くすると、カツヤ達もミマタ達の目的が単なる息抜きではないことに気付いた。
不真面目に好き勝手に遺物収集に出かけている者がいる横で、自分達は黙って警備を続けている。レイナはその状況に不満を募らせ続けていた。
「カツヤ。私達も周囲を探索しない?」
「駄目だ」
「何でよ。何で私達だけ我慢しないといけないのよ」
「気持ちは分かるけど我慢してくれ。俺達は安全のためにできるだけ5人全員で行動するように決めたじゃないか。それに8人の中の5人、あいつらも加えれば7人が防衛地点から勝手にいなくなったら、本部も
レイナはカツヤに見詰められると僅かにたじろいで勢いを落とし、不服そうな表情を崩して少し恥ずかしそうな照れを見せた。
レイナは以前カツヤの実力を認めずに食って掛かっていた。しかしカツヤ達が暴食ワニの撃破に自力で成功したと聞くと、その実力を確かめる名目でカツヤのチームに加わった。その時点ではまだカツヤの実力に懐疑的だったが、共にするようになると
「お嬢様。余りカツヤ様を困らせぬようにお願いいたします。私も賛成いたしかねます。私もカツヤ様もお嬢様の身を案じているのです。御理解を御願い致します」
「わ、分かったわ......」
シオリに言われるとレイナも弱い。シオリはレイナの付き人だ。付き合いも長く、信頼も高い。そしてレイナが実家を出てハンター稼業を続ける条件として、護衛も兼ねてずっと付き添っている。レイナは更に勢いを落とし、それ以上食い下がるのを諦めた。
シオリが話を続ける。
「先ほども進言いたしましたが、不用意に他者と接触する機会を増やさぬようお願いいたします。モンスター以外にも、警戒すべき対象は多々存在いたします。お嬢様のお付きの者が私のみである以上、遺憾ながら絶対の安全は保証できかねます。ドランカムに所属していないハンターとの会話もお控えください。お嬢様の気性では無用な
レイナは説教が長引く気配を感じると、口を挟んで何とか食い止めようとする。
「分かった。分かったわ。でもね、ちょっと過保護すぎない?」
「お嬢様。以前から繰り返し申し上げておりますが、ここは荒野です。防壁の内側とは根本的に異なる非常に危険な場所なのです。私の言動を過保護と思っている時点で、その認識が致命的に甘いことを、どうか御理解ください」
東部に住む人間が荒野と呼ぶ場所には個人差がある。だが基本的には都市の外は全て荒野だ。荒れ地も野原も砂漠も海上も山脈も上空も遺跡も、全て一
程度の差はあれど、日々の生活で無意識に積み上げた当たり前の安全基準から掛け離れた場所。相手が人であれモンスターであれ、殺し合いの力量が物を言う危険地帯。そこが荒野だ。
レイナも自身がその荒野にいると知ってはいる。だが認識が甘く、感覚が荒野に追い付いていない。
シオリが護衛に付いていること。カツヤ達のような比較的良識的で常識的な者達との集団行動が基本になっていること。それらはレイナの安全を高めるのと同時に、危険を正しく認識する機会を遠ざけていた。
カツヤ達は暴食ワニを討伐してその実力をある程度認めさせた。ドランカムではカツヤ達を子供だという理由で侮るハンターも減ってきている。暴食ワニほどではないがヤラタサソリもそれなりに強力なモンスターだ。その群れの討伐に加わって十分な成果を上げさえすれば、自分も自他共に認められるのではないか。レイナはそう考えていた。
カツヤ達はドランカムから暴食ワニ討伐成功チームとして今回の作戦に派遣されていた。それを受けて本部は当初カツヤ達を討伐チームに配置する予定だった。だが現場の人間はカツヤ達の大半が子供だと知ると、配置を
に集まり、一番近くにいたミマタが答える。
「こちら14番防衛地点だ」
「何か異常はないか?」
「問題なし。平和なもんだ」
「......お前は、147番だな? さっきからちょくちょく持ち場を離れていたようだが、本当に何もなかったのか?」
「連れとトイレに行っただけだよ。一人で行くのは危ないし、尿意のタイミングに差があるのは仕方ないだろう。堅いこと言うなよ」
「いや、そんなことはなかった。何かあったのか?」
「15番防衛地点がヤラタサソリの群れに襲われた。撃退自体は負傷者もなく無事に済んだが、襲撃してきた方向が問題だ。既に制圧済みと判断した場所から襲ってきたようだ。単に探索チームの調査不足で経路の封鎖に漏れがあった可能性もあるが、ヤラタサソリが別の新しい通路を開通させた可能性がある。
「ここも襲われる可能性があるから警戒しろってことか?」
「違う。周辺を再調査してもらう。そちらから数名出して、地下街マップ構築時の状態から何か変化がないか周辺を確認してきてくれ。もし新たなルートが発見された場合は探索チームか討伐チームを送り込む」
新たなルートが未調査の場所に
「駄目だ。お前達は行くな。そこで黙って防衛地点を守ってろ。どうせ調査はそこそこに、遺物収集に行くつもりだろう」
「......そんなことないって」
ミマタは本部の念押しに不満そうに舌打ちした。レイナがその様子を見て楽しそうに笑う。
「いい気味よ」
ミマタがレイナ達を見ながら小馬鹿にするように本部に返答する。
「ふん。それなら誰に調査に行かせるんだ? 残っているのはガキと子守だけだぜ?」
