Currently, it’s 10 AM.
I am heading to the Underground Shopping Mall with Nishino-kun’s group to defeat Queen Ant Alpha.
There are 28 people participating in the subjugation operation, which is pretty much the full extent of the City Hall’s power.
We have been divided into three groups and are aiming for the Underground Shopping Mall from different directions.
The group I am in consists of the students that are being led by Nishino-kun. We number 10 in total.
We’re acting separately to disperse the attention of the Golem in the event that we meet it.
Whether it’s to run away or to become the decoy, we’re more likely to survive if we move separately.
— At least that’s what we were told.
(The real reason is probably to avoid pulling each other’s legs…)
In particular, it is clear as day that my ex-colleagues and Nishino-kun’s group are disgusted at each other.
We shouldn’t expect any degree of cooperation between them.
In that case, the mayor must have judged, wouldn’t it be more efficient to separate them from the beginning?
(In a sense, it’s amazing how we’re still trying to trip each other under these circumstances…)
It’s a relief that I don’t have to work with my former colleagues, though.
I feel bad for Nijou and Chief Shimizu, but I can’t see them in a good light.
…Even though it’s just my disguise, they were peeking at Ichinose-san’s body with “that kind of eyes”… it pisses me off.
Oops, I shouldn’t get sidetracked.
I have to concentrate.
Anyway, we’re aiming for the Underground Shopping Mall.
If things proceed without hiccups, we should arrive there in ten minutes or so.
As everyone is nervous about the mission, few words are being exchanged.
I glance at Nishino-kun who is walking next to me, and his face looks serious.
Is he anxious?
…No, this is more like the expression people make when they’re thinking about something.
“What’s wrong, Nisshi? From a while ago, you’ve been making a difficult face.”
It seems that Rikka-chan is also curious. She asks Nishino-kun while leaning forward.
We can see a glimpse of her valley along with her pink underwear. As expected of Rikka-chan, the natural airhead.
“…N-no, I was just thinking about our subjugation target.”
Nishino-kun turns his head away as he answers.
His cheeks are slightly pink…He’s surprisingly pure.
“They’re… the Queen Ant and the Golem, right? What about them?”
“Actually, I talked with the mayor briefly before we left. There was something that was bugging me, and—”
I raise my hand before Nishino-kun can continue speaking.
“There’s a reaction from ‘Enemy Detection’.”
Hearing my words, everyone’s facial expressions change.
Nishino-kun and Rikka-chan also stop chatting and ready themselves for a battle.
“80 meters ahead. 15 of them in total. 13 regular Ants. No superior species. And… there are 2 Goblins.”
I convey the information in a concise manner.
“Are the Ants and the Goblins fighting?”
“No, it doesn’t seem like that’s the case…”
It’s more like the Ants are flocking to the two Goblins.
Perhaps they’re—
“…Okay, Rikka, Ichinose, and I will advance ahead. Everyone else, follow us from the back.”
Nishino-kun hands out quick instructions in a whisper before taking Rikka-chan and I to the place where there was the reaction.
We hide behind a nearby wall and watch the situation in front of us.
“…!?”
Witnessing the scene, Nishino-kun’s expression shifts in an instant.
“Gyii….gyi…”
“….Gaa…a…”
Before us are two dying Goblins.
The Ants are surrounding them and rapidly working their mouths.
They are in the middle of a “meal”.
“They haven’t noticed us.”
“Wait a second. Are they… eating?”
“Uwa…”
Nishino-kun and Rikka-chan appear pale.
“If they die, the monsters will disappear, leaving only their magic stones behind. That’s why the Ants are intentionally keeping them alive.”
But the parts that separate from their bodies while they’re alive remain even after their deaths.
Just like how the monster bloods from before remain on the washing machines .
What the Ants are doing should be considered as having monster Ikizukuri [1].
“How can you be so calm…”
“I’m just used to it. Also, I have a resistance skill.”
