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

Chapter 134: Battle of the City Hall Part 2

What is this sense of unease that I’m feeling?

The “unpleasant feeling” is coming from Chief Shimizu’s direction.

Rather than the dread which I experienced at the convenience store when faced with an unbeatable monster, this is more like the muddy and disgusting kind of “unpleasant feeling”.

Is it a new type of monster, or…?

“Onii—Natsun! What are you zoning out for? It’s dangerous!”

“Ah…I-I’m s-sorry!”

Rikka’s cry takes me out of my thoughts and brings me back to reality.

I shouldn’t get distracted.

It’s also troubling that my enemy detection ability is improving so quickly.

There’s too much information to process by myself.

Concentrate. Concentrate.

“Proficiency has reached a certain threshold.”

“‘Concentration’ has increased from LV 3 to LV 4.”

Ah, the skill level rose.

While inwardly making a guts pose, I turn my attention back to what I am doing.

I position myself so that I can easily snipe my enemies before pulling the trigger.

“Gyiiiiiiii!”

A bullet shoots out of the barrel and hits one of the incoming Ants.

The Ant dies on the spot and turns into a magic stone.

“You have gained experience.”

As I thought, it’s too much to expect a level-up after killing a single monster.

Since the ammunitions which I received from Ichinose-san are limited, I can’t waste them by shooting needlessly.

(Well, when the time comes, all I have to do is simply cancel the “Art of Transformation”.)

I don’t intend to hide my identity if my life is at stake.

Even if I do reveal my identity, I’m sure that Nishino-kun and Rikka-chan would come up with an explanation for me.

For some reason, I feel like I can rely on them.

“Pesticides! Shoot!”

Nishino-kun and his teammates are gradually reducing the number of Ants.

However, at the next moment—

“‘Enemy Detection’ is picking up more responses!”

“What!?”

Although there is still some distance between us, a considerable number of Ants are heading here.

Just from a rough estimate, there are around 30 of them.

“How many and when?”

“More than thirty of them will arrive in a minute or so!”

“Then… we have to quickly decimate the Ants in front of us! Let’s go!”

“““OHHH!!!”””

With Rikka-chan and Goshogawara-san spearheading us, we rush into the flock of Ants.

Ah, an Ant that was blown away by Goshogawara-san is flying through the air. Logs are amazing.

The movements of the other students are improving as well, probably because they are getting used to the Ants’ attack patterns.

“But… there are more of them than I anticipated.”

“That must mean that they’re that much more desperate.”

If Nishino-kun’s guess turns out to be correct and the Queen Ant is an immobile monster, she must have felt a considerable amount of crisis when her location was found out.

(But I highly doubt that their strategy only amounts to overwhelming us with superior numbers…there should be something else planned for us.)

Nishino-kun is also aware of this.

He has been constantly looking around at our surroundings in the course of the battle.

“Hey, Nishino! Some superior species are mixed in with the Ants!”

One of the students shouts out loud.

Three superior supecies appear from the holes which the Ants have dug out.

They’re bipedal and possess swords, just like the Soldier Ants from before.

“Rikka will be fighting against the superior species! Ichinose and Goshogawara-san will support her! Others are to wipe out the rest of the Ants so that they don’t get in the way!”

“““Roger!”””

The battle becomes fiercer than before. In the meantime, the “unpleasant feeling” continues to grow stronger.

(Sh*t, I can’t pay attention…)

Strange.

The feeling from the skill has never been so strong before.

I want to deactivate some of my skills, but then I wouldn’t be able to detect the Ants either.

(Concentrate…Concentrate…)

I pull the trigger, causing one of the Soldier Ants to collapse.

“You have gained experience.”

The “unpleasant feeling” intensifies.

No matter how much I concentrate, the “unpleasant feeling” doesn’t leave me.

It’s as if the skill is urging me to rush there.

Impossible. What am I even saying?

Skills are just skills. There’s no way that they have wills of their own.

–Then why?

There’s only one possibility.

“…”

I pull the trigger. The head of another superior species is blown away.

“You have gained experience.”

“Kudou Kazuto’s level has increased from 22 to 23.”

Alright, I leveled up.

With this, I can acquire my fourth occupation. I finally did it.

“Nuoriyaaa!”

Rikka-chan decimates the last Solider Ant.

“Wow! I leveled up!”

“Don’t let your guards down! There are still more coming!”

Yes, focus.

It doesn’t matter what happens to those guys.

It’s not my business anyway.

The path in front of us opens up.

“Start running! The Underground Shopping Mall is just around the corner!”

“““Understood!”””

I start running with Nishino-kun and the others to shake off my thoughts.

Going back in time…

Kazuto’s former colleagues were heading towards the Underground Shopping Mall under Chief Shimizu’s command.

“So far, we haven’t come across any problem…”

“Yeah…”

They were halfway to the Underground Shopping Mall.