カツヤ、アイリ、レイナがミマタを
本部の職員が返答する。
「27番が行け。後は適当にそっちで選べ。27番を含めて多くても3名だ。27番だけでも構わん」
ミマタ達もカツヤ達も自分達以外の番号を把握しているわけではない。27番が誰か分からないためお互いに顔を見合わせる。
「27番。了解した」
『アキラ。あと2人連れて行けるけれど、誰か連れて行く?』
『いや、1人で行く。余計な
「何であのガキなんだ? 何かの間違いじゃないのか? 他のやつと勘違いしてないか?」
「27番で間違いはない」
本部はミマタの疑問を明確に否定した。それを聞いて今度はカツヤが尋ねる。
「27番を選んだ理由は? 適当に選んだだけなら人員はこちらで選定したい」
本部が適当に選んだ人員で作業を進める前例を作ると、今後の作業で
配置を変更したあの男だ。その男が、同じ若手ハンターであるはずのアキラの実力を認めたような発言をしている。アキラと初めて出会ったあの時と同じように。
今度はシオリが問い掛ける。
「戦歴とは? カツヤ様達は3名で暴食ワニの討伐に成功しております。戦歴を考慮した上での選定ならば、人数的にもカツヤ様達3名の方が
「カツヤ? ああ、そっちのドランカムチームのリーダーか。暴食ワニの討伐とヤラタサソリの討伐は別だ。戦闘状況も異なる。現在の状況に適した戦歴から、27番が適していると判断しただけだ。一々突っかかるな。上の判断に一々口を出すのがドランカムの方針か?」
ドランカムは大規模徒党の
「あのガキにどんな戦歴があるって言うんだ?」
「ヤラタサソリの群れに襲撃、占拠されたビルから救援要請を出したハンター達の救出に成功している。更にビル内部及び脱出後にハンター達を追撃してきたヤラタサソリを、最低でも60体以上撃破している。これらは27番単独で行われている。地下街の環境は狭いビル内と類似点が多い。そこで既にヤラタサソリの群れとの交戦経験がある。十分な判断材料だ。それに比べれば、さっきそっちの誰かが言った、遠距離からデカいワニを撃ち殺しましたなんて戦歴は、比較対象にならないんだよ」
その説明を聞いたその場の全員の感想を、ミマタが分かり
「......じょ、冗談だろう?」
「ハンターオフィスの掲載情報だ。お前を
レイナの頭から先ほどの衝撃が緩やかに抜けていく。だがその衝撃は、引いた後もレイナの思考にアキラへの興味という偏りを残した。
レイナは何となくだがカツヤはアキラに対抗心のようなものを抱いていると感じていた。アキラの戦歴を聞いてからは、それを根拠に自分の予想は正しいと強く思い始めていた。
自分がその実力を認めるカツヤ。そのカツヤが対抗心を燃やすアキラ。そのアキラに付いていけば何かが得られるのではないか。自身の実力を自分で誇れるようになる切っ掛けが、契機が、機会が、何かが。
「......枠はまだ2名分残っているわよね?」
レイナの質問の意味を察したシオリが思わず声を上げる。
「あいつを追いかけるわ。用意して」
レイナは選択した。安易な選択でも覚悟を決めた決断でも、選んだ結果は背負わなければならない。その自覚も薄いままに。
『どうしようか。取りあえず15番防衛地点を目指すか?』
『その理由は?』
『15番防衛地点を襲ったヤラタサソリに生き残りがいれば、来た道を戻った個体がいるかもしれない。その個体が負傷していれば、血とかが床に付着して目印になっているかもしれない。後はそうだな......、ヤラタサソリの群れに遭遇して対処しきれない時に、15番防衛地点の方が近かったらそっちに逃げ込めるからかな? 負傷者無しでヤラタサソリを撃退済みなんだ。14番防衛地点より安全かもしれない』
『良い判断ね。特に最後の理由が高評価よ』
良い笑顔で答えたアルファを見て、アキラが不安を覚える。
『14番防衛地点は、アルファも危ないと思うのか?』
『こんな時にも訓練か』
『こんな時だからこそよ。
何となくだが、アキラはアルファが自分のように訓練が必要な存在とは思っていなかった。意外に思っていると、アルファが笑ってアキラには聞き捨てならないことを告げる。
『そうよ。現在のアキラの装備で私がどこまでアキラをサポートできるか。その確認とサポートの効率上昇の試行錯誤。それが私の訓練。実は今、私の索敵能力は結構落ちているのよ』
『ど、どういうことだ?』
『......それで、具体的には、どの程度低下しているんだ?』
『それは内緒。アキラやそこらのハンター達と比べれば、私の索敵能力の方が
んで進めないようではハンター稼業など続けられない。アキラは覚悟を決めて歩き出そうとした。
『アキラ。その覚悟に水を差して悪いけれど、来客よ?』
そこにはこちらに向かってきているレイナとシオリの姿があった。
レイナ達がアキラの姿を確認したのと、アキラがレイナ達の方へ振り向いたのはほぼ同時だった。
だが厳密にはアキラの方が僅かに早かった。シオリがそれに気付いてアキラへの警戒を強める。
背後で確実に視界の外。足音などが聞こえる距離でもない。情報収集機器の反応で気付いたのだとしても、そこまで高性能な情報収集機器を保持しているとは思えない。それにも
