The Darkness was Comfortable for me

Light

Dark

(…She left something before leaving.) (Hikaru)

The darkness is still dense, so I can only tell it is a mass of something.

The sun peeked after a while.

As if the light was clearing away the darkness, the surrounding scenery was getting clearer.

“Y-You…gotta be kidding me…” (Hikaru)

It was a mass of red.

That thing that was as big as a small mountain was actually the dredges of what was once the giant monkey that threw me into spirals of fear.

Both arms, both legs, and its head were severed, and it is packed up haphazardly.

It is not only the giant monkey, even the 2 small monkeys have been killed.

“Did she…do it?” (Hikaru)

It was only around 10 to 20 seconds since the moment the Avatar of Darkness left and the noises were made.

She managed to do this much in that short span of time.

A far above being.

That giant monkey was like the very embodiment of violence, and yet, she managed to bring its demise in such a casual fashion.

She vanished after morning came, but night will be coming over and over. Furthermore, I have to walk at night… Just thinking about the next night is depressing me.

“Anyways, what should I do…?” (Hikaru)

The Avatar of Darkness is gone and the giant monkey has died, so you could say the danger is gone.

I am scared of that darkness monster showing up again, but it seems like it will be okay at daytime.

Even so, I used a Barrier Stone again. There’s still a lot of remaining time, but what should I be doing here?

If I undo the barrier here, I would need to walk in the morning.

Even if I were to wait for the effect of the barrier to end, it will be ending at 2:30pm, so I would still have to walk.

The giant monkey is gone, so I don’t know how much the danger in the forest lowered with this.

“…In the end, I’ve got no choice but to think about it after I actually trek on. Before that, what should I do about this ‘gift’.” (Hikaru)

The Avatar of Darkness certainly did say this was a gift.

What should I even be doing with such intimidating corpses?

No point in mullying about it. I decided to use a Hint.

The Hint of before was super useful. There’s a high chance I will get really priceless information for the cost of 1 Crystal.

I opened the Status Board and confirmed the amount of Crystals I have.

“…? They’ve increased again.” (Hikaru)

My Crystals have risen from 4 to 6.

When I confirmed with the log, it said: [Reached 100,000,000 Daily Viewers] and [Chance Meeting with a Great Spirit]. 1 Crystal each.

“The daily hundred million I know, but…chance meeting with a Great Spirit?” (Hikaru)

When speaking of the ones I have met, it would be those monkeys and that materialization of darkness.

Then that darkness monster is a Great Spirit?

“Darkness…a Great Dark Spirit, huh…” (Hikaru)

When thinking about it that way, what she said does make sense.

I have been using Dark Spirit Abilities over and over after all.

Anyways, I am grateful about getting Crystals.

Right now I need a Hint.

<<Will you use 1 Crystal to get a [Survival Hint]? Yes・No>>

When I touched the Yes, the answer was shown soon after.

<<[Obtain the loot]>>

Loot…?

It isn’t something I obtained by fighting, but a corpse is a corpse.

Looks like I can get something there.

For example; skin, bones, fangs, eyeballs, innards. Those kinds of things can serve as medicine or materials…maybe. But I don’t even have a bag, so I can’t carry anything big.

(I should try using Monster Appraisal too…) (Hikaru)

Monster Appraisal can tell me the information of a monster that ‘you have last met’.

<<Will you use 1 Crystal to do a [Monster Appraisal]? Yes・No>>

I touch the Yes and the appraisal result is shown.

I thought that maybe I would end up getting the information of that Avatar of Darkness, but looks like dead monsters are also counted in the ‘last met’.

Or maybe Great Spirits don’t fall into the monster category.

[Flame Orangutan: Wondrous Entity – A giant monkey that releases fire from its whole body. Strong physical strength, fast, and can spit a fire blaze from its mouth. The ones that become Wondrous Entities normally become the top predators of the inhabited location. It is omnivorous, and possesses a vast territory. Even when turning into a Wondrous Entity, it has the rare nature of continuing to raise its children. The corresponding individual has [Wondrous Entity Completed Form] [Extermination Predator]. Chances of a Spirit Stone appearing are: Fire 20%, Chaos 80%, Pure 0%.]

It is quite the detailed appraisal.

But there’s a lot of words I don’t understand. Just what’s a Wondrous Entity…?

Anyways, I get that this is an intense and powerful individual.

(Also, a Spirit Stone… That’s somewhere in its body?) (Hikaru)

The only thing it described as a loot from it was that.

Of course, if I were to take stuff like the fangs and bones, there’s the chance I could turn them into cash, but…

“Fufu, haha, so stupid.” (Hikaru)

In this situation of life or death, I am thinking about the time when I escape and turn it into money. A laugh leaked out from me at how stupid that was.

But that might be what it means to live.

Think about the future. If I lose that hope, the spirit to forge ahead will be lost at the same time.

“Let’s head out.” (Hikaru)

I use 1 Point and ready a new Barrier Stone before undoing the barrier.

If this monkey is the top predator here, there shouldn’t be any dangerous creatures around.

I now have 6 Points remaining.

“Ugh!” (Hikaru)

A strong stench of blood was permeating the place.

I was attacked by the uneasiness that maybe this stench will attract other carnivorous animals. I have to obtain the ‘loot’ quickly.

Even so, the giant monkey is 4 meters in height, and I don’t have a blade on hand, so I can’t even carve the corpse.

I could obtain a small knife if I used Crystals, but…

When I lined up the bodies of the children monkeys that were still warm, I could see something resembling a transparent jewel from the cut in their neck.

“Is it this…?!” (Hikaru)

I stick my finger there while holding back my urge to vomit, and pull it out. It was a stone the size of a tennis ball.

It resembles a crystal, but it feels strange for something like this to be inside the body.

The other child monkey also had the same transparent stone.

“There’s this stuff in their whole body…? Of course not.” (Hikaru)

I don’t know, but I don’t have the time. It is impossible to dismantle the bodies of the monkeys here, and I don’t have the tools. Also, I mentally can’t handle it. I even feel like burying their bodies.

“The giant monkey is…uh, still warm.” (Hikaru)

It was pretty rough to stick my hand inside the cut that’s still warm, but the hint is absolute.

Obtaining the stone here will definitely be useful in the future.

It may not be now, but eventually.

“…It is this, huh. So big.” (Hikaru)

At around 15 cm deep from the wound, I finally found the stone.

It wasn’t transparent and wasn’t red like its fur. It was a big jewel far bigger than a fist that felt as if there was an abundance of colors sealed in it.

“I feel like I have seen a jewel like this…” (Hikaru)

An opal? I think it is close to that.

Anyways, this is most likely the loot I can get here.

It is currently 6:00am.

I rip the sleeve of my own shirt, close one opening, and throw in the 3 Spirit Stones there.

If I swing it around, it could serve as a makeshift weapon.

“[Darkness Fog].” (Hikaru)

I am scared of the Great Dark Spirit, but it is impossible to escape from this forest without Spirit Abilities.

I wrap the darkness around my body, and begin walking, leaving the corpses of the monkeys there.

350 kilometers remaining.

This is my 4th morning since coming to this parallel world.

Remaining Points: 6.

Remaining Crystals: 4.