Up to this point, they had progressed without encountering too many monsters.

Nijou, who had detection skills, was on the lookout.

“Don’t you think we’ll be the first to arrive?”

“Haha, maybe.”

“D-don’t let your guards down, everyone.”

Their team consisted of 8 people, and all of them were her former colleagues who worked under the same company.

After leaving the City Hall, they had fought with the Ants twice, but the Ants’ numbers were small and they had prepared enough pesticides, so they were able to beat the monsters easily.

Their vigilance naturally fell as well.

Eventually, the deserted Shopping District appeared in front of them, and the tension running through the team increased.

Under the tingling pressure, one of the male employees raised his voice.

“Um… Chief, is it okay to have one puff before we enter?”

“Inoue-kun, you really are…”

While she was fed up with his request, Shimizu nevertheless checked her wristwatch.

Their plan was to confirm each other’s safety with smoke bombs once the teams were positioned to raid the Underground Shopping Mall.

There weren’t any signs of smoke rising from the direction of the City Hall group or the Student Group, so there was still some time.

“Okay, let’s take a short break here. But you can only smoke one, okay?”

“Thank you. Oh, and please have this.”

The man named Inoue took out a bottle of water and handed it to Shimizu.

“Ara, sorry about that.”

“It’s fine. This is part of my job as the luggage carrier.”

When he finished distributing water to the other members, he lit a cigarette to relax.

Some colleagues he was close with also lit one for themselves.

Shimizu and Nijou each took a sip of water after opening the lids of the bottles.

“Well, this is where things actually start.”

“Yes…I’ll try my best.”

It was a battle where they had to win no matter what.

Thinking so, Nijou encouraged herself.

At the same time, her eyes met with Inoue’s.

He was smoking and not doing anything with the water bottle on his hand.

In addition, he was staring at them with a dark gaze.

What was he doing? It was as if he was waiting for something—

“…Huh?”

Suddenly, strength left her body.

Having lost control over her body, Nijou collapsed on the spot.

“What… is this?”

She was numb and couldn’t move.

Looking around, she saw that the others including Chief Shimizu were on the ground as well.

The only ones standings were Inoue and his friends.

“Ihi…”

Inoue’s mouth widened into the shape of a crescent moon.

“Hiya…hahahahaahahahahaahaha.”

He laughed like a lunatic.

“I never thought it would be so easy.”

“What do you mean? Inoue-san…?”

“You still don’t get it? Nijou-chan, you’re really stupid.”

Inoueu picked up the bottle that had fallen beside Nijou.

“This thing contains ‘paralysis poison’. It’s a special product made with this guy’s ‘Drug Generation’ skill. If you don’t have ‘Paralysis Resistance’, you won’t be able to move for around five minutes.”

Inoue looked at one of his friends who was laughing behind him. Just like Shibata, he was someone with the “Doctor” occupation.

However, he had never told anyone that he could use “Drug Generation” to cause paralytic poisoning.

That, however, was understandable. Reports on the effects of skills were mostly voluntary, especially when it came to skills related to detection and support.

He had been hiding it until this time.

But why?

The answer soon revealed itself.

“Shall we get to work before the poison stops working?”

Inoue took out a survival knife from his bosom in the midst of Nijou’s confusion.

Slowly, he walked towards one of his colleagues on the ground.

“H-hey, you’re kidding, right?”

“What is?”

Inoue impaled the knife into the body of his colleague who was incapable of moving.

“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

A scream reverberated through the air.

“Inoue-kun! What-what do you think you are doing!?”

“It’s just, as you see, Chief Shimizu…”

Zaku.

Again and again, Inoue stabbed his male colleague.

The man who was stabbed over and over again spasmed before dropping dead.

— He had died. So simply, too.

“Oh…?”

Inoue tilted his head. Then, he nodded in understanding and said, “I see, I see.”

“Just now, one of our teammates died in an unfortunate accident. Yes.”

“Huh..? What on earth are you saying…?”

“Am, I right, guys?”

“That’s right.” “Yes, it was an accident.” “It couldn’t be helped.”

His friends agreed to his words.

Shimizu and Nijou were stunned by what they were seeing. What were they saying?

“Chief Shimizu, our team was unlucky and was ambushed by a huge army of ants.”

Inoue said so in a gentle and consoling tone.

Inoue fiddled with his knife and turned towards the other male colleague who was lying down.

“Hyii….!”

The man understood what was going to happen to him.

He struggled desperately to escape, but it was meaningless due to the paralysis.

Suta suta.

Inoue approached him.

“During the struggle, two of our colleagues perished.”

Zaku zaku.

He swung the knife down without any hesitation.

Covered in blood, the man eventually passed away.

“As I thought”, Inoue continued while smiling deeply.

“In the end, the remaining members somehow managed to escape from the predicament and returned to the City Hall. The end. What a good ending.”

With an ecstatic expression, Inoue spread his arms open and stared down at his former colleagues.

