The World Is Overflowing with Monster, I’m Taking a Liking to This Life

Chapter 118: A Motorcycle Trip between Two Dudes and a New Encounter

The bike is running along the track. The engines roar is so soft that we can hear the noises from the surrounding. It will take around an hour and a half to arrive at the Defense Forces base.

The map is engrained within my memory, and I have already reviewed the route which we are going to take countless times.

(Well, I doubt our plan will proceed without hiccups though)

We will definitely encounter some form of trouble along the way. Those huge trees might block our paths, and monsters might ambush us.

In fact, I should drive under the assumption that something might occur. Better safe than sorry.

Experience has reached a certain threshold.

Riding has increased from LV2 to LV3.

Oh, it seems like my riding skill has leveled up. Since I gave priority to other skills while distributing points, the skill has been at LV1 for a long time, but the experience must have accumulated over time.

By constantly using a certain skill repeatedly, one could increase the skills level even without using points on it. As the skill implies, the experience of the Riding skill should increase the more I ride vehicles.

With the skill, I can ride bikes I have never ridden before just like right now, and I assume that I will be able to ride other vehicles as the skills level rises which is one of my goals for this mission.

Your driving skill is really impressive

Fujita-san, sounding impressed, says so while riding behind me. I didnt tell him about the Riding skill, so he seems to be honestly amazed about my techniques.

But its understandable. After all, a beautiful girl who is yet to become an adult is performing better than professionals at riding a bike.

(As for the skill Ill keep quiet about it for the time being.)

By the way, Fujita-san is currently holding onto the belt attached to the seat rather than my body. I guess he is trying to take me into consideration.

(But in the end, this is a trip involving an ossan and a male disguised as a girl) What a terrible picture. What a combination this is. If I dont look like Ichinose-san, it must have been a horrid scene to behold.

Please turn right at the next intersection.

O-okay.

Following his instruction, I turn right. So far so good.

There is no sign of monsters, and there arent any trees blocking the road. Since this area is still close to the City Hall, I guess Fujita-san is choosing a relatively safe route to travel.

(The problem would be on the national highway)

According to Fujita-san, everything beyond that point is outside of their exploration perimeter. In a sense, it could be considered a land of unknown for them. Its the same in my case.

Were about to approach the national highway.

Okay. Please drive with caution.

The Subjugation Area which the mayor mentioned should also end around here. The Subjugation Area where the designated monsters reside is within a 500 meter radius around the City Hall.

(So if we go beyond this point, we can at least avoid a battle with the golem.) I would like to avoid battles and encounters with the golem right now. Although I have recently acquired a weapon of mass destruction (tetrapods), I dont think that alone could defeat the golem.

I want something else. Something decisive.

(Fujita-san said that the Defense Force base annually conducts large-scale exercises around this time of the year.) While it is not at the scale of a Soukan where tens of thousands of militants gather for military exercises, it is said that something similar is held. As such, there is a high possibility of ammunitions, missiles, and tanks being present inside the base.

For a moment, I wonder where he got all the information before realizing that he works for the government. He must have worked with other prefectures and Self Defense Forces before.

(He talked about being acquainted with someone over there, so he must be thinking of relying on that person.) As I am hoping for things to work out

!!

I abruptly stop the bike. Even though I apply the brakes, we remain quiet thanks to the skill. However, Fujita-san, who is behind me, appears surprised.

What happened?

Please look over there.

That?.!!

Fuijta-sans expression shifts when he witnesses the scene.

In front of us is a huge crater, one that is over 10 meters wide. In addition, the surrounding buildings have collapsed, the ground was raised in various locations, and huge boulders are present all around.

(A battle against monsters? No, but considering the scale)

The destructiveness is above that of the high orcs cry and the dark wolfs darkness. In that case, I can only think of one such creature.

The golem. That gargantuan golem fought with someone here. That is the only reasonable explanation to this.

