Chapter 27 – Just now a formidable enemy appeared in my sight.
With Momo, we are on our way toward the home center.
Walking to there, it is about a 20 minutes walk.
After leaving the condominium, we followed the path outside the main street.
To stand out as less as possible, quietly.
By the way, Momo now is in the 『Momo』
If anything happens, it can comes out immediately at my order.
Proceeding along the road, we found a new monster slightly apart from the home center.
The thing quietly stood hidden in the bushes on the side of the road.
It has a size just a bit larger than a basketball.
It is a semi-transparent blue sphere; a small ball can be seen floating inside and bubbles, which are likely air, are emerging.
This is a rule of fantasy.
In line with Goblins and Orc as the most common monsters.
Yes, it is a slime.
「Ooo…..」
In fact, when I look at the creature it is far stranger than what I originally thought.
Unlike certain games, the creature has no eyes.
It looks like a big amoeba, or like the head part of a jellyfish….. It is hard to depict its shape.
In any case, how strong is a slime?
I don’t think it is that strong.『Crisis perception』doesn’t give much response toward it…..
「Momo」
「……Wan.」
Momo peeked out of its 『Shadow』to see the situation.
The slime slowly moved, like a slug. It melted the grass on its path.
Is it eating that?
There’s no appearance of it noticing us.
「…… Shall we hunt?」
「Wan.」
Momo acquiesced and immediately release its 『Shadow』toward the slime.
After it is restrained I will be able to kill it with the refrigerator.
It’s a combo offered on an iron plate.
The stretched shadow restrains the slime in but an instant.
But at the next moment, we had an unexpected situation.
Chiyuurun.
The Slime have slipped away from the grip of the shadow.
With a Poyon, it falls to the ground.
And as if nothing had happened, he resumed to eat grass.
Wh-what, how…..!?
The creature could get away from Momo’s Shadow!?
「Uu…..!」
Mo-momo is mortified by the sight.
Wait, it is kawaii.
「Calm down Momo.」
I caress Momo to calm her as I take the refrigerator out.
It’s fine.Even if not restrained by Momo’s Shadow, the creature has dull movements.
Bring it down for the kill!
The released refrigerator crushes the slime.
But once again my expectations got betrayed.
Out from the bottom of the refrigerator crawled the slime with its flattened body.
The part resembling its core also got flattened.
Then, as if nothing happened, the slime reformed and began eating grass again.
Annoying.
Perhaps it is wrong, but after what we did was ineffective, there’s something very frustrating with it eating grass again!
「Gurururu…..!」
Momo’s groaning.
Ca-calm down Momo.
Momo as such, for the first time. Kawaii.
I mean, seriously, is the slime immune to any physical attack?
What about a slash?
I take out the kitchen knife and approach the creature.
The slime is still munching, there’s no reaction to my approach whatsoever.
By now with the『Shadow』and the attack with the refrigerator, the slime should have noticed us already……
Perhaps a slime has no means of attack?
No, since『Hostility perception』shows no reaction, is it because there’s not even an intent of 『Hostility』?
I brandish my knife, ready my aim and slash at the nucleus. What?
Aside from a little change in the slime’s shape, it is perfectly intact.
There it starts eating the grass again.
Take this! Take this! Take this!
Gunyun, pururun, poyonpoyon.
The slime is completely unharmed.
Gunununu……!
It’s tough.
What with this?
A slime is such an annoying opponent!?
Even if you crush it, you can’t kill it; it is also impossible to defeat with a physical attack.
Physical is useless….. If so, how about other attack methods?
Fire for example.
I take some oil out and a match to light it.
If I had a spray, I could so something like an instant flamethrower but I don’t have any consumable of the kind at hand.
Considering I could get burned if I start the fire directly, Momo forms its 『Shadow』like a hand and hold the match.
The action caught the slime on fire.
「Oh.」
The effect was immediate.
As soon as the slime to which we couldn’t do any damage a while ago started to burn, it immediately rushed and struggled.
The creature desperately tries to extinguish the fire but to no avail.
Before long the slime’s body broke and disappeared.
≪Earning experience points≫
The Heavenly voice echoed in my head.
Where the slime stood before disappearing, a green magic stone now stands.
