right now was not a cool squirrel, but a glutton squirrel. ¡°It¡¯s too big for my cheek pouches!¡± She¡¯s lost her way.

    The design is in the style of ancient Europe. Stone sidewalks, brick buildings, and stone pillars rising meaninglessly.

    Waterways run along the sidewalks. Of course, for a water metro, the water has not dried up, and the gentle flow of water is still alive. Moreover, if you look closely at the bottom of the water, you can see another passageway there as well.

    The buildings are half destroyed, and grass and trees are growing in the gaps between the stones. Moss is growing on the pillars and walls, and what appears to be a stone statue of a human figure has lost its head and is now a shadow of its former self. A faint mist hung in the air, and the smell of dense water and greenery lingered in the air. The only water flowing slowly is slightly stagnant.

    An ancient city engulfed by water and mycelial plants, marooned in the chasm of time. That¡¯s my impression, anyway.

    (I always think¡­) (Shuu)

    (Why would the Metro build something like this?) (Shuu)

    An alien, artificial space that suddenly appears in a cavernous dungeon.

    Who would create something like this, and with what intention? Are there any intentions or motives?

    If there really is a Metro God or a Threadweaver God, I¡¯d like to hear what he has to say about it.

    ¡°¡­very few.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Although the range of [Sensor Spores] is halved due to the fog, I can still feel the presence of birds, insects, and other creatures, and the breath of beasts on my skin.

    But the Baphomets, there are just one or two of them hanging around, and they don¡¯t seem to be forming a big force. The image I had of them was ¡°the most aggressive and powerful motorcycle gang in the Kanto region,¡± but here they are, rather like ¡°a weak team at the bottom of the pack that has been beaten to a pulp by other guys¡±.

    (What should I do?) (Shuu)

    Let¡¯s try to hunt a few small fry to see how they react. I would like to see their reactions.

    The smell of their blood and the sound of their own kind will probably make them come out of their shells and say, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± and they would gather in droves. If so, it would be troublesome, but I feel that it is a path we must take if we want to know the current situation of the colony. No, it may not be too late to check the boss¡¯s appearance first.

    ¡°¡­no, let¡¯s do it.¡± (Shuu)

    Know what¡¯s happening on this floor. That¡¯s just the scope of our job.

    The stairs to the fourth floor aren¡¯t too far now, and even if something goes wrong, we can at least escape upstairs. If there is a risk, it is better to do it early.

    We lock on to a lone goat-monkey hiding in the shadows.

    ¡°Let¡¯s catch it. It won¡¯t do any good if we kill it instantly, so let¡¯s have it to call its friends.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Can you do it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me. Dealing with that small fry could eat up all my calories, it¡¯s a big deal, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Go fight chonk squirrel.¡± (Shuu)

    I received a thrust on my cheek saying ¡°Evil, squeak!¡±. Quite the heavy paw.

    Tamiko jumps off my shoulder and walks toward Baphomet. The two face each other.

    ¡°Meh, meh!¡± (Baphomet)

    ¡°Come fight, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    A bipedal beast with the physique of an adult male and a squirrel at her feet, her tail flailing in the air, with a ¡°Squeak¡±. At first glance, it looks like a picture of bullying, but this is Sugamo¡¯s pride and joy, the ¡°Super powered¡± squirrel, a tough and strong squirrel, and her enemy will not even become rust on her front teeth.

    Drooling, the Baphomet attacks with a war cry. Tamiko dodges the attack and bides her time, just as she intended. The way she has been fattening up recently, she is becoming a glutton that seems to have a certain amount of appetite, but she has not lost her natural quickness. This chonk squirrel can really move.

    ¡°Evil!¡± (Tamiko)

    A brown flash shoots straight up and grazes Baphomet¡¯s neck.

    Baphomet stops moving for a moment. A large amount of blood spurts from its neck, and the goat-head falls to the ground. It¡¯s over, victory.

    ¡°Good job.¡± (Shuu)

    When I rushed over, Tamiko wipes the blood from her face with her hand and licks it off.

    ¡°¡­I squeaking killed you¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Well don¡¯t overdo it.¡± (Shuu)

    The gory squirrel, however, immediately disposes of the corpse and removes the sporangium. Alert and ready, we wait for reinforcements.

    ¡ªHere they come.

    ¡°¡­Meeee¡­¡± (Baphomet)

    ¡°¡­Meeee¡­¡± (Baphomet)

    It was worth it to make it scream rather loudly and spread the smell of blood. The Baphomets peeking out of the shadows with their goat heads. The number of them are ¡ªthree.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± (Shuu)

    While holding out my [Katana], I twist my head. I thought they¡¯d be gathering in droves.

    I¡¯m not sure if there is not enough food for them, but they all have starving gazes. I didn¡¯t use the [Beast Repellent Spores], but I wonder if I could get rid of them if I did. Would they still be able to resist their appetites and attack us?

    We had to make the first move. I cut down two of them and shot the other one right between the eyes with a [White Bullet]. It takes less than ten seconds.

    We rounded up the corpses and waited for more. There is no sign of further reinforcements.

    ¡°¡­what¡¯s going on?¡± (Shuu)

    Has the colony already been destroyed?

    But there are no signs of battle in this area. There are no bodies.

    And, above all, why hasn¡¯t the strike team returned?

    They may have been wounded to the point of being unable to move. Even if so, all of them? Why has not a single person returns to call for help?

    If so, were they all wiped out in a mutual annihilation? Or the colony disappeared for some other reason?

    ¡ªWhen.

    Both Tamiko and I look back at the same time. Tamiko senses the presence with her ears, while I sensed it with my [Sensory Spores].

    ¡°¡­¡­that is.¡± (Shuu)

    It is a person. Not a goat monkey, but the outline of a human being.

    After jumping over the fence across the road, there is someone standing in the grass.

    ¡°¡­¡­a girl?¡± (Shuu)

    There is a girl there, even smaller than Noah, a girl who could be described as a child. She has thin blonde pigtails tied in two, sickly white skin, and pointed ears. Human, or perhaps a demihuman?

    ¡°¡­Are you a hunter?¡± (Girl)

    The girl opens her mouth. Her cheeks are drawn back in horror, her eyes teary, her whole body stained with mud and bloodstains. Her green jersey is in tatters.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a Sugamo hunter. What about you?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­¡­saved¡­¡­¡± (Girl)

    Her face suddenly relaxed and she collapsed on the spot. I panicked and rushed over.

    The body that I caught was light as a feather. She was so light that if a breeze blew, she will fly away.

    ¡°¡­Yes, I am also a hunter.¡± (Girl)

    She answered, in my arms, with a quiet, hoarse voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Sou Utsuki, a member of the Komagome branch. I was a member of¡­ Baphomet Colony¡¯s strike team.¡± (Girl => Sou)

    I finally found one.

    A survivor of the strike team.

    ¡°¡­¡­was?¡± (Shuu)

    She nodded, her thin lips moving slightly.

    ¡°Everyone but me¡­ was killed by that monster¡­¡± (Sou)

 CH 97.1

    A/N: 9/3 ¨C Part of the last ¡°conversation¡± has been revised.

    She calls herself Utsuki Sou, a loli girl who looks about 11 or 12 years old.

    It is a little hard to believe that she is a member of Baphomet¡¯s colony strike team, but even this girl should be a professional hunter of level 30 or above.

    ¡°Uh, ku¡­¡­¡± (Sou)

    Her lips let out a faint moan as she lays in my arms. Her whole body is full of wounds. Her tiny body is covered in mud everywhere, scrapes and cuts. Her green jersey is almost black with blood stains. She tries to hold back the pain.

    ¡°Are you okay? Do you need [Holy Healing]?¡± (Shuu)

    When I produce a white hypha ball on my fingertip, the girl bit it and sucked *slurp**slurp*.

    I let the loli girl in my arms suck my fingertips. This is dangerous. The sense of immorality is blaring. If it¡¯s recorded in video, it¡¯s inevitable that it will damage my reputation.

    ¡°Thank you¡­ Thank you¡­ Um¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m Abe Shuu from Sugamo.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Tamiko, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Yes, thank you very much. Mr. Abe, Ms. Tamiko.¡± (Sou)

    Was she able to recover with just one? So, I gently let go of her body. While I was a bit nervous, I was quite relieved.

    ¡°Oh, um, excuse me¡­ but may I see your card, just to be sure?¡± (Shuu)

    A question pops up in my head when I hear the word card. I immediately thought my hunter¡¯s identification card.

    ¡°Ah, yes. Wait a minute.¡± (Shuu)

    I show her my identification card that was in the pocket of my rucksack. Tamiko says, ¡°Mine too! Let her see mine.¡± while pulling my ear.

    ¡°¡­ Yes, thank you very much. Here is mine too.¡± (Sou)

    She pat herself and came to the realization that it wasn¡¯t in her pockets. From what I¡¯ve seen so far, her luggage must have been lost somewhere. that¡¯s why¡ª

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s unsightly, but¡­¡± (Sou)

    Her sickly white cheeks were slightly reddish, and she timidly rolled up the hem of her jacket.

    His white skin with a faint scar was exposed, so I almost shouted ¡°Noo!¡± but was stuck a millimeter in my throat. Two types of tattoos are carved on both sides of her small navel¡ªthe city insignia of Komagome and the guild insignia of the Hunter¡¯s Guild. My eyes were glued there.

    ¡°I am Sou Utsuki of the Komagome branch. A long-eared demi-human and Elf¡­ Um, it¡¯s embarrassing, but I might look like this and I¡¯m 30 years old¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Really!?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We don¡¯t look much different even when we age¡­ People often doubt that I¡¯m really a hunter¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Thirty¡­ years old¡­¡± (Shuu)

    In actual age, I am a century older than her, but in years lived, she is older than me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I look like this¡­ I¡¯m actually a mature lady¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°No no¡­¡± (Shuu)

    (I see¡­ 30 years old¡­) (Shuu)

    (I thought she was a level 30 high school girl, but is that acceptable?) (Shuu)

    ¡°*Whisper* (Tamiko, what¡¯s your level?)¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°*Whisper* (around 35, squeak).¡± (Tamiko)

    She may look like a loli girl, but she is a mid-level hunter. The requirement for the strike team is level 30 or above, which means she fits the bill.

    Perhaps feeling something from my rude gaze, Utsuki¡¯s face turned even redder. I hurriedly averted my gaze.

    While averting it, my thoughts are jumbled.

    (Even so, an elf?) (Shuu)

    (In here, is this real?) (Shuu)

    (There are pig-demihuman the orcs, so of course there are elves when there are orcs.) (Shuu)

    ¡ªa legal loli.

    Such a phrase crossed my mind, and I quickly shook it off.

    ¡°Um¡­ I go to Sugamo from time to time, but I¡¯ve never seen the two of you before¡­.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Well, we just joined this May.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡­¡± (Sou)

    An old rookie with a Carbuncle partner is a hot topic in Sugamo. I thought she would get some kind of reaction if she knew about it, but it seems that the rumors about us didn¡¯t even reach the other branches. In terms of the timing of the strike team¡¯s departure, the chaos in Ouji may not have reached their ears. I feel relieved.

    ¡°But the fact that you accepted this survey means that you are at a certain level¡­?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Well, yeah. I don¡¯t think we have a problem in that part.¡± (Shuu)

    A hand that was as cute as a maple tree tightly grasped my hand.

    Ooh, so soft, so small.

    ¡°Please¡­ let¡¯s take on those monsters together¡­¡± (Sou)

    I exchanged a glance with Tamiko, receiving those eyes that were desperately clinging to me.

    ¡°Um, can you tell me first? What happened to the strike team, what happened here¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    According to Utsuki¡¯s story, a strike team of 30 hunters from Sugamo and Komagome arrived at this floor nine days ago.

    Preliminary investigations had indicated that the majority of the colony and the boss were located here, but when they ventured in, they found that the place was almost completely deserted (though not as deserted as it is today). The majority of the goat monkeys, which had been so numerous during the survey phase that it looked like some kind of festival or event, had disappeared without a trace.

    The team scoured the entire spacious fifth floor, exterminating the unhealthy-looking ones that had attacked them. In the end, there was no boss to be found on this floor.

    After consulting with each other, they decided to go to the sixth floor.

    They did not know that their decision would result in their complete annihilation.

    ¡°Waiting for them there was a mutated individual¡­¡­ a Baphomet.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Mutant individual?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The mass breeding of Baphomets has resulted in a unique individual, different from both the normal and the mature individual. This is a rare case in colony outbreaks.¡± (Sou)

    They devour other beasts and continue to give birth.

    They continue to devour and lay until the vegetation decays.

    The colony is formed by such an unrestrained breeding cycle.

    Among the hundreds and thousands of lives that are born in this process. If the probability of the occurrence of a mutation is constant, it is not surprising that it is realized in the course of the colony¡¯s vast trial-and-error process. It would be a rather natural process.

    ¡°This is our guess¡­. but that mutated individual, for their species, seems to be even more different from the normal Baphomets, even more, heterogeneous among mutations. The proof of this is that¡­ that individual was cannibalistic, which is not normal.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Noa once told me about this. The creatures of New Tokyo do not level up taking in sporangium from the same species. So, cannibalism occurs only very rarely, even among Metro Beasts.

    ¡°In the case of a chronic food shortage, such as the explosive expansion of a colony, there are rare cases where weaker individuals of the same species are sacrificed as ¡®food¡¯. However¡­ I am still speculating, but I think that this guy gained his strength through cannibalism. Conversely, because it was born as an isolated species, it was able to grow more powerful through cannibalism¡­ Otherwise, there is no explanation for its strength¡­¡± (Sou)

    It is only a hypothesis of the strike team, but that means that it is so strong that such an outlandish hypothesis would not be impossible.

    ¡°Umm¡­ Ms. Utsuki, what is its level?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I think you would have to be a master to be able to stand up against it.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Seriously?¡± (Shuu)

    The Baphomet¡¯s growth was said to peak at 30 or so at the most. It is certainly a monster to reach double that level?

    ¡°In addition¡­ That creature had a dozen or so followers under its command. I think it is using only the best of them as its limbs, like an elite unit. We, the strike team, were barely able to fight¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Everybody except Ms. Utsuki is annihilated¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­We defeated about half of its followers, but we couldn¡¯t reach that mutated individual¡­ I¡¯m an [Illusionist], and I was supporting everyone from behind¡­ but my friends let me go when we were about to be annihilated¡­ I was so wounded that I left all my items behind¡­ and the potions¡­ I left all my potions and stuff behind¡­ I bide my time and get here without fighting as much as I could.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    For the time being, we were able to ascertain the safety of the strike team and the current status of the colony¡¯s anomalies.

    The Baphomet¡¯s colony self-destructed like an organism undermined by cancer cells due to the mutants they created. The Baphomet colony has transformed itself from a large family of mutants into an elite group with the mutants at the top, and it is continuing its activities. The strike team that attempted to defeat it was unfortunately wiped out, leaving only Utsuki.

    (We flew pretty fast, but we didn¡¯t make it in time, did we?) (Shuu)

 CH 97.2

    (We flew pretty fast, but we didn¡¯t make it in time, did we?) (Shuu)

    It could not be helped. It was frustrating, but there was nothing we could do, given the timing.

    Anyway, those who still appear in the village and those who were on the upper floor are, so to speak, survivors from the previous leaders. In other words, they are like the remnants of the previous generation, and even if left alone, they will disappear sooner or later.

    So, the question is¡ªwill these mutated individuals really be a threat to the Rikugi Village and the hunters?

    (Well, what should we do?) (Shuu)

    I glance at Tamiko. She, too, seems to have been listening to the conversation seriously and looks a little doubtful. Her ears are perked up, which means that she is searching for us even while we are doing this.

    ¡°¡­I understand what you¡¯re saying. Ms. Utsuki, can you go back by yourself? If possible, I¡¯d like you to go back to Rikugi Village first.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­No way, to subdue it alone¡­? Excuse me, but what is Mr. Abe¡¯s level¡­?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s 70.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I am 42, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Utsuki¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Really!? At such a young age¡­?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°I¡¯m often heard that, but¡­ I¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± (Shuu)

    Tears welled in Utsuki¡¯s eyes. She takes my hand again. Stronger and tighter than before.

    I wonder what¡¯s happening. The softness is different from that of the Xolotl¡¯s paw pads. I can¡¯t help feeling the softness.

    ¡°Ah¡­ ¡®God of Threadweavers¡¯ didn¡¯t abandon us¡­ Thank you very much¡­¡± (Sou)

    Are you a member of the Metro Church?

    ¡°Please¡­ Let me join you¡­ To avenge everyone¡­!¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Ah, no¡­ our job is just to investigate. I¡¯m sorry, but¡­¡± (Shuu)

    While somehow turning my face away, I let go of her hand.

    It¡¯s a monster that even 30 level 30 hunters or higher couldn¡¯t subdue, it¡¯s doubtful if we can manage it on our own. Moreover, there are still half of the followers left, and it¡¯s not so good-looking that I can say, ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do my best!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doubting Ms. Utsuki, but I¡¯d like to go down to the sixth floor and check it out first.¡± (Shuu)

    If it looks like we can manage it ourselves, then subjugating it would probably be on the table, but of course, if it looks dangerous, we will retreat with all our might and end the survey. I can understand her frustration, but¡­ I don¡¯t want to be in danger from being overly confident. We are not only putting ourselves in danger, but many others as well. If we don¡¯t do our job, we will cause trouble for many people.

    Utsuki lowers her eyes for a moment, then looks up.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s fine. Please take me too. I¡¯ll lead you to the sixth floor.¡± (Sou)

    She has tears in her eyes. Her shoulders are trembling slightly.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s better not to overdo it¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Her injuries may have healed, but she had to have consumed a considerable amount of energy and physical strength to survive this far. After all, it seems better to end the investigation here and accompany her to the surface.

    Or rather, as far as I can see, I feel like her mind is in chaos. It¡¯s not a warrior trembling, it¡¯s clearly mixed with fear.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not going to slow you down. I¡¯m a professional hunter too. I couldn¡¯t fight to the end that time, but I¡­ want to give another fight for everyone¡¯s sake¡­¡± (Sou)

    Biting her lips hard, she drew blood. Is it the light of determination and preparedness that still shines in her watery eyes?

    Looking at Tamiko, she nodded slightly.

    I sighed and nodded back.

    ¡°¡­in the meantime, can I expect you to follow my instructions?¡± (Shuu)

    Her expression flashed brightly, and she nodded, ¡°Yes!¡±

    Secretly I was a little taken aback by her smile.

    With Utsuki leading the way, we stealthily proceeded through the water city. Our goal is the stairs to the sixth floor.

    I see her slender back, her slim waist, and her perky buttocks. I can¡¯t look away from her, like it¡¯s an irresistible force.

    No, stop, I inwardly shook my head.

    Among my sexual preferences, there I don¡¯t have any loli in there.

    It is true that I prefer larger breasts. However, in essence, whether the breasts are small or large, the important thing is whether or not they match the person¡¯s stature. True, the bigger better, but that is not all there is to ¡°a woman¡±, nor is it all there is to ¡°my preference¡±. But I really prefer bigger ones.

    Therefore, it is not difficult to find being attracted with a preference that¡¯s like a slippery slope. Because breasts are breasts, there is no hierarchy in their beauty and firmness.

    (¡­¡­Although.) (Shuu)

    As I said, I don¡¯t have a taste for lolis.

    It is a path that I have never taken in my life, nor would I dare to take.

    Well, the woman in front of me is not a little girl. Her age may indeed be in the strike zone.

    But she is too timid. Not only did she not step on the plate, but it was as if she was thrown from five meters away from the mound. It is not unreasonable to think that the few remaining Heisei era rationality might refuse to swing.

    Well, it¡¯s sexual harassment when you¡¯re thinking about such things. When she is told things like, ¡°Why am I judging things from my point of view?¡±

    So I¡¯m not going to do it. I don¡¯t have time to be having fun fantasizing about such things right now, because I feel the pain of my partner¡¯s eyes on me.

    Or rather, let¡¯s try to keep her out of my gaze as much as possible.

    I don¡¯t know why but looking at her makes me feel out of tune. My brain starts spinning in unexpected directions. I think strange thoughts. I feel like I¡¯m about to open a new door. This is not good.

    (¡­¡­that.) (Shuu)

    When I try to force my thoughts in a different direction, I suddenly think.

    Even now. Yes, even now.

    I am estimated to be 132 years old this year.

    ¡­This means that no matter who I date, I am a lolicon, right?

    Even a grandma who celebrated her 60th birthday is 70 years old younger, right?

    Hahaha, even a grandma is like my great-grandchild.

    (¡­I should stop. I need to stop thinking.) (Shuu)

    Let¡¯s take our time later and come up with a theory that can be used as an official opinion for 107 years. If suitable, I can borrow the wisdom of Obuchi and others. It¡¯s not too late to start thinking about this and that.

    ¡°¡­¡­Hmm?¡± (Shuu)

    I stopped.

    I held my breath and focus on my senses.

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Tamiko, did you hear anything?¡± (Shuu)

    She puts her hands over her ears and slowly turns her head to the side as if to point her antennae.

    ¡°¡­¡®animal-like¡¯ sounds are the most common, squeak. But it¡¯s hard to tell because of the sound of the water, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see.¡±

    My [Sensory Spores] also had a narrower range due to the fog. It won¡¯t be half as wide as usual, less than 30 meters.

    Within that range, I had a feeling that something was nearby. It¡¯s not a small animal like a rabbit or a mouse, but a rather large beast like Baphomet. I couldn¡¯t tell clearly because it was mixed with noise.

    I don¡¯t feel that now. I wonder if Baphomet¡¯s remnants are hiding nearby.

    ¡°¡­Mr. Abe? Ms. Tamiko?¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki, who was walking ahead, returns.

    ¡°¡­I think there might be something nearby.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki looked around anxiously.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s there right now. But let¡¯s be on the lookout.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Sou)

    So, three of us started walking again.

    ¡°¡­ Hahaha. This may be the first time I¡¯ve almost been caught tailing someone.¡± (Voice)

    ¡°Seriously?¡± (Voice)

    ¡°Is it some kind of sensory ability, or are their instincts as good as a beast?¡± (Voice)

    ¡°Kihihi. Deputy Commander, what is the plan?¡± (Voice)

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. We just need to be careful. If we all work together, we can probably win, but we probably won¡¯t be safe either. We can¡¯t take any chances.¡± (Voice)

    ¡°¡­Then what should we do?¡± (Voice)

    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to keep following them at a distance. I think I¡¯m going to start after they collide with those goat monkeys. Hopefully, they¡¯ll be the bait for the ¡®Family¡¯.¡± (Voice)

 CH 98.1

    A/N: 10/11 ¨C Corrected Ichigaya Metro to Itabashi Metro, the residence of the ¡°Ghost Sword Saint¡±.

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    There is a secret on what lurks on the fifth underground floor of the Rikugi Metro, unknown to Abe Shuu and Tamiko, Utsuki, the members of the strike team, or even the scouting team of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office that visited ten years ago.

    It has been a year since it was officially announced that no significant resources or rare metro beasts were found in the investigation by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Hunters from neighboring cities have been away, and the excitement in Rikugi Village has cooled down considerably.

    The only people who enter the village are the residents of Rikugi Village, who wander around the first and second floors in search of medicinal herbs and the like. The rest of the floors had become a paradise for beasts, and then a group of four beginner-level hunters from Asakusa City arrived.

    Leaving their hometown, which lacked metros for low-level hunters, the four were on an expedition to find an affordable hunting ground. We heard a rumor of a ¡°low-level metro that was just built last year¡± at a branch in Komagome City where we stopped.

    The four of them were interested in this place, which did not bring much success for the local hunters.

    ¡°¡®Water metro¡¯ huh¡­ it¡¯s the perfect place for us.¡± (Hunter)

    Asakusa City is an exotic water city on the shores of Lake Sumida, which flows from the Sumida River. It is the center of trade with Akihabara to the west (the metropolis where the Metro Church is headquartered), Kameido Tribe to the east, Senju Tribe to the north, and Daiba and Sinagawa to the south.

    For the four of them, who was born and raised in the ¡°Water City,¡± one of the most popular tourist destinations in New Tokyo, the name ¡°Water Metro¡± was enough to make them feel a sense of connection.

    After gathering more information, they found that the Rikugi Metro was a perfect fit for them.

    The metro beasts inhabiting the area are mainly beginner beasts such as lesser Sahuagin and Baphomet. At best, Catoblepas appear in the deeper levels. For the three of them us, who are still comfortable on the second floor, with an average level of just over 20, this is just the right training ground.

    The reputation for poor efficiency is not a problem for them, but fortunately, they do not have to worry about their actual income as they do not have to worry about the cost of the hunt. In fact, it is a good place for them to slowly improve their skills, as they are unlikely to run into other hunters.

    They stocked up on food that day and prepared for a long day of hunting. Instead of stopping at the village, which was rumored to have an ¡°ostrich smell,¡± they went straight into Rikugi Metro.

    The search went reasonably well. Even though their level was not high, they had been apprenticed together since they were ten years old, and their coordination was no less than that of a mid-level hunter, and they were not intimidated by the beasts that attacked them in search of flesh and blood. The ups and downs of the terrain were a bit tedious, but the fantastic scenery made the exhaustion go away. The young men were impressed by every single one of them and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m glad we came.¡±

    After a few days of slow progress, they reached the fifth underground floor, where they encountered a group of Baphomets.

    They could not turn their backs on these highly mobile creatures, and running away was not an option. Although they were forced to fight against the unexpected number of Baphomets, the four of them stood together as one. They continued to persevere in a solid formation led by their leader, a [Knight], and gradually whittled away the enemy¡¯s numbers.

    When they had killed half of the herd of more than 30 beasts, an even more troublesome intruder appeared. It was a catoblepas, which we had heard appeared in the deeper levels.

    A boar monster with a blackened body surface. It was one or two times larger than the one they had seen in the Kamade metro. It glared at the human and the goat-monkey alternately with a ferocious look in its eyes, and broke into the two camps to kick them apart.

    A three-way battle. Baphomets were jumping around more and more in a fury, Catoblepas was annoyed at the others who had broken in on their own and were now coming at it, and the four hunters were on the defensive, looking for an opportunity to retreat.

    ¡ªWho among the factions had really pressed the final switch?

    Everyone in the room gasped as the thing lurking in the floor came into view.

    The hunters looked up at it, and it looked like a water dragon with a long neck.

    An hour later.

    The raging dragon disappeared, and the area was quiet. The only sound was the dripping of water here and there.

    There was no one there. There were no bodies or bloodstains.

    The city was a cobblestone pavement, washed clean, and faintly reflecting the light of the firefly moss.

    ~Shuu¡¯s Perspective~

    After walking behind Utsuki, the loli elf, for about ten minutes, we began to see the corpses of baphomets, which had decayed and become a nursery for mycelium plants. These are the so-called ¡°returned¡± to the metro. Are they leftovers from mutated individuals or something?

    After entering the fifth floor and fighting off the third attack, we took a short break to sit side-by-side in the shade of the building. We replenished ourselves with our onigiris.

    Utsuki seemed to be quite hungry, and she stuffed her cheeks while crying that it was delicious. She looks like a girl whose parents turned in to monsters. The last of the onigiri fits into her blushing cheek pouch, and the original cheek pouch is not to be outdone and fills up with white rice to compete with her. Incidentally, Tamiko dexterously removes some ingredients from her onigiri. The onigiri are made for manual laborers like Kurano, so the ingredients, such as Tsukudani [A/N: food boiled in soy sauce] Metro Cockroaches and pickled plums, are apparently too salty for Tamiko.

    ¡°But¡ª¡± said Utsuki. ¡°I¡¯m glad Abe and Tamiko came here. I wasn¡¯t doubting you, but when I watch your movements, you really look like masters. How did you manage to become so strong when you¡¯re so young?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ it just happened, or maybe I was just struggling to survive.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s a product of my own personality, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s sort of true, I guess.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Let me hear more about it next time over drinks.¡± (Sou)

    She leans against me. A bruised loli glancing up to me.

    I would like to ask you to refrain from doing such actions because it makes my heart pound unnecessarily. I don¡¯t want to open any new doors. I poke the cheek pouch of the squirrel girl to calm down. Ah, it really calms me down.