“It’s that kind of scenario. Do you understand?”

“Are you insane…?”

“What an awful thing to say.”

With a handkerchief, Inoue wiped off the blood on his knife and grinned.

“Well then. Chief Shimizu. Nijou-chan. You have two options.”

He let out a giggle.

“You can either die after becoming our toy, or you can live as our slaves after we’re done toying with your bodies. Which do you prefer?”

He mouthed something utterly ridiculous.

“Don’t be silly!”

“That’s right! What’s wrong with you, Inoue-san!? Everyone else as well!”

Although they protested loudly, Inoue and his friends just kept smiling in a creepy manner.

“Hey, do you recognize your own position?”

“That’s my line! Do you think you’ll be able to walk away scot free?”

“But of course!”

Inoue was confident.

“With how things are now, what’s wrong with killing a person or two? There aren’t judges or police officers to condemn us, you know? Then what’s there to hold back? It’s for the best to live as we desire, am I right?”

Am I right? When he turned around to ask his colleagues, they nodded in agreement.

“That’s not the way of life for humans. You guys are acting like beasts.”

“The strong devours the weak. Oh, right. Although I did ask you to decide, it’s not like you two have a choice.”

Inoue summoned two collars which exuded suspicious lights.

“What’s that…?”

“‘Enslavement’. It’s a skill that allows me to enslave the people wearing these collars. They will speak and act as I desire. Hihi~ although its level is low because I just got it yesterday, I should be able to somewhat control two people. ”

“You’re lying…. That’s absurd! There’s no way that such a skill would exist!”

“But the truth is, it exists~. Normally, I wouldn’t be able to get it unless I become a ‘Slave Merchant’, an advanced occupation… However, I should really thank ‘that person’. It’s all thanks to ‘that person’ that we can experience something so juicy. We’ll make sure to give you both lots of love.”

Nijou and Shimizu turned pale at his words.

“No…S-stop…!”

“Hihi, what’s that, Chief Shimizu!? I didn’t know you can make such a face. It’s so stimulating!”

“Hey, Inoue, let’s do it quickly. I can’t hold back anymore.”

“Neither can I.”

“Quick. I’ve always dreamt of doing it with these two.”

Their hands were closing in on them. The two paralyzed women had no way to resist what was happening.

(Why… why is this happening…)

Nijou was unable to accept the reality in front of her.

Inoue’s companions picked them up and forced them to stand.

“Now, should we start with Nijou-chan?”

The collar on Inoue’s hands was nearing her throat.

Her skills and instinct were telling her that they weren’t lying.

The moment the collar was put on her, she would lose her sense of self.

She would become a slave— no, a doll.

The moment she arrived at this conclusion, her body trembled in fear.

“Ah…ah….”

Was this… where her life would end?

Would she become their slave without knowing why and without meeting her loved one?

She… WAS UNWILLING!

“AAAAAAAAA!”

The moment the collar approached, Nijou squeezed every bit of her power to bite Inoue’s finger.

“Guaaaa! Let go! You little bitch! Aahhh!”

“UUuuuuuu!”

She did not let go. Inoue’s companions were trying their best to tear her off. Refusing to let go, she ended up ripping off Inoue’s finger.

She spit it out. The taste of blood spread in her mouth.

Serves you right.

“You…YOU! DON’T MESS WITH ME! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!”

“Ah…ah…”

She was beaten. Over and over and over again.

“Is the paralysis about to be end? Causing so much trouble…Damn it, it hurts.”

“Hey… Inoue, you okay? Do you want me to treat —”

“Shut up! Be quite!”

Inoue summoned the collar again.

Unlike before, he was careful. Her body couldn’t move anymore either.

She was truly incapable of resisting this time.

But she didn’t… no, she wasn’t willing to give up.

She had to live on and meet that person.

“Save… me…”

“Ah?”

“SAVE ME! KAZUTO-SENPAI!!”

“Heard you loud and clear.”

She heard a voice which she shouldn’t have been able to hear.

The next moment, Inoue drew a big arc and was blown away.

“…Eh?”

She unknowingly let out a stupefied sound.

What happened?josei

When she turned her gaze, it finally dawned on her that Inoue had been sent flying.

Additionally, when she saw the person who had appeared, Nijou widened her eyes.

Both Inoue’s friends and Chief Shimizu were staring flabbergasted at the person who entered the stage.

“Ah…”

I wanted to meet you. I wanted to meet you. I wanted to meet you. I wanted to meet you.

She had imagined his figure numerous times and cried just as many times.

Perhaps he was dead. Perhaps they wouldn’t meet ever again.

Despite all these thoughts, she had never thought of giving up.

“Senpai….”

She was finally united with him again… in this hell…

With him, who radiated the warmth of the Sun.

Tears running down her eyes, she called out for his name.

“Kazuto senpai!”

Standing there was the man she had been waiting for.”