Chapter 122
After parting ways with Fujita-san, I ride through the mountains.
The parking area is already far behind me.
"We should be fine now, right?"
I stop the motorcycle in a suitable spot and put it in my Item Box.
Since I'd borrowed it from City Hall, I wasn't sure if I could store it, but apparently there was no problem. ...I still don't understand the rules for storing things.
I leave the national highway and head into a nearby grove.
No one should be able to see me here.
"Kiki, come on out."
"Kyuu."
Kiki appears from inside my hood.
It climbs onto my shoulder, but I grab it gently by the scruff and lower it to the ground.
"Kyuu?"
Why are you putting me down? I don't wanna! Kiki tries to climb back up my body, but I forcibly pry it off.
"Kiki, I'll tell you this first. I'm about to show you what I really look like."
"Kyuu?"
Just to be safe, I look around.
It's fine. There's no one here.
The trees block the view, and 'Search' hasn't detected anyone.
There's no worry about anyone seeing me.
I dispel my ninjutsu.
Ichinose-san's form dissolves, revealing my true appearance.
"Phew... It really is more relaxing to be back to normal..."
My original appearance really does feel the most comfortable.
While using the transformation technique, it always felt like I was forcing myself into clothes that didn't fit. I feel much better.
Now, how will Kiki react?
"...Kyuu?"
"Huh...? That's a weaker reaction than I expected."
I thought Kiki would be more surprised—or rather, I'd even considered the possibility that it might run away—but its reaction was far more casual than I'd expected.
Kiki tilted its head, as if to ask, "So what?"
"Kyuu-kyuu."
It climbed up my body again and rubbed against me.
Its fluffy tail tickled my neck.
(I've often heard that foxes are clever. Could it have realized I was in disguise? Or was it animal instinct, or some kind of Skill?)
It had a buff-type Skill, so maybe it had a Skill that could see through disguises, too. If so, its reaction made sense.
Well, either way, as long as it accepts me, there's no problem.
I should consider myself lucky that it saves me the trouble.
I head back onto the national highway in my original form and take out my motorcycle.
It's not the borrowed motorcycle, but the one I'd been using all along.
(There's no need to change back until I'm near City Hall.)
The downside of being disguised is that I can't use my other ninjutsu.
This is a rare chance to act alone.
There's no need to put restrictions on my Skills.
As I ride, I think about what to do next.
"Still, what should I do now...?"
If the Self-Defense Forces have been wiped out, I'll have to change my plans considerably.
The main objective of this expedition was to get modern weapons from the Self-Defense Forces—tanks, missiles, and military helicopters—but I never expected the plan to fall through before we even got there...
At first, I'd avoided them, thinking there was no way an amateur could operate them, but then I realized Skills could make all the difference.
If there's a 'Riding' Skill that lets you operate vehicles freely, it wouldn't be strange if there were Skills for operating various weapons and machines, either.
(Even if I can't acquire those Skills, I should still be able to operate a tank or military helicopter with 'Riding,' and I can have Ichinose-san use the missiles and anti-materiel rifles.)
Either way, it's better to have more options available.
That's why I'd gone through with it, even acting out of character for Ichinose-san, but now the entire plan has gone up in smoke.
More importantly, the Self-Defense Forces having been wiped out means my other bad prediction was right, too.
Namely—that other prefectures and towns aren't necessarily any safer than this one.
It was a concern I'd had for a while, and apparently I was right.
Even if we leave this town, there's no point if even more powerful monsters and other dangers are waiting elsewhere.
"At this point, I guess we have no choice but to establish a foothold in this town..."
Since running away isn't an option, all we can do is fight.
Monsters in other prefectures, about which we know absolutely nothing, versus monsters in this town, about which we at least have some information.
It's obvious which puts us in a better position.
"In the end, nothing's changed..."
Defeat monsters and level up.
That's what it comes down to.
Whether we want to survive or find a safe place, we have to get stronger.