    ¡°However, you know what? Our job is just to investigate the mutant of Baphomet. I¡¯ll decide whether or not I¡¯m going to fight after I see the actual thing.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, of course. If possible, I want to take revenge on behalf of the others, in any case, it¡¯s a one-punch return for me¡­ but it¡¯s dangerous if we leave it alone. If you don¡¯t finish it off as soon as possible, it may eventually grow up to be a ¡®named¡¯ monster¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°¡®Named¡¯¡­ like the Satan Slime or something?¡± (Shuu)

    Satan Slime, the boss of the 49th floor of the Outsuka Metro that Tamiko and I defeated.

    The name does not represent the species itself, but is unique to that particular individual.

    Metro beasts with such unique names are called ¡°Titled¡± or ¡°Named¡±.

    In MMO games, they are ¡°strong monsters with unique names¡±. For hunters, metro beasts are the second most dangerous threat after demons (excluding the five great beast kings, since some of them are not hostile), and a bounty may be placed on their heads depending on how dangerous they are and the need to subjugate them.

    To give an example that of what I heard in the lecture when I was getting my license, the Dragon¡¯s Mushroom Den¡¯s a mutated Wyvern named ¡°Corruption Whirlwind¡± that has its nests in the middle floor, and the big boss of Itabashi Metro ¡°Ghost Sword Saint¡±. Also in the Ikebukuro Tribe territory, there are also ¡°endemic species that can become a ¡®Named¡¯ after changes in generation¡± in the Ikebukuro Tribe territory.

    By the way, it is not possible to give names to mature and mutant individuals. Also, the difference in names such as Blue Goblin and Red Goblin, Lesser Sahuagin and Land Sahuagin means that they are different species in the same category. It¡¯s like the difference between a Toy Poodle and a Doberman. Basically, no crossbreeding occurs there, but it is said that there are rare cases where crossbreeding occur and powerful mutants are born.

    ¡°There aren¡¯t many ¡°Name¡± metro beasts left, are there?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, there are. Basically, a master or someone of a master level will go out there and kill it. But when a name is given to a metro beast, it means that it caused a lot of death and destruction, so¡­ so it will already be too late.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± (Shuu)

    If the fifth and sixth underground floors are switched, there is a possibility that they will come to the surface. If a Satan Slime-class beast were to appear in a human village, it is hard to imagine how much damage it would cause.

    ¡°If you become a Named Hunter, you can get a reward or a nickname for defeating the Named beast.¡± (Sou)

 CH 98.2

    ¡°If you become a Named Hunter, you can get a reward or a nickname for defeating the Named beast.¡± (Sou)

    For example, the hunter who killed a mutant Leviathan (a giant carnivorous hippopotamus) that appeared in the waters around Tokyo Bay is known as the ¡°Sea Devil Killer¡±. This is probably more a matter of honor or romance than of practical benefit.

    By the way, me, who subjugated the Satan Slime, didn¡¯t receive either of them. It will still take a long time to confirm whether it was actually subjugated, and it may not be confirmed in the first place. Well, it¡¯s strange to be called a ¡°Slime Slayer¡±.

    What¡¯s even more disappointing is that, being a boss in the depths of an unpopular metro, it was of low importance to subjugate and did not even have a bounty on its head. Too bad.

    ¡°If Mr. Abe could defeat the mutant here, I would you. They said it was a foe worthy of a name.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t need a title.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡®Baphomet Slayer¡¯¡­ No, it¡¯s too simple. How about ¡®Sacrifice Devouring Absolute Black Goat, Nightmare Burier Genocider?¡¯¡± (Sou)

    ¡°What is that Chuuni!?¡± (Shuu)

    Even if you don¡¯t actually defeat a Named metro beast, if you become a master or reach a certain level, or if you are recognized by others, you can get a title on your own. Giran¡¯s ¡°Pervert Wolf,¡± ¡°King Slayer Silver Wolf,¡± and there is ¡°Shooting Willow¡± the No. 1 hunter of Sugamo, Shimoyanagi.

    Someone will probably give me a title as well, and if it spreads publicly, it will become a de facto nickname. If it were to include ¡°virgin,¡± where would I direct my anger?

    Anyway, Utsuki really wants to have us kill the mutated individual. I understand that she wants to take revenge on behalf of her comrades, but for me, the safety of Tamiko and I comes first. My priority is to do my job. I¡¯m not going to overdo it.

    ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a rice ball or a smart rice ball, but I¡¯m going to make it rust on my teeth, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, ¡®The Fruit of the Abyss, the Acorn-Muncher, the Cheek Bag Eater¡¯.¡± (Shuu)

    The place is not as big as the 31st floor of Ouji Metro, but it is still quite spacious.

    It takes about an hour to reach the center of the floor, although it is difficult to go straight because the buildings are crowded and the passageways are flooded in some places.

    Since entering, no suspicious presences have appeared in the range of [Sensory Spores], but Tamiko still seems to sense something unusual, and keeps tilting her head.

    ¡°¡­Abeshuu stop, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    I stopped Utsuki, climbed up on the roof of a nearby building, and looked around.

    ¡ªthere it was.

    The place is a circular plaza. The colorful cobblestones are arranged in a precise geometric pattern. Surrounding them, six large stone statues of human figures stand on the circumference of the circle. Their backs are turned to the center, as if they are on the lookout for intruding foreign enemies.

    There are the Baphomets. Five in total.

    ¡°¡­why are they there¡­¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki mutters.

    ¡°¡­I guess that means they came up the stairs?¡± (Sou)

    She bit her lip. I don¡¯t dare to say anything, either. But¡ª

    ¡°I wonder if they have been following Utsukisou, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡± (Shuu)

    The four of them are not so different from the ones we¡¯ve seen so far. The four are not so different from the previous ones, only a little taller, stouter, and with slightly darker fur.

    However¡ªthe individual at the center of the group is clearly different. It is almost as if it were a different creature.

    It was two or three heads taller than the others around it. It was about three meters taller than an ogre.

    None of the undernourished impressions of the baphomets so far are present. Every fingertip, every tip of its sharp horns, every hair on its body is full of energy. Even more than a slender muscular upper body, it has an extremely thick lower body that professional baseball scouts would never leave unrecruited.

    It also has wings on its back reminiscent of bats. This is the very image of a Baphomet.

    It was obvious at first glance, and it was impossible not to recognize it.

    That is the mutant that devoured the colony and destroyed the strike team.

    ¡°Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The ones around it are about 30, squeak. But¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    A pause for breath, and then a small chortle.

    ¡°That¡­ the guy in the middle is about 63.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I see.¡± (Shuu)

    There seems to be no difference in the master class evaluation of Utsuki.

    But¡ªI felt it with my own skin.

    In terms of numbers, it is at a lower level than me. But still¡ªI can feel it.

    I felt a sense of intimidation that approaches that of Satan Slime.

    A sense of presence that is second to none, even among the boss golems of Ouji.

    It has something that cannot be measured by its level.

    (Hey¡­ it¡¯s more than I imagined.) (Shuu)

    If it was only level 60, I would have thought that I could quickly hunt it down with all my might. But seeing the real thing like this¡­ I understand that it will not be that easy.

    (Its entourage is also quite troublesome.) (Shuu)

    (I feel like the boss is a melee fighter just by looking at it) (Shuu)

    (If its entourage has long-range Fungal Skills or something, it would be very troublesome.) (Shuu)

    Should I start a fight, or should I retreat before the opponent notices?

    I glanced at Utsuki and saw that she was pale and trembling. Is the trauma of the annihilation coming back to her?

    (She can¡¯t fight at this rate.) (Shuu)

    (At least I should let her escape¡ª) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡ªPigya!¡± (Tamiko)

    Suddenly, Tamiko cowered, holding her ears.

    ¡°Tamiko, what¡¯s wrong?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, there¡¯s a sound squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°A sound?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°A beeping out, I want to cover my ears¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    Sadly, I heard nothing. Looking at Utsuki¡¯s puzzled face, she must be the same.

    Was it just her imagination, or did a sound that only Tamiko could hear came?

    ¡°¡ªOh no.¡± (Shuu)

    A shiver runs down my spine, and I turned around in a panic.

    Baphomet and the others are looking at us. Their eyes, with their pupils, turned sideways, are staring up at him.

    ¡ªThey noticed us.

    ¡°Ms. Utsuki, run away¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    In the blink of an eye, the entourage leap. They are right in front of my party.

    At the same time, I jumped out and create [War Hammer] in both hands in mid-air.

    ¡°Hah!¡± (Shuu)

    With a short exhale, the hammers roared, knocking away the two that have entered the fight.

    The remaining two were right in front of me, and just as I was about to kick them out of the way, the two shadows became huge¡­

    No, no. They accelerated and closed the distance in an instant.

    I quickly crossed my [War Hammer] to guard myself, but since I was in the air, I couldn¡¯t hold my ground and was knocked down to the cobblestone pavement with them.

    (¡­what now?) (Shuu)

    I think as I quickly adjust my posture.

    The two following animals suddenly accelerate. In the air, without wings.

    Moreover, those two animals also fell without being able to land satisfactorily. The two animals, which were soaking wet, were screaming angrily as they got up.

    (¡ªthat guy.) (Shuu)

    Looking back, I see the boss Baphomet smugly slumped over with a smug look on his face. He is dripping with drool, and his hot breath is coming out as steam.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko cries from above behind me.

    ¡°Tamiko! Protect Ms. Utsuki!¡± (Shuu)

    Shouting without looking back, I took a deep breath.

    About ten meters away was Boss Baphomet, or Boss Met for short.

    The ones that I hit seem to receive non-fatal attacks, and they are getting up and surrounding me, the four Weak Mets.

    ¡°¡­I have to do it.¡± (Shuu)

    There was no longer any chance for escape. I can¡¯t run away.

    I put strength into my hand holding the [War Hammer]. The white pattern is covered with a bluish-white light.

    Concentrating on my back. Arms extend from the shoulder blades.

    ¡°¡­are you ready?¡± (Shuu)

    The Baphomets are slowly approaching. My strength and presence should have been transmitted even without using [Beast Repellent], but he couldn¡¯t sense his intention to retreat.

    Is it because they are confident that they can win? Or is it a desire to satisfy their hunger? Or is it their instinct to fight?

    A hated enemy who killed thirty of my colleagues.

    ¡ªWhy is it that I don¡¯t see them as ¡°the enemy¡±?

    Is it because I don¡¯t know them? Or maybe it is because I have not witnessed it.

    Either way, they have their justice. They have the will to live. They have the determination and strength to defeat those who threaten them.

    What we see before us is not evil. It is a beast brimming with danger, a threat that must be eliminated. That is all.

    So, as always, I declare,

    ¡°¡ªNo hard feelings.¡±

    Before, after, and always after becoming a hunter, it¡¯s the same. This is fighting for survival and profit, that¡¯s all.

 CH 99.1

    A bone-white, thin arm protrudes shrieking from the back of my dark purple cloak.

    Until now, when using this [Ashura], the Catoblepas cloak and hunter¡¯s jersey have been taken off in advance. The cloak has an automatic repair function, but once a hole is made in the jersey, the jersey is looks very punk rock. The cost of making a new jersey for each battle would be ridiculous, and even if I were to use it as it is, the existence of my trump card (¡°Ashura¡±), which is kept secret even from the guild, would be revealed to those who have discerning minds, as was the case in Giran.

    In order to solve this problem, when I returned to Sugamo and consulted with the master craftsman who had made the cloak for me. Without telling him about [Ashura], I gave him a good reason, such as ¡°my back gets too sweaty,¡± and asked him to cut a slit in the back. The upper side is like a flap, so you can¡¯t see the gap, and I feel that ventilation is somewhat improved. The jersey can be buttoned up in winter, so the heat-retaining effect is not lost.

    The jersey was also made by Noah, who is an amateur seamstress, but he had slits made in the same way. The inner layer is a tank top with an open back like a gymnast, so it¡¯s perfect. The sleeve hole problem for the hypha arms was now fixed.

    ¡ªActually, I didn¡¯t intend to use it in front of Utsuki.

    Of course, it¡¯s partly because it¡¯s a secret¡­ but there¡¯s a part of me that doesn¡¯t trust anything she says or does, or her personality, for some reason, though it¡¯s not based on any clear evidence.

    But there¡¯s nothing to be done about it. This guy¡ªBoss Met is not an opponent that I can belittle just because it has a lower level. If I played my cards sparingly, I would surely trip. Although we have yet to play a single match, I understand with all my being that it is a formidable foe.

    The time it takes to form the hypha arm is improving with each improvement of the skill. Now it takes just barely less than a second to complete.

    During this time, I am not completely defenseless, but my consciousness and concentration are taken away to some extent. Even during that short period of time, the five beasts do not let down their guard, but the five surrounding me do not attack in advance.

    Rather, it is the four Weak Mets that are preparing themselves with the utmost vigilance against the transformed me, while the Boss Met is different. The Boss itself is in the process of producing a large amount of hypha from the palm of its hand.

    The formation of the two opposing hypha weapons is almost completed at the same time. In contrast to my hypha arm [Ashura], Boss Met held a gigantic sword with a blade length that seemed to be as tall as me. It is a single-bladed, bluntly curved, rough, huge sword with a slightly rounded tip.

    Utsuki had told me about it beforehand. The strike team was kicked around like insects in front of the terrifying hypha weapon. She also told me that they might have had other abilities, such as Fungal Skills or their own unique abilities, but that she had not been able to uncover them in the thick of the battle.

    When both sides were ready for battle, Boss Met puffed its chest and sucked in air¡ª

    ¡°VUEEEEEEEE!!!¡± (Boss Met)

    The roar shook the stone landscape. Low and heavy, a yell that strikes directly at the roar, like Giran¡¯s [Roar] skill. The impact shakes my flesh and bones, causing a cold sweat to break out my back.

    The next moment, Boss Met dives headfirst into the gap between. With its huge sword swinging.

    (So fast¡ª!) (Shuu)

    The huge sword slammed near my foot after I had taken a small step backward in a moment of surprise. The floor shatters with an explosive sound as if there was a bomb.

    I take another step forward, and with a return strike, the sword slashed toward the side of my head. I blocked it with the hammers crossed but I was blown backward.

    ¡°Guh!¡± (Shuu)

    I managed to hold on without going down by digging into the soles of my shoes, but¡ª ¡°Really?¡± The handle of the [War Hammer] is bent and cracked.

    The head of the hammer is large like any hammer, but the handle is indeed thin. However, the handle covered [Light Blade] was just struck with a single blow.

    As if to take advantage of the momentary gap in my guard, a Weak Met jumps at me from behind. With a ¡°raaaaaaah!¡± I swing my [War Hammer] carelessly and flick it away. The handle breaks off. Because of this, I didn¡¯t deal much damage.

    A gigantic presence pierced the area of [Sensory Spores] and approached behind me. Without looking back, he turns himself around. A huge sword slash passes by with a roar.

    ¡°Veeeeee!¡± (Boss Met)

    It was like a random sword slash as if a child were swinging a wooden branch.

    But the aftermath of the slash is enough to cut my body, and the pressure of the air brings a gust, sending a chill down my spine. As I desperately dodged the blow, fear flickered in my mind: ¡°If I were to take even a single blow seriously,¡± the entire upper half of my body might be obliterated.

    Its power may be greater than Ouji Metro¡¯s Jaguar Golem. But its fighting style is different. Compared to the machine-like precision of a continuous blow, this is just the forceful violence of a bloodthirsty beast.

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¡± (Shuu)

    Biting back fear, I desperately dodge and dive forward, taking advantage of the momentary opening. I formed used [Iron Fist] in the shape of a ¡°Knife Hand¡± into the unguarded left side of its body.

    My fingertips pierce its skin, and I can feel it on my arm¡ªbut it stopped me in just a few centimeters.

    My knife hand did not land on its flank, but on the thick thigh that it lifted, held enormous muscles.

    A fist hammer down so I shove myself out of the way. I ducked my head just in time to dodge a follow-up strike, this time from below. From my unsteady position, I forcibly kicked the ground with [Leaping] and landed backward.

    I tried to get up from my kneeling position, but I realized. A lukewarm liquid is running down from between my eyebrows¡ªmy forehead is cut at an angle.

    ¡°¡ªIs that it?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Veeeeeeee!¡± (Boss Met)

    A hulking shadow single-mindedly rushes toward me. My eyes catch the tip of its toes.

    A white blade like a knife protrudes from the back of the foot. Does it have a Fungal Skill similar to Noah¡¯s [Dagger] growing directly on its foot? It looks like a fictional assassin weapon, and the tip of the blade seems to have grazed my forehead.

    Woosh! The tip of the blade swung out and hit my forehead. I thought I had dodged it, but my two arms were cut.

    ¡°Kuh! Oh!¡± (Shuu)

    The swinging of the huge sword is replaced by brilliant footwork as if it were an expert in martial arts. With a snap of its joints, it swung its legs out of the way at a dizzying pace. It was as if it was dancing in the air.

    It is faster and more precise than expected. Its ¡°ability¡± is so fast and precise that it is almost impossible to avoid it. And then, I match it with [Iron Fist]. The sound of the friction is deafening, my silver arm is scraped off the surface, and the force is so strong that it almost takes my entire shoulder with it.

    Bosmet¡¯s legs are short, but even so, due to its nearly three-meter frame, its reach is equal to or greater than that of my arms. When I moved away from that distance, a huge sword rained down from above my head.

    ¡°No!¡± (Shuu)

    In the middle of the gap between the giant sword and the kick, my arm flicks its finger, taking advantage of the gap when the opponent stiffens for a moment. A [White Bullet], the first shot from close range only pierces its thick chest, and the second shot, aimed at its eye, is dodged.

    ¡°Vee!¡± (Boss Met)

    ¡°Shut up! Your voice is annoying!¡± (Shuu)

    [Iron Fist] and the blade of its leg intersect, and the blade shatters. Inwardly, I think, ¡°Suck it!¡± The moment I thought that a new one grew on its heel, fell towards my head, cutting some of my hair out. Back flipping like some beautiful female assassin. [T/N: Don¡¯t know the reference.]

    ¡°Sh*t!¡± (Shuu)

    There¡¯s no time to pause here, at least not now.

    I dodged, flipped, spun, and retreated. I desperately back out during the momentary gap, and once again, with [Leaping], I retreat immediately. Sliding backward on the soles of my shoes, I had my back on the stone statue standing at the edge of the plaza.

    While desperately sucking oxygen into my lungs, I stared at the horizontal pupils, of the beast that is also breathing hard.

    (Damn, it can¡¯t be.) (Shuu)

    (It is on the same level as Jaguar in terms of physical ability.) (Shuu)

 CH 99.2

    (It is on the same level as Jaguar in terms of physical ability.) (Shuu)

    My level has also risen by one since I fought the jaguar golem, and I am also equipped with an Aquamarine, which strengthens explosive power. I can keep up with the speed game, but I am not able to fight in the strength and endurance games.

    Overall physical is still better than mine. Alas, it is the powerlessness of the human race.

    But that is because we are human, and that is where our cleverness comes in. We can get the upper hand through experience and strategy.

    The mid-range big sword and the short-range kick; in melee combat, you can¡¯t hold your own. A combination of guesswork and precision, anomalous and unable to find the rhythm.

    The saving grace is that even Weak Met has no chance to break in. They cannot enter the storm zone of that huge sword, and probably do not have a hypha ball or other long-range means of attack. I will surely try to close the gap between the two now and then.

    (Even if its power and speed are comparable to those of the jaguar golem.) (Shuu)

    (Then how about its toughness?) (Shuu)

    Its thighs are stained with blood from being stabbed with my knife hand and its chest from being hit by [White Bullet]. It is not as strong a defense as the steel-like armor of that jaguar golem.

    Until I get the rhythm of my opponent, I should concentrate on evasion, and attack it from a distance. Is that better?

    While I was breathing and watching the area, behind me, facing the stone statue, my hypha arm has finished the accumulation of my [Fireball].

    Then, my hypha arm swings to throw it.

    ¡ªAt the same time, Boss Met spreads its bat wings wide.

    The wings strike the air before the red ball is released.

    A gust of wind, like a wall of wind, slams against my body, pushing me back against the stone statue.

    ¡°¡ª!¡± (Shuu)

    I can¡¯t speak. As waterdrops like heavy rain hit my face and all over my body. I had no choice but to cover my face with my arms.

    ¡°¡­hey!¡± (Tamiko)

    I could faintly hear Tamiko¡¯s voice. The moment the wind and rain passed through, I was covered by a huge shadow approaching.

    I quickly flung the [Fireball] in the grip of my hypha arms¡ªleft and right above my head.

    It hits the bodies of the two Weak Mets that leaped at me, and I blast them with a loud ¡°BOOM!¡± as the fireball explodes loudly.

    At the same time, I jump back. The huge sword that passed through me crushed the stone statues as if they were Jenga blocks.

    ¡°No chance!¡± (Shuu)

    [Sensory Spores] fed back the position and outline of the object they are stuck on to my brain. The [Sensory Spores] around me might have been washed away by the wind and rain earlier, but I was able to notice the approach because they were still functioning spores on Boss Met and Weak Mets.

    (But still, is it a combo of gusty wind and water bullets?) (Shuu)

    While quickly readying myself, I gritted my teeth.

    Was that a Fungal Skill, too, or was it a unique ability of a mutated individual?

    There was no damage to my body, but the wind was so heavy that I was unable to move for a moment. I could taste the fear of when I travelled during a typhoon.

    At that time¡ªduring the Weak Mets first surprise attack, the two that jumped at me suddenly accelerated in the air and collided with each other. That must be the effect of flapping the Boss Met¡¯s wings earlier. Blowing away the backs of subordinates in the name of boosting itself. Is the black company system still alive in the metro?

    It¡¯s a simple ability, but it¡¯s a restraint, a balance disruptor, a blinder, and a projectile blocker. It¡¯s a four-in-one offensive and defensive technique. It is extremely troublesome.

    With this, the plan of it burning it to death with [Fireball] from afar disappeared. If it repelled the [Fireball], I will be the one burnt to a crisp. Disturbance with a smoke ball won¡¯t work either, as the smoke will be blown away in an instant.

    If I move far, it will swing its huge sword, and if I close the distance between us, it will use its feet. When I move very far away, it will flap its wings to close the distance between us and then approach again. It is a simple but unpleasant, super pushy stance that forces one¡¯s own advantage.

    I himself admitted that my compatibility with such a straightforward opponent wasn¡¯t bad, but if I was attacked aggressively by something with such a high level, it wouldn¡¯t be easy.

    (I don¡¯t know what to do.) (Shuu)

    I quickly thought about the options available to me.

    Do I use [Leaping] to escape with Tamiko and Utsuki in my arms? No, from what I have seen so far, those big thighs are not just for decoration. The goat-monkey boss is known for its acrobatic movements, and its mobility is quite impressive. If it chased us to the upper floor, it would make the situation worse.

    I cannot retreat now. I cannot show my back.

    Then, I had no choice but to fight. For the safety of the three of us, I must finish them off here for sure.

    (But how do I win?) (Shuu)

    (Should I use accumulated [White Bullet]?) (Shuu)

    The charged up [White Bullet] boasts the greatest firepower in my hand, but it has yet to solve the problem of range, or rather, the problem of accuracy. It is difficult to aim from a distance, and even over a shield, it can penetrate and aim through it, but it is even harder to hit. The reason for this is both the clumsiness of the ¡°hit to trigger¡± mechanic and my own poor aim.

    In addition, it still takes about 4.5 seconds to charge. Through trial and error so far, I have been able to shorten the time by about a second (if I¡¯m in good shape), but will I be able to find an opening in this formidable foe to do so repeatedly?

    ¡°¡­Brrrr¡­¡± (Boss Met)

    Boss Met turned toward me, spewing steam.

    The two Weak Mets also come close to me, flanking me from the left and right. The two that were hit by [Fireball] were giving off a burning smell from their burned sides. The remaining one seems to be wary of making the same mistake as its companions, though it was fortunate that I was able to defeat them in the heat of the moment. For me, it was a bit depressing, but¡­

    Boom! And hypha balls explode at the feet of the two Weak Mets. Those are [Fireballs].

    ¡°Idiot-suki! You are a terrible shot even for a [Illusionist]!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I am in a hurry because you¡¯re talking to me like you¡¯re my superior officer, you Fat Squirrel!¡± (Sou)

    The two girls are above, looking cute and adorable. The hypha balls from earlier seems to be Utsuki¡¯s [Fireball].

    Weak Mets glared and threatened with ¡°Meee!¡± ¡°Meee!¡±. Utsuki teary-eyed. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve made them angry! They are staring at me with those goat eyes!¡± Utsuki¡¯s teary eyes and her words are not quite right.

    After glancing at their Boss Met for a moment, the two Weak Mets jump up, kicking at the stone statues. They leap up to the roof where Tamiko and the others are.

    ¡°Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Leave it to me, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    The Weak Met¡¯s back disappears, and a battle begins on the roof with the two with their heads pulled back.

    I hesitated for a moment. Should I go and help? Were the Weak Met selected because they are also weaker? For a Level 30, their movement and intelligence are a bit different from the Baphomets I¡¯ve killed along the way. Utsuki is clearly in the rearguard position, so I wonder if the two of them can deal with it alone.

    But if I chase them, they can attack me easily,

    ¡°Veeee¡­¡± (Boss Met)

    It always comes with me. Like a sheep-headed King Bo*-omb. It could be dangerous for both of us.

    ¡°¡­Leave it to me, huh?¡± (Shuu)

    She¡¯s always been a fine capable squirrel.

    She is not a decoration, a mascot, or an emergency ration (her weight has been increasing lately). She a hunter and my partner.

    ¡°Veeeeeeeeeeee!¡± (Boss Met)

    A gust of wind hits me with a roar. A pebble-sized chunks of water hits me in the face. It hurts so much that my ears feel as if they are going to be torn off.

    Still, I kept my eyes closed and did not shield my face.

    The wind breaks, and Boss Met was swinging his huge sword, kicks the ground¡ªhis left corner bursts off.

    ¡°Veeee!?¡± (Boss Met)

    With a muffled scream, it touches its head, its horns shaved off at the base. The scalp and skull are all gouged out, and blackened blood is trickling out.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m going to use all my hands.¡± (Shuu)

    I returned to my stabbing posture and casually wiped my drenched face with the palm of my hand.

    ¡ªCharged up [White Bullet]. I created it with my right hypha arm and counter-attacked it in line with the Boss Met¡¯s charge.

    With the feedback from [Sensory Spores], I was able to grasp the timing and approximate location even with my eyes closed. I was going to smash its head in and finish it off with a single attack, but as I expected, it missed, so my earlier line was one hundred percent a wash.

    But, well, it was to be expected.

    The [Katana] that had been charged with the left hypha arm, a giant cleaver as big as Boss Met¡¯s sword, was passed into my own hand.

    Leave it to me, said Tamiko.

    Even though she usually shows a sadistic superior character, she is a coward at heart and is more afraid of losing her friends ¨C her family ¨C than anyone else.

    It is not unusual for her to recommend not fighting or running away in the face of a strong enemy.

    Now she is putting her body on the line with powerful words. She is waving her front teeth frantically to protect my back, saying ¡°Leave it to me.¡± She swore that she will be stronger and she¡¯s putting it into her tiny furry body.

    I tightly grasped the hilt of my [Katana] with both hands.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it. A Head-to-head battle.¡± (Shuu)

    A bluish-white light shines through my hands, covering the rugged blade of the sword. The heat that was in my chest was burning.

    A moment of silence, and then¡­

    The human and the huge goat-headed beast facing each other kick the ground at the same time.

 CH 100.1

    The materials that make up mycelial weapons are said to be largely composed of ¡°substances¡± unknown to mankind in the Old World.

    It is known to contain calcium and carbon, as well as trace amounts of phosphorus and iron, but the full extent of its composition has yet to be determined, even in the 100-year history of New Tokyo. This is because the scientific technology to conduct detailed analysis has been lost.

    Does it originate from the ¡°Super Fungus¡± itself, or from the ecology of a new organism whose blueprint has been rewritten by the ¡°Super Fungus¡±? We can only speculate.

    In any case, hypha weapons do not contain enough iron to spark violently when they collide with each other.

    ¡ªSo, what is twinkling and scattering every time one and the other strike each other now is not sparks. They are particles of bluish-white light clad in Shuu¡¯s [Katana].

    ¡°Hah!¡± (Shuu)

    The huge sword that is coming to smash my head slips on the surface of the [Katana] that catches it, scraping the surface. The sword is a huge sword that is about to smash into a man¡¯s head, and it slides across the surface of the [Katana] that catches it. The strike, which was made while falling back and lacked reach, only shallowly cleaved the right arm of the giant sword¡¯s holder.