「......お嬢様。今からでも戻るわけにはいきませんか?」
「嫌よ。それにアキラに見付かった瞬間に戻るなんて思いっきり不審者じゃない。奇襲するつもりだったなんて勘違いされたらどうするのよ」
「アキラも待っているみたいだし、急ぐわよ」
レイナは先を急ぎ、説得を諦めたシオリも後に続いた。
そして一度待ってしまったので、何となく仕方なくそのままレイナ達の到着を待った。そして到着したレイナに、どことなく愛想の悪い様子で尋ねる。
「何かあったのか?」
「私達も探索に来たのよ」
暗に同行を断ったのだが、伝わらなかったのか、伝わった上で無視されたのかまでは、アキラの拙い対人経験では分からなかった。そこで今度はシオリに非難気味の視線を送った。
「......お嬢様。先方は私達の同行に気乗りではない御様子です。やはり引き返した方が
レイナが落ち着こうと心掛けながら、同行の交渉の続きを試みる。
「......私達も一緒に行くわ。私は役に立つわ。......私は
「じゃあ彼女だけで良いんじゃないか?」
「じゃあ2人で一緒に帰れば良いんじゃないか?」
アキラはそう一度強く宣言すると、レイナ達に背を向けた。そしてレイナ達をいない者として扱って地下街を進んでいく。そのまま地下街を警戒しながら
『アルファ。何とかならないか?』
『仕方ないわ。ここは諦めて下手に気にしないようにしましょう』
ぐらいにはなるし、負傷したら勝手に帰る。そう思って気を切り替えなさい。本当に銃を突き付けて脅す訳にもいかないでしょう?』
アキラは諦めて地下街の調査を再開した。
背後のレイナ達を無視して、周囲を念入りに警戒しながら15番防衛地点を目指す。情報収集機器で周囲の反応を探り、モンスターの存在を逐一確認する。反応がなかったとしても、以前にヤラタサソリの群れに囲まれた時のことを思い出して、気を抜かずに慎重に歩を進める。
『アルファ。そういえば俺の情報収集機器の設定だけどさ、今の設定で問題ないのか?』
『あるわ』
『つまり、今の俺には無理だってことだな。アルファ。代わりに設定してくれ』
『了解。はい。変更したわ。でもいずれは自分で設定できるようになってもらうからね』
情報収集機器の設定変更により情報収集の精度が飛躍的に上昇する。その結果、アキラが装備している透過ディスプレイの表示内容が劇的に変わった。
アキラの後ろにいるレイナ達の反応が鮮明になり、ぼやけていた周辺の立体図も更新された。探索チームが地下街マップを作成した時の地形情報と現在の地形情報の差異が、崩れた
It did not take long for Katsuya's group to realize that Mimata's group did not leave the hall only to take a break.
Reina was getting more irritated each passing second. They had to watch the hall and shut their mouth while the other group was not taking their job seriously and going around the area looking for relics.
"Katsuya. Why don't we go around looking for relics too?"
"No."
"But why? Why should we stand guard while they don't?"
"I know how you feel, but hold yourself back. We've decided from the start that we'll always move in a group to ensure our safety, remember? Moreover, if 5 out of 8 people in this place, 7 if you count them too, leave their station, I'm sure the HQ will not be happy about it. They'll send their complaint to Drankam and we'll be penalized because of that. That's why we have to stay here."
As Katsuya kept staring at Reina, she looked a bit intimidated but then she relaxed, her expression turned from being irritated to slightly embarrassed.
