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? - 119

Chapter 119: One Who Sinks into Despair, One Who Casts Aside Hatred for Hope

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By the time I finished restraining Koufukuji, he had started to regain consciousness.

“…What, is this…”

“Yo, Koufukuji. How’s the wake-up? You got your head split open by a crowbar. Thought your memory might be fuzzy.”

When I looked down into Koufukuji’s face, he gazed back at me with dazed eyes. Then, he looked down at his own body. Knives had been driven through Koufukuji’s elbows and knees to keep him from moving. 

If you can’t use your arms or legs, you’re basically a caterpillar.

“Koufukuji. I have some questions for you. You know what I’m trying to talk about, don’t you?”

When I said that, Koufukuji looked down and muttered.

“Do whatever you want…”

“…What the hell. You’re being weirdly obedient.”

Suspicious, I commented, and Koufukuji replied in a completely drained tone.

“The mission has failed… Nee-san was taken by the Offspring, the twins were killed by you, and now I’ve been neutralized like this… I’m going to be killed anyway. What could I possibly do now…?”

“…”

I had a lot of questions, but Koufukuji seemed completely broken. The twins would come back to life if I just pulled out the knives, but he probably never imagined something that simple would mean they weren’t really dead. And what caught my attention was the line: “Nee-san was taken by the Offspring.”

I had a hunch and asked.

“Koufukuji. When I launched the attack, the twins came at me first, and you were waiting here… Don’t tell me, did Luna tear through this place before I arrived?”

“…The Offspring corrupted Nee-san and made her try to kill me. The twins also died then. They woke up before me and fought you first because my healing took longer.”

Bingo. Luna had already made a mess before I got there.

“I see… I see.”

I thought it over. If Luna escaped on her own, that was good news. Whether she hurt people or not could wait. The problem was the lack of information. From what he said, it didn’t seem like Koufukuji knew where Luna went. If we couldn’t trace her steps, then—

I made a call.

“Hello? Shachimaru, everything good on your end?”

『Aniki!? Uh, is it okay to call like this!?』

“It’s fine. The Ashura team’s down. I’m interrogating them now.”

『Whoa~ As expected of you. Even though just a bit ago we got ambushed by them and got totally wiped out. Aniki, you’re too strong!』

“It was a rough fight. But never mind that. Tell me your situation.”

『Hmm~ Let’s see… Well, we’re safe for now. That means me, Botan-ane-san, and Zakomiya-ane-san.』

“Wait, what? What about the other two?”

『They vanished. We didn’t make it in time for Botan-ane-san to treat them and and Inaba transferred while dead, while the Fashionable Goblin melted into the shadows.』

Hearing that, I grimaced.

“…Got it. More importantly, I learned during the interrogation that Luna escaped on her own. Can your tracking skills find her?”

『Sure can. It’s still raining, so if she’s outside, I’ll find her quick.』

“Great. I’m counting on you.”

『When you’re done, get back here fast. The girls are worried sick.』

“Tell them I’ll be back soon.”

『Roger that.』

I hung up and turned back to Koufukuji.

“When Luna wiped out your team, was anyone else there?”

“…The Offspring summoned a goblin and a bunny girl. They caught us by surprise and took us all down.”

“That checks out. You’re telling the truth?”

“At this point, what good would lying do…”

Koufukuji’s attitude was gloomy, and he looked like he’d agree to anything said to him. Since Luna wasn’t here, I had no further use for Koufukuji or the Ashura team. They were still dangerous enemies. Ideally, I’d dispatch Koufukuji like the twins and dump him underground or into the sea to ensure he was permanently neutralized.

…

But without Ui, that would be too much trouble. I needed to focus on securing Luna first. I’d deal with the rest afterward. I readied the knife. Koufukuji spoke.

“You’re going to ‘kill’ me, aren’t you.”

“Yeah, I am. You guys are too dangerous. I’ll kill you, bury you, or sink you.”

“…Makes sense. I’ve done enough to deserve it. No matter what I say now, you won’t listen…”

“…”

Seeing no point in arguing, I grabbed Koufukuji’s hair and lifted his head.

“Nee-san… Sango… Shizuku… Sorry for being so pathetic…”

Koufukuji closed his eyes. I thrust the blade toward his throat— And then, something happened.

“”―!?””

Both Koufukuji and I felt it instantly. Something overwhelming occurred. I didn’t even know what, but something absolutely critical had just happened.

Right after, a shockwave hit. The ruin we were in jolted violently. Not like an earthquake—more like a vertical shock that made the entire building collapse.

“What the hell!? What’s going on!?”

I shouted, panicked, and Koufukuji’s eyes widened.

“It’s here.”

“Oi, Koufukuji! Do you know what this is!?”

“The ‘Mad God’…”

“What!?”

“It came. The Offspring summoned it. Not that it matters. I already failed my mission. If I can’t even run an errand properly, what good am I…”

Koufukuji muttered to himself, his head lowered. The floor beneath us gave way. A sudden drop sent me to my knees.

What should I do?

The situation had changed. Koufukuji said the Offspring summoned it. So Luna caused this? I didn’t know for sure, but clearly the worst-case scenario these guys had feared was now reality.

I could kill Koufukuji now—just a knife to the throat. But his spirit was already broken. I didn’t know how to respond to this situation. Was it an enemy? Could we fight it? Could we even win? Or was it a disaster called the ‘Mad God’? Only Koufukuji and the Ashura team had that knowledge.

“—Damn it!”

I made a snap decision and yanked the knives from the twins.

“Gah! Cough! Cough! Huh, what’s this shaking!?”

“Cough cough! Ugh, what…? Eek! What’s happening!?”

“Monobe…?”

The twins gasped back to life, confused by the situation. Koufukuji looked at me, stunned. I said to all three of them.

“I hate you guys!”

Grabbing my crowbar, I slammed it into the shaking floor with a clang! Their eyes snapped to me.

“You killed my friends, kidnapped Luna—it pisses me off! But the situation has changed! Something bad involving Luna just happened! Right!?”

Koufukuji nodded weakly. The twins paled and whispered.

“Wait, then this shaking is…?”

“The ‘Mad God’…?”

“Then!”

I shouted at them.

“If it’s for Luna’s sake, I’m willing to throw away something as petty as hatred!”

The three of them stared at me in stunned silence.

“If I need your help, I’ll work with you! I’ll make a deal with the devil if I have to! So—”

At that moment, the collapse intensified. Massive rubble rained down, and the floor we were on crumbled completely. A huge chunk of debris split us apart.

“Damn it! Let me finish what I was saying!”

The building came down. I escaped quickly outside using the tape measure. With 【Open Umbrella】, I floated gently down. Looking back, the structure had fully collapsed—far too ruined for me to search through alone.

Still, those three weren’t ones to die so easily. I scratched my head. 

“Ugh, seriously, who knows how this’ll turn out. Dammit!” 

If they turned on me again after being saved… I didn’t even want to think about it. Avoiding the dust cloud, I moved deeper into the wreckage with my tape measure.

Then I saw it—and was stunned. The rain had stopped. And in the sky, something abnormal had appeared.

“…What is this…?”

The sky was covered in purple, paint-like clouds, shimmering with thin, glittery light like lamé fabric. Something had happened—something that could rewrite the world. According to Koufukuji, the ‘Mad God’ had arrived.

“…Damn it!”

I took off running, aiming to regroup with Botan, Angel, and Shachimaru first.

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