    Boss Met immediately counterattacked, swinging a haphazard sideways cleave. I  caught it with the middle of my [Katana] and jump back five or six meters with the momentum, or rather I was sent flying. I evade going down by clawing at the ground with one hand, clinging on with the sole of my shoe.

    ¡°Veeee!¡± (Boss Met)

    ¡°Gaah!¡± (Shuu)

    We close the gap between each other immediately, as we don¡¯t need time to catch our breaths.

    Boss Met, its wildness on full display, swings its powerful arm with the great sword in its grip.

    In response, I also charged with a beastly yell and struck with my [Katana].

    Whenever our blunted blades crossed each other, a hard clashing sound, indescribable as ¡°Gong¡± or ¡°Shiin,¡± echoed through the air.

    My eardrums tremble. My spine creaks. The hand gripping the hilt splits open and blood spurts.

    ¡°Kuah!¡± (Shuu)

    If we collide head-on, the heavier and stronger of the two will naturally win.

    Everything is a bloody, murderous show of violence. I am pushed, cut, and exhausted.

    Even so, I do not retreat. I grit my teeth, and even when I am pushed or slammed down, I keep coming forward.

    ¡ªIt is not the courageousness of a man who has been swayed by the determination of his partner. It is not the onset of the ¡°self-satisfaction disease¡± or the ¡°competitive disease¡± that I have been suffering from for many years.

    The heat in my chest was still burning, but I had not lost my composure.

    (Open your eyes!) (Shuu)

    (Don¡¯t be scared!) (Shuu)

    I will not intercept it with impossible moves. I barely see the edge of the deadly area and dive in. Attacking with the angle I want; at the timing I choose.

    It is not only light particles that scatter. Fine white fragments are dancing.

    The bone-white blade of the great sword has several cracks in it.

    With a face covered in blood and sweat, I smiled.

    (One more step forward!) (Shuu)

    Boss Met¡¯s great sword, my accumulated up [Katana].

    Our blades are almost the same in length. But the width and thickness of the former is greater than the latter.

    ¡°Sorry¨C¡± (Shuu)

    But I am convinced.

    The density of the hypha that makes up the blade, and the strengthening with [Light Blade].

    The destructive power of the blade in my hand is superior to that of my enemy.

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll destroy it!¡± (Shuu)

    A slash from diagonally below the Boss Met, as if ripping up the entire ground.

    I swing down, trying to smash my enemy into the ground.

    A crushing sound similar to the crash of heavy machinery. The wave of impact blows away the watery air.

    The great sword shatters, leaving the handle its his grip. Shattered fragments fly between the two of us.

    The [Katana]¡¯s return slices the empty-handed right wrist.

    Boss Met¡¯s eyes widen, and it lets out a short scream.

    I got it, I took a step further.

    As I leaned forward to finish the job, Boss Met swings its leg up, as if reading my hesitation. It threw me off with a quick front kick and a spinning kick that made my joints weak.

    ¡°Uuugh¡±, and just after I dodged it by twisting my upper body, I looked at Boss Met. It quickly drew back its legs, its chest was turned back, and its wings were spread.

    A gust of wind hit my entire body. A combo of kicking and flapping wings at close range.

    ¡°Guuh!¡± (Shuu)

    I am unable to open my eyes due to being hit by a rain of balls of water. The tremendous wind pressure lifts me off the ground. I duck mid-air and quickly thrusts my [Katana] into the floor and backed away. Again, my back hits the stone statue. It is a different statue from the one that my back smashed against earlier.

    ¡°Veeee!¡± (Boss Met)

    Boss Met repeatedly flaps its wings, as if it was trying to keep me away, stuck on the statue or to buy some time.

    I moved behind the stone statue. While supporting the creaking windshield with my body, I fixed my opponent¡¯s position in my mind¡­

    ¡°Rah!¡± (Shuu)

    I shoot¡ªan accumulated [White Bullet].

    A fist-sized hole is punched, cracks appear, and the stone statue crumbles.

    My windshield is gone, but at the same time the wind stops.

    ¡°¡­Veee¡­¡± (Boss Met)

    Boss Met, who was down on one knee, groaned in anger and humiliation. My attack seemed to gouge its right thigh deeply. The blow was still very off the mark, but it was only because it went through the stone statue. The result is still great.

    Its bloodshot eyes are fixed straight on me. The expression of anger and humiliation are evident in the expression on the Boss Met¡¯s face it grits its molars.

    It created another great sword in its left hand and stands up using it as a support.

    It exhales a misty breath. I also take a quick rest to catch my breath.

    The distance between us is a dozen meters. We stand still for just a few seconds, facing each other.

    The moment the Boss Met spreads its wings again, I kicked the floor¡ªsideways.

    If you are subjected to the same technique over and over again, you will see a flaw or two. The principle of pelting water with a mere flap of the wings, and the mechanism that can generate such a crazy wind force, is not something a Heisei era humanities student has any idea of, but they can guess the rough idea of the range of its effect.

    The angle of incidence at which a gust of wind can exert its force is not as wide as one might think. The wind power is condensed in front of the gust, which is why it is so powerful.

    I go around in an arc from the side. As expected, I am hardly affected by the wind. Before Bos Met can turn around and release another gust of wind, I turned around at a right angle and closes the distance with [Leaping], receiving the dampened water balls from the.

    Aiming at its head, I swung down with all my might. The Boss Met, who was late to react, barely catches it with its great sword.

    ¡ªI didn¡¯t wield the accumulated [Katana] with one hand.

    It is not impossible to swing it with one hand because of even with its weight, but the grip on the handle is so thick that it can slip out of its hand if it swings with all his might. It is difficult to put all your strength into it, and it is best handled with two hands.

    The thing I was most wary of was the fact that it would swing it around in a two-handed great sword-style, rather than in a gust of wind. Whether it didn¡¯t have the wisdom to do so or for some other reason, it never used its left arm until it eventually lost its right arm. In that sense, it was one sword versus one sword, a clean even match.

    ¡ªIf only I had only two arms.

    ¡°Aaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    I wung the [Katana] with two crossed arms in the air, and I rotate my body forward with that momentum. The second accumulated [Katana] held by the hypha arms does the second attack.

    My back was facing the opponent, but I can sense my opponent¡¯s posture.

    Half of the great sword¡¯s blade is shattered, and its stomach is ripped open by the cut of the second blow. It is not a fatal wound, but it is not shallow from the response transmitted from the hypha arm.

    ¡°Vee, eee!¡± (Boss Met)

    It groaned in pain only for a moment. Then Boss Met raised its great sword, unfazed.

    The blow that fell above my head was blunt. I strikes it away and spun my body once more.

    ¡ªthis time.

    The second continuous attack of my hypha arms inflicts a wound that intersects with the diagonally running wound on its stomach. This time it reaches my enemy¡¯s life.

    Blood spurts out. From the wound and the goat-head¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°¡ªit¡¯s over.¡± (Shuu)

    My blade, which ran forward, cut off its head as it fell forward.

 CH 100.2

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    A few minutes before the battle between Shuu and Boss Met was to end.

    ¡°¡­Hey, Commander?¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°Toroko, how many times do I have to tell you that I ain¡¯t the Commander anymore? I gave the chair to that monstrous old man?¡± (Deputy Commander)

    ¡°¡­sorry, Deputy Commander. What are you going to do with this? He¡¯s going to beat that thing up, isn¡¯t he? That brother is so strong.¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°I know, he¡¯s not half bad, that baby smooth brother might be a master or even a top ranker. I don¡¯t know if we can fight him. That loli-bitch drew an impossible card, not to mention the cheap card.¡± (Deputy Commander)

    ¡°¡­That child, even though I made them ¡®family¡¯, is it okay if I don¡¯t help them?¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they are ¡°family,¡± but they are not really my subordinate. Aren¡¯t they that old man¡¯s pet dog or goat? A pet goat? It doesn¡¯t listen to me at all.¡± (Deputy Commander)

    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t the Commander say it was necessary for the plan?¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but it¡¯s impossible to break in there, right? It is absolutely impossible for me, I¡¯m weak. I can only track, pickpocket, and act like some small-fry thug. Impossible, impossible. It¡¯s pretty much impossible.¡± (Deputy Commander)

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going?¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°No, no, don¡¯t do it. Even with the ¡®Bone Flute¡¯ it can¡¯t be manipulated freely, and fighting together is almost impossible. It¡¯s like a moth flying straight into the fire. Worst case, it¡¯s just going to be a three-way fight. If we fight, unreasonable death is certain.¡± (Deputy Commander)

    ¡°¡­Then what are you going to do?¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°I¡¯m going to change my plans. That ¡°family¡± may be disposable here, but that brother will definitely be taken care of here, even if it¡¯s by force. He¡¯s dangerous, and I have a feeling he¡¯s going to get in the way of our plans.¡± (Deputy Commander)

    ¡°¡­will we kill him?¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ well, I don¡¯t think we should keep him alive. If you let him keep his life, that¡¯s fine, but don¡¯t push it, okay? The last thing I want is for you to die here.¡± (Deputy Commander)

    ¡°¡­¡­all right.¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°Kehihihi¡­ Deputy Commander, what should we do?¡± (Mujirami)

    ¡°If the ¡®family¡¯ loses to him, move right after that. We all create an opening. Mujirami and I will hold down Utsuki and the Carbuncle. Toroko and the others are facing that big brother. Match the timing, don¡¯t overdo it. Go.¡± (Deputy Commander)

    ~Shuu¡¯s Perspective~

    The huge body losing the thing above its neck falls on its back. I retreated to the side so that I wouldn¡¯t be crushed.

    ¡°¡­ugh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    It was a stronger enemy than expected. Not quite on par with Jaguar, but without the actual experience and leveling up in Ouji, I might have struggled more.

    The combination of [Ashura] + [Katana] was one of my forbidden moves.

    Like my arm, the hypha arm can¡¯t swing with one hand. Moreover, since it grows near the shoulder blades, the range of motion is slightly narrow, and if I hold it with both hands, the direction and angle of swinging will be even more limited. The length of the blade can get in the way, and it¡¯s more difficult to handle than the normal Four-[Katana]-style.

    It would be nice to be able to attack from the front and push like before, but it seems like it would be better to seal it in a normal fight.

    ¡°¡­now.¡± (Shuu)

    I have no time to rest. It¡¯s not all over yet. I have to check on Tamiko and Utsuki¡¯s situation.

    When I look up,

    ¡°¨Ceh?¡± (Shuu)

    A young man was standing there.

    He had shaggy black hair, a square face, and long, gangly arms and legs like Baphomet. Squinty eyes are glazed over, and he lets out a vulgar laugh, ¡°Kehihi.¡±

    In his hand, which he thrust out toward me, a familiar silhouette is clutched in hisgrasp¨CTamiko.

    ¡°Tamiko¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    The next moment, a chill runs down my spine.

    ¡ªCarelessness?

    That word crossed my mind.

    Facing the Boss Met that uses gusts of wind, I had at some point cancelled the dispersal of the [Sensory Spores] and focused on the battle.

    That¡¯s why I was beyond late in detecting the moment they came in.

    Or, since I had defeated the powerful enemy that controlled this floor, I assumed that there would be no further attacks.

    No, no. Apart from those things¨C

    (Fast¡ª) (Shuu)

    A presence appeared behind me without a sound. The moment I turned around ¨C blood splattered.

    A stab from a sharp blade. The tip of the knife reached for my side.

    It pierced through my left hand trying to protect my flank.

    ¡°Ouch¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m surprised. To react at this distance¡­¡± (Girl)

    Holding the bloodied knife¡ªa small girl with a bandana wrapped around her forehead, her eyes widen in surprise.

    A girl, I was frightened, and in that instant, the girl¡¯s left hand moved. There is also a knife held in her reverse hand.

    The knife is halfway down her arm, as if aiming for the neck, but the trajectory of the knife cut halfway through my upper arm. Just before her blade broke through my cloak, I punched the girl¡¯s stomach and thrust her away. With that momentum, the knife stuck in my left hand is also pulled out.

    ¡°Okay, what the hell¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    Without a pause, three shadows jump in from above. Each of them is wielding a sword, spear, or other mycelial weapon.

    ¡°Gah!¡± (Shuu)

    I pull out the accumulated [Katana] standing on the ground and mow them down with a single swing. The three people who then blocked with their hypha weapons were immediately blown away. Furthermore, I catch the [White Bullet] fired from the fifth person caught at the edge of my vision with the flat of my sword.

    ¡°You¡¯re still here¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Four men, including a man who looks like a [Sniper], surround me from a distance. The three men who had just been knocked out were still in a state of shock, their hypha weapons and arms shattered, but the girl who was supposed to have been kicked in the stomach joined the encirclement, moaning ¡°¡­stay¡­¡±. Now there are eight people in the square and one on the roof. That¡¯s at least nine people.

    (I kicked her with all my might.) (Shuu)

    Judging from her response at that time, she probably jumped backward at the moment I kicked her. This kid is the most skilled of all the other people in this room.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it!¡± (Voice)

    I heard a voice above me. I look up to see the tenth newcomer standing next to the man holding Tamiko.

    All the men present here are young and dressed ¡°very much like bandits,¡± with tattered, dirty little cloaks and shirts, but only the middle-aged man (with the exception of the girl) is clearly out of place. Or rather, he looks out of place.

    He has a small fat figure, short hair, a bearded face, black tinted glasses. And above all, he wears a yellow aloha shirt and knee-length half pants. I wonder if such a culture still exists in New Tokyo.

    The man in the shabby ¡°street vendor¡± look places his hand on Utsuki¡¯s shoulder, who shook frightenedly next to him.

    ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t resist uselessly, you can¡¯t do it, it¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s a clich¨¦, but don¡¯t your friends matter?¡± (Voice => Hawaiian Shirt)

    ¡°Kehihi!¡± (Giggles)

    The man holding Tamiko jumps down into the square.

    ¡°I was surprised to see this little guy bite Baphomet to death. She was a fine fighter for a small animal, but she¡¯s a piece of cake in my poisoned hands.¡± (Giggles)

    ¡°Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    He giggled and lightly shook his hand as if he was drinking from a glass of ice. Tamiko remained flaccid and motionless, not even uttering a moan.

    ¡°She¡¯s still a little warm, but she hasn¡¯t moved since a while ago, huh? If you leave her like this, she¡¯ll probably die. If that happens, I¡¯ll stuff her and use her for decoration. Kehihi!¡± (Giggles)

    My head was ready to pop in instant. My eyes were dyed bright red, and the impulse took a step was there. Then I realized something, I felt relieved and my shoulders relaxed. I desperately bites the smile that wants to appear in my face.

    ¡°¡­Huh? What¡¯s wrong?¡± (Giggles)

    ¡°¡­No, nothing¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I am now aware of it. The one in that trash lowlife¡¯s hand is not Tamiko. It is a clone, or rather an ¡°Avatar¡±.

    Tamiko¡¯s sixth Fungal Skill, the [Squirrel Avatar].

    Tamiko can create a puppet that looks exactly like herself with hypha and control it remotely.

    At first, she could only make one doll at a time, a pure white one with a hypha-like appearance, and I often teased it as a ¡°house mouse¡± and I got my earlobe chewed on.

    Even now, the limit of one is still the same, but later, as her level and skill improved, she was able to produce an ¡°avatar¡± that slightly resembles Tamiko¡¯s body color. In other words, the quality and realism of the ¡°avatar¡± had increased.

    Now, the man with the giggling f*cktard is holding an avatar. They look very similar, but its fur is lighter in color and the jewel on its head is pink mixed with white. Clearly, it is not the same person. Having seen her face every day for the past five years, I know this.

    I never thought that she would realize the substitution technique beyond the Heisei era. As expected of Squirrel Kunoichi.

    If that is the case, Tamiko herself must be hiding and looking for an opportunity to counterattack. If possible, I should be able to save Utsuki.

    Just as I thought that, a furball ball slipped through the encirclement jumped onto my shoulder.

    ¡°Whew, it¡¯s dangerous, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Don¡¯t come out. Don¡¯t wipe the jewel on your head.¡± (Shuu)

    Giggles compares the one in his hand with the one who appeared, finally realizing that it¡¯s a fake, slamming it on the ground and stomping on it. There must have been some kind of sensory feedback, and Tamiko shuddered, saying, ¡°Kyauu!¡±

    ¡°Ahaha, I was fed a bowl of sh*t.¡± (Hawaiian Shirt)

    Hawaiian Shirt laughs. He doesn¡¯t seem to be the least bit perturbed, and the atmosphere seems to indicate that he is the leader.

    ¡°¡­ Well, that¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll tell you a little bit about it now that we¡¯re all here, hunter brother.¡± (Hawaiian Shirt)

    A/N: The tone of the Deputy Commander and others in ¡°Chapter 97: Mutant Individuals¡± has been partially revised to match the content of this story.

 CH 101

    My left hand, which was stabbed with a knife by that bandana lass, is throbbing with pain.

    One hundred years ago in mangas, hands were abused as emergency anti-piercing equipment. They would catch knives, arrows, bullets, and the like, pull them out, wiggle their fingers, and say, ¡°Hmm, no problem.¡±

    In reality, of course, not only the flesh, but also the bones and nerves, were cut. I was in severe pain, and my fingers were numb, and I couldn¡¯t move them. Unless you are in the fungi world, this would be a serious injury that would require major surgery and rehabilitation. I¡¯m glad I am in one.

    ¡°Red Clam, Yellowtail. Take the three of you and leave. The rest are on standby, we can¡¯t force it.¡± (Hawaiian Shirt)

    A middle-aged man in an aloha shirt standing on the roof gives instructions. Two of the six men in the group, joined by Giggles, leave the circle and hide in the shadows with the three injured men. I knew that man was the leader of the gang.

    ¡°Well. I¡¯m sorry for interrupting you while you were basking in the afterglow of your victory. I¡¯ll take care of that hand later if you need it.¡± (Hawaiian Shirt)

    The aloha man says such things while scratching his head, but it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s not at sorry at all. Those eyes behind the sunglasses aren¡¯t smiling at all.

    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re definitely a professional hunter, right? May I ask your name?¡± (Hawaiian Shirt)

    His tone of voice and demeanor are relaxed, as if he were making small talk on the street. It is, on the contrary, eerie.

    ¡°Sugamo¡¯s¡­ ¡®Slime Slayer''¡± (Shuu)

    As a member of the Heisei generation, I still have the minimum security awareness not to hand over my personal information to thugs who would attack me without any questions asked. I also gave Tamiko a look.

    ¡°I¡¯m ¡®Acorn Eater¡¯ squeak. An adult, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly skilled.¡± (Hawaiian Shirt)

    In any case, as I am wary of the people, I surrounded us with [Sensory Spores], I still decided to go along with the conversation. Grasping the current situation, finding out the identity of these attackers, waiting for the regeneration of the wound on my left hand. It was a form of choosing the former after weighing and In addition to these, ¡°Considering the exhaustion up to this point, we should end this as soon as possible.¡± Also, I¡¯m worried about the hostage, Utsuki.

    (I mean, she is a hostage, right?) (Shuu)

    (Her restraints are loose for a hostage though.) (Shuu)

    Utsuki, who is still in the grip of Hawaiian Shirt, is pale and has a tight smile on her face. This makes her look somehow less tragic. She looks like a schoolboy caught in a ping-pong dash by the landlord¡¯s thugs taking her back to her parents.

    ¡°Heh, that¡¯s an interesting nickname. You belong to Sugamo¡­ Well, you can call me Kawataro.¡± (Hawaiian Shirt => Kawataro)

    ¡°You¡¯re using a fake name, aren¡¯t you.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve forgotten my real name. Anyway, I¡¯ve never heard of those two names. I didn¡¯t know that Sugamo had people as skilled as you. I knew it was a one-man branch with ¡®Shooting Willow¡¯.¡± (Kawataro)

    ¡°What about you?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Ahahaha. Do we look honest? I don¡¯t think so.¡± (Kawataro)

    ¡°Um, are you a bandit?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Hmm¡­ you¡¯re not right, but you¡¯re not far off the mark. I¡¯ve done something similar many times. Well, just think of us as a nameless group of outlaws.¡± (Kawataro)

    Shuu looked around with his eyes only. Everyone was young, except for Kawataro, who was in his forties, and Giggles, who was in his thirties. The others are probably in their early twenties, maybe even in their teens. And then there was the bandana girl, who was obviously the youngest among them, younger than Noa. Incidentally, according to the measurement skill of my ¡°Shuu Counter¡±, she was A to A+ (Noa is estimated to be F or above)

    In any case, there was no ¡°udeochi¡± like the bandit boss that I fought two months ago.

    It¡¯s just an impression, but¡­ I feel the tense atmosphere of a trained child soldier rather than a criminal who went down to the field.

    ¡°*Whisper*(¨D¨D¨D¨D)¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­¡­you¡¯re serious?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Kawataro)

    ¡°Ah, no. Nothing.¡± (Shuu)

    I was in a hurry to cover it up. Tamiko secretly told me the results of her analysis of the team¡¯s strength, but the results were a little unbelievable.

    Kawataro was level 40, Giggles was 33, and the other youngsters, including those who had escaped, were around 30. There is nothing unnatural about this. The only thing was that their leader were at a lower level than expected.

    But the problem is¡ªthe thing that¡¯s obviously unbelievable¡ª

    I glance out of the corner of my eye. The bandana girl is not looking away from me. It¡¯s as if she doesn¡¯t want to miss the moment when I make a surprise move.

    ¡°So¡­ why did you attack us? For money or something?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s not like that. Well¡­ you have the right to know, don¡¯t you?¡± (Kawataro)

    Kawataro nods to himself.

    ¡°The explanation is a bit lengthy¡­ but originally we came here for the training of the younger generation. About 20 days ago, I think.¡± (Kawataro)

    Training?

    ¡°Because, you know, there¡¯s an endless supply of goat monkeys here. It¡¯s perfect for young people in training, isn¡¯t it? They are not strong enough in short, but¡­ Then I happened to find someone here who looked good, so I scouted them out.¡± (Kawataro)

    Scout?

    ¡°It took several days to finally succeed in scouting, but unfortunately, a group of hunters came to exterminate it. The new goat, or perhaps the new goats, are a big newcomer to this place. It¡¯s impossible, you know. The hunters were pitifully beaten back. We did pick up the bones, though.¡± (Kawataro)

    ¡°¡­scout¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The Baphomet?

    ¡°There¡¯s not much we can do here, so we talked about going back to the surface tomorrow, but then Brother came to this floor. Hoping that you would serve as both a snack and experience points, I sent Utsuki as an escort.¡± (Kawataro)

    ¡°¡­¡­Wait.¡± (Shuu)

    Utsuki, you are on that side?

    ¡°Oh, I was found out! Waa, I¡¯m sorry!¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Did you seriously betray us¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°How¡ªcould you, squeak?!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°We¡¯re you the one scouted? Or is it a coincidence?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I had to do it! If I don¡¯t do it, they¡¯ll beat me, slice me into little pieces, and feed me to the goats to chew on! ¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Yes, yes, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. If you tell them, they¡¯ll understand.¡± (Kawataro)

    Utsuki cries and Kawataro soothes her. As for me, I was getting mixed information, but I was beginning to understand about half of it.

    If Kawataro isn¡¯t one scouted, then it¡¯s definitely the Boss Met that Kawataro scouted (does he mean [Training]?), and that Boss Met annihilated the subjugation team. Utsuki was a guide to bring the prey into the wildcat¡¯s feeding grounds without letting them retreat. Though it was not a wildcat, it¡¯s a goat.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t blame her too much. She was the only survivor of the strike team, and she was begging for her life so desperately that I felt sorry for her. She was so desperate that she was willing to lick an old man¡¯s bare feet. I felt so sorry for her that I took care of her for a while, but¡­¡± (Kawataro)

    Utsuki¡¯s eyes widened and she choked up, shaking and coughing. Kawataro seems to be putting a lot of force into the one hand gripping her neck.

    ¡°¡­Sou, if you were just watching, why did you lend them a hand? Could it be that you were plotting to get Brother to beat us too?¡± (Kawataro)

    ¡°Th¡­ at¡­ ah, no¡­!¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Hey!¡± (Shuu)

    When I unintentionally leaned forward, the subordinates around me bent down. It wouldn¡¯t take more than a second for them to jump on me as soon as they got instructions from their boss.

    ¡ªWell, what am I going to do now?

    I had reflexively protested earlier, but it turns out that Utsuki is a hostage (although there is still something that doesn¡¯t add up). It¡¯s safe to say that we don¡¯t need to save her, at least not at our own peril.

    Can we escape by ourselves? Even if some of them have mobility skills such as [Leaping], they would not be able to catch up to us considering the difference in level ¨C except for one of them.

    (Well, it wouldn¡¯t feel good to just leave her to die.) (Shuu)

    (Well, I¡¯d like to hear something from her own mouth.) (Shuu)

    She doesn¡¯t seem to be completely one of them, so I should try my hand to at leaser rescue Utsuki.

    Besides Utsuki, there are five enemies here. Even if the guy who took the injured comes back, there will be seven of them (three might even return to the front line if they have healing skills of the [Holy Healing]). If there is no ambush, ten people in total.

    A little more, but considering the difference in level, it was a little better than when we took on Ouji¡¯s zombie army¡ªexcept for one.

    (The problem is, after all, that child.) (Shuu)

    The bandana girl.

    I¡¯d like to think there must be some mistake, but that¡¯s where our brilliant Kunoichi comes in. As far as we have been able to confirm so far, her [Risk Counter] has never made a mistake.

    I am also concerned about her unusual speed. Even though I had released my [Sensory Spores], I couldn¡¯t even feel her presence until she was behind me. Is it an acceleration skill, or is there something to do with the mind?

    (Either way, fight or flee.) (Shuu)

    (I should only be careful of that kid.) (Shuu)

    My left hand¡ªis the blue-black mold still desperately trying to plug the hole? My fingers are still numb.

    Is regeneration a little slow? No, it can¡¯t be helped since even my bone has been cut. I¡¯ll be damned if I complain¡ª

    ¡°By the way¡­ hey, Toroko.¡± (Kawataro)

    Kawataro calls out to the bandana girl.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± (Kawataro)

    The girl¡¯s and my eyes meet. She looks a little sad for some reason.

    ¡°¡­well, it¡¯s been a while, but¡­¡± (Toroko)

    ¡ªThrob.

    For just a moment, my body was shaken from the inside.

    ¡°¡­it looks like it¡¯s here.¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°Bu, ah¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu!?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡ªWhat is this?

    The strength drains from my body. I almost fall to my knees. I support myself by clinging to the [Katana].

    ¡°¡­what is this¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Dizziness, chills, and nausea ¨C no, not even close.

    The feedback of [Sensory Spores] is gone.

    ¡°Oh no, brother. You¡¯re overly strong for a man of your skills, but you¡¯re not very smart, and your knowledge and experience are unbalanced. Are you also a virgin?¡± (Kawataro)

    ¡°How did you know he¡¯s a virgin, squeak?!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m done with your nonsense¡­ Guh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Aside from the frustration of not being able to throw a comeback to my satisfaction, there was something obviously wrong with my body. I¡¯m having a hard time even breathing.

    ¡°Good-natured brother, come on. Even though we¡¯re facing each other in an armed state like this, when that old man says, ¡®Let¡¯s talk,¡¯ you should think about it, right? The possibility of buying time. Come on.¡± (Kawataro)

    I know. I thought about that, too, and I took the chance that it would be in my own best interest.

    ¡°Then why do we need time? Are we preparing a large-scale attack or a gimmick that will give us an advantage over time. For example¡­ poison?¡± (Kawataro)

    I know. I thought about that too.

    No, not the former. If there was such a thing, they would have prepared while I was fighting Boss Met, and I should have been blown away with their first move.

    I doubted the possibility of the latter. The bandana girl¡¯s knife¡ªthe one on her left hand was a hypha weapon [Dagger], but the knife on her right that pierced my hand was the real cause. A dark brown blade, and if I guessed the reason for her using it, I could assume the possibility that it was a poisoned weapon.

    That said, it was convenient. From the other person¡¯s point of view, the poison probably wanted time to flow through his body, but from my point of view, the [Immortality] anti-poisoning effect would detoxify it as long as I had time. Even the demon¡¯s poison that tormented Giran didn¡¯t work on me, and a little poison here and there is no different from cholesterol¡ªeven though it should be.

    Or rather, there had been no sign of it until just now.

    Why is this happening all of a sudden?

    Why was I unable to create [Detoxification] at my fingertips?

