Day 7: Cave
My home's soundproofing is perfect. Because it's a cave.
But for safety, I keep Presence Detection and Enemy Search on while sleeping. Just the image of it.
Presence Detection keeps picking up noisy presences in the forest all night, it can get annoying, can't sleep.
Went outside to tell them to shut up. Still midnight. Why does it sound like some delinquent biker gang? Revving in the forest?
Clairvoyance spots the culprits disturbing my sleep. Otakus and Gobs, both familiar creatures.
Ahh, so the midnight noise was you, otakus. What's with recent high schoolers partying with Gobs at night? Trying to have a party~? Time for a lecture. I went towards them. As soon I got there...
"Get away—"
"I'll hold them!"
"My MP still not enough!"
"You too?"
""""Wai wai!"""" I heard them shout as some gobs.
"Guooh!"
"Gugya!"
"Gau!"
Ahh, they are a really noisy bunch.
The four otakus are classmates, they are not bad guys, more like bullied kids. Could yell at them for being loud, but they're here too, so they got skills. Of course, cheats unlike mine, they're specialists.
There are books about bullied kids getting isekai cheats, changing personality, then revenge~ etc. Well, I didn't bully them? And thinking about it, they were the ones pushing those books on me. Yeah, they were interesting, so maybe I should save them?
Approach while activating Appraisal. Remaining Gobs Lv13~15, five of them. Wait, they don't need saving? Otakus Lv16, jobs: Guardian, Ninja, Saint, Mage. Cool. What? Why am I the only one unemployed?
Makes sense: The Guardian tanks with big shield and spear, Ninja hit-and-run attacks, Mage and Saint back attack from behind. But there are too many enemies, Guardian can't hold, Ninja mobility is bad, he's probably injured. No rear magic attack or heal, appraisal tells me their MP is depleted. Using spear and hammer direct attacks.
Still, Lv16 stats should be easy win. Even Lv3 me can fight them. Fatigue then? One of the Otaku is fat.
"OK, one shot possible!"
"Gather the Gobs!"
"Got it!"
"Earth Lance!!"
Oh, finally three down. Watching people fight is more tense.
"OK, two left, surround it!"
"""Ooh!"""
What are they doing? How's it going? Thought it'd be fine but… risky? For real? MP out again, Guardian wrecked, two Gobs coming from behind?
They didn't notice the full ambush from rear two Gobs.
Panic. More panic than usual? Pay's the same, party after all.
Seriously, Lv16 x4? Mage, Saint, Guardian, Ninja? Why does Lv3 unemployed have to save you? If Lv10+, one person could wipe goblin groups, no?
Tch, can't be helped.
"Wooden Stick Attack!! Hold on, you guys!"
Rushed out with momentum. At last, two clubbed to death.
""""What!? Wait, ehh—! Why? That's Haruka-kun?""""
"…Uh, p-p-p-pinch me?"
One still rebooting, one only calm, question mark though.
Well, can't be helped. We're not strangers. Bad taste if they die or get badly hurt in front of me.
Well, they were "acquaintances" at best. It just means while I was reading in class, they'd suddenly shove recommended light novels at me and start preaching. But interesting ones, so maybe right to save them?
Some otaku panicking behind, but two more gobs clubbed with Wooden Stick Attack barrage. Also known as "rear headshot full-swing club kill." Only two left.
"Guoohh" etc., Gobs turn toward me. No idea what they're saying.
Saying Guoohh to me at this point, definitely not a morning greeting. Gob language too hard for me.
Not counting on otaku backup, but I don't wanna show too many cards.
Thinking what to do, Gobs raise clubs, charge.
Seriously, Gob-san. Same pattern again? Usual Wooden Stick Slash, easy kill. Also known as "Gob skull + descending club horizontal full-swing club kill" good kids' secret.
"Oi, Otaku Corps, you alive~?"
Call out. But…
"""..."""
"…Uh, pichipichi?"
Hmm, still one not rebooted. But one's amazing, how'd he tell? Wait, isekai skill?
・ ・ ・
"Ahh, tons of questions I wanna ask, but anyway, thanks for saving us. We're saved."
"""Thaaaanks~"""
Reboot complete. Feels like first real conversation in forever, but probably my imagination. Original world had days I didn't talk at all… yeah.
Now what? Saved them, but now what? Return to pickup spot?
"Eh, you on guard?" One asked.
"Eh, guard?"
"What? Monster?" Another quizzed.
"…Uh, maybe you think we're here to start a death game?"
OH, one super perceptive. Well, he was the one that lent me that isekai book.
"Sorry, well, it is isekai and all~"
Might've offended them but can't stay defenseless. Their skills dangerous as hell. Health/walking harmless ones surprising. Mine all weak.
