Surviving in a World Teeming with Monsters with the Useless Skill 【Everyday Items Master】! I Was Just Hunting Wild Animals with a Crowbar, So Why Is Everyone Screaming It's an S-Rank Monster? - 102

Chapter 102: Jabberwocky

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What awaited us when we successfully escaped and returned to our base were Botan and Angel.

“Eh!? Whoa! You actually found this place?!”

They were waiting inside the Ferocious Shark Gang’s garage—an especially large warehouse. This was right after we’d handed off the safe to the lock-breaking team. We had completed our escape, cracked the safe, and reached a breather point—everything had fallen into place.

“Taku!”

Botan ran straight up to me and threw her arms around me.

“I missed you…! I’m so glad you’re safe…!”

“…! Yeah, I’m glad you’re safe too.”

I hugged Botan back without hesitation. She was crying quietly. Knowing she’d been that worried about me, I couldn’t help but hold her tighter in return. Then Angel, who’d arrived just a step behind Botan with a slightly complicated expression, nudged me from the side.

“Hey, hey. I worked hard too, you know. Don’t I get anything?”

“Thanks, Angel. You really did help a lot.”

“Right? I mean, that’s not what I meant—look!”

Angel closed her eyes and stretched out both arms. I gave a wry smile and said.

“It’s kinda embarrassing when you ask so directly.”

And then, I  pulled her into a hug.

“I’m glad you’re safe too, Angel.”

“…I was really worried.”

As the three of us embraced, Luna came down from above and cried out in joy.

“Whoaaaaah! Botan-oneesama! Angel!”

“Luna!”

Botan caught the leaping Luna in her arms. Luna clung to her, sobbing.

“I missed you so much…! I thought… I thought I’d never see you again…!”

“Luna, I missed you too. I’m really relieved we could meet again like this.”

Botan hugged her tightly. Then Angel, perhaps feeling the same longing for Luna, called out to her.

“Luna! I’m so glad you’re safe too…! Come here!”

“If I just dive into you recklessly, Angel, I might not be able to breathe, so please crouch down a bit.”

“Starting with a boob joke already, Luna? That’s quite the greeting.”

With that kind of exchange, the two of them embraced in reunion. As I watched the three of them with a warm gaze, the mischievous kid who’d brought me breakfast this morning came over to me.

“Since Botan-san showed up, I figured Aniki must be here too, so I told her and Zakomiya to wait. I’m glad you were able to reunite.”

Angel once again seemed to be getting underestimated for no particular reason.

“Thanks, that really helped.”

“No, the pleasure is all mine. We never thought just having Aniki join would let us wipe out those major raider groups we’d been struggling with. This is nothing in comparison.”

I felt a small surge of pride knowing my efforts were being recognized, and I thought to myself. 

I guess I’m finally becoming a bit useful.

I let that thought got to my head a little. Just then, Rick and Shachimaru approached me.

“Yo, Brother. I heard the Slick-back Guy is your underling now.”

“Ah—yeah, kinda? He’s started calling me Aniki.”

“Aniki helped me out big time. I’ll pay you back with hard work from now on, so I hope you’ll keep looking out for me!”

Shachimaru held out his hand, so I shook it. With Shachimaru and Ui on our side, we’d be able to fight the Ashura Team ourselves. And if we could land the first strike, it’d practically guarantee our victory. No one loses from the ambush side.

After that, we just had to return to our normal lives. Seeing the end in sight, I let out a breath of relief. Then Rick started messing with Shachimaru.

“So, Brother is my younger brother. If Slick-back Guy is Brother’s underling, that means…  my underling. And the Slick-back Guy is his underling. That means… Slick-back Guy, you’re my Brother too, aren’t you?”

“Eh?! N-no way! That’d be way too bold of me, calling myself the disciple of the Vehicle Master!”

“Hahaha! Hey, Brother! This Slick-back Guy is actually a good guy!”

“Right? Shachimaru is a good guy. Take good care of him, alright?”

“Aw, come on, Aniki! Give me a break!”

The three of us laughed together. We’d just met, but it seemed like we’d get along fine. While I was thinking that, Luna tugged at the back of my shirt.

“Hm? Luna?”

“…”

Her gaze was fixed on Rick. And her expression—was unmistakably one of fear.

“Luna, what’s wrong? Are you curious about Rick?”

“No… Onii-sama, um… Wh-why is there a Jabberwocky here…?”

“Jabberwocky?”

I tilted my head, not understanding what she meant.

“I’ve been thinking about this when we were caught between Tweedledum and Tweedledee and the Bandersnatch showed up… But why do these monsters from the Jabberwocky poem keep showing up…?”

