NOVEL NEXT WORLD The Strongest Solo Gamer with Terrible Social Skills Reincarnates as a Hated NPC in a VRMMO Chapter 130
130: The Fire Stone Exploration Team
May 2nd, Tuesday.
After spending the night on the 15th floor, we began our actions early in the morning. Although we had scattered monster-repelling incense around the tent, it was dangerous to stay outside the safe area for too long. I, along with Kusanagi, packed up the tent and headed towards the “Grassland Area” instead of the “Forest Area”, aiming to reach the transfer stone.
There was a reason for this. I had thought that the Crime Hunter might not exist on the 15th floor we explored yesterday.
Crime Hunters were originally monsters that appeared on higher floors. In other words, the ones that appeared on floors 15-20 were rare individuals. We might not have encountered one yesterday because of bad luck with the random number adjustments.
――I needed to redo the lottery.
I thought, and we headed towards the 16th floor with Touka and the others, reaching our target in about an hour.
From then on, it was a war of endurance.
After updating the floor, we headed towards the Forest Area. We searched for the anthill in the Forest Area, and if we didn’t find it, we would move on to the next floor. As we fought against the monsters we encountered along the way, we advanced deeper into the forest.
And so――we reached the 18th floor, Forest Area.
“A, an Ant!――Ah!!”
A black, armor-like exoskeleton. Two sharp antennae. A 1.5-meter-long insect with six needle-like legs, exactly the Crime Hunter we had been searching for――a demon ant!
We finally found it!!
“What do we do, Shouma!?”
“Calm down, Taichi. Crime Hunters that act alone won’t attack us unless we provoke them. Let’s observe for now……!”
“I-I understand……!”
By the way, we had changed how we addressed each other. It was Song’s idea. Apparently, doing so would bring out a sense of camaraderie.――What’s with that? Honestly, I felt embarrassed calling out names, but since I got rejected by Song, I reluctantly accepted it.
Is this my graduation from social anxiety?
“Well, what do we do now?”
A flustered Song pulled on my back.
Stop it, my clothes are going to stretch.
“We’ll keep a distance and follow the Crime Hunter. If we find the anthill, we’ll set up a tree sap trap nearby. We’ll wait for some time, and when we come back, we’ll defeat the Crime Hunter that has absorbed the tree sap. That’s how we’ll get the golden ant honey.”
“So, is that one down?”
“It took a long time……”
“The ant is starting to move. It’ll probably return to its nest. Don’t forget the portal marker on your magic crystal terminal, okay?”
“Got it!”
Song replied energetically.
We, who had been following the Crime Hunter, discovered a large anthill at the center of the forest. From a distance, we gazed at the hole in the ground, but didn’t approach further, leaving small bottles with tree sap at several points along the path the ants would take.
This was the completion of our preparations. Ants that had ingested the sap of the Hachinosu tree would turn white on their bodies. If we could defeat a completely white individual near the nest, we could obtain the golden ant honey stored within its body.
“It’ll take about 6 hours to mature, right…? But waiting is pointless, so let’s go search for the ‘Teimenkou no Yu’ next?”
“Do you know the location? Then it’s simple, let’s go quickly!”
Akanesou said so, but whether the ape was soaking in the hot spring at the location was a matter of luck. The Ape’s Spring was just a spring if Teimenkou wasn’t there, after all.
Well, worrying about it wouldn’t help.
“Then, let’s set off. From here, it’s about an hour’s walk to our destination, right?”
“Are we going back into the forest?”
“Unfortunately, yes…”
Taichi let out a deep sigh. His feelings were understandable. As we prayed that Akanesou wouldn’t cause a commotion with insects along the way, we left the area.
◆
1 pm. We continued our search without taking a lunch break and, as luck would have it, arrived at the Ape’s Spring earlier than expected.
And, with the ape attached.
“Yes, we did it…!”
We watched the ape family taking a bath from behind the bushes. The scene was a bit awkward, but this time, our luck was good. As we cautiously approached the spring, I filled a prepared bottle with water.
…It’s done! Now, all we need to do is boil it down to complete the “Teimenkou no Yu”!
“How’s that, Shouma?”
“Perfect. Our luck has finally turned around, hasn’t it?”
I couldn’t help but smile wickedly. Taichi, who was slightly taken aback, turned his gaze towards the apes taking a bath.
“I’m surprised they’re not attacking us.”
“If you look, you’ll see they’re bathing a newborn baby. They won’t harm us unless absolutely necessary.”
“What if we attack by mistake?”
