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

I stare at the treasure box in the middle of the intersection.

It’s suspicious…too suspicious.

Like, it’s clearly going to be a trap, right?

Not even a trap, what if it was a monster? One of those mimic things.

But then again, ‘Hostility Detection’, ‘Danger Detection’ and ‘Scouting’ were not picking anything up.

But how could it be anything else…

If anything, the fact that they weren’t picking anything up was also suspicious.

Maybe there was a skill that ‘interfered with detection.’

I already knew that there was an ‘Appraisal Interference’ skill, so there could be other similar skills as well.

“But there is also a possibility that it is a real treasure chest…”

I wonder what could be inside, if it was real?

Treasure? Magical stones? Or maybe weapons?

I couldn’t say that I wasn’t very curious.

“Maybe I’ll test it a little.”

I moved to an area that put us out of sight from the cross-section.

First, I would try throwing a rock.

Bullseye.

Nothing happened.

“Momo.”

“Bark!”

I had Momo use her ‘shadow’ to stretch out toward the chest and try opening it.

And right when Momo’s shadow touched the treasure chest—-

“SHHHAAAAAAA!!”

The treasure chest swung open and a monster that resembled a hermit crab jumped out.

Its body was clearly larger than the treasure chest itself.

How had it fit in there?

What were the laws of physics doing right now?

“Oh well, so it was a monster…”

It wasn’t a treasure chest. It was just a mimic…

Crap. I regretted getting my hopes up so high.

And just as the mimic showed itself, ‘Hostility Detection’ and ‘Scouting’ began to react.

So it was using some kind of interference skill.

But apparently, the effect was lost once it came out of the box.

“SHHHHHAAAAAAA—AAA–?|

The mimic then realized that there was no prey in front of it. It made a questioning gesture.

The gesture made it seem a little cute.

But monsters are still monsters.

I would have no mercy.

The position of the mimic was right inside the area of effect for my Item Box.

“—Get crushed.”

I unleash some heavy machinery that I had swiped from the construction site over the mimic’s head.

There was a wet sound as it was flattened.

<<You have received experience points.>>

The voice in my head announces.

I had been able to kill the mimic in one shot.

It was surprisingly not much of a threat.

I quickly retrieve the machine.

There was now a yellow magic stone where the mimic had once been.

When I place it in my Item Box, the description reads ‘Magic stone of a Mimic(Small).’

As a threat, it hadn’t been much different compared to a goblin or a lesser wolf.

Well, it was clearly a trap, after all.

However, things could get worse if this meant that there were ‘mimics’ that turned into other objects other than treasure chests.

Ordinary supplies—drawers and garbage buckets. Those would be so much more dangerous.

I would have to be more careful in the future.

“I think I will raise the level for ‘Detection’ type skills next then…”

If I raised ‘Scouting’ and ‘Danger Detection,’ maybe I will be able to see through the disguises of mimics.

It would probably be more useful for me, compared to ‘Physical Strengthening’ or “Swordsmanship.’

I probably should have put more thought into how I allocated my skill points from the beginning.

Well, there was no point in regretting over things that had already happened.

I would just do better next time.

“Now, let’s get going. Momo.”

“Bark!”

We started towards the home center once again.

—The scene now changes to the home center.

The home center resting room.

Here the students gathered, with Nishino as the head. They were discussing their future plans.

There was a map of the town laid out on the table, and there were several places that were marked.

“Well then, Shibata and Ono. I want you two to split up and search the surrounding area. Getting new food supplies is your priority, but I don’t want you to do anything foolish either. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, I got it.”

The punk-like Shibata and the glasses wearing, weak-looking Ono both replied.

Behind them, several other students were standing.

“Also, let’s look for other places of refuge. If there is any place that is safer than here, we’ll figure out a route and relocate. If there are other refugees there already, we will negotiate with them. …Our families may even be there. Let’s do our best.”

Nishino explained as he pointed at the map.

All of the routes and territories that had been assigned were logical and something the others were satisfied with.

The students nodded.

“Alright, you should set out then. I’m counting on all of you.”

“Yes!”

The scouting group replied eagerly and then filed out of the room.

“The rest of you will continue to protect this place. You should also have the refugees help you. Some of them were able to level up after yesterday. I’ll leave the rotation up to you. But try not to be too stressed out about it.”

“Understood.”

The remaining students answered before leaving the room as well.

Now the only ones left were Nishino and the female student with the side ponytail.

“They’re gone now… Good. Rikka, let’s go and help the people who haven’t been able to level up yet. Okay?”

“What. Seriously? That sounds incredibly boring to me…”

The girl called Rikka had an undisguised expression of disapproval on her face.

“Don’t be like that… You are the strongest out of all of us here. And considering our skills go well together, it makes sense for us to act as a pair. And I explained the reason to you yesterday, didn’t I? We need stronger men right now.”

“Mmmm, I do understand what you are saying, Nisshi…”

Rikka put her hands behind her head and frowned.

Apparently ‘Nisshi’ was her nickname for Nishino.

“To be honest, I don’t think there is much point in helping those old men level up. They will only get in our way. Especially the bald one. He is still talking about how he refuses to kill monsters. It’s so lame.”

“…”

“In fact, why don’t you just murder them and pretend it was an accident? That way we will even get some experience poi–”

“Rikka!”

Rikka jumped a little as Nishino yelled at her.

She put a hand to her mouth and looked away apologetically.

“Oh…I’m sorry. Forget I said that…”

“Don’t you ever say something like that again. That is something I don’t want anyone else to know about. If they did, there will definitely be someone willing to cross that line. It is something I will…never allow.”

“…Yes, I know.”

Nishino and Rikka left the resting room.

There was something tense in their expressions.