    ¡°Brother, for someone as strong as you are, it¡¯s not surprising that you might have [Poison Resistance] or [Detoxification]. If that were the case, you would have taken advantage of it. I wonder if even Brother didn¡¯t know about it? About the ¡®Curse¡¯.¡± (Kawataro)

    ¡ªhypha balls won¡¯t come out.

    (Why?) (Shuu)

    The feedback of [Sensory Spores] has ceased. No [Detoxification], no [Holy Healing], no [Warhammer], no [Ashura].

    No matter how much I concentrate my consciousness, no matter how hard I focus on my palms, no sensation of mycelium moving inside my body appears.

    [Leaping] is also no good. No power gathers in my legs and feet.

    (This is¡ªa curse?) (Shuu)

    Even in New Tokyo, I have never heard of such an occult thing being practiced.

    But-in fact-this is what¡¯s happening.

    (Are you serious?!) (Shuu)

    Fungus-can-not-work-anymore.

    ¡°Oh, no, no, we don¡¯t have to talk anymore.¡± (Kawataro)

    The wound on my left hand has stopped healing. In other words, [Immortality] is also nullified.

    The lifeline of the blue-black mold that protected my life even when half of my body was melted down is gone.

    In other words¡ªfear slowly spreads through my chest.

    If I get hurt now, my life will be in danger.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving it at that. So¡ªdo it.¡± (Kawataro)

    T/N: Overconfident Shuu strikes again. You¡¯re an MC so you won¡¯t die. But-You-Are-An-Idiot! Tamiko is once again worried.

 CH 102.1

    A/N: 9/23 ¨C In the second half of the chapter, the line ¡°Shuu throws a charged [Katana] at Mujirami¡± was missing in its entirety and has been changed (though the flow of the chapter remains mostly the same).

    T/N: I¡¯m going to use Giggles even if he is called Mujirami in this chapter because Shuu calls him Giggles. I want to use Snicker but he¡¯s not sweet, he¡¯s just nuts.

    ¡°¨Cdo it.¡± (Kawataro)

    Before Kawataro¡¯s words end, the four men in the square are moving.

    Giggles and another one are coming straight at me, and the other one is trying to go around to the side. And the bandana girl¡ªalready behind me.

    The right knife was aimed at my shoulder moved. I deflect her hand with a punch.

    A small, crisp sound is transmitted to the bones. The [Dagger] on her left hand stuck to my thigh.

    ¡°Gah¨C¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­there¡¯s no escape now.¡± (Toroko)

    The girl murmurs shortly, without changing her expression.

    ¡°Kuh!¡± (Shuu)

    The fist that was quickly launched just in time is dodged, and the girl disappears from sight.

    I was dumbfounded, but for a short while, Giggles and another person approached me. I pulled out the only charged [Katana] I had on hand from the floor.

    ¡°Kehihihi! Don¡¯t die that quickly!¡± (Mujirami)

    Giggles swings a blunt hypha club, and the other thrusts out his [War Spear]. Even though they are not speaking with any words, their timing is perfectly in sync with each other.

    As soon as I braced myself, I felt my body stiffen.

    ¡°¡ª!¡± (Shuu)

    My reaction is delayed. However I still deflected the spear with the wide flat of my large sword, but the club grazes my back.

    ¡°Guh!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    The two men chase after my warry self. The spearhead extends out to cut through the gap between the club¡¯s wild swing.

    ¡°Mujirami, you are moving too forward!¡± (Kohada)

    ¡°Kehihi! Kohada, keep up!¡± (Mujirami)

    Neither of them had much speed or power. They are just around level 30, which is nowhere near the level of Boss Met.

    But their skillful coordination more than made up for it. One acts as a decoy while the other takes the blind spot. They switch smoothly, as if reading each other¡¯s breathing, and do not allow their target to get any foot forward. A combination that draws out and multiplies each other¡¯s strengths to the fullest.

    Even so, it was still within the range of what I usually would be able to deal with. It is not difficult to handle it with [Ashura] or even with just the usual reaction speed.

    Yes, usually.

    If I had been able to use my Fungal Skills. If I didn¡¯t have chills and weakness that consumed my entire body.

    Above all ¨C a cowering body. Slowly, a black blotch stays on my chest, weighing me down and slowing me down.

    Dodging the club and being scraped by the spear. Avoiding spear and getting smacked by the club. Damage slowly accumulates. A wound that should have healed on its own, things that wouldn¡¯t normally happen¡ª

    ¡°Guh-gah!¡± (Shuu)

    I flicked the club with the flat of my big sword, backstepping, and swinging with all my might to block the spear. I almost lose my footing, but I bend down like a beast and held on, my enemies raising their weapons in front of me and preparing for a follow-up attack.

    ¡°Are you okay, squeak?!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I can¡¯t use my Fungal Skills!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Eh!?¡± (Tamiko)

    I didn¡¯t even have time to look at Tamiko¡¯s face when a club and an ax approached without letting me rest.

    ¡°Gin!¡± but I caught it with the wide side of my big sword¡ªa third man released a [White Bullet] using the two vanguard men as bait.

    When the [White Bullet] flew at the first contact, I had guessed from its trajectory that it belonged to someone in the square. I knew that there was no way they would send their precious [Snipers] to take care of the wounded and that the one who did not use the [War Spear] was the [Sniper] of the two men.

    I was wary. I was right.

    But that made him one move too late.

    ¡ªThe nape of my neck throbs. It was as if a crooked tongue had roughly stroked it.

    ¡°Rah!¡±

    I send a roundhouse kick before turning around. The soles of my shoes, which I thought had connected, hit the air, and the girl who should have been there suddenly retreated several meters behind.

    ¡°Turn, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    As soon as I turned around and blocked the club, the tip of the spear thrusts out from my side and gouged it.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Kehihi! You¡¯re a different person than when you were f*king with the ¡®family¡¯!¡± (Mujirami)

    ¡°It¡¯s just the curse¡¯s effect! I can do this!¡± (Shuu)

    My legs get tangled. The hand that grips the handle is not strong enough. Heat escapes from the body.

    Blood flows out of countless wounds. Toward the depletion of life. The fear of it all is sapping my concentration.

    (Damn it!) (Shuu)

    (What are you scared of?!) (Shuu)

    (Open your eyes! Step forward!) (Shuu)

    Thoughts scold my mind. But my body still won¡¯t listen to me. It¡¯s as if my whole body has fallen apart as if everything no longer belongs to me.

    ¡°Kehiyaa!¡± (Mujirami)

    They swing their weapons. I lift up my [Katana] and blocked it. But still, a spear from my side came¡ª

    ¡°Evil!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko jumps from my shoulder and runs through the hilt of the spear. Tamiko screams, and the hand holding the spear is sliced.

    Tamiko aims at the boy¡¯s neck, but the bandana girl¡¯s knife, flinging Tamiko with a ¡°Pigya!¡±. Her little body bounces on the floor.

    ¡°Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    With a reckless swing, the three of them fell back, and I immediately picked up Tamiko as she rolled around on the floor. Tamiko poked her head out of her white shell and groaned, ¡°Okay, squeak¡­¡±. As expected of her hypha shell that wasn¡¯t even pierced by Noa¡¯s [dagger], what was inside was safe.

    ¡°You¡¯re being too unreasonable! Don¡¯t leave my side!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°But Abeshuu, you¡¯re weak, squeak! Limp d*ck, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Don¡¯t say limp d*ck, you¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You can¡¯t go on like this, squeak! Once this happens, I¡¯m going to f*ck them all, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°¡­well, you¡¯re trembling too.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s squeaking scary! If I don¡¯t do it, who will, squeak! Kyaaarr!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko returns to her position and opens her mouth threateningly as if she¡¯s about to spew fire.

    For a moment, I forgot my guard and was stunned.

    And I chucked a little until I laughed.

    This guy, Tamiko has really grown up.

    Not only in level but also in his fighting spirit and courage to face any predicament.

    ¡°Bam!¡± and I cleave the cobblestone pavement with the [Katana]. The three who were about to step forward flinched under the flying debris and pressure.

    ¡°¡­don¡¯t get cocky, you little bastards.¡± (Shuu)

    My fungus ability cannot be used. My wounds are not being healed.

    If so, what will remain will be the ¡°Me¡± before I woke up in this new world.

    What does that mean?

    I lived the time the underground labyrinth of ferocious beasts.

    I have my flesh and blood that has absorbed and mastered the numerous sporangium.

    I still have the determination to live in this world.

    Even if I don¡¯t have [Immortality], I have a partner who will bare her fangs.

    Even if my level is low, I have another friend waiting for us on the surface who has worked hard all by herself.

    The other ¡°person¡± doesn¡¯t matter. Don¡¯t let him pop into my head. Ahhh! Stop sniffing someone else¡¯s clothes.

    At any rate¡ªI have my Fungal Skills, but I¡¯m just a little unwell. I just happen to have my wounds not healing fast.

    If I am frightened by something like that, I will not be able to fight anyone.

    I am not some Weakshuu.

    ¡°I am¡ªAbe Shuu.¡± (Shuu)

    The handle of the [Katana] is gripped tightly with both my hands. The wound on my left hand is open and blood is oozing out.

    Even so, I put enough power that I can now twist it and hold it tightly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll beat all of you down, and I¡¯ll show you some real sh*t.¡± (Shuu)

    Take one step, two steps, step in with all my might, and I raise my [Katana].

    The bandana girl has already disappeared. Is she in my blind spot?

    ¡ªI do not care.

    ¡°Raaaaaaaaaa!¡± (Shuu)

    With one swing, I smashed Giggles¡¯ club,

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    I swing my fist back at the presence that is creeping up behind me. The knife grazes my cheek, but the back of my fist grazes the girl¡¯s temple.

    ¡°Haaaa!¡± (Shuu)

    A spear is extended from my side. I dodged it, grabbed the hilt, and pulled it towards me with all my might¡­

    ¡°Kuh!¡± (Shuu)

    My head is thrown back in a flash. A [White Bullet] passes through the spot where my head used to be. The hand that gripped the spear breaks away, and I am thrown off my stance.

    Giggles raised his club, which was cut in half, and the boy drew his spear in order to thrust.

    The response to their pincer attack is delayed by one move. [Leaping] cannot be used, there is no escape.

    ¡°Uaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    Just before they reached me, I summoned all of my strength and stabbed my [Katana] into the ground, and jumped upwards from the recoil.

    While listening to Tamiko¡¯s scream as she clung to my shoulder, I used the centrifugal force of wielding my [Katana] to spin and turn around in the air. I swing it over the head of Giggles, who is still in a forward swinging position¡ª

    ¡°¡ªeh?¡± (Shuu)

    At the edge of my dizzying, spinning field of vision, I see it.

    On the roof overlooking the square. Utsuki lying there. Kawataro, who was standing beside her, was reaching out his hand toward me in the air.

    I think I hear a sound that should be inaudible.

    It is the sound of gunfire. It was the high-pitched crack of a lead ball being ejected from a handgun. Of course, I have never heard the real thing in real life, so it was probably just reproduced from my memories of movies and TV dramas.

    (¡°Sniper¡±) (Shuu)

    (Is there another person?) (Shuu)

    It is fired from Kawataro on the roof, drawing a white line straight at my eyebrows.

    Defend, evade, I won¡¯t make it in time.

    ¡°Kuaaaah¨C¡± (Shuu)

    Graaaa! My temple is split, a harsh sound reverberating in my head. The hypha bullet grazed my skull, shaking my brain.

    I lose my balance. Below me, a repositioned club and spear await.

    ¡°Aah!¡± (Shuu)

    I flicked the spear with all my might, but Giggles was timing me by a full second. The club is coming at my head, whose body has been turned around by the force of the swing of my sword.

 CH 102.2

    I flicked the spear with all my might, but Giggles was timing me by a full second. The club is coming at my head, whose body has been turned around by the force of the swing of my sword.

    ¡°Shhhaaaa!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko leaps from my shoulder and bites Giggles¡¯ face. ¡°Gyah!¡± The man¡¯s head shakes with the short scream.

    I managed to land on my feet and clenched his molars hard. I step forward as fast as I can, not caring that blood is spurting from the puncture wound in my thigh.

    ¡°Retreat!¡± (Kawataro)

    Kawataro cried out.

    The spear holder is trying to catch my attack with the handle of his [War Spear]. A third person from the right with a [Great Shield] rushed in with his whole body¡ªeven though he was supposed to be a [Sniper]. A [Master Threadweaver], I wouldn¡¯t know, but a normal [Sniper¡¯] shouldn¡¯t be able to use a hypha weapon.

    (Isn¡¯t he that [Sniper]?) (Shuu)

    (How much more can these guys throw¡ª?) (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I won¡¯t let you!¡± (Toroko)

    And from the left, bandana girl. Again, she closes the distance with her impressive maneuverability, as if she were moving at a moment¡¯s notice, and pulls out her dagger.

    ¡°Braaaaah!¡± (Shuu)

    Not minding them at all, I twisted my whole body and swung sideways.

    Boom! The air explodes with a slash that threatens to cut through the metro¡¯s walls.

    The blood spurting from my clenched left hand mingled in the air with the blood spattering from the spear-user and shield wielder who took the direct hit.

    ¡°Kohada! Isaki!¡± (Kawataro)

    The bandana girl, who was just barely evading again, bites down closely. The two were deeply gouged in the arms and flanks, trying to move away from me.

    ¡°Guuuu!¡± (Shuu)

    My large sword can¡¯t handle an attack from very close range against two daggers. Even if I try to push her away with a kick or a blow with the hilt, I will not be able to catch her as she carries her body from side to side with almost no preliminary movement. It¡¯s not just anomalous, it¡¯s impossible; it¡¯s as if she¡¯s gliding freely on the floor.

    The cursed knife on the right? But the left [Dagger] cuts my arm and shoulder through my cloak. It¡¯s a familiar attack as if that¡¯s what she was aiming for.

    ¡°Ta¡­ Take this!¡± (Shuu)

    I cleaved the floor with a big backstep. Pebbles explode like shotgun pellets.

    ¡°Again!¡± (Shuu)

    There was a stone statue nearby, so I smashed it with my large [Katana]. The human-shaped statue crumbles into a pile of stones. The girl was forced to back away while avoiding a direct hit.

    Finally, I was able to put distance for my large sword. The moment I was about to step in, saying, ¡°This time, this time.¡± Hypha bullets pass where my head used to be.

    ¡°Mujirami! The two of you move back!¡± (Kawataro)

    Kawataro, who had been providing covering fire, shouted.

    ¡°Gah! Sh*t!¡± (Shuu)

    Giggles, now Mujirami, casually swings his club around and aims at Tamiko who jumped up. I threw my [Katana] directly at him, and at that moment, Tamiko jumped like a frog and landed on my shoulder. My breathing is rough.

    ¡°Deputy Commander! Let me do it too! I can¡¯t be satisfied if I don¡¯t kill that pipsqueak!¡± (Mujirami)

    Mujirami yells back. He is bleeding from the gap between his fingers holding his left eye.

    ¡°Trash, I¡¯ll chew your face into strings, squeak! I¡¯ll do it on my own, shiyaaaaa!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re a little harsh, but, good job.¡± (Shuu)

    My master and Tamiko¡¯s pupil since Outsuka exchanged thumbs-up.

    ¡°Let them deal with Toroko! I can¡¯t afford to lose our guys now; it would make our plan impossible!¡± (Kawataro)

    ¡°Shut up! How can we withdraw while being looked down on like a worm! Your instructions are¨C¡± (Mujirami)

    ¡°¡­Mujirami.¡± (Toroko)

    When Toroko, aka Bandana Girl, called out, Mujirami shivered and his shoulders shook. After a mere second or two of stalemate, he clicks his tongue, turns on his heel, and heads toward his fallen comrade.

    The man who had been so furious with the boss had become submissive at the mere glare of a girl who was more than a head taller than he was. I have an idea as to why.

    (I mean, these guys¡­) (Shuu)

    Since he used a [Great Shield] earlier, the third person wasn¡¯t a [Sniper] in the first place. Just like what I had done with Noa and Tamiko, he received a [White Bullet] from his comrades in advance, and from the beginning, he was camouflaging himself as a [Sniper].

    If you think about it normally, there is no need for the [Sniper] to come forward, In other words, it was a decoy to unmark Kawataro, so that he could make his final shot.

    (Obviously, they are not just any bandits.) (Shuu)

    They are too well organized and coordinated. It¡¯s an impossible feat for bandits who just rob.

    ¡°¡­Hey you.¡± (Toroko)

    The girl speaks to me. The same muffled, low-pressure tone that she uses with her companions.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to kill you if I can help it. Just get caught.¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s obvious that you were intent on killing me. There have been attempted headshots, twice.¡± (Shuu)

    Right now, I was even more out of breath than Tamiko. I am now trying to recover physical strength with dialogue.

    ¡°¡­I hate needless killings. If you don¡¯t resist anymore, we can end this.¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°No, no, there¡¯s no reason for us to get caught in the first place. I didn¡¯t even ask why you attacked me in the first place.¡± (Shuu)

    We are just shaking off the sparks of fire that are coming from the other side. If we surrender, there is no guarantee of life (regardless of what this girl says).

    ¡°¡­because you are too strong.¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­from now on, you will definitely get in our way. So, we¡¯d be happy if you¡¯d just quietly vanish until we accomplish our purpose.¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What is the purpose?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­I only want to kill one person in this world¡­¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°Toroko, you¡¯re not supposed to be a chatterbox, are you? He may look fine, but the curse is working. He¡¯s on the verge of running out of gas. Let¡¯s get on with it.¡± (Kawataro)

    For a few moments, Toroko bites her lip hesitantly.

    Then she points her knife at me.

    ¡°¡­Even if you die, hard feelings.¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°¡­Huh.¡± (Shuu)

    No hard feelings, huh?

    ¡°¡­don¡¯t be silly. Of course I am going to hate you.¡± (Shuu)

    This was an attack from a stranger, neither to eat nor to live, even with a vague motive.

    I¡¯m furiously angry, and if I get killed because of this, I¡¯ll curse everyone her for generations to come. For the rest of your family, I¡¯ll cast a curse on them to make them incontinent after seeing a squirrel for the rest of their lives.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand you at all¡­ I¡¯m going to knock you all down and take you to Sugamo. No hard feelings.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh please, squeak! Shaa!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Ahahaha. Toroko, it¡¯s impossible to persuade him¡­ Just do it.¡± (Kawataro)

    Well then, I readied myself. The [Katana] that I threw at Mujirami was still stuck in the stone statue on the other side. I don¡¯t have any weapons at hand.

    No additional [Katana] or [War Hammer]. I can¡¯t even squeeze out a hypha ball, and my wounds don¡¯t heal on their own. I didn¡¯t realize how discouraging it is to not be able to sense what¡¯s behind you.

    In addition, my physical condition is terrible. My strength is 30% less than usual, and I still have dizziness and chills. I have only a little strength left to go on a rampage, I¡¯m covered in injuries, I hurt everywhere, and the amount of blood I¡¯m losing is ridiculous.

    Far from falling from my throne, I was in a state of being like a naked king.

    And that¡¯s not the worst of it.

    (This movement, this strength.) (Shuu)

    (There¡¯s no doubt about it.) (Shuu)

    The petite girl in front of me, Toroko¡ªher level is over 60.

    She is clearly younger than Noa, but she is double Noa¡¯s level. She has a certain ability to scare even the older and rougher Mujirami.

    Impossible. Even if she was 15 years old, even if she did power leveling as I did, she would have shut herself away in a place like Outsuka Metro¡¯s depths when she was only 10 years old. Unthinkable.

    Or a loli demihuman like Utsuki¡ªshe doesn¡¯t look like a loli demihuman, though. At the very least, her ears are not pointed. If she had horns when she took off her bandana, it might make more sense.

    Anyway, I don¡¯t have time to think about that. I must focus on the facts.

    With all of my Fungal Skills blocked, I was up against a level 60 knife user with unknown mobility skill, backed up by a level 40 [Sniper].

    It¡¯s a tough game. I¡¯d even go so far as to say it¡¯s an impossible game.

    ¡°Abeshuu¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    I responded to my partner¡¯s anxious call on my shoulder with a light pat of my fingertip.

    ¡°¡­I won¡¯t lose. Absolutely.¡± (Shuu)

    I will survive with Tamiko. Return to Sugamo alive.

    The only thing I will do is that.

    No matter how painful it is, it¡¯s the reason why we have to stand up to them, the reason why we have to kick these villains to the curb.

    That is enough.

    A/N: Mujirami: [Fighter]

    Kohada: [Knight]

    Isaki: [Knight]

    Kawataro: [Sniper]

    Toroko: [Trickster]

    T/N: What do you mean by trickster Author-san? This might change in the next chapters.

    Shuu, you¡¯re being a Sh*tshuu. Stop the ¡°knock down bring to Sugamo¡± bullsh*t. Be ready to kill them. Your abilities are sealed and you have once again endangered Tamiko. Try to kill them, if they live¡ªthen bring them to Sugamo.

    Translating the last few chapters was hard because I am annoyed at Shuu being a little cowardly weaksh*t. Be like Tamiko or Noa. You are in a post-apocalyptic world. Start acting like you¡¯re in one. Having morals is good, but stop trying to be a hero when you are not Satou, Rimuru, or Saitama. You¡¯re only alive because of your companions (whom you constantly endanger). Stupid Sh*tshuu! Beat that Sh*tshuu to shape.

 CH 103.1

    ~Kawataro¡¯s Perspective~

    (Oh, this is a complete misjudgment.) (Kawataro)

    I saw a young hunter with a title I had never heard before, ¡°Slime Killer¡±, wielding a vicious weapon that had killed even a ¡°Family¡± baphomet, I clearly felt a twinge of regret in my heart.

    When he appeared on the floor, I knew at a glance that he was a skilled fighter from his demeanor.

    He was in his mid-twenties, which meant that he was level 50 at best. There might be physical exceptions like Utsuki or talent exceptions like Toroko, but such cases are rare, only a handful in New Tokyo. I was confident that I was not that far off the mark.

    Why did that man come to such an unpopular metro?

    It¡¯s easy to understand if you think about it. He was most likely a fill-in for the colony strike team or a member of the research and reconnaissance team. Even if that were not the case, there is no worse assumption than that. I thought I should deal with the situation based on this assumption.

    It would be bad enough to be seen with the ¡°Family,¡± but even worse to be seen and have the information brought back with them.

    Should they dare to compete with the ¡°Family¡±, then, let them feed on him as a source of high-quality nourishment.

    In this way, we can both keep their mouths shut and feed them to the ¡°Family¡±. No matter how skilled he was, there was no way he could defeat that monster by himself.

    So, I sent Utsuki to guide him. She remained mostly unharmed in the battle and destruction of the strike force, but Mujirami injured her and soiled her clothes in a manner to ¡°make her more believable as a survivor.¡± Toroko did not look pleased, but, well, it was a necessary setup. Kawataro just thought of having Akagai use [Healing] on her later and that¡¯ll be that.

    I doubted that she would betray us, even though she wasn¡¯t a companion from the beginning, but I thought that was unlikely. She had begged for her life, forsaking the pride a hunter and avenging her friends, so it was an obvious question as to which side she would be better off on in this situation.

    The young man and the carbuncle seemed to believe Utsuki¡¯s words and followed her and was lead toward the ¡°Family¡±. The guidance seemed to have succeeded.

    At the same time, I sent Toroko running and guided the ¡°Family¡± who was coasting on the sixth floor to the fifth floor with the ¡°Bone Flute¡±. The sixth floor has few obstructions, and there are many other Metro Beasts in the way. The sixth floor was not suitable for following or observing.

    She then brought them face to face. The ¡°Bone Whistle¡± alerted the target and forced them to fight.

    (¡­that.) (Kawataro)

    (What an unbelievable fight.) (Kawataro)

    Within a few minutes of the start of the mortal combat with his ¡°Family¡±. Kawataro, while observing from a certain distance using [Telephoto] to avoid being noticed by the man with a frighteningly good intuition, noticed that the young man¡¯s face was dimly lit.

    That dull-faced young man¨Cthat¡¯s not normal.

    (You damned loli, Utsuki, you are a lying b*tch!) (Kawataro)

    I told her to tell us his level if she could get it out of him. The hand-signed report was ¡°level 55,¡± but clearly he was far from that. He was going head-to-head with the enhanced ¡°Family¡± and more than holding his own. I hate to admit it, but he was better than Troko, who was level 60.

    It is possible that the young man himself gave Utsuki a false level, but it is more likely that Utsuki had some sort of agenda. If I had known in advance, I could have considered a change in strategy. It was already too late.

    At first, he was using a [War Hammer], but what he is wielding now is a [Great Sword] ¨C or perhaps it¡¯s just having a strange shape. Is it some kind of hypha weapon? A [Light Blade] and perhaps a mobility skill like [Leaping]. And (although he couldn¡¯t see it clearly), he even has a ranged skill like [Cannonball].

    (No, he¡¯s using [Ashura] and [Light Blade], right?) (Kawataro)

    (Isn¡¯t it an impossible combination even for a Higher rank Fungal Class, right?) (Kawataro)

    There is no doubt that he is a master class. And that¡¯s not all. He has a special quality that is different from that of a normal hunter. Even in New Tokyo, there are only a handful of monsters who occupy the top ranks of the hunter ranking system.

    (Similar to Toroko¡¯s Fungal Ability¡­ They¡¯re called ¡°gifted¡± these days, right?) (Kawataro)

    (Or¡­ a [Master Threadweaver] who can use all kinds of Fungal Skill¡ªno, that¡¯s not possible. That¡¯s impossible.) (Kawataro)

    Although he is struggling against the overwhelming power of his ¡°Family,¡±¡­ his win is written in stone.

    I was in front of my subordinates, but I wanted to hold my head.

    (Oh f*ck, why does it have to be this way?) (Kawataro)

    (We were talking about going out on the surface tomorrow with the ¡°Family¡±, right?) (Kawataro)

    The training for my men went without a hitch. Although there was some trouble with the appearance of the strike team and some other things, the mission was completed when we met up with our commander on the surface, and the countdown was on to the execution of the plan, but at the very last minute, we got the short end of the stick.

    (I haven¡¯t grown up much, have I?) (Kawataro)

    (I¡¯m still as bad as ever at pulling bad luck.) (Kawataro)

    I wanted to ridicule myself and say that this is a curse. It¡¯s been like that since I was a child. My father, mother, friends, and other adults around me have always looked at me with white eyes. Nothing has changed since seven years ago when I got the worst stinker of all.

    It¡¯s always like this at the most critical times. I always chose between two choices that I can¡¯t miss, and then I pick one. However, just before the finish line, I jump into the ¡°back to square one¡± tile. And the ones who get the short end of the stick are the people around me, even more than myself.

    (I don¡¯t believe in the Metro Church.) (Kawataro)

    (God must really hate me.) (Kawataro)

    Not only will we lose the ¡°Family¡± we scouted, but if they return to the surface with Utsuki, our existence will come to light. Although I have not told Utsuki anything about the details of the plan, we will still suffer more damage than the failure of the mission.

    ¡°At this time, we¡¯re going to have to change our plans.¡± (Kawataro)

    I told my men about the plan. I¡¯ll give up on the ¡°Family¡±, but I¡¯ll make sure to kill that young man (and Utsuki) here.

    (No matter how strong that brother is¡­) (Kawataro)

    (If he¡¯s against my Toroko.) (Kawataro)

    The home of the Toroko no longer exists, the hidden Metro that has been passed down through the generations.

    In the depths of the hidden Metro reigned a monster called ¡°Calamity Tail,¡± which has a curse on its tail.

    The cursed knife ¡°Evil Azure Dragon¡¯s Tail¡± was carved from its tail.

    In order to realize our long-cherished dream of revenge, God or the Metro sent me the only possibility in the world.

    With that in her hands, Toroko could kill any monster or hero. I believed so.

    No matter how strong that man was, as long as we could block his Fungal Skills, he would surely be able to defeat him. There is no one in the world who can survive a surprise attack by Toroko, who is trained as an ¡°assassin¡±.

    (Well¡­ but my Toroko.) (Kawataro)

    (Well, she hasn¡¯t killed anyone yet, though¡­) (Kawataro)

    The cute, spoiled brat still succeeded in casting a curse on the young man who had defeated my ¡°Family,¡± just as I had planned. All that remained was to band together and make sure he was killed.

    Even before the effect of the curse appeared, the complete surprise attack was repelled. Engawa and three others were wounded. From the beginning, they should have focused their attack only on Toroko¡¯s surprise attack and made sure that we concentrated only on encirclement.