I was honestly at a loss as I listened to her.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee… Weren’t they the twins from Through the Looking-Glass? Not Alice in Wonderland, but the sequel, I think. …Twins? Then she must’ve meant Sango and the one with the blue highlights. And being caught between twins—was that when Koufukuji-ani appeared? So he was the Bandersnatch?

As I pondered this, Rick noticed Luna and came over.

“So, who’s this cute little Alice? Brother, introduce me too.”

He probably called her Alice because of how she was dressed. I nodded and placed a hand on Luna’s shoulder.

“Ah, Rick. This is Luna. Luna, this is Rick—my best friend.”

“Nice to meet you, Alice. Do you like Alice in Wonderland? I’m looking forward to getting along with you .”

“…”

Rick crouched and held out his hand, but Luna didn’t respond—she just hid behind me. It was a rare sight for Luna, who was usually so composed and mature, to act like this. I blinked in surprise.

“Ah… Sorry, Rick. She’s not usually like this.”

“Oof, looks like she’s not a fan of me.”

“Jabberwocky is scary…! I can’t be friends with one…”

Luna whispered in a voice only I could hear. Her body trembled—she was genuinely afraid.

“Luna…?”

I frowned. Sure, Rick was a tall American guy. If she wasn’t used to that, it made sense she might be scared. But in terms of thuggish aura, Shachimaru was worse. For her not to fear Shachimaru but be this terrified of Rick… It struck me as an odd sensitivity. That was when Rick spoke to me.

“Brother, mind if we talk somewhere private for a bit?”

“Eh? Oh, sure.”

I glanced at Luna as I replied. She looked up at me with anxious eyes. I thought about Luna.

Earlier—before the car chase—what Luna had done. Blowing up the facility. The fact she followed us on her own in the first place… All of her decisions. I needed to talk to her about that. I had to.

“Luna.”

I crouched down and spoke to her.

“Wait here for a bit, okay? And later, you and I need to have an important talk. It might not be a fun one, but I think it’s important for us to talk about it for your sake.”

“Hm…? O-okay… I understand.”

I nodded to her and stood up.

“This way.”

Rick led me a little ways into the shadows. Then he spoke.

“Brother, have you noticed?”

“…Noticed what?”

“That Alice—Luna, the girl you introduced me to—is what they call a Little Demon.”

I fell silent. I remembered the time I’d touched Luna’s head. She had tiny horns—so small you wouldn’t notice unless you touched them. 

But still. Just having horns doesn’t make her a demon.

“So you have noticed.”

“…Luna isn’t human, that’s true. But—”

“That reaction means you don’t fully understand what I’m saying.”

“Huh?”

I looked up from where I’d unconsciously lowered my gaze. Rick lowered his sunglasses and looked at me with sharp, steady eyes.

“Listen, Brother. I didn’t call her a ‘monster.’ I said ‘Little Demon.’”

“Eh…? What’s the difference…?”

The moment I said that, I gasped.

When Rick says “Demon,” he means a real monster. In other words, something like that giant ape we fought before—

“Looks like you got it. Yeah. A Little Demon is basically the same type as that giant ape—the Mini Demon we just barely escaped from.”

My eyes went wide as I stared at Rick.

“Why would you think that…?”

“I’ve been dragged to all sorts of places and seen a decent number of SSS-class threats. After a while, you start to get a feel for them—an instinct, you could say.”

Rick’s tone had no hint of joking. He spoke seriously, calmly, conveying the facts.

“Alice is an SS-class monster connected to the humanoid SSS-class types. And those humanoid SSS-classes… They’re terrifying. So far, every defeated SSS-class has been a giant-type.”

“…”

I had no words. I couldn’t say anything in response to Rick’s warning.

Luna… The same kind of being as that giant ape Junior? No—worse. A child of an even more dangerous humanoid monster? Is that why the government, the Ashura Team, are targeting her?

“And the way she reacts so strongly to our Master Skills…That fits with the humanoid SSS-class type’s characteristics too—Brother? Hey, are you listening?”

“Y-yeah…”

My head was spinning, but I managed to respond somehow.

“A-anyway…”

I looked at Rick and said to him.

“We need to cook a meal for everyone—especially you and the others who’ve worked so hard! L-let’s start with that.”

“… …Yeah. You’re right. Sorry for dropping something so heavy all of a sudden.”

“No, it’s fine… I would’ve had to learn about it eventually.”

I stepped ahead of Rick and headed back into the Ferocious Shark Gang’s base. For now, I just wanted to keep my mind busy with something—anything—other than thinking.

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