Life in a different world, Day 7
Despite the turmoil, humans were strong beings and able to adapt fairly quickly. Iya, there’s no single human beings anyway.
After all we had came to a different world, everyone was confused as to why we came here, our appearance had changed, this world had no human beings, wondering how long the reddish-brown land goes, and the questions goes on and on. Our worries continuously piled up and everyone came to the same agreement.
And of course some of the students could be called selfish.
In Akai’s group, there belonged a Harpy and Lamia who cried when they found out there were no make-up and baths. Kogane became depressed since there was no internet access, of course I was the same. Since phones, smartphones, and especially SNS messages were unavailable, many students were unexpectedly useless for the first three days. Those students were too dependent on technology.
On the other hand, energetically leading a group were Ryuzaki, and Goubayas.h.i.+. They were able to obtain monster meat. It was a horned rabbit and the first living (now dead) thing they were able to see since coming to this world.
Everyone was hungry.
The girls belonging to the cooking club had said 「Lets eat! 」, however they had no cooking wares.
One of the cla.s.s 3 former bishoujo, Tsurugi, became a dullahan. She naturally stripped off the armor and then 「I guess we can use this for teppan-yaki」. Tsurugi also had a long sword and short sword equipped on her, so several students were able to prepare the horned rabbit. Of course it was different from a kitchen knife so they had to handle the knife awkwardly.
Getting a fire started was not at all difficult. From the beginning, Ryuzaki was able to breath fire and other students were able to use fire magic too. Best of all Kogane, as an Elf, was able to use and handle magic efficiently. Fire and water magic were a life-line, so those types of magic were the first to improve greatly. Furthermore, other students among the cla.s.s were also able to handle magic, which reduced Kogane’s burden.
With the prior events, the cla.s.s was gradually creating a settlement.
In the beginning, when their appearances had changed, sighs could only be heard. To survive in this harsh world, it was a blessing that they received powers. With that, people were able to look forward again.
They were just ordinary high school students, for them a horned rabbit could have easily tormented them to death or they all could possibly starved to death as well.
Walking further, they stumbled upon an underground labyrinth. The students with combat abilities were sent out to scout the area. You could see that everyone was enthusiastic about exploring a labyrinth.
One portion of the labyrinth was confirmed to be safe and it was able to keep out wind and rain. With that, we changed base.
We did not know whether we can potentially eat the food from hunting. Those with strong bodies, the Orcs (Ok.u.mura) and Goblins (Gofun Kawahara), volunteered to test the food for poison. Those who had been part of the gardening club, Aruraune (Kano), began to safely cultivate vegetables.
Everyone began to have their duties a.s.signed.
Among them, there was one student who was useless
It was me…
“Gocchiso-san!!!” (Thanks for the meal!!)
Gofun Kawahara said in an energetic voice as he was leaving the communal cafeteria. Ok.u.mura ran after his friend, since he was slightly slower at eating. After that, it seemed that they left to explore the labyrinth. Perhaps there’s an underground cemetery in the labyrinth, in which other monster built their nest and lived there, but when not exploring, it would gradually get less dangerous.
I sighed as while looking at their appearance. Iya, I’m not able to exhale. The air sucked in from the mouth would always dissipate through the throat.
I also partic.i.p.ated in the cla.s.s-joint labyrinth exploration. Speaking as a skeleton, at least I can barely put up a fight. Using my body as a s.h.i.+eld, I was able to make use of my body’s frame, buy at any rate he’s still unable to attack.
Since Kogane had been useful, I also wanted to be able to do something. So I had tried to volunteer for the combat unit.
However, in the end I was too weak.
When Tsurugi and Gofun Kawahara had reincarnated, with it came weapons. Similarly, Goubayas.h.i.+ had a powerful body and Ryuzaki had weapons similar to missiles.
Really, only just bones.
They easily killed the horned rabbit, who challenged the them by ramming its body, only to end up in pieces. Gofun Kawahara was a puzzle genius, so now one or two bones might not fall anymore.