    After stalling for time through dialogue, the long-awaited curse has finally appeared. I thought, ¡°Now that we¡¯ve come this far, this time it¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    (I didn¡¯t expect them to go this far with the ¡°Fungus Sealing Curse¡± in place.) (Kawataro)

    The curse is certainly working. The young man who called himself the ¡°Slime Killer¡± had been deprived of his fungal ability, and his physical functions were severely impaired.

    (Normally, the higher the level, the more they will weaken.) (Kawataro)

    Still, he did not break. Although his movements were clearly sluggish at first, he quickly regained his footing and began to push the three back. That brother, with his thin ¡°I¡¯m not good at fighting¡± face, was more of a brute than most Metro Beasts when he peeled off his skin.

    (Our ace Toroko, the former hunter Mujirami.) (Kawataro)

    (Kohada and Isaki, which I trained as the last finishing touch withing Rikugi.) (Kawataro)

    (Still¡­ I wonder why we can¡¯t finish him.) (Kawataro)

    Their every shot was dodged, covering fire was missed at every turn, and to top it off, he even got Kohada and Isaki. The ¡°Slime Killer¡± continues to bare his fangs while building up unexpected attacks that make one want to cover one¡¯s eyes.

    My upbringing and life experiences have given me a strong tendency toward self-flagellation. Although I have no trouble admitting my own mistakes, this time it was accompanied by a strong sense of regret and self-loathing.

    (It¡¯s not just the bad draw.) (Kawataro)

    (It shouldn¡¯t be because of my stupid leadership.) (Kawataro)

    There is no point in shifting the blame to something unseen, like God or fate.

    ¡°Maybe it was the right decision to give up the position of Commander to that old man.¡± I thought I wasn¡¯t even attached to it in the first place.

    (It¡¯s all my fault. I just made a mistake in my judgment.) (Kawataro)

    Sloppy strategy, a naive outlook, and thoughtless compulsion. The ones who got hurt paying the price were the children who had followed me, and who adored me. I wanted to shoot myself in the head.

    (But¨Cit¡¯s still not yet impossible.) (Kawataro)

    At least an hour until the effects of the curse wears off. That¡¯s enough time.

    (That wound, that amount of blood.) (Kawataro)

    (That brother is human too, he will eventually run out of strength.) (Kawataro)

    ¡°¡ªLet¡¯s go.¡± (Kawataro)

    Regret it later. I¡¯ll reflect on it for as long as I have.

    This time, I will finish him off even if I have to risk this old man¡¯s life.

    If I still can¡¯t reach him ¨C I¡¯ll even draw my last trump card.

    T/N: Nope. Kawataro is still a piece of sh*t. I still want their whole party to die. Toroko should also die for helping them to kill other people. Thieves are one thing, but murderers and their accomplices should suffer and die or just straight up die. A tragic background is not an excuse or alibi. Utsuki can live after Tamiko beats the stuffing out of that traitorous loli piece of sh*t. But that is just my opinion. Fufufu¡­

 CH 103.2

    In the normal course of events, there is no way a knife can beat a sword. The difference in reach is obvious, and the strength and power of the weapon are also great. If the skill of the wielder is the same, it is not easy for a knife wielder to get around the sword and close the gap between the wielder and himself.

    Nevertheless, I have struggled more than double against ¡°lower-leveled¡± opponents who use weapons with a shorter reach than mine. The topmost among the enemies had been holed up in the vicinity of Sugamo, Kure, a prodigy in the art of melee combat and a pervert, was a man who dared to close the gap. I was able to deal with him by switching from [Katana] to my bare hands with [Iron Fist], and in the end, I won a crushing victory.

    Despite the absolute difference in strength, I struggled because of my lack of experience in fighting against other people. Because I had spent my entire life in a cave fighting Metro Beasts, I had fallen behind in the techniques and experience that those with intelligence should have learned.

    After coming to the surface, I was aware that my ability to deal with such situations had improved a little through the unwanted troubles I had gone through since I came to the surface. I had trained with Noa many times, and during my stay in the town of Ouji, I had repeatedly defeated the red-haired pervert that was coming on him.

    ¡ªNevertheless.

    Here I go again, with a new kind of ¡°strong enemy with no sense of delicacy,¡± who sneaks in the gaps. Moreover, this bandana girl called Toroko, who is holding a knife in front of me suddenly disappears from sight and appears behind me without a sound, showing an unidentifiable maneuver that looks like instantaneous movement.

    (Until we find out what she is doing, it may be easier to deal with her without the accumulated [Katana]) (Shuu)

    I don¡¯t think I can hit her with a long, heavy, hard-to-handle weapon. The fact that I am barehanded against a knife is also scary, but that level of disadvantage is an everyday occurrence.

    (I¡¯d like to get out of Kawataro¡¯s line of fire at some point.) (Shuu)

    (I could leave the square, but I doubt he¡¯d let me.) (Shuu)

    (I¡¯d rather take that guy out first.) (Shuu)

    Now that [Leaping] can¡¯t be used, it would be a suicidal act and turn my back on them.

    (I¡¯d rather stay close to that kid, so I don¡¯t get sniped at.) (Shuu)

    (However, I have to deal with that strange mobility skill as soon as possible.) (Shuu)

    My body is being scraped away from wanting to survive this far. The bleeding is worse than I thought, and the blue-black mold that heals my injuries is also sealed. It¡¯s not always the case where the losers won¡¯t return to the battlefield after being treated with [Healing] or the like. In other words, time is not my ally.

    Open your eyes and take a deep breath. The moment I was about to take my first step.

    Kawataro¡¯s body, standing on the roof, moves slightly. The released [White Bullet] passes through the place where my head used to be ¨C no, not this one.

    ¡°Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Toroko disappears from in front of me. The real target¨Cbehind.

    ¡°Shhhaaa!¡± (Tamiko)

    My fist swung backward and cuts through the air. My timing was off. The girl¡¯s body dives forward in an instant.

    The girl¡¯s body lunges forward and tries to sneak close range. A sudden front kick grazed the side of her body. My heel hits bone, and her face contorts slightly.

    ¡°Tamiko, stick to me properly!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Kuh, ah!¡± (Toroko)

    The knife is swung with a yell. It is swung from side to side with the aim of hitting me.

    The knife handling is sharp and precise. She moves both hands without pause while mixing in feints and slides the blade with minimal movement. The onslaught of Boss Met¡¯s wild, storm-like onslaught is the exact opposite: a series of small, thin, condensed, and quick blows, like those of Kamaitachi [A/N: a Japanese weasel ayakashi]. Its skill and sharpness cannot be compared to the grappling claws of the Metro Beast boss.

    (However¡­) (Shuu)

    (What is this discomfort?) (Shuu)

    There is no difference in physical ability between her and the current me due to my level. I respond while being aware of her position without turning my back on Kawataro. If I am not concentrating, she would draw blood in an instant.

    Using only my reflex speed, I avoid the tip of the knife, and then I deal with my opponent¡¯s knife. The knife grazed my arm, and as a counter attack, my fingertips tore her cheek.

    She swayed to the left ¨C and in an instant, she is on my right. Without even taking a step forward. It was as if it was a magic trick.

    ¡°Kuh!¡± (Shuu)

    While brushing away a blow aimed at my stomach with my cloak, I quickly pondered what I has just seen.

    It¡¯s not instantaneous movement. How could such an ability be achieved with mycelium? It¡¯s a world of ¡°Buttobi¡¯s World,¡± so it¡¯s impossible to say for sure. [T/N: Buttobi aka Buttobi CPU! is a manga series.]

    She lunges at me ¨C and when I think that her body instantly becomes smaller. No, it moved away. No jump, no step.

    ¡°No way¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    I roll on the floor in a panic. Four [White Bullets] shot in rapid succession penetrate my cloak. It grazed my back just a little, but there was no damage.

    Kawataro had his left arm out in front of him, his palm facing up, and his right hand on top of it. Did he continuously eject the hypha projectiles produced in his left hand by flicking it with his four fingers? It seems more difficult to aim than with the thumb, but that is the technique of a pro.

    ¡°You have good instincts!¡± (Kawataro)

    Kawataro further extends his arms and swings them crosswise. The barely visible projectile, which flew in an arc, arced toward the target and struck him. The bullet arcs and changes its trajectory toward my, gouging your arms and thighs. The bullet curved, I believe it was a different kind of Fungal Skill called a [Curved Bullet] or something like that. I wonder if it is possible to aim so accurately with that thing.

    I look toward Toroko, keeping an eye out for Kawataro.

    She is not there. Not in front, not to the right, not to the left. I don¡¯t feel her behind me either.

    (Then¨C) (Shuu)

    ¨Cabove.

    There she is, bent overhead, holding a knife.

    A sharp swing. But it¡¯s not a real attack. As soon as she lands, she dodges with a backward load and dives as if sliding into my side.

    ¡°Haa!¡± (Toroko)

    Her swing spins around like a spinning top. A slashing attack. I can¡¯t evade it in time, so I quickly guard myself. ¡°Giiin!¡± The sound of two hard objects colliding with each other reverberated.

    ¡°Oh!¡± (Shuu)

    The girl is alarmed by the response and hesitates to take any further steps.

    I took it out from the depths of my torn cloak.

    ¡°¡­This means I¡¯m no longer unarmed.¡± (Shuu)

    In my hand is something I happened to see and pick up when I rolled over earlier. It is a lumpy, distorted cylinder with knobby sides and a sharp pointed tip.

    Bosmet horn. Shuu¡¯s charge [White Bullet] smashed it from the root.

    The grip is thick enough that my fingers can barely grasp it, longer than a knife and slightly shorter than a normal [Katana]. Something like a short sword. For my current situation it is reliable, it has a hardness that didn¡¯t budge even when receiving a direct blow. After I bring it to Sugamo, I want to make it into a weapon or have it decorate the entrance of our house.

    ¡°Also, I finally understand¨Cyour ability.¡± (Shuu)

    Toroko, who readied her knife, stopped moving.

    ¡°¡­ what did you understand?¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°You¡¯re sliding on the ground, right?¡± (Shuu)

    I should have realized earlier that she was barefoot from the start.

    The sole of her foot seemed to have turned white for a moment when she flew above me. It is a Fungal skill like [Iron Fist] and [White Armor]. I don¡¯t recall seeing anything like that in the books, but perhaps its performance is such that it reduces friction as much as possible.

    Instead of walking, she glides. She can maneuver at high speeds with only a shift of her body weight. Her elusive movements were made possible by that ability.

    ¡°And maybe that¡¯s not all!¡± (Shuu)

    [White Bullets] fly in just as if there¡¯s no time for chitchat. That old man can read the air.

    One more thing. There is very little sound in her movements. Even the sound of the knife cutting the wind is barely audible despite its sharpness. That was one of the discomforts I felt on the way.

    Perhaps it is the same kind of Fungal Skill that Old Man Uni has. As I recall, it is called [Muffling] in hunter¡¯s terms. It is a skill that Noa a [Craftsman] can mainly learn.

    ¡°¡­ so what!?¡± (Toroko)

    At the same time, she is approaching. The slash, which lacks precision, is knocked down with the horn, and conversely, struck the returning blade. She crosses her knives, receives the blow, and uses the recoil to move backward.

    ¡°What are you saying! You¡¯re amazing!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­¡­Eh?¡± (Toroko)

    Her movements come to a halt. Confusion appears on her expressionless face. She pushed forward the corner, while glancing at Kawataro from the edge of her vision.

    ¡°No, you¡¯ve had a lot of training. You must have had a lot of training. Five years is not long enough.¡± (Shuu)

    Fungal Skill to slide on the ground. The principle behind this is unknown, but judging from its super speed, it must be as smooth as on ice or in an old gymnasium. To put it bluntly, it looks very difficult to handle. I am confident that I will fall down in two seconds like a beginner on ice skates.

    A skill of starting, accelerating, standing still, turning and maneuvering freely just by shifting one¡¯s weight¡­ A dazzling move that doesn¡¯t show the opponent the first move (I guess it creates a synergistic effect by collaborating with companions). The way to easily erase the presence. The proficiency to carry your feet without tripping over uneven ground with rolling stones and cobblestones, not on even flooring or ice.

    In addition, she is fast, sharp, accurate, and precise in her knife handling and she has [Muffling]. The ¡°Silent Assassin¡±-like battle style, which is a fusion of these skills and refined to the point of artistry, intrigues my childish heart. There may be other [Craftsman] Fungal Skill that she has yet to show, but it is all crystallized, and it has reached its peak.

    Something like this cannot be learned overnight. I don¡¯t even think that just any middle school girl can embody it.

    I can see the same or even more blood-soaked effort and hard work like the hellish time I have spent in the past five years. Of course, I also have my own qualities.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think a mere bandit or a scoundrel would improve himself to such an extent. I mean, how old do I have to be to do what you do?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­ it has nothing to do with you.¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°Well. Rather, I¡¯m involved because of you.¡± (Shuu)

    The girl¡¯s lips curved from exasperation. I think it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen an age-appropriate expression from her.

    ¡°You seem to be ready to say something just now, so, don¡¯t you guys have a purpose or something like that?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­As I said before, I don¡¯t like to talk. If you want to know, you¡¯d better get caught while there¡¯s still life left in you.¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°No. Then¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± (Shuu)

    Another sense of incongruity that I felt since the battle began.

    After coming this far, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t notice anything.

    Her blade is clearly aimed at something other than my vital point. Even though there is a height difference, her attacks are only aimed at the shoulders and arms from the chest up.

    She is not a fool, and she does not hesitate. Because she had decided to do so from the beginning. She is actually demonstrating what she said earlier, ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you if I can help it.¡±

    (That¡¯s why I¡¯m taking advantage of it.) (Shuu)

    I thrust the horns at her and crouched low.

    ¡°You say that you¡¯re here without the intention of killing me, and I rather appreciate it that you don¡¯t. But¡­ I¡¯ve been through a lot of carnage to get here, you can¡¯t reach me with that, I¡¯m part of the Outsuka Metro Team.¡± (Shuu)

    T/N: Not bad Shuu. I thought you¡¯re being a stupid idiot dumb*ass.

 CH 103.3

    ~Kawataro¡¯s Perspective~

    The two have stopped chatting and are crossing blades again, after I blasted them with a scattering of [White Bullets].

    (¡­not good, huh?) (Kawataro)

    By picking up the horns of the ¡°Family¡±, there was even something like a leeway in the offense and defense of ¡°Slime Slayer¡±. Perhaps the mystery has been broken, and he has begun to respond to the movement of Toroko¡¯s unique skill [Gliding].

    In contrast, Toroko¡¯s movements are beginning to show some problems. Perhaps something got to her during their earlier chat.

    And as usual, she still hasn¡¯t made an attack that can directly end his life. At this point in her life, she has devoted herself entirely to making her opponents incapacitated.

    (No matter how much time passes, her naivete won¡¯t go away) (Kawataro)

    (That¡¯s one of the good things about her, though.) (Kawataro)

    If that nightmare had not come that day eight years ago, her life would have been completely different. No matter how much talent she had in her body, she definitely would not have chosen the bloody path she is on now.

    A talent she did not want. A fate she did not want. Still, she had no choice but to choose the path so that her heart would not die.

    (¡­it¡¯s all my fault, after all) (Kawataro)

    Then, as I have been doing for the past eight years. Just get your own hands dirty.

    I¡¯m used to it by now. From the beginning, before I met her, my hands were dirty. I was not a gentle person who was bothered by it.

    I focused my attention on my left hand. The hypha that emerged from the palm of my hand took shape. A long, thin bullet with a spiral groove carved into it, twice as long as a [White Bullet].

    [Spiral Bullet]. The bullet, which spins at high speed as it flies, has several times the speed and power of [White Bullet], and has a longer range, making it possible to shoot from a greater distance.

    Because of the bullet¡¯s length, it is difficult to flick with the thumb as with the [White Bullet]. Also, if you flick it on top your palm, your palm will be shredded. Since [Snipers] have neither [Healing] nor [Self-Regeneration] some hunters carry special items.

    I lay it on my palm, raising my  hand, and take aim in my line of sight.

    The [White Bullet], which has a large air resistance, may cause a slight deviation in the aim. I was using it as a check and cover to prevent misfiring on Toroko, but with the [Spiral Bullet], even while the two of them were striking each other, I could certainly shoot only the enemy. Like her, my skill, which I have been training for the past eight years, can do that.

    (It only takes a moment.) (Kawataro)

    (When his legs stop, I will shoot him) (Kawataro)

    The speed of the bullet is different from the previous [White Bullets]. Even the ¡°Slime Killer,¡± with his incredible reflexes, would not be able to dodge the onslaught of my bullets. It was a shot that I had been saving for just this one moment.

    I sharpened my nerves for this one shot, keeping the young man¡¯s figure in the palm of my hand.

    ¡°¡ªThread is a curse¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C¡± (Kawataro)

    The ¡°Country¡¯s Chant¡±, which has neither commitment nor attachment, unconsciously spills out of my mouth. After that, I inadvertently let out a small smile. Am I trying to add some justification to shooting an unrelated young man in the head? What is it that I¡¯ve done so much until now?

    (Well, I do feel bad about it, but¡­) (Kawataro)

    Perhaps due to blood loss and fatigue, the young man¡¯s movements are becoming sluggish. He is on the defensive against Toroko, who is trying to incapacitate him, and his legs stop.

    (This is the end¡ª) (Kawataro)

    At that moment, suddenly,

    The line of sight of my [Telephoto] is focused into a different place than Toroko¡¯s target.

    In the midst of the fierce attack and defense, he sees the Carbuncle clinging to his right shoulder. I believe she was called ¡°Acorn Eater¡±.

    Despite its stocky physique, the Magical Beast, which had so far boldly stood up to Baphomet and Mujirami, had so far made no move in their fight. It is still clinging to its partner so as not to be swept away by his violent movements, and it is still silent as if it is hiding from the situation.

    The two were in a different league of strength, and they were probably not at a level where they would be able to interfere easily.

    In that way, I was at least a little wary. Even at that minimal size, it was not impossible to make a target of the [White Bullet], and I thought that I could deal with anytime I wanted.

    And something comes to mind.

    So far, even when the two were exchanging words, it hadn¡¯t uttered a single word.

    When had this happened? When did its body color fade to a whitish hue?

    I didn¡¯t even think I took my eyes off it. When did they switch?

    Mujirami had one in his hand before. A decoy clone made of hypha.

    A chill runs down my spine and I turn around.

    A tearing sound travels across my skin. At the same time, I feel a sharp pain in my neck.

    I wonder why I allowed them to approach me, no matter how small they are. I wonder about that. It was as if it had disappeared and crept up near me. It was as if they were a ninja I had read about in a book when I was a child.

    My eyes widen as blood spurts out. The Carbuncle who tore my neck and passed through. A bushy tail that draws an afterimage like a meteor.

    (If I notice it a moment too late.) (Kawataro)

    (I would definitely be done for¡­) (Kawataro)

    A surprise strike aimed at the artery on my neck. An attack that is the exact opposite of Toroko¡¯s, and one that has no hesitation in taking their opponent¡¯s life.

    ¡°Acorn Eater¡± lands on the ground with a thud and bares their teeth. The small body, with its hair and tail standing up on end, is filled with a murderous energy. Pure viciousness.

    I want Toroko to follow suit. No, I don¡¯t want her to emulate me. At the same time, I want too. I almost laugh as I squeeze my cut neck with my right hand.

    When the fur ball jumped at me again, I quickly threw away the [Spiral Bullet] and then attacked with a [White Bullet] with my left hand. They graze a bit of my eyes and nose! But I hit it directly, and it is repelled with a big ¡°Pigya!¡± and falls towards the clearing.

    Judging from the sound, they were probably protected. Although I could not see it clearly, it was about to deploy a Fungal Skill similar to [White Armor] on its body surface to counter the counterattack. Even so, it would not have been completely blocked, you could at least share some pain.

    ¡°Gu¡­ Ah¡­¡± (Kawataro)

    Blood spilled sporadically from the gap between my fingers, drawing reddish-black spots on the stone roof. The wound is deeper than I thought. That furball really did it.

    ¡°Kawa!¡± (Toroko)

    ¡°Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    Two people in the square shouted at the same time. I look at them, nodding on my knees, and saw that both of them had completely stopped. They are just like each other.

    (Oh, what a mess.) (Kawataro)

    This was before I had a bad pull. I underestimated that little animal. I laughed at Mujirami, but I was even dumber than him.

    (Not bad.) (Kawataro)

    Putting aside ¡°Slime Killer¡±, Toroko was clearly upset. Once that happens, that child is fragile and can¡¯t get back on her feet.

    (Both as a teacher and as a guardian¡­) (Kawataro)

    (Sorry for being clumsy.) (Kawataro)

    As a self-deprecating thought, I don¡¯t mind being put to death like this, but unfortunately I can¡¯t afford to die in a place like this. And at the very least, even if we can¡¯t kill that young man and the Carbuncle, I have to get the Toroko and the others out of here.

    (What can I do?) (Kawataro)

    (From here, how¡ª-) (Kawataro)

    There is something that jumps to the edge of my vision.

    (¡ªMujirami.) (Kawataro)

    He is baring his gleaming teeth and swinging his [Cudgel] as hard as he can.

    ¡°Gaaaaaa!¡± (Mujirami)

    (No, no, that¡¯s impossible.) (Kawataro)

    A suicide attack that can be said to be barbaric, a full-body attack. ¡°Slime Killer¡± easily dodged and kicked Mujirami¡¯s stomach in return. He was thrown like a ball before crashing into the stone statue at the edge of the square. It collapses along with the rocks.

    (Oh, is that so¡­) (Kawataro)

    While I was wondering what he wanted to do, a Akagai appears on the roof. Apparently, they were stalling for time to heal their clumsy leader, who was not doing so well. I wonder if there wasn¡¯t a little more I could have done.

    ¡°Mr. Kawa!¡± (Akagai)

    ¡°Hey¡­¡­¡± (Kawataro)

    If I can stop the bleeding for the time being, I can still move. There is still work to be done.

    ¡°Please stop the bleeding¡­ huh?¡± (Kawataro)

    Right after. ¡°Rumble!¡±, a dull sound echoes from underground.

    And ¡°Boom!¡± The ground sways vertically, like it is throbbing. Toroko and ¡°Slime Killer¡± near the center of the square are bracing their bodies in a crouch.

    (¡­¡­what?) (Kawataro)

    (At the last minute¡­¡­ what did I draw?) (Kawataro)

    The cobblestones of the plaza crack with a resounding crushing sound.

    Rising from the crack is a huge pillar of water.

    T/N: Please die Kawataro. You hurt Tamiko, she¡¯s the heroine of this series. Please pay for your sins with your worthless life. Ufufufu¡­

 CH 104.1

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    Kawataro doesn¡¯t know. He does not know about the tragedy that took place nine years ago here in the plaza on the fifth underground floor of Rikugi Metro.

    One of the four hunters who were swallowed up by the attacking beasts was his younger brother, who had been separated from him in their hometown of Asakusa.

    They had never been close brothers, but because of the notoriety surrounding their late father and brother, they could no longer stand each other and left their hometown. Kawataro does not know that his brother lost his life here. He does not know that his brother¡¯s identification card, which sank to the bottom of the water, is still there, half-decayed.

    What¡¯s more, what¡¯s happening right now¨Cthe plaza in the center of this floating city, and the six stone statues that surround it as if to protect it, were all destroyed without waiting for the Metro to restore them. There was no way he had any idea about the grudge-like trap that was activated to destroy the invaders.

    So, at this moment, as Kawataro stares dumbfounded at the huge column of water while applying [Heal] to the laceration on his neck, he is not thinking about his missing brother, but those is still worried about him. He is thinking about his own poor luck draws.

    (Every time I draw a blank ticket, I always end up with a poor one.) (Kawataro)

    (Bad luck always wins at the end of the day, when it really wants to.) (Kawataro)

    But whether or not he can interpret that as luck is another matter.

    ~Shuu¡¯s Perspective~

    A strong tremor, as if it was coming up from below, made me involuntarily lower myself. Although I am a child of the earthquake-prone country of Japan, the tremors are so strong that I can hardly stand properly.

    (Earthquake? At this time?) (Shuu)

    (No, something¡¯s wrong¡ª) (Shuu)

    Boom! A loud explosion sounded as the cobblestone pavement blew up behind the left side of the building, and water spurted out from there. A huge pillar of water shoots straight up toward the ceiling.

    ¡°What!?¡± (Shuu)

    In the few moments that my feet stopped in confusion, a second explosion and a pillar of water erupts in succession. Just a few meters behind him, close enough to knock him off his feet with the impact. A massive spray of water soaked the plaza.

    (I don¡¯t know what it is, but¡­) (Shuu)

    (At any rate, we¡¯re in trouble if we stay here!) (Shuu)

    The girl, Toroko, turns away and starts running. She grabs the head of Mujirami that I had just blown away and is trying to get out of the plaza. She has deactivated her sliding Fungal Skill, but she is just as fast. It¡¯s a great switching speed after such a violent attack just a moment ago.

    There is no need to chase after them, it doesn¡¯t matter at this point how he and that girl ended up. I don¡¯t even know why we were fighting in the first place.

    ¡°Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    Shouting out my partner¡¯s name, I started running.

    As per the plan that had been secretly discussed beforehand, Tamiko secretly switched places with her [Squirrel Avatar] on cue, using her [Camouflage] to ambush their commander, who was shooting smugly at the rooftop. While dealing with Toroko, I saw Tamiko fall to the square after a counterattack from Kawataro, who seemed to have been wounded out of the corner of his eye.

    After that, it was clear that Toroko¡¯s knife-handling accuracy had become clouded. The same was true for me, who was also getting worried. At that point, it was no longer a battle, and that was probably mutual.

    ¡°Tamiko!¡± (Shuu)

    I shouted once more. My voice was drowned out by the sudden disaster that spread throughout the plaza. I could almost see the area where she had fallen, so I ran my eyes over the area. About ten meters away, I spot a small body lying in the shadow of the cracked and raised cobblestone pavement.

    ¡°Ta¨C¡± (Shuu)

    The ground explodes and a column of water rises in front of us, interrupting everyone.

    ¡°Guuu!¡± (Shuu)

    The wind pressure and the impact throws me backwards. If I had been hit directly, I would have been pushed up to the ceiling and knocked down to the ground, heading straight for the ¡°higher, higher, death¡± course.

    I tried to get up immediately, but my knees buckled. Here I am¡ªfatigue and injuries have made me reach my limit.

    ¡°¡­damn it!¡± (Shuu)

    I punched my shaking knees to make them do what I want, then I picked up Tamiko as I slide around the water column and onto the cobblestones.

    ¡°Tamiko! Hey!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    I poke her cheek pouch with my fingertip and received a muffled, sleepy reply. The pain is making her frown and her consciousness seems to be fading, but at least on the surface she doesn¡¯t seem to be bleeding or badly hurt. I feel like slumping to the ground in relief.

    The whole place is flooded, and the area around the center of the plaza is now like a pond. At this rate, the area where I was standing would soon be submerged.

    The wind picked up and a gurgling sound came. Holding Tamiko in my arms, I quickly rolled to the side. The water rushes toward the place where I was standing.

    ¡°What the¡ª!?¡± (Shuu)

    Looking up, countless columns of water are wriggling around. As if they were living beings with a mind of their own.

    The tops of them are falling. As if a water dragon with its head held high was about to swallow its prey.

    ¡°Nguu!¡± (Shuu)

    Once again, I have dived to the ground to avoid it. It¡¯s no longer a flash flood, it¡¯s a water cannon, and if I get a direct hit, who knows how far I will be blown away.

    (Well, that¡¯s just ridiculous!) (Shuu)

    (I mean, water coming at us, it¡¯s not fantasy, it¡¯s horror!) (Shuu)

    It is the norm of the Metro so things cannot be said to be impossible. Is this also the work of some mysterious physical phenomenon of Metro or mycelial plants? Man-eating algae springing up in large quantities. Or perhaps it is the grudge of the beasts that died here, and my spine grows cold as I imagine this, but anyway, I flee the plaza. I had to get out of here as soon as possible¡­ No¡ª

    ¡°Oh fu¡ª! It¡¯s coming this way too!!¡± (Voice)

    ¡°Run away! Run away! Hurry up!¡± (Voice)

    Outside the plaza, in the direction of the cluster of houses on the other side, a column of water rises, and a scream that seems to be human can be heard. It was probably one of the attackers from earlier.

    (No way¡ª) (Shuu)

    Is this¡­ Is it getting more and more widespread?

    What if this whole floor sinks into the water?