At first, Reina did not acknowledge Katsuya's ability. But after hearing that Katsuya and his friends took out a greedy crocodile with their own power, Reina offered to join their team herself to confirm their ability. Around the time she joined Katsuya's team, she still did not recognize their ability, but it did not take long before she recognized their real ability. And since then, she somehow got interested in Katsuya.
"Milady. Please don't bother Katsuya-sama too much. I don't agree with that idea too. Please keep in mind that I'm here to make sure of Katsuya-sama's and Milady's safety."
"O-Okay..."
Reina was weak against Shiori. Shiori was Reina's servant. She served Reina for quite a long time and Reina trusted her. As a requirement, when Reina left her house to work as a Hunter, Shiori was to act as Reina's bodyguard. So she decided to give up and stop being persistent.
Shiori then continued.
"And as I've said to you before, please refrain from making unnecessary contact with other people. There are many other things that you have to be careful of other than the monsters. Since I'm the only person here assigned as your bodyguard, I know it's rather pathetic but I cannot guarantee your safety. So please refrain from making contact with other Hunters outside Drankam. Your fiery nature is prone to cause unnecessary fighting, as such..."
Reina felt that it was going to be a long lecture, so she interjected trying to stop Shiori.
"I know, I know. But like, aren't you being too overprotective?"
"Milady, I believe I don't need to remind you but we are in the wasteland. It's an extremely dangerous place compared to the area inside the city walls. The moment you think that I'm overprotective shows that you are still too naive, please understand this, Milady."
The people of the eastern district had different opinions about where the wasteland started, but most of the people thought that the area outside the city wall was already the wasteland. The barren plain, the desert, the ocean, the skies, the ruins, all of them were described as the wasteland and they were all dangerous places. For some of the people who spent their lives inside the city wall, everything outside the city wall, including the lower district, was all considered as a part of the wasteland.