Ryuzaki had stated『Listen up, those who are unable to do anything will just be on standby 』, as those who had actual war potential reported.
And with that, I sat back down in the communal cafeteria with eyes that were dead. Iya, skeletons have no eyes.
“Been thinking a lot Kyosuke?”
Floating towards me was Akira. Right after being able to see it, next to the corpse a supernatural fiery ball made an entrance scene.
“Don’t you think that being useless is fine? The reincarnation seems like its all on good luck. Look at Akai’s group, they’re mostly doing nothing as well.”
“I don’t want to be as comfortable like them…”
The queen Akai, who reincarnated into a vampire, along with her followers, the Harpy and Lamia, spent everyday being lazy. Although having a human figure, she was still strong, so the cla.s.s decided to limit her. At least that was impossible for Ryuzaki.
However, Akai was not just another useless person like me. One time, the combat unit had gone all out behind our base. Suddenly, monsters came in waves, but she was the only person who countered attack the entire wave.
She p.r.i.c.ked her fingers as if she has naturally done this before and from her blood that dripped to the group, the shape of a human formed. Just from her blood, an army had been created and the entire monster wave was subjugated.
Just like that, they disappeared.
Because of that incident, no one could blame her for not going with the exploration unit.
“After all, I can’t do anything….”
“I’m the same as well then.”
Akira countered in a comforting voice. Certainly, creating fire should have been his job as a Wisp but since other students had done so, his time to rise never came.
“Kogane, that guy, getting to actively partic.i.p.ate…..”
Coming from the same group, his rising in status was remarkable.
Not only excellent with handling magic, his combat abilities were also first-rate. Ryuzaki appearance for sure had looked strong, but his actual spec’s were not. Now the cla.s.s strongest party consisted of Goubayas.h.i.+, Kogane and Ryuzaki as the support. Above all, he uniquely kept his human figure, furthermore becoming an ikemen and getting pampered by the female students.
Although I say female students, they’re mostly monsters for sure, or so I thought. But the monster girls liked Kogane as he was a very strong man.
I’m sure he’s very happy.
“Aaaaa!”
I had been sitting in the corner, physical education style [TL: Sitting on the ground, with hands wrapping the knee], when I heard a shout that sounded of complaint.
“Moou! Everyone forgot to cleanup after themselves againー!”
Getting mad and angrily huffing ‘puripuri’, selected for cafeteria duties was Sugiura the Scylla. I did not know the monster called Scylla until Kogane taught me. She had a lower body of an octopus[TL:タコ].
Sugiura knew more on how to handle rationing than others, since she was part of the cooking club. So others found no reason to argue with her. Since everyone was starving, I think in the beginning she may have eaten her own legs. [TL: Octopus can regrow limbs/legs and who wouldn’t want takoyaki?!]
Sugiura used her octopus’ legs to clear the leftover table ware that was still on top of the table. The legs seemed useful for this.
While I was thinking that, I collected the other cla.s.smate’s tableware before leaving. Sugiura immediately noticed.
“Aaa, Utsurogi-kun. It’s alright.
“You sure? This much I can at least do. Would you like if I helped in was.h.i.+ng the dishes?”
“Uuun, its ok. Instead—“
’chira’ , as Sugira eye’s turned towards me .[Blus.h.i.+ng look]
Although her lower body was an octopus, and though she may have had a huge changed compared to when she was a human, she still had a cute face. I felt a ‘doki’. I should have lost my heart a long time ago.
“Wh, what is it….?”
“Won’t you teach me how to make das.h.i.+ now?”
“Eee”
“Ahahahahahah, It’s a joke, a joke! Hora hora, everyone has gone already!”
Her octopus legs drove everyone out with ‘pechipechi’, and the cafeteria was closed. Together with Akira, we left the cafeteria.
Using a section of the labyrinth 「The base has a few room. However, each student will be a.s.signed a room. In the afternoon everyone has their 『duties』to accomplish」 comparatively, my location was often restricted.
“That girl Sugiura, aren’t you misunderstanding her words Kyosuke, it would be like calling you a katsuobus.h.i.+?”