    The Metro¡¯s style is to say that it¡¯s impossible. If we are too slow, there will be no place to escape. Anyway, first of all, we need to get away from this blast site¡­

    I thought I heard a sound that should have been inaudible.

    It sounded like a gunshot.

    A sharp pain shot through my calf. Unable to kill the momentum of running, I twist my body to the side and fall down so as not to crush Tamiko in my pocket.

    ¡°Ah, who, how¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I groaned and looked up to see Kawataro standing on the roof.

    I can¡¯t read his expression because of the sunglasses, but his lips move slightly, and I think I hear a voice that I shouldn¡¯t have heard. ¡°My bad.¡±

    ¡°Fu, ack, gaaaaa!¡± (Shuu)

    With anger transformed into strength, I stomp through the rubble and rises to my feet. With an animalistic roar, I rushed forward, only to be hit by a shock as if I had been rammed by a dump truck from the side.

    (Water.) (Shuu)

    (A direct hit.) (Shuu)

    My vision goes white from the impact, as if my body is exploded into pieces from the inside. My body is not blown directly to the side, but upward.

    A long time, in which even my thought ended. I thought I was going to hit the ground, but then my back, which had been flying through the air in an arc motion, made a muffled ¡°Kaboom¡± sound. It seems that I jumped over the square and was dropped into a puddle somewhere.

    When I open my blurry eyes, I see a submerged cityscape in the dim light. I move my arms and legs and try to reach the surface of the water, but the strong current of water is choking me, and I can¡¯t move as fast as I want. Is this a phenomenon related to the water column?

    A gulp of air spills out of my mouth.

    My impatience turns to fear.

    (I wonder if [Immortality] is also effective against suffocation.) (Shuu)

    (No, well, it probably doesn¡¯t make sense to think about it now.) (Shuu)

    (A¨Caside from me¡­ Tamiko.) (Shuu)

    The faint warmth I felt in my bosom is almost imperceptible in the cold water.

    Shrinking my body into a protecting position, I grit my teeth, trying to push down my fear.

    First of all, calm down. It¡¯s painful.

    I¡¯m sinking lower and lower. Oh no.

    I¡¯m not that good at swimming. I can¡¯t breathe.

    I have to get out of this current somehow. The water is in my lungs.

    My whole body is falling apart. It hurts.

    I don¡¯t have enough blood. I have no strength left.

    I really have no strength.

    My wet clothes are heavy. There is not enough oxygen.

    From fingertips to limbs, numbness slowly creeps up.

    My thoughts flicker. As if to tell me that time is running out.

    Still, don¡¯t give up.

    Live¡ª

    Go home¨C

    Tamiko¨C

    Even just her¨C

    The darkness is growing in front of me. My thoughts are unraveling and melting into water.

    And yet¡­ my body is still struggling.

    Not my head, but my soul is screaming.

    It can¡¯t end here.

    It¡¯s not over until it¡¯s over.

    I¡¯ve learned that in the Metro.

    Keep struggling¡ªuntil it¡¯s over.

    ¡ª

    ¡ª¡ª

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    T/N: If Shuu doesn¡¯t kill Kawataro and his gang I am going to be super pissed.

 CH 104.2

    A small light comes on in my pitch-black vision.

    The surface of the water may be near. I squeeze the last bit of strength I have left. I desperately claw the water with my numb arms.

    The light gets closer and closer and larger.

    When it comes within a stone¡¯s throw of my nose, my cloudy eyes catch it.

    (Sha) (Shuu)

    (Shark?) (Shuu)

    In this dimly lit water, a shark with a lantern above its head like a lantern fish.

    The jagged rows of teeth are bared right in front of my eyes. In one bite, it would ripp off my head.

    ¡°Guhaa!¡± (Shuu)

    The last of the air remaining in my lungs is unintentionally expelled.

    My consciousness is pulled into a blackout at once, but I still managed to gather what little strength I have and thrusts out my fist, hoping not to be eaten easily.

    The punch, which was met with resistance, was caught not by the shark¡¯s fins, but by its hand. A hand with five fingers and a skin like flap between them.

    (Guu¨C) (Shuu)

    The hand that grips my fist exerts a slight force. My hand is being squeezed. It is pulled in and ready to bite. ¡ªNeither of these things happens. It is just pure restraint.

    ¡°¡ªDon¡¯t panic, I won¡¯t eat you.¡± (Shark)

    I hear such words coming from the back of his open mouth. The voice is low and slightly hoarse.

    The other hand grabs my head.

    The next moment, a high-pitched sound, similar to the ringing in the ears, is reflected in my head¡ªand then my consciousness is cut off.

    When I woke up, the first thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.

    I think I was dreaming something, but I can¡¯t remember.

    It was certainly a dream of Tokyo a hundred years ago. Anything beyond that, like water spilling from between my fingers, I can¡¯t keep it in my memory.

    Anyway, several questions simultaneously pop into my waking head: ¡°Where am I? Am I alive? What happened?¡± However, the first thing that came out of my mouth was.

    ¡°Ta, Tami¡­¡± (Shuu)

    But my tongue was too tied up to speak.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare take your eyes off of it, squeak! If the fish gets burnt, I¡¯ll burn you too, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°The penalty for burned fish is too heavy! You should be eating acorns!¡± (Voice)

    ¡°Bastard, don¡¯t tell me about acorns now, squeak! Whoever belittles an acorn will become an acorn! Shaaa!¡± (Tamiko)

    I heard a squeaky and bile-filled voice. I lift my head to see Tamiko and Utsuki arguing in front of the fire. Nearby, a fish on a skewer is being grilled.

    ¡°Tamiko¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Huh? A-Abeshuu!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko, who was running up and down, jumped on top of me. It was there that I noticed for the first time that I was not wearing much clothing. Just a blanket and underwear.

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy, squeak! I¡¯m so happy, squeak! Piyaaa!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Oh, me too.¡± (Shuu)

    The crying Tamiko is using her head as a nipple drill.

    Come to think of it, I noticed that the wounds on my body had disappeared. The lacerations that were carved here and there, the holes in my thighs and calves, have all disappeared cleanly.

    Although I am unable to grasp the situation, I use my [Sensory Spores] to search for signs of the area. Invisible spores are scattered around me, and I can perceive the terrain three-dimensionally. And¡­

    ¡°¡­Ah, it worked.¡± (Shuu)

    I realized one second late. As usual, I unconsciously put out [Sensory Spores], but I was able to use it normally. I wonder if the effect of the curse disappeared while I was asleep. I also create [Holy Healing] as a test, and it succeeded, and was sucked into Tamiko¡¯s cheek pouch as a snack. It seems that the recovery from my injuries was also thanks to [Immortality] returning to work.

    In any case, the first is [Sensing Spore]. I searched around, but at least there were only these three people in the area. There are no beasts or humans. The area is quiet, I understand that the crisis seems to have passed for the time being. I take a deep breath and caress her furry back.

    This is the fifth floor of the Rikugi Metro underground, a city on the water, it seems. The normal Metro landscape of craggy rocky surfaces is illuminated by the bluish glow of Firefly Moss at night. Was I transported to another floor in my sleep¡ªby whom?  Utsuki?

    ¡°¡­How long have I been asleep¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°About an hour, I think.¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki approaches with a water bottle. When I downed the bottle, I feel the water flowing down my throat seeping into the cells of my body.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I took it off without permission. I¡¯m drying your clothes and luggage by the fire right now.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± (Shuu)

    I had left my backpack in the plaza, but not my clothes. I wonder if they brought it with them when we were swept away.

    ¡°Um¡­ where is this place?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°On the fourth floor, just north of the stairs to the fifth floor, I think.¡± (Sou)

    I don¡¯t remember it, probably because I¡¯ve never been here.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad the curse was lifted, and the wound healed on its own. It¡¯s not [Self-Regeneration], is it? I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before. The mold covered the wound and closed it, it was kind of gross.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Ah, no, well¡­ Ms. Utsuki.¡± (Shuu)

    Why are you here? Why are you alive? You betrayed me. I hesitated about what to say, but for the time being, it seems that what was unspoken has been conveyed, and Utsuki¡¯s face suddenly stiffens. [T/N: Beat that piece of shit loli.]

    ¡°Ah, ah, um¡­ I mean, it¡¯s a long story, but¡­ For now, I am sorry! Seriously, I am sorry!¡± (Sou)

    The loli body kneels in front of me. The loli girl in underwear gets down on her knees. [T/N: Kick her in the head or better yet, make Tamiko kick her.]

    ¡°This traitorous thing, squeak! Send her on a criminal parade then put her on a Spanish Horse [T/N: Torture/BDSM furniture.], squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    A round-kicking slapping furry fury explodes on the head that is being rubbed deeper on the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to keep this thing alive until the fish is cooked, squeak! After that, I¡¯m going to split her from her genitals, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I¡¯m scared of that Magic Beast¡­ Please do something about her¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°I smell something burning over there.¡± (Shuu)

    Utsuki rushes back towards the campfire. I also stood up to go near the fire, and began to stagger while suffering from lightheadedness. I¡¯m terribly sluggish because the damage from the curse still remains. I¡¯m also hungry because of the injury recovery. Anything is fine, so I have to put it in my stomach.

    ¡°¡ªGrilled fish is fine, but don¡¯t hunters have things to do first before that?¡± (Voice)

    A chill runs down my spine.

    In the opposite direction of the campfire, where my back was turned¡ªthere is a shadow sitting on a rock as if it were a chair.

    (I couldn¡¯t detect them with [Sensory Spores]?) (Shuu)

    (How? Who?) (Shuu)

    It¡¯s a shark.

    Yes, the shark I encountered before I passed out in the water. It is sitting there cross-legged.

    A human being with a shark¡¯s head¡­ or should I say a shark with human arms and legs (and fins). It¡¯s pretty big, maybe two and a half meters when it stands up. It has a shiny silver body surface, pitch-black, dull eyes. The only clothing, he wore was a loincloth, and he carried a long harpoon-like object fastened with a leather belt on his back. [T/N: So, King Shark but anime.]

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll excuse myself from here. My skin will get dry because of the fire.¡± (Voice => Shark)

    His voice was husky and his tone soft. At first, there is no sense of hostility or malice, but ¨C I don¡¯t know ¨C I am not Tamiko, so there is no way to measure their exact level.

    But¡ªI can¡¯t stop the cold sweat that has been running down my back since a while ago.

    ¡°Silky cheeks, why don¡¯t you relax that scary expression? It¡¯s not easy for someone like me when there¡¯s someone tense, like a skilled fighter like you.¡± (Shark)

    ¡°¡­I-I see¡­¡± (Shuu)

    This is unlike any creature I¡¯ve ever encountered, including the Demon.

    ¡°That Sahuagin has been there for a long time, squeak. It was so scary, so I pretended I don¡¯t see it, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Silky Cheeks, I won¡¯t eat, Furball Girl. And please don¡¯t put me with those half-fish. I¡¯m a Shark, a proud hunter who conquers the dark sea.¡± (Shark)

    I don¡¯t know, I can¡¯t see the abyss.

    A creature of another dimension, whose existence is immeasurable.

    It feels like that.

    ¡°Um, you are¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m not even worthy of a name. A traveler wandering the waters of the Metro, no, a traveling shark.¡± (Shark)

    ¡°Traveling¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°He¡¯s my master,¡± said Utsuki. ¡°It¡¯s okay, he is not as ferocious as he looks¡­. usually.¡±

    The mysterious shark man and the fake loli¡¯s has a master-disciple relationship? It becomes more and more confusing.

    ¡°I like the name given to me by an old friend¡­ Satou. You can call me that.¡± (Shark => Satou)

    A/N: 10/5 ¨C The whole exchange about the place where Shuu woke up was missing, so I added it.

    ¡°On the fourth floor, just north of the stairs to the fifth floor.¡±

    T/N: Hey, at least let Tamiko torture that traitorous loli. Like, put her on a Spanish Horse, Judas Cradle, Catherine Wheel, or the Sicilian Bull. Ufufu¡­

 CH 105

    A man who calls himself Sato, who seems to be a shark Metro Beast.

    Come to think of it, there is also a shark Metro Beast in New Tokyo.

    Sharks are saltwater fish, but I read somewhere that there are some species that adapt to freshwater and swim back through rivers. Well, in a land where golems and giant antlion are common, a shark swimming in freshwater would have a very small impact.

    Although I have yet to encounter one, I am familiar with names such as the Spike Jaw, which is covered with hard spike-like scales, and the Evil Shark, which has tentacles that resemble squid legs, and which is sometimes sold as food at the market in Sugamo.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure shark fin¡¯ chikuwa is delicious, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°I thought the same thing, but you don¡¯t have to say it at this moment.¡± (Shuu)

    Thinking back, this may be the first time I have met someone with the name ¡°Satou¡± since I woke up in this world. A hundred years ago, there would almost certainly have been one or two in my class or workplace.

    (What was it, again?) (Shuu)

    (Didn¡¯t I hear ¡°Satou¡± somewhere?) (Shuu)

    I think I heard that name somewhere. Noa, or whoever it was, or a glimmer of a story. Was it some great Tribe figure or something?

    ¡°Hey, Utsuke. You¡¯re just lying over there, so come get that quickly.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Ha, yes, master. Please don¡¯t call me Utsuke¡­¡± (Sou)

    Following Satou¡¯s orders, Utsuki trudged along to the other side of the bonfire.

    In the meantime, I put on my pants and jersey that are laid out by the fire. They are just a little damp, but I don¡¯t care. If anything, I have experienced worse dampness many times. I am not raising any flag.

    My bag on the floor is also soaked inside. It was a little discouraging, but I didn¡¯t have any valuables with me, and I could use the banknotes if I dried them out.

    I wonder why my backpack, which was left behind in the plaza here. Did it wash up here with me?

    ¡°I brought it with me,¡± said Satou. ¡°The water had swallowed most of the stuff on that floor, but I picked up your stuff. I picked it up while I was bringing you in.¡±

    ¡°Eh, ah¡­ Thank you¡­¡± (Shuu)

    He said lightly, but why did this person help me? Did he bring me here when I was about to drown at that time? My lifesaver? A shark?

    ¡°What, I am not to be thanked. Rather, it seems that we got you involved.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Waaa, heavy! Ugh, I¡¯m not good at manual labor¡­¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki returns along with a dragging sound. She is holding on to the headless corpse of a giant arm¡­ Boss Met.

    ¡°Why¡­¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I brought it along with me because I know it¡¯s a fine trophy of yours. Isn¡¯t there also the horn you swing there?¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± (Shuu)

    The horn that I used as a weapon was lying beside the bonfire. I was thinking of taking it as a souvenir, so I am even more grateful.

    ¡°The first thing to do is to eat the sporangia of the horned beast. A hunter takes life in order to live and eat, right? That¡¯s what I learned from my good friend, a hunter.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± (Shuu)

    That¡¯s what you were saying earlier about ¡°don¡¯t hunters have things to do first¡±?

    Just as the Shark Gentleman said, I grew up being told by my teacher that leaving a sporangium makes me guilty. Regardless of the circumstances, if it is a prey that I have killed myself, I cannot let that blessing go to waste.

    I held my hands together in front of the headless corpse and used my [Katana] to cut the belly. From there, I switched to the knife I had brought with me and proceeded to cut away the flesh.

    ¡°So, do you know about ¡®Family¡¯?¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It is the art of transforming a target ¨C a Metro Beast or a person ¨C into a living, subservient being. It is different from the [Training] used by you, hunters, and it is an evil method that twists even the very nature of the species.¡± (Satou)

    I don¡¯t know what he is trying to say, but I listen to him as I continue my work. The body of Boss Met, the meat is tough and difficult to handle. The fact that the body of the Boss Met is hard and hard to handle is another reason why Noa¡¯s absence is so painful. She would have been able to easily separate the flesh from the skin with her [Dagger].

    ¡°There have been very few people who have used it in the history of New Tokyo. It may not be familiar to an uninitiated young man like yourself. But-you-are-old-enough-to-know-better.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Excuse me¡­ Eh, umm?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°When I was a kid,¡± said Utsuki. ¡°In Oku Metro, northeast of Komagome, there was an ogre with a black cloak and a silk hat called the [Oku Vampire]. The beasts whose blood was sucked out of their bodies were at the command of the vampire, and even their own kind began to look at them as enemies. That¡¯s what a [Family] is.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Heh.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    It¡¯s about controlling you mentally while you¡¯re still alive. It seems to be different from Ouji Metro¡¯s Bishop¡¯s ability to create zombies by parasitizing their sporangium.

    ¡°In those days, they were so violent that they came out on the ground and destroyed entire settlements of Free Folk. When I was a child, if I was caught misbehaving, my mother would say to me, ¡®Be a good boy or the vampires will come and kidnap you.¡¯¡± (Sou)

    ¡°How long ago was your childhood, Ms. Utsuki?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Has Utsukisou been a loli-hag since she was born, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Master, please freeze them. Are you going to remain silent while they insult your disciple?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°I pity you, but you are responsible for their hatred. Or maybe you could have done a little more.¡± (Satou)

    Utsuki bites into the grilled fish to vent her frustration. The smell of grilled fish caresses my nose. I promised myself that I would get to work on the sporangium as soon as I received it, and I stomped on the tail of the squirrel as it wobbled toward the food and held on to her. I would not allow you to run away.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the story. The most important aspect of the ¡®Family¡¯ process is the transformation of the sporangium of the target. The sporangium is connected to the brain through nerves, so it can literally change its will with its brain. Also, normally, preying on the sporangium of its own kind would not cause growth, but once they are transformed, they are completely different, which means they can grow and mature even if they cannibalize on their kind.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I think I¡¯ve connected the dots.

    The theory of cannibalism in the Boss Met colony that Utsuki told us about ¨C the hypothesis that this guy has been gaining power by eating his own kind. If the sporangium had been altered by ¡°becoming a ¡®family¡¯,¡± the story would make sense.

    However, this raises one big question.

    ¡°Does it mean that this guy was a ¡®family¡¯ of a higher ranked something?¡± (Shuu)

    I stop the hand holding the knife.

    If I crack open one more membrane covering the tissue, I will find a sporangium. It¡¯s always the same.

    But ¨C I am slightly hesitant to look at it. It is as if I am about to take the last step, the one step from which there is no turning back.

    ¡°The altered sporangium can also change color. I¡¯ve only seen it a couple of times, so I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the same for all of them.¡± (Satou)

    Determined, I stabbed the tip of the blade. With just a little force, it breaks with little resistance.

    ¡°¡­is this¡­¡± (Shuu)

    What appeared there was not the usual white sporangia. Just as Satou said, it¡¯s discolored.

    But¡ªI had seen something similar to this.

    About a month ago, on the 31st floor of the Ouji Metro north of here.

    ¡°¡­a black sporangium¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Knight, Bishop, Rook. Three powerful golems named after chess pieces.

    Like the ones in their bodies, Boss Met¡¯s sporangia are black, as if ink had been painted to it.

    ¡°Black sporangium,¡± said Satou. ¡°¨CIt¡¯s proof that it is a demon¡¯s ¡®Family¡¯.¡±

    We encountered an unexpected presence of a demon.

    Why are there demons here? Why Baphomets?

    What is the relationship with our assailants? What is the relationship with Satou?¡¡Who is Satou anyway?

    The questions just keep piling up, but above all, the one I want to ask the most right now is¡­.

    ¡°¡­ is this something you can eat¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    The sporangia of a demon¡¯s ¡°Family¡±. I ate them in a spirit of ¡°what a waste¡± without really understanding what they were. I¡¯ve gotten a new ability and leveled up, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s something humans can put into their mouths in terms of its origin (it¡¯s too late, but also in terms of color). It would be fine if I could get away with just a stomachache, but I couldn¡¯t laugh if I became one of those ¡°Family¡± or contracted Demonic Disease.

    ¡°No problem,¡± Satou said. ¡°The quality of the sporangium might have changed, but a sporangium is a sporangium. As long as they are not rotten or poisoned, they will be of use to us. They don¡¯t turn people into demons or ¡®Family¡¯ when they are eaten.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± (Shuu)

    There is no guarantee that I can believe his words, but based on my own experience, I should not have any problems. I¡¯m not sure if I believe him or not, but I¡¯ll take his word for it.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m waiting for my fish, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°We¡¯ll be together forever, buddy.¡± (Shuu)

    The size of the sporangium is not so large in comparison with its huge body. The stomach of the chubby squirrel, the pride of Sugamo, has plenty of room to spare. So, the two of us took one each. It¡¯s nice to share.

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s the same¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The change in color does not change the identity of the sporangium. My tongue is not pleased at all, but my body is. The body, which had been exhausted and hungry, is filled, and strength is restored.

    ¡°Guu-uh?¡± (Shuu)

    And my muscles and bones are getting warm. It¡¯s different from leveling up or acquiring Fungal Skill¡­ As I recall, I had the same sensation when I was a bishop. It¡¯s a phenomenon that looks like a status increase. The last time I saw this, I didn¡¯t really feel the change because the boss fight followed immediately afterwards, and then the level up.

    Still, since I am now at a high level by human standards, I should say that I appreciate the improvement in my foundation more than the increase in my level. It could be an advantage over people at the same level.

    ¡°Whoa! How much better can I get, squeak¡­!?¡± (Tamiko )

    Tamiko leans back with her cheeks puffy. She seems to have leveled up, now she¡¯s 43.

    ¡°Silky Cheeks, it looks like you¡¯ve grown a bit. It seems that your hard work has paid off, and I, for one, am somewhat relieved.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°¡­Did Mr. Satou orchestrate this thing?¡± (Shuu)

    I asked while drinking the water from the water bottle. Judging from what he has said and done so far, there is no doubt that he has been involved not only in the final scene, but even before that.

    Satou gets off the rock that serves as a chair and approaches. When he stands up, he is still huge. He sits cross-legged in front of the group. Up close, it was as if he had jumped into a screen.

    ¡°Well, you have the right to know. Let¡¯s talk about it in order.¡± (Satou)

    The conversation was going to take a long time, so we decided to have some grilled fish first.

    I don¡¯t even know what kind of fish it is, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s good. I¡¯m sure of it.

    There was a hint of fat under the crispy skin, the white meat was soft and tender, and the intestines were slightly bitter. Above all, the saltiness is exquisite. I want to drink beer.

    After a long time, Tamiko, who had not stopped crying, ¡°Yummy, squeak!¡± Tamiko is lying on her back with her stomach flat on my knees. She is in a state of ¡°Squirrel-coma¡±.

    Satou, sitting across from us, swallows one fish in one gulp, then instantly devours three in total, looking satisfied. That¡¯s what you¡¯d expect from a shark.

    ¡°Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°*Whisper* (What is that person¡¯s level?)¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°*Whisper* (Uhm¡­ I can¡¯t see, squeak.)¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°*Whisper* (you can¡¯t see?)¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Silky Cheeks, Furball girl. You can¡¯t see my level?¡± (Satou)

    It seems he could hear me whispering. The shark¡¯s hearing is not to be underestimated, even though it has no ears.

    ¡°You seem to have [Discovery]. I would say you have a promising future, but it seems you have yet to reach my level. If you want to reach the top Furball Girl, you¡¯ll have to work harder and harder.¡± (Satou)

    Is [Discovery] the official name of [Risk Counter]? Even though the [Risk Counter] sounds cooler.

    ¡°Oh yeah, there was something you couldn¡¯t see before, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak. I can¡¯t even see it during the ¡®Sparkle¡¯ [Demonic Disease], or the time with Ouji¡¯s Deamon becomes ¡®that hurts¡¯, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°How dare you! Do you think of me as a Demon!¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Gyaah!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Pigyah!¡± (Tamiko)

    He suddenly gets angry. His angry voice echoed through the floor, and any Metro Beast would have run away, tail between their legs. The eyes and teeth were also scary. If it were a bad situation, I would have been scared to death.

    ¡°¡­No, I¡¯m sorry for suddenly yelling. I don¡¯t like being lumped in with those damned slugs.¡± (Satou)

    Satou easily returned to his original good-natured demeanor and apologized while rubbing his head.

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko hastily moved from my left knee to my right knee. Leaving a little warm damp spot on my left knee.

    ¡°Is that so¡­ It seems that you are also closely related to the demons. Did they spore somewhere?¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Well¡­ something like that.¡± (Shuuu)

    It¡¯s a long story, and in the first place, a gag order is given. Regardless of whether it is necessary for the two people, who feel separated from this world, to protect it.

    Satou seems to have some kind of connection with demons. It doesn¡¯t seem like a very good one from the way he speaks.

    ¡°Well then,¡± said Satou on his knees. It looks like we¡¯re finally getting down to business.

    He then continues.

 CH 106.1

    ¡°It was about two weeks ago that I visited Rikugi Metro. It had been five years since I picked up Utsuke in the deep sea.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Yes, it was a nostalgic day¡­ And that fateful encounter is still vivid in my mind.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°I don¡¯t really care about that.¡± (Shuu)

    The Loli is a pouting loli.

    ¡°I¡¯m a traveling shark, wandering from Metro to Metro with that little brat there, looking for something. But that¡¯s just a long winding story from an old man, so I¡¯ll spare you the details.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°I mean, the metro is connected by a stream of water.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Not all of them. I heard that a hundred years ago, the metro was an underground road that connected all over the country. An old friend of mine said that the water flow in the metro might be a remnant of that.¡± (Satou)

    I also wondered about that too.

    The Metro infested the underground of New Tokyo. There are several entrances and exits like the Rikugi Metro, but the Metros are not connected to each other.

    The labyrinthine Metros flooded out of the Tokyo metro. Why was this connection severed? The people who survived the ¡°Tokyo Judgment¡± have not been able to solve the mystery, and in this day and age, no one even wonders about it anymore.

    ¡°Putting aside Mr. Satou, is Ms. Utsuki also swimming across Metros?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, no, as you can see, I have neither gills nor fins. It is thanks to my master¡¯s Fungal Skill.¡± (Sou)

    When Satou turns his hand upward, a thin film is formed and expands. It looks like a giant soap bubble or a transparent balloon. It reflects the light of the bonfire.

    ¡°We call it a [Bubble Membrane], a thin film of hypha filled with air. You can wear it on the head. I used it to bring you here.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°I see¡­ thank you for your help.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Thank squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    The [Bubble Membrane] is a solid soap bubble and will not break even if Tamiko pokes it. The surface is smooth and not sticky. When she stuck her finger deep into it, a hole finally opened, and the air slowly escaped.

    ¡°Of course, she¡¯s the only one who swims with this on. I sometimes wonder why I¡¯m traveling with baggage.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°It¡¯s good service when you can give your cute disciple a piggyback ride, isn¡¯t it? I like your shark skin too, you know?¡± (Sou)

    Half-truth, half lie. I expect. If it was me, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but Satou, who seemed to be used to it, just shrugged.

    ¡°Oh dear, I¡¯m getting sidetracked again. Anyway, when we came here, that group and the mutant Baphomets were running amok on the fifth floor. The humans had hunted the Baphomets, who had reproduced abnormally and had built up their strength. The colony must have been a perfect hunting ground for them, as they kept popping up whether they were hunted or not. At the same time, they were manipulating those mutant individuals with a whistle-like device, ruthlessly encouraging them to cannibalize each other.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Forcing cannibalism is the darkest thing I¡¯ve ever heard.

    ¡°They said it was a ¡®bone flute¡¯. They didn¡¯t tell me what kind of bone it was from, but it¡¯s not a good thing, is it? I mean, old men are so considerate, blowing bones and all. They smell like feet and sneeze loudly.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°That¡¯s prejudiced. Tamiko, don¡¯t look my way.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The strong stench from that goat was similar to that of those damned mycelial slugs. I was convinced that thing must be one of the demon¡¯s ¡°Family¡± because I have confidence in my nose.¡± (Satou)

    Satou pointed on his shark pointy nose. I read on the Internet that sharks have a particularly acute sense of smell among fish, and that they can react to a drop of blood dropped into a 50-meter pool.

    ¡°A Demon¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Apparently, the Demons have not been seen to the world for 50 years.

    But for some reason, in the two months since I reached the surface, I has had to deal with them twice. Is this a coincidence or is there some kind of fate or destiny¡ªI don¡¯t really want to think about it.

    ¡°¡­In that tragic war, many lives were needlessly lost. Not even my old friends who taught me the language and principles of the human world. Fifty years have passed since then¡­ Still in the world today. They are still trying to bring disaster¡ªthose damned monsters.¡± (Satou)

    For a moment. The air around Satou visibly changes. As if the anger from earlier had been condensed into his body, a dense killing atmosphere is wafting through the air.

    Cold sweat trickles down my back. I fill my water bottle and quench my thirst.

