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

After leaving the shopping mall, I walk towards our designated meeting spot, which only takes a few minutes on foot. Since I don’t see any monsters around, I should be able to arrive unhindered.

“I’m here…”

I reach the mansion without encountering any problems. Wait. Now that I’ve arrived, I realize how we haven’t specified an exact place. Is it by the entrance? Or is it in one of the vacant rooms? For now, let’s mail Ichinose-san. Oh, something’s here. I click on the unread mail and check its content.

‘I am near the entrance.’ Or so the short mail says.

“The… entrance?”

I look towards the entrance, and I don’t see anyone. But… I am getting this unsettling feeling.

“Kun~?”

Momo tilts her head and also stares at the entrance. Yeah, something feels wrong. How should I describe it… it’s like how one would feel when he or she looks at a piece of trick art or an illusion. Oh, another mail has arrived.

‘Sorry, I’ll undo the skill right now so please wait a while.’ “?”

When I tilt my head, I suddenly feel someone’s gaze. It’s similar to the one that I felt during my battle with the goblins. The gaze is coming from the mansion’s entrance. I squint my eyes, and — “Eh?” The scene “distorts”. The distortion settles quickly. There, I see a girl who is sitting down with her gun.

“Um, uh…”

In front of me who is confused, she stands up and lowers her head.

“This is our first time directly meeting with each other. Nice to meet you, my name is Ichinose Natsu. Please treat me well.” Having said that, the girl bows (T.N – Didn’t she already lower her head??).

“Nice to meet you too, I’m Kudou Kazuto.” I also introduce myself while lowering my head. Even though we are already acquainted, we exchange formal greetings.

“These are my party members – Momo and Aka.” “Wan!”

“Furu Furu”

Momo greets her enthusiastically. Since Aka is still in its “clothe” form, it slightly shakes itself as a greeting. By the way, Ichinose-san already knows of Aka’s existence. Apparently, she met Aka along with Momo when I was out cold.

“Was that… a skill?”

“Yes, my job is a < Hiki Komori>, and among the skills that I acquired, there was one called ‘Cognitive Impediment’. It makes it difficult for other people to realize the user’s existence. However, there are of course several restrictions to it.” Ichinose-san blurts out an answer without any hint of hesitation. So it was “Cognitive Impediment”. How convenient. It’s a skill that truly fits a < Hiki Komori>. Even so… “…” “… Is something wrong?” When I stare at her for an extended period of time, she tilts her head and asks. Hmmm, yeah. Let’s just ask in a straightforward manner.

“So, I’m curious about something… why have you been avoiding eye contact ever since we met?” She has been glancing sideways for a while now. Her face is neat and orderly, so it doesn’t look half bad, but surely this is not how people should behave when they’re talking with others.

“I’ve been thinking about several things.” Ichinose-san sighs deeply. She sounds a bit tired.

“It’s embarrassing to say this, but I’m an antisocial Hiki Komori. It’s to the point where I start feeling sick when I have to converse with strangers.” Well, yeah. I kind of noticed that through our exchange of mails.

“That’s why I’ve been wondering whether I would be able to bear partying up with someone else, especially when that person is of the opposite s.e.x.” “Oh, okay.” “So this is what I thought. Since we can hold normal conversations through mails, if I don’t have to face you directly, wouldn’t I be able to communicate without a problem as well? And my hypothesis turned out true.” It troubles me that a hypothesis like that holds true. Also, hearing that explanation while her head is turned gives me a peculiar feeling.

“Kun~?”

Momo still has her head tilt as if she doesn’t understand what is going on. It’s okay for you to stay oblivious, Momo. Please stay innocent.

“With all that said, I’ll be in your care.” Ichinose-san bows her head while looking to the sides.

< Individual Ichinose Natsu is looking at you. She wants to be your companion. Do you accept?> Dude, she’s not even looking at me. Rather, she’s facing a completely different direction.

“…”

W, well, it doesn’t matter. The answer is already set in stone. I pick ‘yes’.

<You have accepted the request. Ichinose Natsu has joined your party.> She must have heard the Heavenly Voice too as she looks visibly relieved. The information displayed under “Party Members” has her name in it. Let’s see… Ichinose Natsu LV 20 “…Huh?”

I check the screen again.