Grayed skills already taken included "Puppet." Definitely dangerous. What is it? Am i trading something for a Wooden Puppet?
Otakus exchange looks, start dropping swords, knives, shields, bags, ah, disarm? Nice, I got wooden stick… no, wait, ....
"No need to go that far. Too careless in forest."
Make them pick up gear.
"…Is it okay?"
"…Seems okay?"
"…Probably okay?"
"Do as you see fit." I said as they all asked if it was okay.
Oi, feudal lord mixed in. What job is feudal lord? Rampaging? Samba? Fix gear while asking questions.
"What happened to others? You four exploring midnight alone?"
Four grimace, say:
"Left behind… or rather… broke off… decisive break… we ran, currently fleeing."
Eh, they were bullied in school, but still bullied in isekai?
・ ・ ・
Bring battered otaku four back to cave. Too battered, so splashed mushroom-herb boiled potion knockoff. Clinical trial. Mushroom smell.
"Wow, what is this stylish cave!?" One gleamed.
"You been alone?" Another puzzled.
"We had tent for a week."
"Countryside life?"
Shut up, "partying up" is forbidden for loner. Not countryside, just been in this remote/backwater/hidden land life. Cave settler.
Actually, cave is pretty clean now. It was bumpy so Packaging magic wrapped floor/walls, deformed to shape. Got "Earth Magic Lv1" from it, got carried away remodeling. Now 30 tatami size. Thought Earth Magic to Lv2, but "Shut-in" and "Loner" to Lv2… seriously.
"Modern warehouse?" "Alone in this size" "Four guys in tiny tent" "SoHo? Loft…" "Unfair"
Their chatter is so noisy, so I gave rare suspicious-colored fruit juice to shut them up.
""""Delicious!!""""
"Sweet fruit existed~"
Super happy for you all. What were you doing in forest for a week?
Asked them what happened.
Wow, heavy baggage. What to say, stupid? Not them, the rest of the class.
Story long, half grudge and bitterness. No kindness.
Everyone except me transferred to forest almost same time. Even non-classroom classmates—42 total. Too many of them. I can't remember classmate names.
All got god explanation but chaos. Normal.
Especially fake delinquent group and selfish gal bitch group loudest.
Fake delinquents swinging swords, shooting attack magic, causing chaos. Nerds tried to stop them, Delinquents then attacked.
Selfish bitches saying, we don't know, we're not doing anything. You guys handle it—and started screaming.
Normal girls crying louder.
Club boys group talking among themselves, ignoring others.
Only class conscience, Chairwoman, trying to lead but pandemonium in forest.
Otakus meanwhile ignored, shared status info, checked skills/gear/magic, tested.
Then noise attracts monsters.
Goblins from everywhere.
Chairwoman freezes. Tried hard but reached her limit.
Girls scream more. Quie! The monsters are coming.
Bitches saying again, guys, handle it, running off screaming. So annoying.
Fake delinquents swinging swords, shooting magic, loud, once they see monsters, suddenly they got quiet. Too stupid.
What? Chairwoman only gets good evaluation? Obvious, she's kind enough to talk to me, beautiful girl. Others don't matter, right?
Such chaos. Somehow otakus adapting, prepping combat, silently repelling goblins. Finally club boys join, they barely win.
Even then, Chairwoman revives, half-threatening: "Dangerous here!" moves to open riverbank.
Meanwhile otakus independently gather food/firewood, prep camp.
Over half doing nothing or hindering, amazing that everyone is still safe.
Evening, tired or just plain lazy, the groups laze around.
Otakus light fires everywhere, pitch tents from gear, prep dinner with gathered food/preserved.
They practiced survival normally for isekai summon, stupid or Good Job?
While Chairwoman leads, normal boys/girls learn from otakus, finally start prepping tents.
Otakus naturally separate action. Not bullied for nothing.
Mage uses earth magic + survival tech for fences, moats, pitfalls.
Ninja scouts, sets alarm traps, assassinates found goblins.
Saint heals injured/sick, builds water area/simple toilet.
Guardian guards, patrols, maintains fires, silently wipes approaching goblins.
What even are otakus?
Fortunately surrounding goblins Lv1~5 trash—finally calm, discussion starts.
Job division, night watch rotation, future plans, food issues… Chairwoman proposes, asks otakus for opinions/advice, soothes hesitant ones, decides one by one. If meet again, call her Chairwoman-sama.
But problem happens.
Cause: fake delinquents and bitches.
Bitches first complain demanding the nerds to pitch their tents.
Chairwoman intervenes, offers help together, but they won't listen. "Men's job" "We didn't want to come here" "Food bad, remake!" "Do something!" "There was no sign-up sheet!" etc.
Then obviously this happened, "if so, we won't either. Otakus do everything" The fake delinquents yell. Chairwoman says anything, they intimidate, threaten, shout to oppress.