It seems Ichinose-san is earning experience by sniping monsters while keeping watch, so I need to level up, too.
"Guardian Golem, individual name Titan. And the Queen Ant, individual name Alpa..."
Sooner or later, we'll have to fight them.
If I want to earn experience, I should start with the ants.
Once I get back to town, I'll hunt them one after another on my way to City Hall.
"All that's left is to hope Ichinose-san and Rikka-chan are doing all right."
The fact that I was receiving so many scheduled emails probably meant things were going well.
I set off on the motorcycle again.
Some time earlier.
Nishino was confused in the underground mall near City Hall.
(What does this mean? Why isn't her name there?)
He checked the email list over and over.
But Ichinose Natsu's name wasn't anywhere.
Nishino understood that the email list displayed people in the order he'd met them—or, more precisely, in the order he'd met them after Email became available.
It seemed you could sort the list alphabetically, but Nishino had deliberately avoided using that function. It was a hassle, but he figured the list was more useful this way.
(Was that assumption wrong? No, or is there a function that hides your name...?)
Rikka had taught him the 'Email' Skill.
And there was no doubt that Ichinose had taught Rikka 'Email.'
If so, it wouldn't be strange if she'd leveled it up and gained some function they didn't know about.
('Email,' so it wouldn't be strange if it had a hidden-sender or private mode... right?)
Was that reaching a bit?
If so, then she didn't trust them.
Nishino was a little hurt by that, but he could still accept it.
Trust was something they could build from then on.
But if that were true, another question arose.
(Kudo Kazuto... Who is this?)
The name was displayed where her name should have been.
Nishino didn't recognize it.
(Did I pass him without realizing it...?)
Nishino searched his memories, recalling the people he'd passed after meeting Ichinose.
Then he compared each of their names with the ones on the list.
Fortunately, nearly everyone in the first half of the list, after he'd arrived at City Hall, was someone he'd seen in the conference room.
(The order of the list is definitely right. Then why?)
There were dozens of people at City Hall, so it wouldn't be strange if he'd passed someone without noticing.
In fact, the latter half of his email list was full of names he didn't know.
It wouldn't be strange to see an unfamiliar name.
But while an unfamiliar name wouldn't be strange, the place where this person's name appeared was.
(One possibility is that he has a stealth-type Skill and passed me without my noticing...?)
If so, 'Email' would be an excellent Skill that could also be used to detect people.
That would be fine. He could even turn that function to his advantage and make effective use of it.
But what if that wasn't the case?
Nishino looked like a delinquent, but he wasn't stupid.
In every respect—judgment, creativity, decisiveness, and intelligence—he was head and shoulders above the rest.
That's why he'd actually thought of that possibility immediately.
He just didn't want to believe it.
What if this Kudo Kazuto was her—Ichinose Natsu's—real name?
(...If she had a disguise Skill or one that could change her appearance, it would explain things...)
But if that were true, why?
Why would she need to hide her appearance?
And in the first place, did Rikka know about this?
If she did, why hadn't she told him?
"..."
He glanced over at Rikka.
She was chatting with Shibata and Goshogawara.
(She doesn't look like she's been brainwashed...)
He himself had once been brainwashed by Igarashi Toka.
He understood its effects all too well, and he knew how unnatural someone's behavior could be when they were brainwashed.
Their actions and words would become distorted in some way.
He couldn't sense any of that from Rikka.
(Asking her directly would be the quickest way...)
All sorts of thoughts raced through his mind, but first, he should ask Rikka.
"...Rikka, can I talk to you for a second?"
"Hm? What's up, Nissy?"
"Yeah, there's something I wanted to ask you—"
It was at that very moment, as he was about to ask Rikka about Ichinose.
A voice echoed in his head.
≪You received an email.≫
(...Who is it, at a time like this...?)
Maybe one of the others had arrived at City Hall?
Nishino opened his status screen and tapped his unread email.
Then his eyes widened.
The name displayed there was—Ichinose Natsu.
"?!"
This time, he was truly thrown into confusion.