Ch.85Midterm Exams (3)

Even during midterm exams, monster hunting couldn’t stop.

When dungeons disappeared, the monster population decreased, but some still remained.

If their numbers grew too high, attacks on people would increase, resulting in casualties or people becoming incapacitated. It was similar to dealing with dangerous wild animals.

‘Well… deaths are steadily occurring.’

I muttered while checking the news.

Deaths by sudden cardiac arrest were only mentioned in small obituaries. Human deaths weren’t significant enough to be reported as news.

Only incidents like the previous runaway train were newsworthy; the rest weren’t. They lacked the sensationalism that mass media craved.

Well… the police were somewhat different. They were investigating the pattern of cardiac arrest deaths and incapacitations occurring only within Emoshita. But the police were unaware of the hidden world. Naturally, their investigation was going nowhere.

‘So it’s up to us after all…’

Shit. Being directly involved in this was fucking awful. Why does the fate of the world rest on some school kids? Is there some compulsion that high school students must save the world?

Anyway, today I needed to hunt monsters again to reduce their numbers.

“Everyone!! Emergency assembly!! Militia, move out!!!”

I pretended to ring a bell.

“Hehehe. What militia?”

Taiga immediately grabbed his baseball bat.

“Awesome!! Monster hunting!!!”

Umi’s eyes lit up as she stood.

“Umi. Did you always enjoy monster hunting this much?”

I asked her.

Umi… didn’t particularly have a sense of mission about saving people from monsters.

Originally, Umi was different. She was the classic heroine who, after being saved from a life-threatening situation by the player, became devoted to helping them.

But my intervention changed things. Now she participated with a casual attitude, treating it like a club activity. Well, she performed her healer role well, so I had no complaints.

“Huh? Oh… after studying for exams so much, monster hunting feels fun?”

Umi said.

You know how it is. During exam periods, even cleaning your room becomes enjoyable. It’s a form of escapism.

“It’s great! Like going for a walk too!”

Umi was already enthusiastically holding her staff.

“Y-yeah…”

Well, if we have to do this anyway, enthusiasm is good. I decided to look at it positively.

Just then, Eri asked:

“By the way, I can’t figure out what your club does. What is it exactly?”

Eri tilted her head curiously.

“Huh? Oh…”

“Taiga always carries a baseball bat, Umi has that weird staff, and Shota carries a sword? You’re not doing anything criminal, right?”

Eri stared at us intently.

“Plus, you mentioned ‘monsters.’ What’s that about?”

Eri looked straight at me. This seemed serious—I needed to answer carefully.

Umi and Taiga immediately turned their gazes toward me. Yare yare. So I’m in charge of making excuses?

“Well… actually, we’re doing role-play. Like a party of heroes fighting monsters.”

I explained.

“Oh. Like kindergarteners or elementary school kids? My younger siblings do that sometimes.”

Eri accepted this explanation immediately.

“Yeah. It’s a bit embarrassing that we haven’t outgrown this kind of play, so we do it secretly at night.”

I said casually.

Eri was simpler than I expected. She was the type to believe whatever the boy she liked said.

“Well, Shota does have a childish side. That’s probably why he’s good with kids.”

Eri said with a chuckle.

“Oh, speaking of kids… how are they all doing?”

I smoothly changed the subject, expertly deploying my talent for escaping uncomfortable topics.

“They’re good. They’re always asking when you’ll visit again.”

Eri said with a smile.

“I’ll come by soon.”

I replied.

“Great. Let’s all play together again.”

Eri said.

After creating this warm atmosphere, our party set off to hunt monsters.

——–

Our regular meeting spot, Central Park.

There, Sasix was waving his arms around.

“Mosquitoes are starting to appear.”

Sasix clicked his tongue. He seemed to have been bitten several times already.

“It’s May already… should we change our meeting place?”

I suggested.

Meeting at my house wasn’t ideal. Romantic encounters with girlfriends were private matters. It would be awkward if discovered.

“Should we go to your place, Sasix? You live alone.”

I suggested.

“That’s… no.”

Sasix replied.

“Why?”

There shouldn’t be anything unusual about a player’s home in the game. It would make a perfect hideout.

“Absolutely not!!!”

Sasix shouted loudly.

What’s this about? Does he have something at home? I was puzzled.

But if he’s against it, there’s nothing I can do. Everyone has their privacy.

“Ah… I wish we could find a good hideout somewhere.”

Something like a superhero headquarters from a tokusatsu show would be nice. A club room would work too.

“Oh! The Soul Room! That place would be good. But… Umi and Taiga can’t enter.”

I clicked my tongue in disappointment. Only Sasix and I could see the Soul Room.

“You’re casually thinking of occupying that place… you’d be permanently banned.”