Fujita-san, this

I-it should be that golems work

Fujita-san seems to have arrived at the same conclusion.

We cant pass through here Itll be a bit of a detour, but lets go around it. Yes

Since we never know when the golem would appear again, we get ready to leave.

However

N?

Whats wrong, Ichinose-chan?

This.

I pick up something that is on the ground.

A magic stone. Its quite big. Its about the size of a fist.

Is that a magic stone? Thats quite the big one.

Isnt it.

The purple magic stone is quite heavy and asserts its existence on my hand.

Yet the very next moment, a crack appears on the stone.

Eh?

Huh?

I have not put much strength into it, but the stone cracks and breaks into several pieces in the blink of an eye. Hey hey. How did you do that?

I-I have no idea. It suddenly cracked

I try to gather the pieces, but this time, they crumble into sand-like substances the moment I touch them. This is the first time something like this happened. To think that a magic stone would shatter I try to place the sand-like substance into the Item Box, but it doesnt work.

Can I only store magic stones in their original form? But then

Ichinose-chan, lets think about this later. For now, we should leave this area. Yes.

Hes right. Storing away the question in my head, we quickly distance ourselves from that region.

Around ten minutes later.

We are moving unhindered along the national highway without being ambushed by the golem which we were wary of.

(So what was that incident with the magic stone all about?)

While I am driving, I think back to the magic stone and the crater. If that golem had to fight in such a fierce manner, it means that its opponent was quite powerful.

(But that golem should have won the battle.)

Otherwise, the mayor would have been notified that one of the conditions has been met. I asked Fujita-san, and it appears that the mayors conditions can be cleared by a third-party.

Previously, there was something that the mayor had to accomplish, but Fujita-san cleared it without realizing it and fulfilled the condition.

How ambiguous.

But its true that the condition only requests for Subjugation and does not specify which party has to be involved.

Whether it is deliberate or not, if the monster dies, it will be certified as having been subjugated.

Any method will do as long as the opponent is defeated. The process is irrelevant. Only the result matters. Its a simple yet cruel rule.

(Im still oblivious to the penalties for failing.)

Nishino-kun and the others were also concerned about this and inquired Fujita-san and Chief Shimizu, but they were both hesitant to answer.

Actually, Chief Shimizu looks like she really doesnt know. It is Fujita-san who appears to be hiding something.

(If I can somehow learn about it through this expeditionHm?)

Hostility Detection is picking up a response. My thoughts are brought back to reality, and I stop the bike from its track.

What happened, Ichinose-chan?

I observe the surrounding after silencing Fujita-san with my eyes.

Theyre here.

Monsters. Lots of them.

(Since I dont see any of them, they should be hiding.)

I narrow down the area of the search using Enemy Detection. We are currently at the center of the road. There are countless destroyed buildings and boulders where monsters can hide.

But what is this? Im getting a sense of uneasiness. My movement feels oddly dull.

(Aka, Ill be relying on you.)

() Furu furu.

I look around while holding Aka which is disguised as a gun. In this state, Aka can properly function as a gun. The bullets were pre-made by Ichinose-san using Ammunition Creation.

There are thirty bullets in total, so I cannot shoot randomly.

Theyre coming!

Understood.

Fujita-san also gets off the bike and readies his handaxes. If Im not wrong, his occupation should be an Axe User. I want to see him in action, but I cannot relax my guards either.

Kishaaaaaaaaaa!

What emerges from behind a boulder is a huge spider. Imagine a tarantula the size of a lion.

(Ugeee! Disgusting! What is that?)

I am spiritually appalled by the appearance of the creature, just like how one would feel looking at cockroaches. I immediately aim and shoot with the gun.

Gichuu~!

The huge spider dies as the bullet penetrates between its brows. A yellow magic stone rolls down.

You have gained experience.

Good. Enemy Detection is telling me that there are 3 left.

Fujita-san! These spiders exteriors arent as hard as they seem to be. One of them are aiming at you! Leave it to me!