    Satou¡ªhas he even been through the ¡°Demon War¡±? As his tone suggests, he is a very old man. A shark over 400 years old has finally been discovered, this is also knowledge I can get from the internet.

    ¡°I know I¡¯m a little out of order here, but we¡¯ve been observing them in secret. We didn¡¯t care what they wanted, but we couldn¡¯t leave them behind if they were involved with demons. It was then that a group of hunters from the ground arrived. Their mission seemed to be to defeat the boss and subdue the colony¡­ Unfortunately, they were no match for the ¡®Family¡¯. After they were all killed, I sent Utsuki to them as a survivor of the hunters and brought her into contact with them.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°I got down on my knees and begged for my life, ready to lick their feet, and I succeeded in worming into their heart.¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki¡¯s chest was puffed with pride. [T/N: Okay the traitorous loli is actually a spy. Still a few squirrel-slaps wouldn¡¯t hurt.]

    ¡°From that point on, it was all mine. I was going to lower their guard and use my body, which was packed with deliciousness, to seduce a lot of younger, good-looking boys, just short of the restrictions within the shounen manga genre, and squeeze out all the information I could, naked, literally¡­ But¡­¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki clears her throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I didn¡¯t get any good information. Tehe~¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki sticks out her tongue. No one said anything, so I sat down on the floor suddenly feeling exhausted.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you throw painful words. Ignoring someone hurts the most.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Well, your incompetence is nothing new.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Because those boys were all young. [Charm] didn¡¯t work well, and even before that, they were all wary of me and didn¡¯t let me get too close.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°[Charm]?¡± (Shuu)

    Utsuki lightly waves her palm. I can see the tiny dust-like particles fluttering from her hand, just slightly reflecting the light of the bonfire.

    I was about to think, ¡°No way¡­¡± when my head snapped back.

    He holds his mouth in a panic. The grinning face of Utsuki looks slightly better.

    ¡°This is [Charm]. This is the ability to spray spores with ingredients similar to pheromones and lightly seduce the person who inhales them. It can instill goodwill, weaken hostility, and even make people listen to very simple requests. It¡¯s a pretty rare Fungal Skill.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°¡­that¡¯s really a cheat skill¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, no, it doesn¡¯t have that strong of a hypnotic effect. For example, it¡¯s impossible to do something while you¡¯re actually killing each other. The spore dispersal type is good for ranged attacks, but its effectiveness is lower than that of a hypha weapon or hypha ball.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°¡­should the person who inhales it be a man or a woman¡­?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It seems that it depends on the user. In my case, I have not tried all the patterns, but I have found that males are more likely to be affected by it, whether it is a metro beast or a human being, but for females, it almost has no effect. It¡¯s not so effective on those with [Poison Resistance] or [Mental Corruption Resistance], though. It¡¯s also not very effective against adults or young children, and on the contrary, it doesn¡¯t make me happy, but it¡¯s strangely easy for old men to be affected.¡± (Sou)

    I felt my blood freeze. The [Charm] spores are colorless, odorless, and almost invisible in poor light. In a sense, it¡¯s the most unbelievable fungus I¡¯ve ever seen.

    And this woman¡ª

 CH 106.2

    I felt my blood freeze. The [Charm] spores are colorless, odorless, and almost invisible in poor light. In a sense, it¡¯s the most unbelievable fungus I¡¯ve ever seen.

    And this woman¡ª

    ¡°¡­Could it be that you were secretly using it when we first met?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­well, how do I?¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki turned her gaze away. She doesn¡¯t make eye contact with me. Gritting my teeth, I knew what the answer was.

    (This loli-hag used it that time.) (Shuu)

    Is that why I was so nervous when I first met her? I thought it was strange, even though I didn¡¯t have such tastes.

    Does that mean that I didn¡¯t have to open a new door thanks to [Immortality]? I don¡¯t like the part that ¡°it¡¯s strangely easy for old men to be affected¡±. Even though I am only twenty-eight years old. In terms of actual age, I am a fossil, not just an old man.

    ¡°Ah, Kawataro and Giggles you would have been good-looking for them, right? Isn¡¯t that cool?¡±

    ¡°Glasses is no good I think he¡¯s too paranoid to have a type of ¡®resistance¡¯. I don¡¯t get along with that kind of old man. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good idea to use Giggles-sh*t. It seemed like it would be easy, but¡­ I thought my chastity would be taken, so I restrained myself.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°This ¡®old¡¯ lady was a notorious dog-in-heat in the Komagome hunter community, but it¡¯s a relief to see that she¡¯s developed a decent sense of decency.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°She is a dog-in-heat after all.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Utsukisou you¡¯re a b*tch, despite being a loli-hag, squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    Utsuki silently scatters a large number of spores from her palm. Is it because Satou is used to it? Because he¡¯s a shark? Tamiko, being a 10-year-old and a girl, was not affected, and the little bit I inhaled made me say, ¡°Let¡¯s not do that! She¡¯s doing her, too!¡± and I want to cover up for her. Help me, [Immortality].

    ¡°It¡¯s the same as the first time I tried it, but it seems to work on Abe, too, but he resists it immediately. This is a common reaction among those with resistance.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°You used it, didn¡¯t you?¡± (Shuu)

    I indicated to Tamiko with my chin.  Tamiko wraps her tail around Utsuki, grasps her tail end, and squeezes it tight. The [Ouroboros Squeaker Hold] as taught directly by the Submission Master, Kure. This is Tamiko¡¯s special move, which slowly suffocates the defenseless loli with her cute fur around her enemy. Utsuki¡¯s face paled as could only say, ¡°Ugigi.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you not to do that in the future.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯re a bad slut, making of virgins, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Shut up, Tamiko.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Guu, *choke*¡­ Sorry¡­ Scary squirrel¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Utsuke was rude to you. It¡¯s just her own instinct of self-preservation, so please bear with it.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Whenever I see a guy who looks like he could be useful or a guy who looks like a virgin¡­ I just seduce him.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°You¡¯re too frank. Also, I am not a virgin.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t look like I can get any more information, so I thought I would have Abe get rid of the ¡®Family¡¯ and finish the mission quickly.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°That¡¯s one thing, but that was Glasses¡¯ order in the first place. Master didn¡¯t send Mr. Abe, who seemed to be on a reconnaissance mission, to be used as bait for the ¡®Family¡¯, still, I was made to guide you. It was Glasses, probably. I think he was planning to dispose of me and you, too. His paranoia was strong. If I had shown any signs of betrayal, I would have been the target of an [Sniper] attack, and even if I had asked my master for help, our educational policy is to help ourselves in a pinch. In the end, I had no choice but to do what I did.¡± (Sou)

    After that, as I had experienced firsthand. We were led to the front of Boss Met, where we were unexpectedly forced to engage in a fierce battle. Everything is now connected.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you think that I would be eaten by that monster or that I would be killed by them?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°That¡­ I was going to play my last trump card when it came to it.¡± (Sou)

    I¡¯m not sure if there are any other trump cards besides [Charm]. Like wanting to know, knowing is just as scary.

    ¡°Also, even if I don¡¯t have the power to use Little Tamiko¡¯s [Discovery]? I knew that Mr. Abe was a powerful man who was unmatched for any of them, even if their group and the ¡®Family¡¯ were united against you.¡±

    ¡°I was almost beaten to a pulp, having my Fungal Skills sealed.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ what I didn¡¯t expect either. I had an inkling that Toroko was gifted, but I had no idea she was that strong¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Gifted?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The old-fashioned way of saying Fungal Genius is gifted.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Fungal Genius?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that either. ¡­It¡¯s what we call a ¡®Mutant Human¡¯. A born genius or someone with a peculiar constitution. What level were you, when you were born, Mr. Abe?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Um¡­ I think it was 3.¡± (Shuu)

    Strictly speaking, there was no such thing as level when I was born into this world. My birth weight was 2,974 grams, remembered as ¡°lacking meat¡±.

    ¡°That girl, Toroko. I think she is only about fifteen years old, but she is already a master level at this point. I think she was 20 or 30 when she was born.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Are you serious?!¡± (Shuu)

    So, she was a born genius and a real middle schooler. Wonders of wonders, but I am a little relieved that she is not a loli-hag like Utsuki.

    By the way, what is a Fungal Genius?

    If there are Metro Beasts that are naturally strong, it is not surprising that there are humans who are the same way. Or perhaps some top-class hunters and others have such origins. The world is a big place, and there are always higher-ups.

    ¡°A cursed knife that seals Fungal Skills? I didn¡¯t think that such a child had such a cheat item, and I couldn¡¯t support you when I was hit on the head by Glasses¡­ I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be of any help there.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°You useless b*tch! I¡¯ll slap you until you spew acorns, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Kah, Phew!¡± Sergeant Squirrel spat. Only this time, no one can complain because Utsuki¡¯s uselessness is real.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so depressed, I¡¯m no better than a squirrel¡­ By the way, master, what is that curse?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Is there such a thing as a curse in the first place?¡± (Satou)

    ¡°The definition of a curse is vague. In short, you should think of it as something that cannot be prevented, and the cause is unknown.¡± (Shuu)

    Well, it is like that in the previous world. It¡¯s called a curse because science can¡¯t prove it.

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s a kind of poison that nullifies resistance and has a strong effect. There are rare Metro Beasts that possess such a nasty ability, and this knife is a weapon that comes from such an odd species. It has a nasty poison¡­ that breaks the resistance itself and seals the Fungal Skills.¡± (Satou)

    It¡¯s the kind of poison that even [Immortality] can¡¯t nullify, you know? It¡¯s more convincing than being called a curse, but it¡¯s still scary.

    ¡°So, the information that our Spy Utsuki has learned is¡­ First, they are not just a group of outlaws, they are a criminal organization with some sort of purpose. Second, there is a boss called ¡®Commander¡¯ above Kawataro. Thirds, the ¡°Family Conversion¡± is probably due to the power of the Commander. Fourth, Kawataro and the others are probably the same. They are probably from the east side of New Tokyo ¨C the sushi-sounding names they used to call each other are uncommon to the west side, which is far from Tokyo Bay. And that¡¯s about it.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Does this mean that the leader is a demon¡­ or someone with the same power as a demon?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Maybe I could have met him if I had gotten closer, but that¡¯s not how my master does it. I¡¯ll have to look into it again.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s going to have to do it.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Gugigi, Black.¡± (Sou)

    At any rate, I understood what had been said so far. However, I still have a few questions.

 CH 107.1

    ¡°Mr. Satou seems awfully strong, doesn¡¯t he?¡± (Shuu)

    His level of skill that even Tamiko¡¯s Risk Counter, [Discovery], cannot see through. Without a doubt, Satou is stronger than Toroko and Boss Met, and even stronger than me, I am sure.

    Is it my imagination that I feel pressure equal to or greater than that of Arato, the demon who was estimated to be level 99 even with his true power hidden? Including the harshness of his appearance, I don¡¯t feel as if I can win even if I challenge him in a head-to-head fight. I can only imagine that I would have my head chomped even if I took him by surprise.

    ¡°No, well, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve lived a long time. The greenness to always show my strength has sunk to the bottom of the water along with my old teeth.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°If you are so strong, why didn¡¯t you just do everything yourself instead of going around and using Ms. Utsuki? When the strike team was killed, you could have done something all by yourself¡ª¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Are you trying to ask me why I didn¡¯t save them?¡± (Satou)

    He could have saved them since he was there.

    He should have kicked out the Boss Met and all that group and found out what that group was up to. ¡°, but that¡¯s not how my master does it.¡± Utsuki said earlier, but he could do it.

    ¡°¡­I am neither a friend of men nor a friend of the beasts. Even if it started from a quarrel between human beings or some evil scheme, I would not want anything to do with it.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°But you also call yourself a hunter, Mr. Satou¨C¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember choosing it as a profession like you guys or carving the proof of my friends on my shark skin. The only thing I have inherited from my late friend is that it is a way of life. I eat to live and kill to eat. I will not kill anything else. That is all.¡± (Satou)

    When he said it like that, I couldn¡¯t say anything else, even though I was saddened.

    Only human beings think that it is right to be on the side of human beings, and the time when only human beings were intelligent beings are long gone. What he questioned was only the values based on the convenience of the human side.

    Satou exhales a long breath from his mouth. He has gill rails on his neck, from which I sometimes hear a sound like air whistling, but he is able to speak and breathe through his mouth.

    ¡°Decades ago, I was a bit of a rascal on earth. I forgot myself, forgot my pride as a hunter, and became a mere beast. Since that day, I have been a lone traveler in the dark waters of the Metro. Well, now that I have an unexpectedly good assistant, I have a chance to enjoy the food and drink of the land.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°He¡¯s a stubborn old man. He¡¯s rough on people.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Now I¡¯m a recluse. I¡¯m a retired shark now, and I¡¯m sick and tired of getting involved in other people¡¯s messes. You humans can take care of those things.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Even if you do, I had to act too unreasonably this time. Do you want to know how many times I¡¯ve been in a pickle?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your troubles¡­¡± Satou said looking a little embarrassed. ¡°Well, if there¡¯s any possibility that something is related to the demons, I can¡¯t ignore it if I might have more clues.¡±

    I¡¯m wondering what this thing is, but I¡¯ll confirm one thing first.

    ¡°Um, then¡­ Why did you help us?¡± (Shuu)

    He rescued us from the water when we were about to drown. They didn¡¯t leave us alone and even cared for us. What are their intentions there?

    Satou scratched his shark head and tilted his thick neck slightly.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I was indebted for getting into trouble with my disciple¡­ However, even if I was there in the first place, you wouldn¡¯t have died.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°What?!¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not the kind of person who would die just because you got stuck in a pond. Someone like you.¡± (Satou)

    His dull eyes looked softly down at me. The old shark could see right through me, and I just shrugged and looked away.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure when the last time I saw someone come at me without fear, even in the face of a drowning¡­ I was a little curious.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Hurry up, you should say¡­ Sorry.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Silky Cheeks.¡± (Satou)

    Sato narrowed his eyes and smiled. It looks like the most natural smile he made.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not stingy like helping someone who has saved us even without knowing and I have to thank them for their kindness. Also, I wanted to have a little talk with you, and more importantly¡­ Furball Girl.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko suddenly raised her head and looked around. Satou was looking nervous.

    ¡°I have an old friend who is a big fan of the Carbuncles like you. It would do me a world of good if I could do something on behalf of them.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that person, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Silk Cheeks, even so, for that long-haired bastard, he believed squirrels as the cutest, and the reason I saved you from that pinch is that you are not something a shark as I can ignore. You don¡¯t even have to feel indebted.¡± (Satou)

    In other words, he has an acquaintance who has the same proclivities as Aomoto, so he is keeping it as a favor to him. It seems that the world is still teeming with eccentrics and oddballs.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, that column of water? What was that? Though, I don¡¯t think that was Mr. Satou¡¯s work either¡­¡± (Shuu)

    The water swelled like a living creature, and the flash floods attacked. It was a very unreasonable phenomenon, but if you say that it was this shark¡¯s ability, it seems to make sense in a way.

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s a huge false claim. It had nothing to do with me, I think it was mostly a trap on that floor. I think the trigger was to ¡®destroy all the statues there¡¯. There were signs that the floor had been flooded several times, so something similar must have happened there before.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Oh.¡± (Shuu)

    When I think back to what I was told, the anomaly began right after the last stone statue was destroyed (after busting and throwing Mujirami).

    If that guess was correct, most of it was destroyed by me by going on a rampage¡­ In other words, we deserved it. Teehee~!

    ¡°I went to check it out before you woke up and found almost the entire floor submerged. It¡¯s about time they all went back to the surface.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°¡­they all got away, didn¡¯t they?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°At least I didn¡¯t see any human drowned bodies, although I did see a few goat-monkeys floating around.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°I feel like Glasses and Giggles are disgusting men that should be sleeping at the bottom of the river, but I¡¯m just glad that the other kids are safe. I don¡¯t know why those kids were acting like semi-gangsters, but I guess it¡¯s the end of the world.¡± (Shuu)

    As a person, I can understand that feeling a little. I only know about the girl Toroko, with whom I exchanged a few words.

    I don¡¯t want to kill her if I can help it,¡± she said.

    I only want to kill one person in this world,¡± she said.

    She was a weird and spoiled girl who said such a thing in the middle of a fight to the death, but as if to show that her words were not a lie, her blade only shaved off what would not kill me (though she was merciless about it).

    Who was on the other side of her cutting edge? Is there a reason why a girl so young should be sharpened to such a degree?

    I would like to know, but at the same time, I would like to avoid meeting her again in the same way. I don¡¯t have a battle-crazed desire to settle things, and I have no reason to fight her.

    (However¡ª) (Shuu)

    ¡°Because you are too strong¡­. From now on, you will definitely get in our way,¡± she said.

    (I wonder what she means.) (Shuu)

    Both her and that man in glasses.

    I have a feeling that we will meet again someday, somewhere, even in a way we all don¡¯t want to.

    According to Utuki¡¯s pocket watch, it is now 3:00 a.m. Knowing the time, here and there fatigue and drowsiness overtake me, and I can¡¯t even hold a conversation. Tamiko¡¯s drool slowly spreads a mark on my lap.

    We decide to spend the night here, and Satou takes over as watchman. Utsuki takes the liberty of borrowing my cloak, and after a few seconds begins to snore quietly.

    Not that I don¡¯t trust Satou, but I will try to be as vigilant as possible. However, the rhythm of Tamiko¡¯s peaceful breathing lulls me into a deep sleep.

    When I wake up, the light from the firefly moss has changed to a hazy white glow. It is morning.

    Satou is still there, in the same position in which he last saw him. He is sitting on a rock, staring blankly into the depths of the cave. Is he awake, or is he skillfully sleeping with his eyes open?

    I heard that sharks don¡¯t sleep as humans do but rest a part of their brains while swimming. As a creature that needs to sleep, it may be enviable to hear that they can stay awake all the time, but it can be said that they are born with a black life because ¡°if they stop swimming, they will not be able to breathe and will die.

    ¡°Good morning¡­ it¡¯s six o¡¯clock in the morning¡­¡± (Sou)

    T/N: You are a na?ve idiot who keeps troubling your companions, Shuu. Where is Noa and her wisdom. If Noa was there, Kawataro and his ilk will be dead. Kure would probably also kill them. Heisei era morals have no place in New Tokyo. Tamiko and her foulmouthed fluffy self are a gift that should be protected. Kill Giggles and Glasses¡¯ team. All of them have blood on their hands.

 CH 107.2

    ¡°Good morning¡­ it¡¯s six o¡¯clock in the morning¡­¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki is already up. I check the time on my pocket watch while rubbing my sleepy eyes.

    ¡°Ah, I fell asleep¡­ My head feels empty¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You must be pretty tired. I¡¯m getting less and less sleep because of my master.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°How weak, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Good morning, Tamiko. It hurts to get out of bed¨Cit really hurts.¡± (Sou)

    It was late yesterday evening when we left Sugamo and arrived at Rikugi Village. The first time I went to the Metro, it was almost like a nonstop bullet train tour up to the fifth floor. It was hard to believe that it had been less than 24 hours since we received the order for the quest.

    ¡°Oh, good morning. It¡¯s a beautiful morning.¡± (Satou)

    Satou stood up and approached. This old shark makes no sound at all. Does he also have [Muffling]? As usual, even [Sensory Spore] couldn¡¯t catch his outline, and although he isn¡¯t an enemy, he was strange existence.

    ¡°Now that¡­ Night has passed, I think it¡¯s time for me to leave.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Huh? Oh, are you going?¡± (Shuu)

    Utsuki looks like she¡¯s changed into tight-fitting clothes like a wetsuit. Is this underwater swimming mode? I have to say that her feminine power is at the level of a chopping board, but she is packing a lot of junk in the trunk.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t stay long in this Metro now that they¡¯ve lost their ¡®Family¡¯ and colony. I too, have no reason to stay here either.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°I see¡­ Thank you for your help.¡± (Shuu)

    It¡¯s a very casual feeling, but well, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ve become particularly close to each other, and from a wanderer¡¯s point of view, it might be something normal. But before that, there is one thing I would like to confirm.

    ¡°Um, I haven¡¯t asked you the most important question yet.¡± (Shuu)

    Last night, I was asleep before I could ask him.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± (Satou)

    ¡°What is it that you are looking for? What is your purpose?¡± (Shuu)

    Satou kept silent for a moment. As if searching for words, I slowly turned his thick neck and looked around.

    ¡°I tried not to talk about it. If you want to ask me about it, that¡¯s fine.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Eh, is there something wrong?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a good topic for a well-informed person. If you start blabbing on and on, the Metro Church might come after you with their eyes bulging.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°What¡¯s so scary?¡± (Shuu)

    Is it something like New Tokyo¡¯s three major taboos? I was worried and scared when people say things like that. Like I want to know, but I¡¯m afraid to ask.

    What should I do? I¡¯m not brave enough to rush out to satisfy my curiosity, but on the other hand, I would like to know if it¡¯s an important matter in this world. I should at least cover Tamiko¡¯s ears.

    ¡°¡­¡­Ghost Shrine.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡®Ghost Shrine¡¯. That¡¯s what I¡¯m looking for.¡± (Satou)

    Oh, I heard I haven¡¯t even answered yet, and I haven¡¯t even covered Tamiko¡¯s ears. If you could at least say no, I would have prepared myself mentally.

    ¡°Umm, Ghost Shrine?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Yes, ¡®Ghost Shrine¡¯. Do you remember hearing about it somewhere?¡± (Satou)

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± (Shuu)

    From the sound it sounded like something from Japanese history, but I had never heard of it before.

    ¡°I wondered if it was the name of a place or some kind of facility. I am not sure what is there, who is waiting for whom, or if it really exists at all. ¡­What I¡¯m looking for is like a mirage shifting from one dream to the next.¡± (Satou)

    I¡¯m not sure I understand what you mean. Tamiko is also scratching her head.

    ¡°¡­Do you know what made the world what it is today?¡± (Satou)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    It doesn¡¯t seem like a creationist or religious talk. The present world, that is, what created New Tokyo and surrounding walls.

    ¡°Um, are you referring to ¡®Metro Flood¡¯ and ¡®Super Fungal Contamination¡¯?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You¡¯re right. The ¡®Tokyo Judgment¡¯ experienced by the ¡®People of the Thread¡¯. It is said that the world changed completely after that calamity. The labyrinth Metro filled the bottom of the earth, and strange mycelium grew. The earth was covered. The Metro Labyrinth filled the depths of the earth, and strange mycelial plants covered the ground. Huge walls blocked the outside world, and mighty beasts roamed the land. Those who survived carried mycelium in their bodies and talking beasts also appeared. Well, I have not seen the transition with my own eyes.¡± (Satou)

    But I know. The world before it was transformed into what it is today.

    I was born in the Heisei era and has lived there for 23 years. I am one of the few survivors of the ancient civilization in this new world.

    ¡°Then¡­ why did those disasters happen? What exactly is the ¡®Tokyo Judgement¡¯? Do you know anything about it?¡± (Satou)

    ¡°¡­No, nothing.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Silky Cheeks, I know that too. Or rather, I wonder if there is anyone in this world who knows the answer¡­ That crook founder seemed to know something, but they wouldn¡¯t talk, no matter how much I questioned them.¡± (Satou)

    Even the church founder appeared on the scene. What should I do? The scale of this story is getting unexpectedly large. It shook the country of New Tokyo to its very foundations and seemed to be connected to the core of this new world. ¨CI wish I had given myself a little more time to prepare.

    ¡°My late friend used to say before his death that the ¡®Tokyo Judgment¡¯ was not a natural disaster, but a man-made disaster caused by someone¡¯s hand.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°¡­a man-made disaster, you mean?¡± (Shuu)

    Such a ridiculous event, which remade the underground of all of Tokyo and spread a supernatural poison that decomposed everything in Tokyo¡­ was man-made?

    Of course, even if it were a natural disaster, it would still be too crazy to believe, but even if it were a man-made disaster, it would still be hard to believe. As a former ordinary person who has lived an ordinary life in the Heisei era, I find both equally unrealistic. In fact, still happened in real life.

    ¡°He was searching for the answer all his life. After he lost his life in that war, I lived only to fulfill his wish. After swimming around this country for fifty years¡­ I have only three clues that I have been able to grasp through my swimming: the answer to everything lies in the ¡®Ghost Shrine¡¯. That there is a door leading to it in some metro area of the country¡­ And that the key to the entrance is in the hands of a demon and a [Master Threadweaver].¡± (Satou)

    ¡°¡­a demon and a [Master Threadweaver]¡­¡± (Shuu)

    Unconsciously, I clutched my chest.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. You know why I told you¡­ Well, you¡¯re the thirteenth [Master Threadweaver].¡± (Satou)

    I gasped. Satou just grinned the corners of his huge mouth lifting.

    ¡°¡­you noticed you knew.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Silky Cheeks. A berth of knowledge is one of the rare virtues of a creature called an old man.¡± (Satou)

    Is it when they see me fight with Boss Met? Or when they saw the [Immortality] blue mycelium? Or perhaps he already had an idea earlier, from the very beginning. If so, this unfathomable old shark would not be surprised.

    ¡°Eh, hey, what? [Master Threadweaver], Mr. Abe? Are you serious¡­?¡± (Sou)

    The loli disciple¡¯s face was a little pale, looks like she hadn¡¯t noticed.

    ¡°Abe, you are a little too young to know the world yet. If you are a [Master Threadweaver] your journey will surely lead you to the heart of this world. Connecting the living, weaving layers of connections, and guiding the destiny to be traced. ¡­¡­ That grand name was given with such a meaning in mind. The name means that it weaves together the many connections and carries out the destiny to be traced.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°No, erm¡­¡± (Shuu)

    I was not expecting such a thing to be said out of the blue. I feel like I¡¯m getting caught up in this unexpectedly large-scale scenario, but as someone who still don¡¯t know why I was given this power, I don¡¯t really feel like I¡¯m in the right place.

    Of course, I have a desire to know about the many mysteries surrounding this world. I would like to meet the other [Master Threadweavers] who are the survivors of the Heisei era, and if it is possible, I would like to go outside the walls. That¡¯s what I think so¡ª-a modern era kid who shrinks a little when people have such high expectations of him. I¡¯d like to think that Satou isn¡¯t actually serious.

    ¡°Hmm, whether it is a mystery or a nut, I will crack it open, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You¡¯re really reliable.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Silky Cheeks¡±, Satou laughed happily his back bending.

    ¡°A new [Master Threadweaver] with a girl from the Carbuncle tribe, huh¡­ when you take another step into the center of the world, I¡¯d like to hear your story this time. Have a good life¡­ and I¡¯ll see you again.¡± (Satou)

    With a flutter of his hand webbing, Satou turned on his heel and began to walk. The destination was the large pond.

    ¡°Ah, master, wait a minute.¡± (Sou)

    When Utsuki tries to chase after him in a hurry, Satou half-turns around and sticks out his hand to stop her.

    ¡°Utsuke, no Utsuki. I won¡¯t be taking you.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°What?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°This matter is not over yet, is it? Your mission continues. You will follow Abe and the others, get mixed up in the world, and see how things go. You are not to return until you have obtained information that satisfies me.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°What?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Eh?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Squeak?¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea to get out in the sun once in a while and clean up the Metro area. Next time I see you, you¡¯d better be a little cleaner in body and soul. Bye.¡± (Satou)

    ¡°Eh, hey, ma¨C¡± (Sou)

    Ignoring Utsuki¡¯s last attempt to stop him, Satou dived, his huge body just leaving a small splash, into the pond. When the slight ripples subsided, the three of us peeked out from the shore and saw no sign of the old shark.

    A dozen or so seconds pass, and no one says anything.

    ¡°¡­ uh¡­¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki, who had been mumbling to regain her composure, took a deep breath, as if to puff out her flat chest.

    ¡°Damned shark! Next time I see you, you¡¯ll be fishcake!¡± (Sou)

    The fake loli¡¯s scream echoes in a waning echo and disappears, leaving the fake loli behind.

    It¡¯s not that I wanted it to happen¡ªbut this is how Utsuki was forced on us.

    T/N: Well, Utsuki is the perfect punching bag for Tamiko. Acorn Eater, beat that loli hag. Nyahahaha!

 CH 108.1

    A/N: 10/11 ¨C It¡¯s Loli Day.

    I wanted to update it, but it seems that I didn¡¯t make it in time. Because of the Giants-Hanshin game.