It’s really a gory sight. Without the proper resistance skill, one is likely to throw up.
“They haven’t noticed us yet…If we want to kill them, we should do it now.”
“O-oh, you’re right.”
Nishino-kun composes himself and gives orders to everyone.
“…Everyone, we’re heading out!”
“““Understood!”””
The students – along with an Ossan – charge in unison in a neat movement.
I also hold the gun (Aka) in my hands.
While I’m in Ichinose-san’s form, I decided to fight using the sniper. I received ammunition from Ichinose-san in advance, so there won’t be much of an issue.
“Furu furu!”
Aka shakes to express its motivation.
“Gyiii!?”
The Ants that were having their meals finally notice our existence.
However, it’s too late.
“Shoot!”
At Nishino-kun’s signal, everyone shoots his or her Magnum Blaster.
Bshhhhhhh!
Along with the sound, a large amount of smoke is shot out.
“Gyiiiiiiiiii!?”
“Kishiiiii….gyiikii…”
“Gishaaaaaaa….”
The Ants that are directly exposed to the smoke scream in agony.
Nishino-kun and the others do not miss the opportunity to strike.
“Uryaaaa!”
“Funuuuuuu!”
Rikka-chan and Goshogawara-san cut in first, and the other students follow behind them.
Rikka-chan dexterously moves around the gaps and slashes at the joints of the Ants.
As for Goshogawara-san… he crushes them forcefully using a log…. Logs are amazing.
The other students also clash with the Ants with their respective weapons.
Through “Command” and “Combat Support”, Nishino-kun enhances the team’s coordination by giving out occasional orders.
(They’re stronger than expected…)
Nishino-kun is the commander, Rikka-chan and Goshogawara-san are the attackers, and Shibata-san is the medic.
The others also have a decently high level and some good skills.
More so than anything else, their teamwork is outstanding.
Just by looking at them, I can tell how much fights they have experienced together during these 7 days.
As proof, the Ants that numbered over 10 are being reduced in the blink of an eye.
(…Wait. Is there anything for me to do?)
I hurriedly position my gun, but Rikka-chan decapitates the last Ant before I could do anything.
“Furu furu!”
Not yet? Aka asks.
…Sorry, Aka. You seem pumped up, but your turn won’t come this time.
The first battle finishes in spite of the quivering Aka.
“Check if there are any other monsters! If not, resume moving!”
We start moving again after collecting the magic stones.
As for the Goblins that were being eaten, Shibata-kun puts an end to their lives.
“Speaking of which—”
After the battle, I find an appropriate time to talk to Nishino-kun.
“What was Nishino-kun about to say earlier?”
“Earlier…?”
“Yes. Something about the Queen Ant and the Golem…”
“Oh, that?”
Nishino-kun nods.
“Well, I’m just a little bothered. Why did the condition of subjugating two designated monsters appear this time around?”
“Oh, that was on my mind too.”
According to the mayor, the conditions for leveling up “Town Development” were “Securing 10 personnel and 10 magic stones” for reaching level 2 and “Securing 50 personnel and 100 magic stones” for reaching level 3.
However, this time, the subjugation of two named monsters is added on top of the previous conditions.
The difficulty level has clearly jumped up.
“Isn’t it stupidly hard to achieve the conditions?”
“I agree.”
Rikka-chan who is next to me also joins the conversation.
“But on the contrary, can’t you think of it like this? The conditions became stricter because it had to.”
“Huh?”
A question mark appears on top of Rikka-chan’s head.
“I asked the mayor before we left. What happened to the monsters that were originally in the area when the ‘Safety Zone’ expanded due to the rise in the level of ‘Town Development’?”
“What happened?”
“They were forcefully expelled. The monsters that were in the area were forcefully expelled to locations at the very edge of the new border. With the help of some City Hall staffs, he confirmed this with his very own eyes, so the information is authentic. When the monsters tried to enter again, they could not because they were blocked by some invisible wall.”