“Das.h.i.+?….”
Akira voice was similar to being amazed, while I was seriously mulling over it.
“Don’t tell me that you’re seriously pondering over that?”
“Iya, This is my one method of being useful in the cla.s.s, seems like I have no choice but to only try to make das.h.i.+….”
“Kyosuke…..”
“I would rather be reincarnated into a katsuobus.h.i.+ then.”
“This is becoming a serious illness then.”
My cause of depression honestly came from being called “Just useless”.
“Why Utsrugiii, why do you think we came here?”
A nagging voice came from below, I shook unwillingly turned my head.
“That’s your habit of just only being a presence like that right?”
“Don’t you think motionlessly sitting in the little corner there and doing nothing is useless as well? Hey?”
Walking in the other pa.s.sage were the duo, Hakuba the Unicorn and Was.h.i.+o the Griffin.
Since the cla.s.s has reincarnated into monsters, each cla.s.s member’s social status had changed. The most extreme case was obviously Kogane. Being a kimo otaku(gross otaku) and from the lowest social cla.s.s, he became the ultimate winner and rose towards the best cla.s.s.
Naturally, there were some who fell towards the lowest cla.s.s. First on the list was Hakuba and Was.h.i.+o.
When Ryuzaki and the duo were still humans, their environment was as good as sipping delicious soups. Yet now that they have reincarnated into monsters, that same environment att.i.tude changed to being blunt. 「Unable to hold a human figure」means it was quite a serious problem.
Ryuzaki never had discriminated against anyone but walking on four feet, people began to blatantly scoffing at him―――particularly when the girls had seen―――the boys’ pride has been damaged to the fullest.
This is why I faced the brunt of the duo’s anger, who was in the bottom cla.s.s already.
Furthermore, I was friends with Kogane, who had taken their spots away from them. And that explains why, to forget their rage, I was there at the 「right time」.
“Oi you. What do they call you now?”
I stayed silent while Hakuba’s hoof struck the ground trying to intimidate me. Furthermore, his irritation was behind my unfazed face (I have no face anyways) turned towards Akira direction.
“Hinoo, are you also useless? Worried only about your pride rightt?”
“Since you’ve reincarnated into a griffin, did you also obtain a bird brain? Was.h.i.+o.”
“What was that!”
Ah c.r.a.p, as I thought.
Akira has a communication disorder, in which he has an abundance of provoking vocab to entice others. To make it worse, he was trying to look cool too. Their patience, like a thread, was awfully close to being cut. Flaring up and at once bursting in flames, no doubt the flame looked similar to a man.
However, Akira was a Wisp while the Unicorn and Griffon were also unable to strike. Eventually, the duo used their frustration and collided into me. As expected, I winced. Its like I’m the horned rabbit being tackled and breaking in pieces. Hakuba’s hindlegs went ‘pakkan’ as it without difficulty caused damage.
“Wh, What are you doing?”
A modest yet fragile and distinctly clear voice rang from the pa.s.sage.‘bikun’ as both Hakuba and Was.h.i.+o’s movement stopped.
Temptation. Although I can’t see with my eyes. I averted my gaze. Still I have no eyes.
Having silver hair and two red horns growing, voluptuous breast going‘tayun tayun’ as it shakes with the Bishou’s stride. Anger could be seen from both of her eyes.
“Sa, Sacchan. This is, that thing “
“This isn’t what it looks like Sacchan.”
Hakuba and Was.h.i.+o’s blatantly showed agitation. It can’t be helped since now, the cla.s.s male students could not defy this girl. Because it was every males’ natural enemy, the Succubus.
“It does look like it”
With both of her hands at her waist, the duo were scolded harshly. Bowing their heads, Hakuba and Was.h.i.+o bottom nose steadily saluted.
“Utsurogi!”
The girl reinforcement, Kogane and Ryuzaki, came running. Perhaps the labyrinth exploration preparation meeting was here. I became slightly embarra.s.sed.