    ¡°¡ªHey, just from the point of existence, isn¡¯t that shark old man absurd? I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s a Metro Beast or a Magic Beast, but even though he lives in a cave, he has studied more than I have! When I was forced to do calculus with you, I almost drowned my brain and all!¡± (Sou)

    Utsuki, who had changed out of her tight-fitting wetsuit into a tattered hunter¡¯s jersey, was complaining incessantly as she walked right in front of me. It¡¯s been like this ever since we went up to the third floor.

    We had only a rough map of the fourth floor, with no compass, so we were sure we were lost, but with Utuki¡¯s lead, we found the stairs to the third floor rather easily. All we had to do was follow the map and go back the way we came, and if all went well, we would be on the ground in less than two hours.

    ¡°Um, Ms. Utsuki, do you have [Compass]?¡± (Shuu)

    Inside the Metro, the compass was useless, as if it were the Sea of Trees on Mt. Fuji, you will lose your bearings, but even so, in the Metro with so many people coming and going, making a map is a must. This is where the Fungal Skill [Compass] comes in handy.

    It is a major ability that has been acquired by several fungi professions, such as [Craftsman] and [Healer], allowing one to maintain a sense of direction even in the Metro, as if one were a migratory bird or a salmon returning to its home river. It is said to be more useful than other combat skills not only in map-making, but also in exploration, such as when you get lost or enter a Metro you have never been to before.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t have one. Master¡­ That F*cking Shark taught me.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t get lost at all.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Before I became a disciple to Ma-that F*cking Shark, I used to hang around here a lot.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Even though it¡¯s an unpopular metro?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a lot going on¡­ It¡¯s less crowded and the scenery is more romantic.¡± (Sou)

    Are you with a man?

    ¡°So, they got into a bit of a fight, or rather, they got into a lot of trouble over me.¡± (Sou)

    How many times had she been involved with someone else?

    ¡°At that time¡­I met my master here, and he told me that he was traveling here and there, so I decided to follow him.¡± (Sou)

    In other words, she got into trouble with a guy and couldn¡¯t stay at Komagome, so she became the disciple of the Traveling Shark. The story is even worse than I thought.

    ¡°But it was a good time for me to join him because the heat had probably cooled off by now. If I had stayed living as a migratory fish under that f*cking shark, I would have grown scales on my skin. If he were to ask me to do something reckless again, no matter how many lives I have, it wouldn¡¯t be enough. So, I¡¯m not¡­ lonely¡­¡± (Sou)

    I couldn¡¯t see Utsuki¡¯s expression, but I could still see her heavy shoulders.

    Tamiko jumps over to Utsuki¡¯s blonde head and gives her a comforting pat. Utsuki wipes her tears and snot with Tamiko¡¯s tail and gets back her energy by getting into a fight with the pissed-off Tamiko.

    Despite what she says, she seems to have admired and respected Satou in her own way. Satou did not dismiss his apprentice as incompetent, but rather trusted her and gave her tasks that only she could perform.

    That is understandable. But¡ª

    (I don¡¯t know what to do with her.) (Shuu)

    While walking while keeping an eye on my surroundings with [Sensory Spores], my mind is spinning about how to deal with Utsuki.

    I can¡¯t leave the girl (in looks) who was left behind by her master like that, so for the time being, I am accompanying her without saying anything.

    However, it was as if Satou had half-imposed her on me (looking back, he didn¡¯t even say ¡°please¡±), and I have no reason or merit to include her in his group. Furthermore, I had no obligation to actively cooperate with her in her mission.

    And, more subtly, there is also the matter of Noa. I wondered if I should tell Utsuki, or Satou, that she might be suffering from the [Demonic Disease].

    Satou¡¯s hatred for demons is at such a level that it almost makes me terrified to my marrow. I would never want to make an enemy of him, and I would not want him to use Noa for his own purposes. On the other hand, I also have the dilemma that he might be able to give me some advice on what is lurking inside Noa and how to get rid of it.

    Or, to put it another way¡ªI suspect that Noa and Utsuki will not mix well. A serious, innocent, well-endowed girl and a fake loli, slut, washboard-chest hag. Like water and oil, they would be incompatible.

    That¡¯s right. If I brought this shady girl home without consulting her, she would definitely be angry with me. Not only that, but if I did a bad job, she might look at me suspiciously because of the slut. Thinking of that makes me want to release her into a pond somewhere, saying, ¡°Shoo, go back to your master.¡±

    ¡°Wait a sec, hey, hey Abe.¡± (Sou)

    Before I know it, she lost the honorifics and is starting to call me with familiarly. I don¡¯t mind, though, since she is officially older than me.

    ¡°What do you mean by the thirteenth [Master Threadweaver]? All the [Master Threadweaver] are residents of the ancient world, aren¡¯t they, and so Abe you¡¯re the same right? Have you lived in hiding all this time? Or are you an irregular? Were you born in New Tokyo?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯m from the ancient world, but I was sleeping in the depths of the Metro until five years ago.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve been asleep all this time, really? No way. Deep in the Metro? What do you mean? Where are you from? I mean, what Metro?¡± (Sou)

    She moves next to me, wraps her arm around my arm, and presses against my chest her plains. She was half-smiling, so it was probably on purpose, but I didn¡¯t want to admit that I was a little startled. It must be the effect of [Charm] or something, absolutely.

    ¡°So~, how many Fungal Skills does Abe have? [Master Threadweaver] are masters of Fungi, right? Come on, tell this sister.¡± (Sou)

    If it¡¯s this blatant, it¡¯s getting annoying. Excessive body touching is bad for for a repressed virgin¡ªI¡¯m not a virgin.

    ¡°Ms. Utsuki.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Utsuki.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°What are you going to do when you get out of here, Ms. Utsuki?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What are you going to do? I¡¯m going to go where Abe and Tamiko are going.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°What about the mission? Aren¡¯t you going after them?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not like I can do it alone. I don¡¯t know where they are, and I don¡¯t know how to find them. You know, Master said that I should go with Abe and see how the world is going. Since my beloved master asked me to do this, as his disciple, I have to do it with all my heart and soul.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°You were calling him ¡°F*cking¡± Shark earlier, you know?¡± (Shuu)

    I knew she was going to follow me. What should I do?

    ¡°Even if we do, I can¡¯t help you find them, though, because we have other things to do, like work. We¡¯ll stop by Rikugi Village for a bit and then go straight back to Sugamo.¡± (Shuu)

    Even I, have a lot on my plate. The first priority at the moment is to find clues to remove Noa¡¯s possession. The next priority is to complete Aomoto¡¯s quests before Sugamo¡¯s celebration. I also want to level up at some point and visit Nakano, Tamiko¡¯s hometown.

    Furthermore, making weapons using hihiirokane¡ªthis is also a priority in this case. An enemy that can seal Fungal Skills appears again, and in the future there is no guarantee that the same kind of damage will be done, so it would be very reassuring to carry an actual powerful weapon with you. As a result, I can say that my great adventure in Ouji turned out to be a great decision.

    In other words, I still don¡¯t have the luxury of time to bring Utsuki. Even if we were together, it would be difficult to meet her objectives.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine. Even if we can¡¯t find them directly, if we work as hunters, we¡¯ll hear rumors before long. Hurry up and go around.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m going to help you and Abe and Tamiko with their work, too. I¡¯m a pretty good worker when I have to be. I¡¯m not just the Beast King¡¯s number one disciple in name.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°No, we have enough manpower¡­ Hm, what did you say?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Eh, ah¡­ You didn¡¯t notice it. I¡¯m now convinced that you¡¯ve been sleeping all the time because you¡¯re so ignorant but strong.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The Beast Kings. The five great beast kings, you must have heard of them at least once, right? The official title of master is ¡®Absolute Zero Dragon Shark Satou¡¯, one of the five beast kings.¡± (Sou)

    My legs stopped and all thoughts froze.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­are you kidding?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It can¡¯t be a joke. Do you think there are two sharks in New Tokyo that call themselves Satou?¡± (Sou)

    An old-fashioned hourglass icon spins around in my brain. A ding, like the completion of a microwave oven, rings in my head.

    ¡°¡­¡­fuu¡­¡­¡± (Shuu)

    And so, my consciousness traveled to an ocean of ultramarine blue where kangaroos holding autumn eggplants and rainbow-colored caterpillars swayed.

    The Five Great Beast Kings.

    All of them are estimated to be over 200 years old and boast a level of power that surpasses even demons and [Master Threadweavers], all of them are in another dimension. They are said to be ¡°incarnations of the ¡®Threadweaver God''¡± or ¡°manifestations of the coming apocalypse,¡± and various conclusions have been made by various groups and organizations, but the Hunters¡¯ Guild recognizes them as the ¡°five living disasters¡± and forbids any undue interference.

    In the training course for registered guild members, we learned about the ¡°Omnipotent Elephant Watanabe,¡± who occupies and controls the former Shinjuku Tribe territory, and the ¡°Dark Purple Dragon Yamamoto,¡± who sits atop the ¡°Dragon¡¯s Mushroom Den¡± in Ichigaya. The guild considers these two ¡°serious threats¡± that could spark the destruction of the world,¡± and we were warned to avoid setting foot in these places (the Dragon¡¯s Mushroom Den is open to those above a certain level on the condition that they do not climb the mountain, but Shinjuku is a completely off-limits area).

    Of the remaining three bodies, one seems to be in no immediate danger because it has signed a mutual non-aggression pact with humanity, while the remaining two bodies have an undetermined address, unknown whereabouts, and unknown motives. As such, there was no further explanation, and the name ended up just being read aloud.

    That¡¯s right. So, I didn¡¯t remember. I couldn¡¯t remember. Among them was the surname ¡°Satou¡±, which was common in (old) Japan.

    Even if I had been told ¡°it¡¯s inevitable¡± it would not have been familiar to me at all, and moreover, I had never imagined that I would encounter one of them in reality. Such an event was not in the future prospects of my life as a hunter.

    So, it¡¯s no wonder I didn¡¯t notice. It was an accident. It was force majeure.

    ¡ªEven if I told myself that, the waterfall of sweat that soaked my back would not go away.

    I had no idea that the shark with whom I had a chat until late at night over grilled fish was one of the top VIPs in the country.

    (Seriously¡­ a real Beast King¡­) (Shuu)

    (That¡¯s right, I thought he was just some special shark, and he¡¯s not just any shark¡­) (Shuu)

 CH 108.2

    I had no idea that the shark with whom I had a chat until late at night over grilled fish was one of the top VIPs in the country.

    (Seriously¡­ a real Beast King¡­) (Shuu)

    (That¡¯s right, I thought he was just some special shark, and he¡¯s not just any shark¡­) (Shuu)

    I was blabbing on about grilled fish without realizing that there was a nuclear bomb right in front of me. I was glad that the person I was talking to looked like a mild-mannered old man, but if I had acted like a delinquent sitting on the best seat in a train with my legs stretched out, this whole Metro Area would have been burned to ashes.

    I wonder if I have said anything that would have caused any offense. I think I¡¯ll be fine, but I may not be able to sleep deeply with my pillow today.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t realize it at all¡­ I should have remembered, I¡¯m unaware¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m not familiar with the west side of the city, and the guilds don¡¯t seem to think it¡¯s too dangerous. I guess you wouldn¡¯t have known.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°I knew, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Liar.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Even among the Five Great Beast Kings, he is the most plain and humble. Konnyakku instead of meat and potato stew. However, in Akihabara Headquarters, he treated like the root of all evil.¡± (Sou)

    I wonder if it was something they did a few decades ago. I want to ask him what he did, but I¡¯m afraid to ask.

    ¡°We¡¯re not doing anything rude, are we?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Surprisingly, he doesn¡¯t care about that kind of thing. The master has a vicious face, but he is a shark that you can talk to better than most people. Along as you don¡¯t step on any landmines, even if you say a few rude words, he will respond kindly.¡±

    Land mines- demon-related? Tamiko stepped on it unknowingly, but luckily it only cost my trousers.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just say one more thing, but when reporting this incident, it¡¯s better to keep quiet about Master. He won¡¯t get angry at Abe and Tamiko, but it¡¯s just going to cause unnecessary complications.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Right.¡± (Shuu)

    If possible, let¡¯s report it to someone other than Kaike.

    ¡°¡­you know, it just occurred to me.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°What?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The Beast King and a [Master Threadweaver] are both extremely rare individuals, but I¡¯m the Beast King¡¯s apprentice, and now I¡¯m a [Master Threadweaver]¡¯s companion, so I¡¯m the rarest, right?¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Sure.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°You never know what will happen in life. I¡¯ve lived forty-eight years and I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve been able to do what I wanted to do¡­¡± (Sou)

    My legs stopped. A few steps later and Utsuki too.

    ¡°¡­Ms. Utsuki.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°What? Oh¡­¡­¡± (Sou)

    She seemed to have noticed it herself and hurriedly closed her mouth, but I kept going.

    ¡°When we first met, you said you were 30 years old. You are actually 48 years old¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°I knew it, you are a loli-hag, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko¡¯s tail swung. *Smack*! And Utsuki¡¯s big butt makes an interesting sound.

    The conversation continued without tension from the middle, but we were on our way back home without any problems. The Metro Beasts are one thing, but we must also be wary of the ambush by those Kawataro and the others. I kept on dispersing the [Sensory Spores].

    After a short time on the second floor, Tamiko¡¯s head shoots up above Utsuki.

    ¡°Abeshuu, there¡¯s something strange up ahead.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s them, do you?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°No, it¡¯s probably a Metro Beast, squeak, but it¡¯s a something I¡¯ve never seen before, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko put her hand to her ear and turned her head to find the reception angle like a satellite dish.

    After moving forward for a while and suppressing the sound of our footsteps, there was an opened room at the end of the passage, and me and the others stopped in front of it and looked inside.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°Gross, squeak¡­¡± (Tamiko)

    It¡¯s the first metro beast I¡¯ve seen. However, it¡¯s more like an evil god than a beast. If you just look at it, it is much more like a final boss than Satou.

    If I had to describe it in one word, it would be a bipedal giant octopus, or a giant with an octopus on its head. It stands on the ground with wriggling octopus legs dangling from its head, and with webbed feet similar to those of a Sahuagin. Its body surface is a dull green color, and its entire body is slick with mucus.

    ¡°It seems like it¡¯s really strong¡­¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°¡­it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s very strong.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Really?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°It¡¯s about level 30, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    Well, it¡¯s quite a strong enemy to encounter on the second floor of the metro, but it¡¯s a level that doesn¡¯t pose a particular threat to Tamiko and I. In terms of level, though.

    ¡°Gracos,¡± Utsuki said. ¡°They are found in the west side of the country and in Metros with lots of water. Usually they are a bit stronger, but I think the ones around here are not as strong. Even so, it¡¯s still a boss class in such shallow waters.

    It¡¯s a little disappointing, but it¡¯s hard for [Beast Repellent] to work on that type of thing. If the opponent doesn¡¯t back down, there will be no choice but to fight. I am not very good at the gross type, but it was a little better than slime, so I had no choice but to do it.

    ¡°Ah, Ms. Utsuki.¡± (Shuu)

    I turned to Utsuki with a thought in my mind.

    ¡°Ms. Utsuki is around level 35, right?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯ve received [Discovery] too. To answer, I¡¯m 36 now.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Can you defeat it alone? We are to fight together in the future, and I want to see how Ms. Utsuki fights.¡± (Shuu)

    The perfect strategy is to push the gross thing to Utsuki while checking out her skills and her ability.

    ¡°Eh, well, it¡¯s fine, but¡­¡± (Utsuki)

    Utsuki looks reluctant and she doesn¡¯t seem too keen on the idea.

    ¡°Do you have a problem?¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°I¡¯m a [Mage] and I¡¯m basically a ¡°boom-boom-dead¡± type of person. [Fireball] and [Iceball] are my main weapons, and as far as I know, [Fireball] is more effective¡­ So, the corpse will inevitably be charred and useless.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Huh.¡± (Shuu)

    Are you saying you don¡¯t like it because it makes you feel bad? Though I am a hunter, I think of myself as weak.

    ¡°The legs of the gracos are a delicacy known only to those in the know, and when chopped and dressed with wasabi, they make a perfect snack. If I kill it with a [Fireball], it might ruin all of that¡ª¡± (Sou)

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do it.¡± (Shuu)

    Without waiting for an answer, I stepped forward while drawing out my [Katana]. Let¡¯s make a triumphant return to Rikugi Village with this as a gift. The special potato shochu awaits.

    The blade, covered in anticipation, kills the Gracos in an instant. No hard feelings, the only way to repay them is to eat them with relish.

    I leave all the processing to Utsuki. She begins dismantling it without any sign of reluctance, separating the legs, chopping and rubbing in some grass to remove the slime, and wrapping it in another grass to prevent it from rotting. She is a very experienced hand, that¡¯s a point to her.

    After that, we hurry back home at full speed with [Beat Repellent], going up to the first floor at a steady pace, and then reaching the stairs to the surface.

    ¡°¡­Are you two ready?¡± (Shuu)

    I looked back towards the stairs. Both of them nodded timidly with slightly nervous expressions.

    Up to this point, we had not encountered Kawataro and the others, nor had we found any traces of them. Are they still in the Metro, or have they already escaped through other entrances and exits?

    Nevertheless, there is no possibility that they are waiting for us on the surface. We didn¡¯t want to be ambushed like we were last night.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± (Shuu)

    Deciding to go, we carefully climbed the stairs one step at a time. My [Sensory Spores] are well-dispersed so as not to miss even the slightest anomaly. Tamiko¡¯s ears are probably the same way.

    ¡°Abeshuu, I need to pee, squeak.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°Muu! You should have gone earlier!¡± (Shuu)

    The sky was spread out beyond the staircase. It seems to be sunny today.

    I looked around for presences while holding up my [Katana] and [Great Shield].

    The wind is blowing and the forest is rustling. There is no clinging humidity, but instead the temperature and the sunlight tell us that it is early summer.

    ¡°¡­phew.¡± (Shuu)

    There seems to be no sign of them. There are no people or beasts in the vicinity. Tamiko nodded as well.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, Ms. Utsuki, but it looks like they¡¯re not here.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°We are not going to be bumping into them here. They¡¯ve been back on the surface for a long time, so I¡¯d rather take a bath and sleep on a futon than play tag.¡± (Sou)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (Shuu)

    After that, we started walking on the forest road that leads to the village. Looking out for ambushes along the way, being very careful.

    But Shuu and Tamiko are oblivious.

    They are unaware that there are four eyes peering at them from several hundred meters away with [Telephoto].

    ~3rd Person Perspective~

    ¡°¨CAh¡­ as expected, they are quite though.¡± (Kawataro)

    Kawataro muttered with a bitter smile.

    (Aside from that monstrous brother.) (Kawataro)

    (To think the Carbuncle and Utsuki are still alive.) (Kawataro)

    (Will what happened be reported to the guild as well?) (Kawataro)

    This may cause a big problem for our future plans.

    However, it is a blessing in disguise that we were able to find them here. We can finish them off here and now and keep them from talking.

    (However.) (Kawataro)

    (Toroko¡¯s curse is probably already broken.) (Kawataro)

    (If he¡¯s regained his Fungal Skills, we might not be able to beat him even if we band together.) (Kawataro)

    Yes, if we were on our own.

    But now we have this person. This person would be able to defeat even that man in a direct confrontation.

    ¡°¡­kuku.¡± (Commander)

    ¡°Commander, what¡¯s wrong?¡± (Kawataro)

    Next to Kawataro, the man called ¡°Commander¡± laughs, his voice hushed, the edge of his mouth lifted up to his ears, looking amused.

    ¡°Is that the man who killed my ¡®Family¡¯?¡± (Commander)

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ but what¡¯s funny?¡± (Kawataro)

    The commander turned on his heel and began to walk in the opposite direction of his men.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you doing it?¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve seen that baby face in Komagome before. He looks a lot like an old acquaintance of mine. In the war fifty years ago¡­ He was also tenacious. He was a ¡®Master Threadweaver¡¯.¡± (Commander)

    The commander looks up at the narrow sky slipping past by trees and stretching out wide. His footsteps are in a good mood.

    ¡°¡­Haa, now, it¡¯s more fun.¡± (Commander)

    A/N: We finally escaped from the Rikugi Metro.

    The Rikugi Metro Arc will continue for a little while longer.

    T/N: Yep, commander is most likely a demon or a Beast King. I edited chapter 52.b2 to match this chapter. Please die Kawataro.

 CH 109.1

    It¡¯s all because of that potato feast.

    ¡°Ooh¡­ ugh¡­¡± (Sou)

    The guttural cries of Utsuki, with her head sticking out of the top of the carriage, mingles with the sound of rumbling wheels on the paved road. ¡°Loli-puker, squeak!¡¡Puker, squeak!¡± Tamiko, who had been squealing and slapping Utsuki¡¯s butt, seemed to have been overcome more by pity than by contempt when she saw that she did not fight back or argue with her. Now she was rubbing the drunken loli¡¯s back.

    ¡°Here, it¡¯s good to have an acorn, squirrel.¡± (Tamiko)

    ¡°shoving inside¡±

    It¡¯s bitter, so she spits it out right away.

    ¡°Ey sista, we will be there ¡®n a min¡¯it. So don¡¯ go throwing up on the carriage.¡± (Kaya)

    The person driving the ostrich cart, not a horse-drawn cart, is Kaya Nozomi, the village chief of Rikugi Village. She herself had some business to attend to in Sugamo, so we asked her to give us a ride in the ostrich cart.

    We arrived at Rikugi Village around noon yesterday. The others and I, who had gone through an experience that was dozens of times more chaotic than the actual time, didn¡¯t realize it, but for the villagers and the resident hunters, including Kaya and Kurano, were surprised to learn that we had returned in less than a day.

    Baphomet¡¯s colony had already been destroyed. The boss had been killed by the us. However, it seems that a few remnants have escaped the annihilation, and they must continue to be vigilant. After reporting to them about the existence of the dangerous trap on the fourth floor, we fell asleep in the hunter¡¯s hut. Fatigue and drowsiness were already at their peak.

    When we woke up, the western sun was beautiful. With the villagers urging us to join the feast, so we had to give up the idea of returning to Sugamo that day. If someone was stopped with a bottle of sweet potato shochu in his hand, even a man whose friend was taken hostage by a king would say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my friend.¡± There is a saying that man loves liquor more.

    So, a feast was held with the uncles who were not on night guard duty.

    Many delicious-looking dishes were laid out for the guests to feast on, as if they were trying to stuff the warriors who had just returned from the land of the dead. Kaya¡¯s homemade pickles, suiton soup, and dashimaki tamago [A/N: Japanese rolled omelet]. Baphomet stewed in a slow-cooked, soft and tasty sauce. And octopus sashimi and wasabi, fresh from this morning¡¯s catch of Gracos.

    ¡°It¡¯s light and fluffy! The vegetables are tender, and the chicken is soft, squeak! The umami from the broth soaked the white meat, squeak! Everything is so soft in the cheek pouches, squeak! Super yummy, squeak!¡± (Tamiko)

    Tamiko was sticking her face into the bowl of suiton soup that was waiting for her, and she was getting sticky. It was indeed an exquisite dish. Both the root vegetables and the dumplings were cooked to just the right degree of tenderness, and the fatt chicken was refreshing. The slight aroma of ginger whetted my appetite, and I could go on eating it indefinitely. It also goes well with pickles and onigiri. The quality of the dish was so good that Noa asked for the recipe.

    The elders called me ¡°the benefactor of the village¡± or ¡°the savior of the village,¡± and poured sake for me one after the other.

    The old men and women, who had become happy, began to sing a chorus of a mysterious song, and the former mayor gave a loud lecture on the history of the village.

    The drunken Utsuki began to seduce the men, and Kurano and the other virgin hunters who had come to show their faces after the night watch change.

    Thanks to [Immortality], I do not get intoxicated, and even if I do get a little drunk, the alcohol in my body is quickly cleared. So, I was able to observe with sober eyes the lasciviousness of the loli-hag and the old men with their tanned, wrinkled faces dyed pink.

    I myself didn¡¯t feel anything strange, in other words, Utsuki didn¡¯t seem to be using [Charm]. She just subtly leans her body and pulls the other person with precise affable and exquisite exclamations. She gazes up and sends a lecherous glance, along a sweet voice, and lets her warm breath reach her target¡¯s skin. Her experience and tireless efforts that she has accumulated over many, many years, and her own skills are tightly condensed. In other words, Utsuki was Utsuki without relying on her Fungal Skills.

    Kurano and the others began to squirm under her venomous fangs, and when Utsuki, completely happy to have all the men at her beck and call, could no longer hide her disgusting grin, even I had no choice but to put a stop to it. Even though they were apparently of an age that made it difficult for her [Charm] to be effective, she was still able to knock a young virgin down with her slutty techniques.

    It was fortuitous for me to know the horror of her skills in advance. Since I was neither a virgin nor my first time seeing her, I would not give her any chance to take advantage of me in the future. For sure.

    The feast continued until the date changed, and the next morning.

    The next morning, the 48-year-old fake loli-hag, who had neither [Self-Regeneration] nor [Poison Resistance], suffered from a hangover headache and nausea, as if she was being punished for her actions of the previous night. She did not recover by noon, and now she is suffering additional damage from the shaking caused by the ostrich carriage.

    ¡°Because¡­ it¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve had a drink and men¡­ and I¡¯ve been treated so chipperly¡­¡± (Sou)

    ¡°It looked to me like you were just getting into the swing of things and letting your true nature out in the open.¡± (Shuu)

    ¡°The old people ¡®n oth¡¯rs were also happy. Finally, the damage from the Baphomets would finally be und¡¯r control. It¡¯s all thanks to Abe ¡®n the oth¡¯rs.¡± (Kaya)

    ¡°That¡¯s right, about Baphomet¡­¡± (Shuu)

    However, not all the worries have been removed. I had to talk to Aomoto about that. In the meantime, the city of Sugamo, surrounded by moats and walls, approaches.

    ¡°¡­Behind the Baphomet Colony, such a thing¡­¡± (Aomoto)

    ¡°¡­sporangium of the demon¡¯s ¡°family¡± and the group of ruffians who control them¡­¡± (Heiya)

    The Hunter¡¯s Guild office, Sugamo branch.

    The two top of the branch¨CAomoto and Shimoyanagi¨Care sitting across from each other in the reception room, both of them with mysterious expressions on their faces. They look a bit alike in the eyes when they stand side by side, perhaps because they are told that they are related to each other as niece and uncle.

    For the time being, I, who had finished talking about the circumstances up to this point, sipped tea while feeling nervous. Utsuki, who was sitting next to me, looked nervous. Tamiko, on the other hand, is lying comfortably in the empty tea basket. Her cheek pouches filled with cookies are puffed up to the limit.

    Instead of heading for the branch office immediately after arriving at Sugamo, I spent an hour or so in a meeting with Utsuki. We discussed how much to report to the guild honestly and what to keep hidden.

    First of all, we would keep Satou a secret. This was at the request of Utsuki and himself, and we had agreed to this. It was not directly related to this case, and it would be needlessly complicated if we talked about it. It is also a secret that Utsuki is Satou¡¯s disciple.

    We also cannot honestly divulge the information about the demon¡¯s involvement as it is. The guild leader has directly told us not to tell anyone about his encounter with the demons in Ouji, and if we were to reveal the knowledge that only a few people have, that ¡°black sporangium = sporangium of a demon¡¯s ¡®family''¡± it would raise unnecessary suspicions.

    However, we cannot keep the possibility of the emergence of new demons under wraps just for our own convenience. It could become a major threat not only to Sugamo City and Rikugi Village.

    We must report such matters that are essential, while concealing the parts we wish to hide. We needed to make sure that the right balance was reached in advance. If Noa, the brain of the team, had been there, it might not have been so difficult.

    With that in mind, I made up my mind to enter the guild and reported to Aomoto (and Shimoyanagi, who came along without permission). It¡¯s basically a retelling of what actually happened.

    We went to investigate the Baphomet Colony and found a mutant boss. The advance party had been wiped out, and our party unexpectedly found themselves in a battle.

    With the help of Utsuki, who just happened to be there, we managed to kill it, but were attacked by a mysterious group without a moment¡¯s pause. A ¡°cursed knife¡± blocked our Fungal Skills, and we had a hard time, but thanks to the Metro trap, we were able to escape unharmed, but we were never able to catch them or find out what they were up to.

    ¡°Hah, you just happened to be present at such a scene of carnage, you¡¯re still quite the badass woman, Utsuki.¡± (Heiya)

    ¡°Ehehe, well, it¡¯s been a while, Hei-yan¡­¡± (Sou)