Hoh, there is such a mechanism?
So it’s like a “Barrier” which kicks out monsters and prevents them from reentering the premise.
“And that’s why I came to the hypothesis that we have to defeat the two monsters for the ‘Safety Zone’ to expand once more using ‘Town Development’.”
Hearing Nishino-kun’s words, another question mark floats out of Rikka-chan’s head.
“Um, what does that—”
“In other words, for whatever reason, these two are ‘exceptions’ which cannot be forcefully removed?”
Therefore, they are subjugation targets.
I interrupt Rikka-chan to answer her question, and Nishino-kun nods in response.
“Wouldn’t that explain a lot of things? For example, if a queen ant builds a nest, she spends her entire life in the nest. It’s a ‘Queen Ant’s Characteristic’ which cannot be erased even through the effects of other skills. I’m convinced that that’s why the Queen Ant was designated as a target. In addition, the system specified for the subjugation of the ‘Queen Ant’ instead of the Ants.”
“So that’s how it is…”
It may sound nonsensical to apply the logic of ordinary ants on monsters, but Nishino-kun’s conjecture certainly makes sense.
“To begin with, it’s strange that the Ants aren’t bothering to change the location of their nest despite so many of them having died by our hands. So it’s almost certain that the Queen Ant cannot leave her nest… no, she’s a monster that can’t move.”
“That is plausible…”
“Hmmm, I don’t really understand.”
It seems like Rikka-chan’s head has already overheated.
“Then what about the Golem? Unlike the Ants, can’t it move around freely?”
Shibata-kun who is walking behind us joins the discussion.
“What are you talking about, Shibata? Isn’t that even easier to understand? Try remembering its name.”
“Eh? Um… Guardian Golem… Titan, right?”
“That’s right. Ono would have probably gotten it by now. After all, he’s good at this kind of games. Guardian — literally translated as ‘One who Protects’.”
Ah! Shibata-kun raises his voice.
I also come to the realization.
“Did you catch on? Titan is probably protecting something within the ‘Subjugation Area’. Since he is the ‘Guardian’, he cannot move away from this area as long as that thing exists…As for what it’s protecting, I cannot say for sure.”
“I see… A-as expected, you’re amazing, Nishino-san!”
“It’s not a big deal. Even if we know the reason, it doesn’t change the fact that we have to fight it.”
He’s right.
There is no future for the City Hall unless these two monsters are defeated.
“But it will be useful for future reference.
“Hm? Did you say something, Nishino-san?”
“No, nothing.”
Nishino-kun accidentally mutters something, and I hear it clearly.
…Maybe Nishino-kun is thinking along the same line as me.
Obtaining the “Town Development” skill and establishing one’s own “Safety Zone”.
In that case, Nishino-kun is truly a reliable person.
I’ll ask him about it later on.
“Let’s stop with the chitchat. We’re almost at the enemy’s headquarters.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
The Shopping District is now visible.
“Enemy Detection” is gradually picking up more signs of monsters.
“Incoming!”
We each hold our weapon. At the same time, the ground shakes and cracks begin to form.
““““Kyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!””””
A large number of Ants appear before us yet again.
“They were waiting for us to come.”
“Seems about right.”
“Yes.”
Around now, the City Hall team and Chief Shimizu’s team should have arrived at their designated spots.
“It’s time to begin! Focus, everyone!”
“““OHH!”””
The students charge at Nishino-kun’s command.
I also move ahead so that I don’t get left behind this time.
The moment I think of moving to a place where I can start sniping—
“…Hm?”
I start having an “unpleasant feeling”.
What is this?
…Hostility? No, is this “malice”?
I turn towards the direction where the feeling is coming from.
If I’m not mistaken, that’s where Chief Shimizu’s group should be at.
…Why is it?
A sense of foreboding strikes at my heart.
*****
[1] Ikizukuri is like the Japanese dish where sashimi is prepared from live seafood.