Behind me, a huge spider that has been hiding approached Fujita-san.

NUORIYAAAAAAAAAA!

Fujita-san charges fiercely with his ax and brings it down upon his opponents head.

Gichii!

However, the huge spider dodges just before the attack hits. It tries to counterattack, but Fujita-sans attack is not over yet. The axe which has been swung scoops up some parts of the ground which it is embedded on and scatters the fragments like a shotgun.

(How powerful So this is the skill Pulverizing Attack.)

Pulverizing Attack is a skill that comes with Fujita-sans occupation, Axe User. As the name implies, its a skill that pulverizes the enemy.

Gichiii!

The huge spider jumps backwards, but that is exactly what Fujita-san was aiming for.

ORYAAA!

Fujita-san throws the other handaxe which was hanging on his waist. The axe accurately hits the belly of the huge spider. Yellow body fluid drips out of the spiders wound.

Kyiiiiiiiiii!

The spider lets out a scream while ratching its fangs. Uwa, how repulsive. Its still cute if a big mouse does it, but its scary when a big insect does it. Its like my spirit is being scraped off.

This is the end!

Fuijta-san once again charges and smashes the spiders brain. Yellow liquid splatters out before a magic stone eventually drops to the ground.

Two more.

Enemy Detection is reacting, but its strangely dull. Where are they?

Ichinose-chan, are you fine?

Fujita-san comes near me. Near his feet, a manhole moves ever so slightly.

Fuijta-san! Move away from that place immediately!

Eh?

In that moment, a spider which is one size smaller than the ones before appears from the manhole.

(So the response was dull because they were hiding underground.)

The spider opens its mouth wide and spews white thread toward Fujita-san.

Gwa, what is this?!

Fujita-san tries to shake it off, but the thread is sticky and difficult to remove.

Fujita-san!

I hoist my gun up, but my pose crumbles right then.

!?

What? I cant move properly.

Crisis Detection rings loudly. I look closely at myself. There are threads.

The threads are so thin that I wouldnt have perceived it if not for Enhanced Senses. The thread is entwined throughout my body.

(So this is the source of my uneasiness!)

Damn, I was careless. This is the reason behind my sluggish movements. Individually, these threads are nothing to write home about. Its to the point where Crisis Detection doesnt react.

However, over time, these threads would display their true might. If these threads become a bundle, they will gradually slow down our movements. This place is literally their web.

Kii!

The giant spider tries to attack Fujita-san who is immobile. I try to ready Aka, but my movements are restricted.

(Shit, I cant hold back right now.)

I have to use the Item Box. Just then, the bodies of Fujita-san and I shine brightly.

What?

When the lights disappear, power suddenly surges throughout my body. Ripping apart the threads one by one, I ready my gun (Aka).

Eat this!

Pa~an! A gunshot is heard. What a close call. The spider that was trying to eat Fujita-san dies.

One remaining. Where is it? Where?

Despite waiting, the last one does not appear.

That must have been the last one.

Fujita-san walks towards me after disposing the threads.

No, please do not be negligent. Theres still something near us. Enemy Detection has not been disabled. It should be hiding somewhere. As I keep watch without dropping my guard, I hear something.

KyuKyu! Kyu!

Its a little fox. More precisely, its a creature that looks like a fox.

(An animal? No, its most likely a type of monster.)

Its about the size of a cat, but its tail take up half of its body length. Its tail is round like the fluff of a dandelion, and its coat shines gold under the sunlight.

What is most noticeable is the red gem embedded on its forehead. Its not something we see on regular animals. Although it has a cute appearance, theres little doubt that its a monster.

Kyu

The fox continues to gaze towards us.

(It was caught by the spiders)

Just like us, it must have been caught by the spiders. We most likely arrived before it got eaten.

A voice suddenly echoes inside my head.

Lesser Carbuncle looks at you as if you were a friend. Do you wish to befriend it? Eh?