Exploration and New Skills

I resume exploring the shopping mall.

It's the largest facility around here.

It boasts enough space that even simply walking around takes quite a while.

It's getting dark outside, so I'd better finish up early.

First, I head for the food section.

I need to secure food.

"...As expected, a lot of it's gone bad."

That was my impression after making the rounds of the food section.

The meat and vegetables were especially bad.

The Orcs must have eaten their fill and left the rest behind.

Leftover food was scattered across the floor.

The Goblins were the same, but even when these guys attack humans, they don't actually eat them.

"As expected, monsters attack humans for 'experience'..."

If they don't regard us as 'food,' then it's only natural to assume that there is some meaning in the act of 'hunting' itself.

Just as Momo and Aka have levels, the other monsters must have levels too.

And experience and Skills.

If our levels rise when we defeat monsters, then there's no reason the reverse couldn't happen, too.

The monsters hunt humans to raise their own levels.

Just as Momo evolved, it's possible that increasingly powerful monsters will emerge as time passes.

This world is way too harsh... It really isn't kind to humans.

"...Huh? Wait a minute. If that's the case, what happens when a human kills another human?"

Could we gain experience the same way?

The worst possibility suddenly occurred to me.

I don't have the courage to test it, but it felt highly likely.

Kill people and raise your level...

No... I shouldn't think about it.

Even if that were true, it would still be wrong.

If I started viewing people as targets for experience, then from that moment on, I probably wouldn't be human anymore.

I know I'm being selfish, but even so, I don't want to abandon my humanity.

I refocus my thoughts.

I search for food that still seems safe.

As a result, I managed to get cup noodles, snacks, seasonings, and bottled drinks.

I was especially happy to find water.

I put everything away in the Item Box.

I go around to the staff entrance at the back and collect unopened cardboard boxes as well.

This should be enough.

That is, assuming I don't use any of it in battles with monsters.

"Maybe I'll go to the riverbank tomorrow and collect some water..."

Using our daily water supply in battle would be a never-ending drain.

I need to prepare water to use for 'Rain.'

After collecting the food, I look around another section.

Facilities like this mostly sell clothes or shoes, but the place I wanted to see was somewhere else.

"...Thank goodness. This place seems to be unharmed."

I reach the sales area.

The shelves have toppled and products are scattered across the floor, but the books themselves are undamaged.

They can still be read normally.

"'Super Easy: Survival Techniques Even Beginners Can Use,' huh..."

I deepen my smile as I flip through the book in my hand.

That's right—we're in the bookstore inside the shopping mall.

Now that convenient things like smartphones, computers, and the internet are no longer usable, the only way to look things up is to painstakingly consult specialized reference books like these.

Knowledge of medicine, survival, and agriculture in particular is indispensable for staying alive.

We have enough food for now, but at worst, I may have to start farming myself.

For more specialized material, I'd have to go to a library or large bookstore in the city center, but this should be enough for now.

...I might as well collect some manga and light novels, too.

I'd like to read them once I have some breathing room. Oh, there's a new volume out.

"But I probably won't ever get to read the rest..."

It's a world like this, after all.

There probably won't be any more books published.

Thinking about that made me feel a little sad.

I collect the books and walk through the store again.

I collect things from the miscellaneous-goods section, bedding area, tableware section, and so on.

Fortunately, there aren't any Mimics or other monsters disguised as objects.

By the time I finish exploring, the area around me is completely dark.

"I guess this is enough for today..."

After finishing my exploration, I take a breather.

Then 'Enemy Search' picks up a reaction.

I sense a monster.

"It isn't inside the shopping mall. Outside, then..."

'Danger Sense' isn't reacting all that strongly.

Could it be a Goblin or a Zombie?

When I move toward the direction of the 'Enemy Search' reaction, I find a monster I've never seen before.

"...A skeleton, huh."

"Woof!"

It was a monster commonly known as a Skeleton.

It wanders around looking like a skeletal specimen, carrying sticks and rusted swords.

A red magic stone is visible in the center of its rib cage, in place of a heart.

It's dark around here, but 'Night Vision' lets me see the monster without any trouble.

There are... five of them.

They don't seem all that strong.

Judging from the reaction of 'Danger Sense,' they're probably about as strong as Goblins or Zombies.

My HP has recovered considerably, too.

We might as well.

I'll use my new Skills on them.

"Momo, Aka, let's hunt."

"Woof!"

"...(shakes)"

We approach the Skeletons without being noticed.

First, I use 'Shadow Manipulation.'

'Shadow Manipulation' is a Skill that transforms and controls 'Shadow,' just like Momo does.

I imagine changing it into ropes or vines and having it coil around the monsters to restrain their movements.

'Shadow' moves accordingly and closes in on the Skeletons.

"Huh...!?"

The Skeletons are startled by the 'Shadow' that has suddenly restrained them.

Well, they don't have expressions, but they must be surprised.

The Skeletons struggle desperately, moving their bodies to resist, but they can't break free.

"Amazing..."

I thought so when I saw Momo use it, but this Skill is even more useful than I expected.

It's easy to use and highly versatile.

It also works exceptionally well with my other Skills.

I could strangle them as they are or use 'Ninjutsu' to finish them off, but I'll leave this to Momo.

"Momo, can you do it?"

"Woof!"

Momo nods and steps forward.

Then it stretches out its 'Shadow' and transforms it into a hammer.

The shadow hammer easily crushes the Skeletons.

Apparently, their durability is as low as their appearance suggests.

The red magic stones roll across the ground.

≪You acquired experience.≫

After the battle with the High Orc, it seems Momo's 'Shadow Manipulation' Skill leveled up as well.

I acquired other Skills, too, but I won't use them this time.

Those are powerful, but they'll draw attention.

Other monsters might come over, so I'd better refrain from using them.

"Woof!"

The battle ends, and Momo comes over to rub against me.

"Good job, Momo!"

"Whiiine..."

I give Momo's fluffy coat a thorough petting and praise Momo.

Momo is becoming more and more dependable.

After finishing the battle with the Skeletons, we return inside the store.

We'll rest here tonight.

I have to meet up with Ichinose-san tomorrow, after all.

"All right, Aka, I'm counting on you."

"...(shakes)"

We find a suitable space, then coat Momo and myself in 'Shadow.'

Aka then disguises itself as something that blends into the surrounding scenery, hiding us from view.

If anything happens, Aka will notice immediately, and even if we come under attack, nothing short of an attack as powerful as the High Orc's will be able to break through Aka's defenses.

A safe place to sleep.

"Well then, Momo, Aka, good night."

"Woof!"

"...(shakes)"

Perhaps because I was tired, I was able to fall asleep right away.

Thus, the third night passed, and the sun rose once more.

The fourth day began.