Chapter 67
The fourth day since monsters flooded the world.
In the heart of the city, confusion still reigned.
Monsters appearing without warning, communications networks cut off, buildings collapsing.
With no disaster warnings or evacuation guidance being issued, people had no choice but to make their own decisions and act.
Barricade themselves in or take action.
"―――Let's head for a shelter."
Those who thought so chose to evacuate.
Despite being exposed to the threat posed by the monsters infesting the outside world, they somehow made their way to places designated as emergency shelters.
Now, on the fourth day, public facilities such as municipal offices and schools were overflowing with evacuees.
But that didn't mean anything was progressing from there.
Most people were anxiously waiting for evacuation orders, but there was still no word from the government or its officials.
If we go to a shelter, we'll be safe. The government and Self-Defense Force will do something.
The hopes of those who acted on that belief were shattered all too easily.
"Why haven't evacuation orders been issued?"
"What is the government doing?"
"I'm hungry."
"It's really safe here, right?"
The people gathered at the shelters were frightened, and their anxiety spread.
Why wasn't the government doing anything?
The reason was simple and obvious.
There was no precedent.
This wasn't some B-movie, so who could seriously have anticipated monsters overflowing and attacking people?
A reality that was far too unrealistic.
A situation that was far too impossible.
Even so, the government initially tried to take action to overcome the situation.
But things would not proceed so smoothly.
Even when they tried to establish a task force and bring the situation under control, laws and questions of responsibility stood in their way.
What about Article 9 of the Constitution? Would monsters count as natural disasters? What about putting the procedures in writing?
"Extraordinary legal measures? Then who would take responsibility?"
The discussions made little headway, and while they continued, citizens were attacked by monsters.
They were discussing how to reduce the damage caused by monsters, yet the damage continued to increase. What a contradiction.
The fact that communication equipment was unusable only made matters worse.
Email, smartphones, and telephones were all unusable.
Every message had to be passed along verbally.
How many hours would it take for orders from the top to reach the middle, the bottom, and even other distant facilities? In the meantime, the damage would continue to mount.
No, people sent to relay messages were frequently attacked by monsters along the way, cutting off the information itself.
And so more time passed. The damage spread.
It was a vicious spiral.
"I can't take this anymore. I'm getting out of here."
"I-I'm coming too."
"Me too. I've got a family."
"That's right! Why should we have to do this?"
"W-Wait! If we leave, who's going to issue evacuation orders―――"
"Let whoever wants to do it handle it."
"Don't be ridiculous! We're civil servants! We're paid with the people's hard-earned tax money―――"
"Then you stay. I'm getting out."
At first, they had tried to fulfill their duties out of obligation, but as time passed, their veneer gradually began to peel away.
Some abandoned their duties out of fear, some tried to flee with their families, some desperately tried to stop them, and some issued evacuation orders on their own judgment.
Once things had come to this, there was no longer any distinction between those above and those below.
It was only natural that everyone would want to survive, even if it meant surviving alone.
Confusion bred confusion, which in turn gave rise to still more confusion.
A world in which laws no longer functioned as laws, and all the morality and values that had existed until then were overturned.
In the midst of all this―――.
≪You acquired experience.≫
An announcement echoed in someone's head.
As he listened, Shibata, a delinquent-looking high school student, turned around.
"All right, I took care of this side! Hey, old man! How about you?"
"I-I'm fine! I somehow took care of it."
"All right!"
After escaping from the home improvement store, Shibata continued toward a school.
There were five members total.
Besides Shibata, there were two classmates, one middle-aged man who had come seeking shelter, and one college student.
"Shibata-kun. I leveled up from that goblin just now, but how should I allocate my points?"
"Uh, old man, you picked 'Adventurer,' right? Then raise 'Physical Enhancement' to Lv. 2. Even raising it one level makes a huge difference."
"O-Okay..."
The middle-aged man allocated his Skill Points as instructed by Shibata.
Watching him, Shibata was impressed.
People could really change, he thought.
The middle-aged man who had been so frightened and capable of nothing but begging for help was now acting alongside them as a capable member of their fighting force.
He didn't know what kind of change had taken place within him.
But at least in this situation, it was a change they could be grateful for.
"...I wonder where Nishino-kun and the others are now?"
"Who knows? But I figure they're still alive, at least."
Nishino should have fled with Rikka.
Rikka had been the strongest member of their group.
Unless something truly serious had happened, she should still be alive.
"For now, let's head for the school. Nishino-san and the others should be headed there too."
Though he had no proof, Shibata thought that was the most likely possibility.
Before the Orc attack, Nishino had been looking for a new base of operations.
Somewhere that people were likely to gather.
So for now, they decided to head for the nearest school.
(Please be safe, Nishino-san...)
Shibata vowed silently.
He would never abandon his companions again.
He would survive alongside them, no matter what.
With that determination in his heart, he headed for the school with his companions.
≪You acquired experience.≫
"Oh, just as I thought! Hey, big sis, looks like if we kill these guys, we can get stronger!"
"Oh-ho, good job, good job, little brother. Now leave the rest to Big Sis! I'll blow them all away!"
With that, the girl held out a hand and burned away the goblins in front of them.
The boy was delighted by the sight.
"Whoa! Amazing! You're the best, big sis!"
"Ha ha ha! That's right, that's right! Praise me more!"
The boy and girl were in high spirits as they continued defeating monsters.
The children's innocent advance continued until they grew tired and took a nap.
≪You acquired experience.≫
"Captain, we've completed the sweep of the monsters in the area."
"Good work."
Inside a makeshift tent, a young Self-Defense Force soldier reported to an older man.
"We're guiding the evacuees to the designated locations as instructed. ...But was this really okay?"
"What was?"
"No, it's just... We acted on our own without waiting for orders from above..."
"I understand what you're trying to say. But what has the higher command been doing for these past four days?"
The older man known as Captain set down the coffee cup he was holding on the table.
"If we wait for their instructions, everything will be too late. The Self-Defense Force—we—are responsible for what happens on the ground. Justice that refuses to act is meaningless. We must save as many citizens as possible."
"But..."
"Listen, this is an 'order.' Are you going to disobey an 'order' from me, the highest-ranking officer on site?"
This older man currently held the highest rank at this evacuation shelter.
And when they were 'ordered' to do something, they had no choice but to obey.
"I'm sorry, Captain..."
The young soldier could hardly have failed to realize his intent.
"Good. Now, what happened to the helicopters we sent out to scout?"
"Two of the three have returned. But... the one we sent toward the prefectural border still hasn't come back."
The report made the older captain grimace.
The team sent toward the prefectural border consisted entirely of people with Skills and experience hunting monsters.
They hadn't returned. He knew exactly what that meant.
He knew all too well what it meant.
He immediately ordered the personnel to assemble.
≪You acquired experience.≫
A voice echoed inside his head.
But the man paid it no heed and stared at the girl, now a silent corpse.
The girl whose neck the man had just broken.
The man gave her a broad smile and said,
"Thank you. I'm grateful."
On the fourth day since monsters began overflowing into the world,
the major figures had already begun to emerge.
And then―――.
"―――All right, then. Shall we go?"
"Yes."
"Woof."
"...(shakes)"
After making their preparations, they too set out.
The stage shifts to the city center, where people and monsters intermingle.