Ichinose Natsu LV 20

Wait. What. Her level’s so high!? This person has 4 more levels than me. How much monsters have you hunted!

“Ichinose-san, I’m just curious. In order to raise your level this much, what exactly did you—Huh?” When I glance at her, I see her shaking. Approaching her, I notice her complexion turning pale.

“Hey, Ichinose-san! Are you okay?” I rush towards her and grab her shoulders. When I look at her face – “… I, I’m sorry. I thought I’ll be fine… but I can’t hold on anymore.” “Eh?” “Crisis Sensing” blares in my head, but it is too late. The next moment.

“Ue-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e” I confront her vomit head-on. A sour smell and an awkward atmosphere permeate through the air.

“A… Aim zorry…”

“Uh… yes…”

Thus, my first contact with Ichinose-san became a shocking story where someone puked on a person that she has just met. I want to cry.

On the other hand — A flock of orcs were moving away from the home center and towards the shopping mall. This was because of an orc that separated from the group and acted independently. Rufen wasn’t returning. An individual who received a name from the heaven, who possessed a reddish skin, and who was clearly more powerful than the others in the pack. While he was a special existence due to his overwhelming strength and unique worldview, none of the orcs doubted his abilities. The fact that he wasn’t returning was an obvious sign of abnormalities for the orcs.

“We shall search”

None objected. Rufen should be alive. However, there was a high chance of him being impeded by unexpected circ.u.mstances. Recently, it has rained a lot. While Rufen was noticeably more powerful than the rest, his weakness seemed to have been amplified as well. For some turn of events, he might have been rendered immobile after being bathed in water. He had to be found quickly.

“…?”

Suddenly, an orc touched his nose. Following that, the others also started to look around their surroundings.

— They were surrounded.

“Come out!”

As an orc shouted, the figure of a monster appeared on a roof. It was a large wolf with black hairs- a Shadow Wolf. Others also started appearing one after another. Each and every one of them was at a high elevation, looking down at the orcs. This behavior stimulated the pride of the orcs.

“Impudent.”

It was unforgivable that these lowly dogs were looking down on them. Even without Rufen, their individual prowess was greater than a Shadow Wolf’s. The orcs immediately armed themselves.

“Kill”

With a roar, the orcs charged. After all, their enemies were only dogs. They weren’t the orcs’ opponents… or so they thought. Soon enough, ‘darkness’ appeared under the orcs’ feet.

“What’s this!?”

The orcs panicked. The ‘darkness’ grew in size rapidly and started to devour the orcs. Unbelievable, thought the orcs. The shadows that Shadow Wolves manipulated weren’t able to do something like this. This, this was something– “…!?” Suddenly, the orcs felt something unpleasant and turned around. When did it appear? In the middle of the road, in front of the orcs, there stood a lone, black wolf. Compared to the other Shadow Wolves, it was a size smaller. However, the aura around it was fundamentally different.

—- A Superior Individual.

And a powerful one at that. The orcs held their breaths.

“Uo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!” Along with the black wolf’s roar, the ‘darkness’ expanded. Despite their constant struggle, the orcs weren’t able to escape from it. Gradually, the orcs were being devoured. It wasn’t only the orcs that were being devoured. Including the buildings, everything around the orcs was being swallowed by the ‘darkness’.

“Guo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o”

It was only after they witnessed the events that the orcs started to realize why the wolves were on top of buildings. They weren’t trying to look down on the orcs. They were preventing themselves from being sucked in by the ‘darkness’. Despite knowing all this, nothing could be done at this point. Just before being swallowed, an orc had eye contact with the black wolf that caused all this. The wolf’s eyes appeared as if they were staring at insects. So this is it- the orc accepted his fate.

(… Rufen, sorry…)

At the last second, he apologized to his brother who was somewhere else. In such a manner, the group of over ten orcs was annihilated.

< You have gained experience. > An inorganic voice resounded inside its head. Dismissing the voice, the black wolf withdrew the ‘darkness’. It wasn’t interested in the orcs. They were only eliminated because they were a potential source of hindrance to the wolves.

“…It’s close.”

As the black wolf sniffed, it looked towards a certain direction. There was a faint smell. It was an odor that it had been constantly looking out for ever since the world turned crazy.

“… Wait right there.” Once again, the horde of Shadow Wolves began moving. A new threat was imminent.