“You’ll learn the strength of the mother ape firsthand. Just to be clear, don’t do it, okay?”
“Y-yes, I understand!”
Akanesou nodded hastily.
…Really? My perception of this guy has changed greatly over the past few days. I think it’s okay to threaten him, but…
“You can’t attack a baby, no matter what, right?!”
Akanesou’s face turned red with anger, shouting “How could you say that?!” I think I’ll believe him if he says so.
“――Well, we’ve got time to spare, so let’s take a lunch break and head back to the Crime Hunter’s nest?”
There were no objections to my proposal, and Akanesou reluctantly agreed. Taichi nodded with a sigh. We wouldn’t be returning to the transfer zone for lunch, so we’d be eating the same food as yesterday. We placed an outdoor chair in a convenient spot and filled our stomachs with portable food and water.
“…Hey, where’s Akanesou?”
I, who had been taking a nap with a book covering my face, didn’t notice the noisy girl’s absence. When I asked Taichi, who was nearby, the answer came simply.
“She went to take a bath because she got sandy.”
“Ha… a bath?”
In other words, Akanesou had returned to the Ape’s Spring? I had thoroughly warned her about that. I don’t think she’d provoke the ape family, but…
“!!”
――At that moment, an electric current ran through my brain!!
A bath…?!
“O-oi, Shouma?”
“…Yeah, Taichi? Isn’t this a chance? We’ve been taken care of by Akanesou, so let’s return the favor here…?”
“What the hell, you think I wouldn’t find out!?”
Taichi’s expression also seemed to say he was caught off guard.
He stared at me in shock, his face pale.
“Ah, yeah, that’s right—I’m going to expose it!! It’s not just about ABYSS. He’s been spoiling my ‘son’ rotten, so I have to get revenge!!”
“You, you…”
“It’s no use trying to stop me! I’m going to do it!! And I’ll expose it all!! This is a done deal!!”
With determination in my voice, I shouted, and Taichi’s expression also turned serious.
“Hmph, a normal human like you… thinks you can take on him? I’ve been burned by him more times than you can count!”
“Taichi!!”
“I’ll do it too… I’m not interested in his naked body, but if it’s revenge, I’m in…”
“Taichi…”
“Shouma…”
I realized we were exchanging a firm handshake. At times like this, men don’t need words—
Once we made up our minds, it was settled.
We quickly packed up the tent and headed towards the Apeps spring. As we entered the forest, we sensed our target was near, and we exchanged a glance, careful not to make a sound as we crept through the underbrush.
“—Oh!! Ah, that’s Kaon’s…!!”
Kaon, who had carefully removed all his clothes, was soaking in the spring, revealing his well-proportioned chest. We couldn’t see his lower body, but—honestly, it was enough!! He was showing off his incredible feminine charm, and I was enjoying the view!
“Oh… He’s like that…”
Taichi was captivated by the scene before us and accidentally took a step forward.
Damn it!
If he takes another step, he’ll be discovered for sure!?
I thought to myself, and in a flash, I tried to stop Taichi with my arm—but stepped on a small twig.
“—Who’s there!?”
“Aba, ababa, ababa, ababa…!!”
Oh no, we’re busted!!
“Taichi, let’s escape quickly… Wait, he’s already gone!?”
“Namu Amida…!!”
I saw that he had abandoned me and escaped long ago. What’s with the Namu Amida, you idiot!?
“This traitorous…!!”
I shouted, but the situation didn’t improve at all—
“…Huh? Peeping? You’re doing something so indecent in this day and age, Shouma-kun…”
I sensed Kaon’s presence right behind me…
Is everything lost?
Ah, whatever, I’ll just go with it!!
“…What’s with this era?! You’re treating us like animals, calling us ‘toadified’ or ‘sewing penises’ on guys! We’re not livestock, you know!? The starving wolves are crying out for freedom!!”
“…I have no idea what you’re talking about, but okay? If you’re that pent-up, I’ll let you release it all you want”
“Huh?”
…Wait, did the flow change?
“You’ve been holding it in for over a week, right? Let’s see how much you can take… Endurance test, here we go!!”
What’s going on? ……Haaah?!
“Then, is it Shoma-kun’s turn… dashing in?”
My junior’s anger flares up without any relation to my intentions!?
You… up until now, you didn’t even bother to respond, and yet…!!
This is bad――!!
“A――!!”
My scream echoes through the Forest Area.
Deep in the forest, there existed an unknown monster that should never have been disturbed…! I’m only now, through this exploration, coming to realize the gravity of the situation――