Sasix said.

“So what? They’d forgive me quickly.”

I replied nonchalantly.

“You have this mentality of needing to occupy and wreck things to be satisfied… Were your ancestors barbarians?”

Sasix said something that could be considered harsh.

Anyway, we decided to think about the hideout issue later. Meeting in a forest like this during summer would be a feast for mosquitoes. Literally.

——–

We began our routine monster hunt.

“Hyaaaah!!!”

I immediately summoned Pinocchio to use as a shield.

“Shield Bash!!!”

Then, I swung Pinocchio to smash a skeleton soldier in front. Despite being used to headbutt monsters, Pinocchio no longer even screamed. He had become accustomed to the pain.

CRASH-!!!

With my level now at 24, my strength had increased considerably. What was originally a technique meant to break an enemy’s stance now had significant power. The skeleton soldier crumbled into powder. This one must have been a weakling—its bones were completely brittle.

“Hyaaaah!!”

Next, I swung my sword.

SWOOSH-!!

The red light characteristic of the Demon Sword Tomato trailed behind my sword strike like a beam.

The sword cut through the skeleton soldiers’ bodies. Enemies that previously took two hits now died in one. I didn’t even need to exchange blows. The increase in strength was palpable.

“GRRRR!!”

Soon, more skeleton soldiers charged toward us. There were many of them.

“Sasix!!! Let’s test your new psychorobo!! Their weakness is physical attacks!!”

I said while blocking attacks with Pinocchio.

Like a proper tank, I gathered the mobs nicely. Now an area attack would finish them in one go.

“Come forth!! Uwang 799!!!”

Sasix brought out his psychorobo. This powerful psychorobo could be considered the reward for winning Hoeta’s duel tournament.

“UOOOOOOH!!!!!”

A half-mechanical, bull-shaped monster appeared. It looked badass as always.

“Giant Punch!!!!”

Sasix immediately activated a high-level physical attack skill.

WHOOOOSH-!!!

Uwang 799 swung its massive fist.

As fighting spirit surged from the fist, it smashed through the skeleton soldiers in front.

KABOOOOM-!!!!!!!

The skeleton soldiers were pulverized into dust.

Damn, that’s strong. I realized once again that this game was all about psychorobo power.

“Fuuuuuck.”

Snake mode activated.

While I had to swing my sword meticulously to defeat monsters, Sasix just summoned a bull and boom—monsters were cleared. This is what social inequality looks like.

“Sasix. Must be nice having a good psychorobo, huh?”

A twisted comment escaped my lips.

“Why are you consumed by jealousy again?”

Sasix said with an exasperated expression.

“Sigh. Fine. It’s my fate. My fate to fight with this burning piece of trash!!!”

I shouted loudly.

Just then, Pinocchio popped out.

“Master!! Don’t I look like that psychorobo too?”

Pinocchio said, placing two twigs on his head.

They did look somewhat like a bull’s horns.

“Even if I’m not Uwang 799… couldn’t I be at least Uwang 001?”

Pinocchio asked.

“Why are you overestimating yourself as a positive number? You’re Uwang -3000.”

I replied. The nerve of him to subtly promote himself.

“That’s too mean!!!”

Pinocchio shouted loudly.

“By the way, when did you reach level 24? You were at 20 before.”

Taiga asked.

“Well… talent? Something like that.”

I evaded the question. If I mentioned practicing lucid dreaming techniques, it would be dismissed as my usual nonsense.

“Even though it sounds conceited when you say it yourself… Shota does have talent. My dad always praises him too.”

Umi said.

“Shota’s a big help. While he holds off enemies at the front, I can focus on summoning psychorobos.”

Sasix patted my shoulder as he spoke.

“Oh my~ Our leader’s praise! It warms my heart!! Hehehe!”

I immediately switched to groveling mode toward Sasix.

“Wow… disgusting.”

Umi gave me a cold look. Just wait until we get home.

“Really. If only he were this respectful to us.”

Taiga said with a smile.

Anyway, after finishing our hunt, we headed home.

Ping-!

As I was about to return home, I felt a chill from behind. Someone was emanating killing intent toward me.

I quickly turned around. However, there was no one there.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

Umi asked me.

“…Nothing. It’s nothing.”

I shook my head.

“Creating a mood for no reason. You don’t need to do that… you’re cool enough already.”

Taiga started with her usual teasing tone but threw in a curveball that made me happy.

“Taiga! Where did you learn to say such sweet things!”

I smiled and immediately hugged her.

“Hehehe. Who knows~”

Taiga acted cute and kissed me.

“Oh my… I lost.”

Umi clicked her tongue in frustration.

Whatever. It was probably just my imagination. With that thought, I returned home with Umi and Taiga on either side. Another day was about to conclude.