After I put it in my store, the name displayed was 『Slime’s magical stone (Minimal)』
「Fuuu…..」
In a way, this was the most troublesome thing we encountered so far.
It was my first time meeting a monster that could withstand physical attacks.
For the time spent and the tools used, the value of experience is simply too small.
I used a considerable amount of oil to defeat one.
Hmm, the return for the labor and resources isn’t worth it.
Also considering the creature doesn’t attack on its own.
The slime is harmless and just eat grass; if I notice another slime I just have to ignore it.
Is fire the weakness of a slime?
I hope that there will be weaknesses for that High Orc too.
It’s improbable, that guy…..
I gave the slime’s magic stone to Momo and we resume our movements.
We hunted three Goblins on the way.
Yes, it’s easy when we’re against Goblins.
But my level didn’t rise.Too bad.
Momo and I arrived at the home center after a while.
The neighborhood is a shopping mall lined with commerces.
Home center, supermarket, drug store, book store and more. The parking lot is wide and there’s a lot of customers.
There seem to be no monsters around, I can’t see any.
However some『Returning customers』are here.
「That’s what I tell you, we came here first! It’s not my problem idiots, stay outside!」
「Well, that! This place isn’t yours! We desperately escaped and ran for our lives!」
「It’s fine, until the JSDF came to rescue us!」
「True! It would be normal to help each others like this!」
「Quick, let us in! What if some monsters attack us, what will we do!」
「I don’t know! You can die! Anyway, this place is ours!」
They are near the entrance of the home center.
There are several delinquents with weapons and close to them stand nearly ten men and women voicing protests.
Uwaaa…..
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Chapter 28 – Students and refugees.
Uwaaa…..
There’s also troublesome people staying here.
I sighed in my mind.
From a lowered position at the corner of the parking lot, I take a look at the situation.
The escapees altogether are twelve people.
They are mostly adults.
As for the students they are five in total.
They resemble delinquents, dressing like the kind usually do.
They have iron pipes and survival knives in their hand and are intimidating the people who evacuated.
…… There are also people inside the home center.
At least four.
I’m a bit far from the home center, the range of『Search』 can’t cover the entire home center. But it appears that they have at least one group of companions inside.
With the skill『Improved hearing』 I could listen to their conversation.
「We occupied here first. Go seek another place!」
「We-well please don’t say such a thing. At least just the children…..」
「We can’t afford to do that, do something yourselves. You suck.」
「Please, I beg you.」
They keep repeating the same conversation.
Now, what should I do.
For the time being, let's remain quiet.
There would be no benefit to get involved.
Perhaps I would cram with them unskillfully, it would be troublesome to get caught within the group wishing for help.
Another student came out from the store when the refugees were too persistent.
The person is wearing flashy clothes but not vulgar.
With fashion and seemingly wanting to comprehend the situation, he stops next to the students.
The bad guys at the entrance are surprised, the new person is probably their leader.
「What with the commotion?」
「Ni-nishino-san.These guys―――」
The students at the entrance explain the circumstances to the student Nishino.
The evacuated people also have an expression of relief at the appearance of the young man.
After he listened, he came in front of the people.
「…… So I heard your story. The conclusion is still the same, we cannot accept you.」
「No way—–」
Despair found its place on the faces of the evacuees.
「With certain conditions however we could be able to add you among our companions.」
Conditions…..?
Only the cute girls?
Such thoughts crossed my mind but he said something totally different.
「Is there anyone experienced in killing monsters here? If so, I’ll accept you.」
…… What did he say?
Under this condition, the people are confused.
「…… It doesn’t appear that way. From now on, if you manage to kill one monster. It’s true for everyone. We will accept you among our companions.」
The people evacuated are crying and shouting; they don’t understand but I do.
Kill monsters. What does it mean?
「….. Some of these students, they have skills.」
I know nothing about their levels, but they certainly do have some abilities to fight monsters.
Then they chose this place (The home center) as their base, wise choice. There’s no problem concerning food or water here.
「In today’s world, if you kill a monster, your level goes up. You then gain skills and jobs to fight monsters. This is a fact we managed to verify in the past two days. If you want us to 『Help each other], we also need 『compensation. A compensation called『Strength』.」
Hee, how unexpected.
Just like that, he presented decent conditions and information.
Contrary to their looks, their claim is pretty decent, right?
