3
Both a scream and an explosion ring out in the wastelands near the Cursed Forest.
“Russell!”
Seems the cross-dressing Chimera just got caught in a blast.
One day after setting up the tents and beginning land development…
…we’re currently being attacked by a herd of monsters.
“Lady Alice! Russell’s hit! Save him, please! We can’t afford to lose him yet!”
Evidently, Snow was the one who screamed earlier.
I didn’t realize she and Russell were that close. I guess it pains her conscience because he looks like a child? Actually, the surprising thing has to be that the gold digger has a conscience to begin with.
“He’s fine. I mean, wearing a maid outfit in a war zone isn’t exactly normal, but Battle Chimeras won’t die from a blast that weak. Give him a couple aspirin, and he’ll heal eventually.”
“O-oh, all right,” she says. “Seeing how badly he gets treated, I’m relieved that someone has it worse than I do! I can’t have him die here!”
Well, now I feel like an idiot for thinking positively of her.
Ignoring this worthless woman, I run toward the epicenter of the explosion.
“Targets are hostile mupyokopyokos. They appear to attack by self-destructing!” I yell out to Alice, then draw my gun, moving into effective range of the enemy.
Alice follows me with her shotgun in hand, also running. “Six, those are mipyokopyokos. Rookie mistake,” she quips.
“That’s right. Those are the ones that are too dangerous to eat. Please don’t mix them up!”
“Who the hell cares?! Charge! Onward! Onward!”
At my order, we all rush in.
The targets are weird bipedal frog-faced creatures hopping around in front of us.
I fire off a shot at one of them, and it promptly explodes.
The others regard the creatures with caution as they tauntingly hop around.
“Hey, Alice, this is the seventh attack since we broke ground here! Do we have to build here? There’s gotta be better spots than this!”
“This is the only land we acquired. Suck it up. If you don’t like it, go invade the demon territory or Toris and get more land.”
“What sadist came up with this game anyway?! Dammit!”
Just as I yell that out…
…Snow and Rose, who had been fighting the pyokopyokos, speak up with near panic in their voices.
“Six! There’s supopocchis emerging from the forest! A herd of supopocchis!”
“There’s a group of mokemokes coming, too! Boss, what do we do? I can’t possibly eat this many!”
The constant reports of new hostile creatures are enough to tip me off that something’s wrong here.
“Alice! Aliiiice! Is it normal for monsters to start attacking in droves because people try to settle in the forest?”
“Pay attention, Six, and look behind them. Bashin tribe members. They’re clearly stirring up the monsters. That must be how they defend their territory. Fascinating!”
“Not fascinating! Frightening! We’re getting out of here! Retreat!”
At my order, the others rapidly start pulling back.
Rose has already fetched Russell and carried him back without being told to do so. I can’t quite decide if I should praise her initiative.
I’ve stayed behind to issue orders; during all this, a few of the supopocchis and mokemokes start heading toward me.
“Hey, where the hell is Tiger Man? This is the sort of thing we have mutants for, isn’t it?”
“There’s been border skirmishes with Toris. Tiger Man and the other agents are off dealing with them. They’ll be back eventually.”
Snow, who has been watching until this moment, draws her sword and steps in as though to cover Alice’s back. “Ha-ha-ha-ha! Monster hunting is my specialty! Come at me, you walking bonus checks! Add to my income!”
At a glance, she looks like a knight defending the helpless, but the naked greed warping her smile ruins the image.
I fire off a shot at a nearby target, then land a front kick on a mipyokopyoko launching a jump kick at my flank.
“Even if we finish the base here, we’ll just be dealing with constant monster attacks. Let’s find another spot, Alice!”
“After all we went through to acquire this territory, we’re not letting it go that easily. Never mind that, Six; cover your face. I’m going to blow up the mipyokopyoko you just kicked.”
I throw my hands up to cover my face before Alice finishes speaking…
“Besides, if we’re here, our research targets will be coming to us. I’ve managed to talk the leadership into giving us Evil Points if we send research samples to headquarters. So…”
Alice aims her shotgun.
“…this is your job from here on out. Wanna head back to Earth? Well, put your life on the line and earn us some points, partner!”
“Goddammit! Again?! I’m sick of busting my ass! Fine. I’ll do it. I’ll do it! I’ll hunt! I’ll misbehave! I’ll save up my points and make those Supreme Leaders pay for it with their bodies!”
The mipyokopyokos’ explosions echo through the wasteland.
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