When it ended up like this, Hakuba and Was.h.i.+o’s 4 legs each, had no choice but to run away. The duo, without apologizing, galloped towards the pa.s.sageway. Having four legs, they were able to quickly get away.
“Utsurogi, are you ok?”
“Aaa, thanks.”
I bowed toward Kogane, whose facial expression was showing worry. Next, my eyes gazed towards the succubus.
“U, Utsurogi-kun…..”
“Sak.u.ma, again thanks”
“Uuun……”
It was her, Sak.u.ma. Sak.u.ma Sachiko. This succubus true character was that plain, gla.s.ses wearing, literature loving girl.
Often talking about what books they love in the library room, that docile girl monster reincarnation could be called an extremely seductive figure, I also ‘bikun’ received a shock. Iya, I didn’t think that this body figure would be Sak.u.ma’s true character. Its just, how would you say, she does not match her appearance.
“Hey you two, its about time for us to leave for exploration”
Ryuzaki’s greeting came from behind. Kogane nodded and we returned the light greeting as well, waving our hands and leaving.
Sak.u.ma had stayed for a little bit longer.
“Hora, Sak.u.ma. With you missing, its going to be hard for us.”
“ee, a, un……”
Sak.u.ma fidgety hesitated to say something.
“Ano, Utsurogi-kun…..”
The voluptuous and sensational appearance of the succubus was fidgeting, just that only was tough on the heart. Ah, but I have no heart.
Yes, Sak.u.ma should have been a graceful girl. This appearance will always be embarra.s.sing to her. With the entire cla.s.s reincarnating into non-human beings, whatever actions they have done to cause their selection I do not know, but they must have had excellent inclination in choosing something that is difficult race to obtain.
“Although I can’t say much, Sak.u.ma, good luck.”
I was able to say, that much thing.
“U, un……”
Being useless, staying here any longer would be embarra.s.sing. From that spot, I ran away in order to leave.
Sak.u.ma was about to chase after him, did not. Chasing after him would make him even more embarra.s.sing. Floating about, the Wisp without a.s.serting itself, said his thanks.
“Shouldn’t go outside Kyosuke, its dangerous”
After saying it was dangerous, tagging along was Akira.
Unable to feel uncomfortable with living in the labyrinth, if everyone is not outside then I’ll stay outside. You could hear the reddish-brown rocks tumbling on the ground, and it was difficult to confirm any monster. It may be dangerous certainly by the meaning that it’s unknown and it seems that I am unable to go far unless I immediately leave.
“Besides, there’s a possibility of discovering something new then I may be able to do something useful…..”
“That again…. Kyosuke, that’s a bad habit you got.”
Akira sighed lightly, ‘fuu’ as a little sparks fell.
“Such simple honesty, I thought I would like that but did not that I was wise.”
“Not being smart is fine. Anyways I don’t even have a brain”
It doesn’t matter if I’m shunned. However, I wanted to be useful to anyone, to support my so called self-confidence. In this different world, there’s nothing to distract me from this feeling, that unnecessary strong feeling.
「―――uuu…..gusuuu, eguu……. 」(Sniffling/crying)
Suddenly hearing a sobbing voice, Akira and I were startled and stood still
What…don’t tell me that there is someone else outside the labyrinth beside us? Akira and I faces exchanged glances, but immediately Akira recalled that I had no face.
Although crying, you can’t be that careless. This is a different world. It could be something mimicking a human crying, so that it can entice any living thing.
In the direction of the voice, we slowly and carefully tip-toed our way there.
「―――mou, just stop…. I want to go home…. 」
My foot suddenly stopped.
It was a familiar crying voice
“Himemizu…..?”
As I quietly called out, the sobbing voice stopped. From the rock’s shadow, something sticky crawled out, since coming to this different world, the first person I met was that person, Himemizu Rin, the water slime. Rin s.h.i.+vering‘purupuru’ , her usual energetic self gone, in a weak voice she called out to me
“Soraki-kun…..”
“Its Utsurogi”
By any chance, are you just bad at names.