But the fleeing people don’t believe in his story.
「What are you saying? I don’t get you guys」And「Skills and levels? It’s not a game! Joking like this is just terrible!」and also「You don’t see the reality!」They were shouting.
Come on…..
You guys are the one who doesn’t see the reality so much.
I mean they are the ones who『Ran away』in the first place. They don’t have the right to condemn. Somehow, 『Fighting monsters and sharing information about the world we obtained』 sounds far better.
I don’t know if any relief will come out of this situation, food is limited after all.
Everyone would give priority to themselves and their close friends in this situation.
Not to mention when carrying hindrances, surviving is impossible.
So when we think about their condition and their offering of companionship, let me tell you.
Their offer isn’t bad at all.
But still, the people in front of them can’t understand.
Seeing that shouting had no effects, one of the old men started a dogeza(Kneeling).
「I beg you! Please! Help us, please!」
The man rubbed his head on the ground then began to cling at the student’s legs.
Beholding the behavior, the students started to wince.
「Ge-get away, please !Even if you do such a thing, we are——」
「I beg you! Please! Please!」
… They really are『Troublesome』, aren’t they? These people.
I don’t want to join them, I don’t want them to run on me.
If they cry and cling to me, I don’t know what I will do.
I certainly don’t want to be involved.
「…… For now, let’s postpone going to the home center.」
Should we go to the drugstore or another place first?
I turned my heels, Momo and I left the spot.
Could it be possible for the students to 『Slay』properly?
While I could still hear the screams from the other side, I thought of such a thing for a moment.
The drugstore is near the home center.
While approaching, there was a response from『Search』.
「Even there are people……」
There are several men in the drugstore, and they are ransacking inside.
Looking at the place, these men are wearing student clothes, are they with the guys near the home center?
While using『Concealment』, I look at the situation for a while, they took as much as they could in baggages and left.
Seems that they don’t have an Item box.
「Yosh, shall we?」
「Wan.」
Being still careful, now that they are gone, Momo and I enter the drugstore.
There is still enough remaining.
Only the pharmaceutical shelves in the front were drawn in disorder. Many things remained in the back.
Cold medicine, pain relievers, bandages, gauzes and more.
Now, time to use my little Storage for all we can.
This time the effect of the Lv9 Item box is fully displayed.
Just thinking of『Storage』in my mind, and all the medicine before my eyes are stored.
This is a newly added effect.
Even without touching something directly with my hand, it’s now possible to use Storage on the items I can see directly to put them inside my Item box.
I can store up to ten things at once. The maximum range possible is about 5 meters.
It’s a terrific performance.
Thanks to this, it has made it possible to reduce the time being a Crisis thief substantially.
I put items from one end to another inside the Item box and just in a few minutes the store was completely empty.
When the level of the Item box size, so does its Storage capacity.
When I opened the list, the amount of thing I have was tremendous.
Even with all of these things, however, the Storage has yet to reach the limit.
Now I should probably go to other places.
After that, I also went around to the supermarket around the home center and to a restaurant and stored everything to the end.
Of course. Everything got stored neatly inside the Item box.
Really convenient. God-like.
Let’s definitively raise the level of the item box at the next level up.
If I do that, it’ll be my first kill reaching the Lv10 mark.
Perhaps there will be the much awaited「Preservation function」.
If it’s the case my food problem in this world would be almost solved.
Ah, I’m looking forward to it.
Momo and I were crazy about the things we get at the store, the sun was setting completely by the time I returned to the home center.
「…… Now, what about those guys?」
When I returned, the people at the entrance of the home center were gone.
For the time being, there are three boys remaining outside as watchmen.
Let me see…..
I approached just a little closer so that I could cover the entire home center within the range of 『Search』.
This—– Oh, I see.
「After all, you did accept them…..」
There was the sign of quite a lot of people within the home center.
The same signs I felt earlier.
In other words, they accepted those refugees.
Separately, I know I don’t have the right to say this; but is it fine?
Or are you planning to raise the level of everyone forcibly?
Well, whichever way.
「Now….. From which side can I raid?」
In the end, I didn’t give up to the supplies inside the home center.
Also, I wonder what level they have and what information they know.
「It looks feasible to get inside from the back.」
Now, should I move and see?
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