“I’ll do it this time.”

Hagisawa’s hand flies up.

“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I like bugs. I’m curious about the structure of their bodies so I want to try. Wouldn’t it be fun to have Shigenobu try to process beautiful carapaces?”

Liking bugs…. is something like that is common for guys? Maybe Hagisawa will like biology?
……That said, we need to survive and return to Japan first.

“Yeah, this really is like a fun game.”

It feels like we are steadily killing the mamono. I think it was after the third battle when

PING!
Lv up!
Lv 2

“Did you Lv up?”

Other than for Hiyama-san, everyone asks the same question.
Etto… for now, my status seems to be growing.

“Everything’s going well, but how much time has passed?”
“Etto, about thirty minutes, I think.”

Himeno-san’s words puts the situation in order. Thirty minutes… I thought it had been longer. So that means a pace of ten minute per battle…

“It’s a bit slow, but nothing we can do about that…”
“This is slow?”

Hiyama-san seems to think that our pace is a little slow. Nonetheless, this is the best we can do. Rather, just being able to level up is a good result for us. 

“For now, steadily raise your Lv and aim for Lv 5. Taniizumi-kun and the others are hiding this, but getting to Lv 5 will expand the capabilities of your abilities.”
“For real?”

This is the first time I’ve heard that. Speaking of which, I’ve heard that Ono’s ability has improved and had its effect time extended. Was that as a result of his ability expansion?

“Didn’t I mention it during last night’s meeting?” 

Eh? Ahh, it must have been during the time when I had returned to Japan. In that case, it must have become information I’m recognized as having. I see, so there’s a weakness like this. I was careless with this, I need to be more vigilant.

“This is bad. Looks like these battles haven’t finished getting chaotic.”

Still… Lv up ability expansion. It’ll be fun seeing what I’ll be able to do. During the middle of our conversation, a [Apple Green Tulip] on a green system walk of tulips… is encountered.

It shifts its leaves around and spreads pollen from its bulb as it snaps at us. It’s about knee-height. Should we be grateful it saved us the trouble of finding it? It’s a plant mamono that looks like it’ll be easy to fight.

However, there are six of them. Some more seem to be a bit further back too. I get the feeling this is a mamono cluster, will we be fine?

“They’re weak individually! Let’s go!”
“Understood!”

With that in mind, I send 5 flying with a slash. It’s then that a sense of crisis comes over me as reinforcements flood in.

“Taniizumi-kun would make a nice sight right around now.”
Hiyama-san mumbles to herself. She too is breaking out in cold sweat.

Yeah, she’s right. If Taniizumi would gladly scatter fire all over them if he were here. They’re a good matchup for him as well. There’s just no end to them. Where are they all even coming from?

“Everyone! Get down!”

Hagisawa, who had been quietly staying in the back, throws something at the Apple Green Tulips. With a bashuu, the area turns into a sea of flames. Though it immediately disappears, the tulips caught within its range ignite and burn away. The tulips near the fire grow frightened and run away.

“Oh…”

Looking back at Hagisawa and… gripped within his hand is something like a round bomb. A triumphant smile floats on his face.

“I gathered the discarded fat from cooking and used points to make it with my ability.”
“That’s amazing!”

Shigenobu’s praise causes Hagisawa’s smile to turn bashful. I praised him as well. It’s a good way to relieve the stress from the situation that we’re in. So, this is the so called stretching the praise.

“That’s amazing, Hagisawa! Taniizumi is an idiot. Not using items even though they’re the strongest in games.”

At my words, Hagisawa doesn’t look that displeased. For now, let’s just praise the guy for his achievements. I don’t know for how long this will remain effective, but for the sake of our teamwork, it’s important to improve our unity.

“Except, I had to use the points I got earlier. This is inefficient. If possible, I think we should avoid using them from now on.”

Hagisawa gives a self-derisive mumble.

“Don’t devalue yourself so much. There’ll come a day we’ll need it. It’ll be our trump card if we’re ever in a predicament.”

Well…it’s only effective for an instant. That we can’t depend on its fire power is a flaw though. Still, it’s better than having to retreat every time things get bad. I also mention this. It’s great for instant firepower.

“It’s great a lot of them were gathered together. We got a lot of experience and points.”

Rather, counting up all the points and experience earned, we’re in the black.

“Although… getting materials from the enemies defeated by those bombs might be a bit difficult.”

Hiyama-san murmurs as she watches the tulips burn into charcoal.

“No problem, we already secured plenty of materials.”

Shigenobu reassuring response cheers everyone up. Yeah, even though we’re an impromptu emergency party, we fought more than I expected we would. It feels like we’re using science to fight, but I’ll lose if I mind that! Thanks to defeating that huge number of enemies, I quickly reach Lv 3.
Thank you, Hagisawa-sama!

Then, by doing this and that, we take down the surrounding small fry mamono. Flanking and taking out the quick-footed Charcoal Grey Horned Rabbit gives us some trouble. 

The time for returning will soon be upon us. I still need a bit more to go from Lv 3 to Lv 4, while Hiyama-san seems to be just past Lv 5. Speaking of points… I wonder how much we’ve made? If we want good equipment, we need to gather up all our points and pass them to Shigenobu.

A sense of discomfort comes over us as we encounter a lustrous, rock, thing.

“Ah, just ignore this mamono. It doesn’t seem to be hostile”

Hiyama-san cautions us. We then look at the thing before us. It’s a Blue Metal Turtle. 

“Is this a turtle?”
“If you’re quiet and watch it from a distance, legs will come out and it’ll start moving. Also, it’s very quick to retreat into its shell, and not even Taniizumi and his party can take it down with their abilities… it’s a mamono with incredible defense. It can ignore even Taniizumi-kun.”
“Wow….”

Himeno-san strikes the shell, chon, with her cane. A hard, kon kon, echoes. If not even Taniizumi’s flames can hurt it, it must be really tough. 

“It’s harmless while it’s in its shell… Taniizumi-kun and the others have said they’ll take it down eventually.”
“It looks like it would make a good material.”

Shigenobu and Hiyama-san nod in response to my statement.

“Is that so?”

Looks like Himeno-san isn’t very familiar with games. Hiyama-san seems to understand my reasoning though.

“It’s pretty hard. It could probably be used to make some good weapons and armor.”
“I see.”

Disregarding its offensive ability, it has excellent defensive ability.

“If it’s that hard… can my ability even turn it into equipment? I’m honestly not sure.”

I also give it a light poke with my sword, but nothing happens. Rather, I’d be terrified if my sword got chipped from this. A mamono that Taniizumi and the others gave up on defeating, is an immobile turtle hiding away in its shell.

“A while back on the net, I saw an eagle grab a turtle, fly up really high, and dropped it. Can’t Hiyama-san do that?”
“Teleporting using my feet? Sorry, but I can’t specify the altitude… and I’m not sure if I can teleport mamono either.”
“Is that so…”

That reminds me of my thoughts from the first day. I pick up the fallen stone and turn towards the turtle. 

“…What if I teleported a rock or something inside this turtle?”

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<Chapter 12
Chapter 14>