Worst atmosphere, finally they collapse.
Sudden isekai summon abnormal situation.
Never-seen monsters appear.
Almost got killed.
Kill the gobs.
First time seeing death.
No teachers, only yelling high-school 2nd-year idiots.
Born chairwoman, desperately tried leading class, relied on by all.
Impossible. She knew her limit.
16-year-old girl can't fix everything just because she's the chairwoman.
Class group already gone.
"…Enough already…"
Chairwoman bows head, silent. Discussion collapses.
Nothing decided.
No one knows anything.
What to do.
What not to do.
Survival means, methods, knowledge share—nothing.
Group that was starting to unite becomes uncooperative: why do we work when they don't?
No rules, not even a group anymore.
42 cheat-skill holders. Chairwoman who can unite, otakus with isekai/skill knowledge, if they united, they could fight and survive in monster world. Small force.
But without knowing own power, fighting method, monster/world knowledge, blaming others, yelling, it became herd.
Unity—most certain, safest survival method in this world had collapsed.
Moment Chairwoman gave up leading = game over.
Of course, not her fault.
If otakus backed Chairwoman, maybe different. But impossible.
Otakus have zero communication ability. Because they were otakus.
Still silently protected, fought, shared. Meaningless to idiots.
・ ・ ・
"Story too heavy! Too long! That's why you ran?"
Cut off endless heavy otaku blabbering talk, complaints, gripes, insults, dissatisfaction, just break the flow.
Also offered house specialty "Isekai Mushroom Assortment, Mystery Plant Mix."
"Up to now was first day stuff. Running was after that…"
"Worst part is after this. Seriously worst."
"No, we didn't run right away. Also, why otakus? Otakus,you know our names!"
"Mushrooms delicious!!"
Eh, heavy talk continues. No way it turns fun.
"Names otaku, right? Otaku A, B, C, D. Gobs were Gob A, B."
What am I saying?
"Stop! If status shows Otaku A for real, what then?"
"So, we get the same treatment as monsters!?"
"Eh!? You guys weren't Otaku A, B, C!?"
"""You too!?"""
Otaku D betrayal. No happy end in this talk.
"Jokes aside, Haruka-kun was here?"
Not joking, but I'll leave it.
"Summoned together but it took me time getting here. Arrived, no one was here."
Thanks to that, got "Loner" title.
"Thought you alone escaped. Escaped so fast."
"""That was insane"""
"Ehhh? You saw??"
"You guys, classroom suddenly dark, floor magic circle glowing, brighter, whiteout, then suddenly alone in white room!! In that state, you watched well. Too calm."
Seriously surprising.
"No, ahh, thought isekai summon, then from classroom center instantly kicked back door, threw chair at window, jumped lockers, vanished into ceiling. Normal to be shocked."
Wow, they really watched.
"There, it's okay to be shocked at isekai summon, normal."
THE isekai summon production. Tried hard. Watch me, though I didn't watch anyone else.
"No no, seen tons isekai summon in manga/anime, but first-time seeing someone try a ceiling escape."
"Yeah, that move…"
"Normal give up at door/window."
"Ninja-like." the Nerd with Ninja class said.
No, you're ninja, job bias. I scoff.
While chatting, let them bathe in turns, and nap.
After that talk, info, future plans.
Aftermath story seriously got worse.
In end, otakus alone gathered food, built base, fought monsters.
Chairwoman and some cooperated, but couldn't keep up with others, idiots just complained, doing nothing.
Finally: more food, tent small, boring they yelled. Boring = work, I'm NEET despite my working hard.
Otakus actively leveled up, combat and caution. White room saw "Puppet" and "Charm"—someone has them. That's why.
Counter: level up for resist. Get resistance skill. Find and seal.
Higher skills need SP to manifest, mine didn't, not getting higher anyways. I knew that.
So leveled appraisal while searching "Puppet"/"Charm" holders. 50P, 30P used, definite crime abilities!
Unmanifested skills not appraisable? Appraisal Lv low? No one had in status. Conceal possible, but Lv diff should show.
"I was last, no amazing stuff left. Only trash and penalty games."
And all penalties force-added.
"We checked skills right away, it was already taken."
""Those abilities insane! One alone means game over""
Yeah, their style. Skipped god explanation, checked skills first.
So problem person went straight to white room, demanded "Puppet" or "Charm".
Definitely targeting, skills like dominator or forced harem, probably both.
Also, don't say game over! Don't say one alone is game over! I have all! Then one more added! I'm gonna cry!
"Oh, wow, what a bath! Long legged tub?"
"Bath without beautiful girl slave is just bath…"
Then otakus rotate sleep, wake, continue story. Sleepy, talk long.
Day 7 End