Despite all the differences in opinions, one thing in common was that the wasteland was the opposite extreme of the inner wall where people could live their lives peacefully. The wasteland was a very dangerous place where a person's worth was judged by his or her ability to kill both monsters and other people.
Reina understood that she was in the dangerous wasteland, but her resolve was still too naive.
With Shiori around to protect her and being in the same group as Katsuya and his friends who were level-headed and had relatively good judgement, made Reina feel safer while also made her less competent in recognizing the real dangers of the wasteland.
Katsuya and his friends were able to prove their strength after killing a greedy crocodile, the other Hunters in Drankam also stopped looking down at them just because they were only small children. Although Yarata Scorpions were not as strong as greedy crocodiles, Reina thought that if she joined Katsuya's group and contributed in wiping out Yarata Scorpion's nest, other Hunters would stop looking down at her.
Since Katsuya's group was able to kill a greedy crocodile, they were sent from Drankam to join this operation. The HQ originally accepted their team and was planning to send them to the extermination team. But after knowing that they were a group of children, the HQ decided to assign them to the defense team instead. Reina found it vexing, she was annoyed that people were still looking down at them.
Everyone there quickly gathered around the communication device, Mimata who was the closest one answered back.
"This is defensive point number 14."
"Do you notice anything out of ordinary over there?"
"Nothing, everything is normal like usual."
"...You're... Number 147, right? It seems that you've been leaving and returning to your station a few times, are you sure that nothing is out of ordinary?"
"We were just going to the toilet. After all, it's dangerous to go alone and it's normal that we don't go to urinate at the same time, you know. So don't be that uptight."
"No, nothing. Is there anything wrong?"
"Defensive point number 15 was overrun by a swarm of Yarata Scorpion. They were able to repel the swarm back with no injury, but the real problem is the direction where the swarm came from. It seems that they came from somewhere inside the area that we had secured. The exploration team might have missed blockading some tunnels or the swarm might have opened a new tunnel. They might have dug through the crumbling wall or tunnelled a small opening into a hole big enough for them to pass through."
"Are you saying that we have to be careful since we might also get attacked?"
"No. We want you to explore the area one more time. Bring some people with you to explore the area and check if there's any change in the area compared to the map made from the previous exploration. If you find any new tunnels, immediately inform the exploration and the extermination team."
There might be a lot of untouched expensive relics waiting to be found in an undiscovered area connected to that new tunnel.
"No, you guys stay there! Just shut up and guard the area! I bet you guys are planning to look for relics rather than exploring the area."
"...Of course, we won't."
Mimata clicked his tongue and obviously looked annoyed. Looking at that, Reina snickered and said.
"Serves you right."
Mimata turned to Katsuya's group and looked at them, he then answered the HQ back in a fashion as if he was mocking Katsuya's group.
"Humph. Who should we send then? Other than us, there are only children and a Hunter assigned to watch over those children, you know?"
Katsuya, Airi and Reina glared at Mimata, Yumina seemed annoyed by Mimata's remark too. Shiori stood quietly beside Reina and Akira looked like he did not give two shits at all.
The HQ staff then answered back.
"Number 27 should go. You can pick anyone else but you can only take two other people, max. It's fine if you want to go alone too."
Mimata's group and Katsuya's group only knew the number of people in their own group. So they did not know who was the number 27 as they looked at each other, puzzled.
"This is number 27, roger that."
"Akira. They said that you can take 2 other people if you want, so, who do you want to take?"
"Nah, Alpha, I'll go alone. I don't want to cause any needless fighting, after all."
"Why that boy? Is this some kind of mistake or something? You're not mistaking number 27 for someone else, aren't you?"
"There's no mistake, it is number 27."
After the HQ denied Mimata's suspicion, this time Katsuya was the one asking a question.
"Any particular reason why you picked number 27? If you picked it at random, I want you to let us choose instead."
If the HQ randomly chose the people to send, it might cause a problem afterwards. That was Katsuya's thoughts, so as the team leader, he asked HQ to rethink its decision.
Katsuya was shocked. He remembered the time when he was looked down upon and got assigned to the defense team instead of the extermination team by someone from the HQ, that person might be the same person who he was talking with right now. But that man sounded as if he recognized Akira who was also a young Hunter like him, it was just like the time he first met Akira.
This time Shiori joined the conversation.
"What do you mean by his record? Katsuya-sama and his 2 other friends took out a greedy crocodile on their own. If it's picked based on the record, shouldn't you pick them instead?"
"Katsuya? Ohh, the leader of the Drankam team, huh. Fighting Yarata Scorpions is not like fighting Greedy Crocodiles. The situation that you are in is also different, so based on the record, number 27 is more suitable in this situation. Stop complaining about every single little thing, or is it Drankam's way of working to question the decision of your superiors?"
Drankam used its powerful influence to send some young Hunters for this request. But because there were numerous cases where the Hunters that Drankam sent did not have the ability or skill to handle the request, this staff had a bad impression about Drankam.
"What exactly is his record like?"
"He was able to evacuate and rescue a group of Hunters from a building filled with monsters and was able to fend off a swarm of Yarata Scorpions that attacked them while evacuating those Hunters. Moreover, including the Yarata Scorpions killed in that building when he saved those Hunters and the Yarata Scorpions from the swarm that chased them, number 27 took out at least 60 Yarata Scorpions. He did all of these alone. The underground city is similar to an abandoned building filled with monsters and he had once fought against a swarm of Yarata Scorpions in such a situation. I think these are good enough reasons to pick him. Compared to that, shooting and killing a big greedy crocodile from afar with some help from an external party is nowhere nearly as good as his record. Or is it?"
Mimata mumbled out his amazement showing what the other Hunters were thinking after hearing that explanation.
"...Y-You gotta be kidding me, right?"
"It's the information from the Hunter Office. At least you understand that it's not some kind of joke. I don't care if you believe it or not, just stand guard in that place, that's all."
Although the shock had subsided from Reina's head, she still could not get Akira off from her mind.
But she was better compared to Katsuya who felt some level of rivalry towards Akira. And after hearing about Akira's record, he felt that his assumption about Akira was actually correct.
Katsuya was seeking for Akira's strength, and Akira was the one who fuelled his competitive spirit. So Reina thought that if she followed Akira, she might be able to gain something. Something that would make her proud of her own strength, a trigger, an opportunity, a chance, anything.
"...We can still send 2 other people, right?"
Shiori quickly understood the meaning behind Reina's question.
"We'll go after him, so get ready."
Reina made her decision. Whether it was a decision that she carelessly made or it was a decision she made fully knowing its repercussion, she had to take full responsibility for her decision. But she was only a naive girl who did not fully understand this point.
"What should we do? Should we go to the defensive point 15 for now?"
"Any reason why you would do that?"
"If there are any scorpions withdrawing back from defensive point 15, they might be injured and leave some blood marks or other traces on their way back to where they came from... And also, in case if I meet another swarm and get overwhelmed, I would be able to run to defensive point 15 which would be closer than defensive point 14, right? They said that the Hunters there were able to fend off the swarm without any injuries, so it should be safer than defensive point 14."
"That's excellent judgement. Especially that last reason, it's a very good reason."
Although Alpha was smiling happily at him, Akira felt a slight of annoyance.
"Alpha, do you also think that defensive point 14 is dangerous?"
"Training even in this situation, huh?"
"It's exactly because we're in this situation. Of course, I'll keep scanning the surroundings as a training for myself too."
Akira was surprised, he thought that Alpha was an ultimate existence who did not need any more training. She just smiled and said something that he could not ignore.
"That's right. I'm training myself to see how far I can give you my support only using your current equipment and to find the most effective way to do so. To be honest, even right now, my detection ability has been significantly lowered."
"W-what do you mean?"
"...So, just by how much exactly is your detection ability affected?"
"That's a secret. But at least, compared to you or the other Hunters, my detection ability is still very high. As a matter of fact, it's relatively very very high. But since I can use your detection ability as a comparison, it means that its range and sensitivity have been reduced significantly."
If that was enough to stop him, he would not be able to survive as a Hunter. Thus Akira made his resolve and swung his leg forward.
"Akira. I'm sorry to disturb you when you're already resolved yourself, but we have some guests."
He saw Reina and Shiori walking towards him.
Reina and Shiori confirmed that it was Akira almost the same time when he turned back.
But to be more precise, Akira was slightly faster. Shiori noticed that and put up her guard against him.
There was no way Akira could see what was behind him. They were not close enough for him to hear their footsteps. He might be able to notice them using an information-gathering device, but she did not think Akira had such a good information-gathering device. Despite all of that, Akira turned back as if he knew well about their position. Shiori just could not think of that as a mere coincidence.
"...Milady, would you please rethink this?"
"No, it would be very suspicious if we ran away the moment he saw us. It would be bad if he misunderstands and thinks that we're here to ambush him."
"Akira seems to be waiting for us, so let's hurry up."
Reina started running towards Akira, Shiori just gave up trying to convince her and followed behind her.
And since he stopped where he was standing after seeing them, he had no other choice but to wait until they joined him. When Reina reached him, Akira curtly asked her.
"What's wrong?"
"We're here to explore the area too."
Akira was actually trying to indirectly refuse her offer, but it seemed that Reina did not catch that, or maybe she did but ignored it. Unfortunately, he did not have enough social experience to discern it. So then he shifted his gaze to Shiori as if he was blaming her.
"...Milady, it seems that he has no wish to form a team with us. I believe it's best if we withdraw ourselves here."
As Reina was telling herself to calm down, she continued to try negotiating with Akira so that she could go together with him.
"...We'll come with you, we'll be useful to you... Well, at least Shiori will be useful to you."
"In that case, I can just bring her but not you."
"If that's true, then both of you can go back."
After Akira yelled at them, he just turned around, ignored Reina and Shiori, and continued his exploration. He was carefully moving deeper into the ruin. After a few minutes, he turned around since it was bothering him, and as he expected, he found Reina and Shiori still tailing him. Moreover, they kept a pretty close distance to him as if they were exploring the area together with him.
"Alpha, is there anything I can do about this?"
"It can't be helped. Let's just give up and don't let them bother you too much."
"You can at least use them as decoys or shields. I'm sure they'll return back on their own if they get injured. So let's just give up making them leave you alone. After all, it's not like you can really point your gun at them and tell them to go back home, right?"
Akira gave up and continued exploring the area.
He just ignored Reina and Shiori who were tailing him and carefully continued exploring the area while heading to the defensive point number 15. He periodically checked his information-gathering device to confirm if there were any monsters around him. Even if his information-gathering device did not pick up anything, he still remembered what happened the other day when he was ambushed by a swarm of Yarata Scorpion. So he did not drop his guard down and kept moving carefully.
"Alpha, now that I remember it, is there any problem with my information-gathering device's current setting?"
"Yes, there is."
"So in short, it's not something that the current me can do, right? So Alpha, can you do that for me?"
"Certainly. Yep, it has been readjusted. But you'll have to do it yourself eventually, okay?"
After Alpha's readjustment, the sensitivity and effectiveness of Akira's information-gathering device increased exponentially. Because of that, the information displayed in Akira's visor suddenly changed.
Signals coming from Reina and Shiori who were behind him became clear and the blurry map that was showing his current position was updated. It even showed and indicated the differences between the current condition and the map made by the exploration team down to even the precise locations of the crumbled rubbles. It used echolocation and other means to widen the detection range to detect what was behind wreckages, rubbles and corners.
Rebuild World (WN)
リビルドワールド
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/rebuild-world/
Action Adventure Drama Harem Mecha Mystery Sci-fi Seinen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alternate World Anti-social Protagonist Apocalypse Artificial Intelligence Beautiful Female Lead Cautious Protagonist Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Determined Protagonist Distrustful Protagonist Futuristic Setting Gangs Gunfighters Harsh Training Lack of Common Sense Male Protagonist Manipulative Characters Monsters Near-Death Experience Older Love Interests Poor Protagonist Poor to Rich Ruthless Protagonist Shota Sudden Strength Gain Survival Twisted Personality Unlucky Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9736dt/
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