This is the first tree the world has ever seen.
If you think about it, it's different.
No one cares about its existence, even though it grows there and claims its existence. It's as if he was there from the beginning.
Can I even say 'everyday foreign objects' that are blended into the extraordinary in which the monster appears?
(With that said, did it feel pretty nasty when I pointed my consciousness at that tree before...?
I even forgot that until this moment now.
No, maybe it was designed to think that way about that tree.
Skills that divert consciousness from the subject, like Ichinose's "perception inhibition". If you have that big tree too, Tsujitsu fits.
(But what made that question and discomfort flare up now...?
If it were conceivable, would it still be an 'evolutionary' influence......?
Notice something you haven't noticed before.
So this is what the explanation for "newbie" says about "expanding possibilities"?
(If so, Ichinose must have come to the same idea)
I turn to Mr. Ichinose.
Almost at the same time, she saw me too.
My gaze matched.
"Huh..."
I was distracted.
Um... even though I'm used to it, it hurts a little.
"Oh, no, the... excuse me"
"No, it's good. 'Cause I'm used to it."
Mr. Ichinose strayed a bit from his red-stained face.
"Well... I've certainly tried to find out about that tree before, haven't I?
"Yeah, but in the end we didn't try to find out."
As soon as we lost consciousness from the tree, we lost interest.
It's a rather unnatural behavior in retrospect.
But I can turn my 'consciousness' properly this way. Now I might be able to look into those trees.
"Hey, wait a minute."
"Hmm?"
It's Shibata who's been pinching my mouth.
"Now people in town are talking about why there are so few of them. That tree doesn't matter."
"It's..."
"No, wait a minute, Shibata"
It was Nishino who opened his mouth in my place, stuck in words.
"You, why did you think that was' irrelevant 'now?
"Huh...?
Nishino asks me and I think Shibata-kun.
"No, 'cause it's a tree, right? What does that have to do with fewer people?
"What made you think that? How can you say that those two are irrelevant? Did you have a specific idea and you denied it?
"It's... it's not..."
I guess I just pinched my mouth somehow.
Shibata, your voice is less and less confident.
"Right. There's no basis, and it doesn't matter.... I thought so too"
I guess the word was unexpected.
Shibata looks surprised.
"Huh? No, then -"
"That's probably why it's not irrelevant"
"Huh?"
Nishino put his hand on his chin and thought about it a little before looking around at us.
"Guys, whoever listens to Mr. Kudo now and thinks it's irrelevant, uninteresting, raise your hands honestly"
To that word, most people in the room - everyone but me and Mr. Ichinose - raise their hands.
Rokka seemed a little lost, too, but raised her hand.
"See, that's what everybody thinks, isn't it?
"Oh yeah......"
Nishino looks at me.
"Mr. Kudo, is this what you wanted to say?
……
Sharp. Boulder, Nishino.
"Cheng Cheng...... indeed this' too 'is unnatural. You have something in common."
"Yeah, I guess so."
…… What's that supposed to mean?
Starting with Shibata, the other students don't seem to understand.
"Explain in order. This is why I questioned the number of residents in the first place."
That said Nishino, you took a notebook out of your nostalgia.
He's a salesman who uses it a lot to make notes about schedules and stuff.
Anyway, it's unusual for a social worker to have one in a student.
"... I've been trying to keep a diary as long as I can since the world went like this. Don't forget what happened that day. Since coming to City Hall (Koko), I have tried to write in particular details about the number of residents and the skill sets.... Look at this place"
The notebook contained surprisingly varied information in fine writing.
The letter says the character of the person will show up, but Nishino, you're a good writer. I'm so bad at telling Chief Shimizu to learn how to sell pen scripts.
The page he pointed to was written about the number of residents of City Hall yesterday.
"Uh, number of inhabitants... 152? As of yesterday? Heh, that's a lot more."
"... you know, Six Flowers, remember this much on the boulder."
"Uh, hey, there, look, I was wondering if Nissy or anyone else could remember."
"... you"
After a gentle sigh, Nishino continues the conversation.
"Yes, as of yesterday, there were 152 residents. But in today's discussion, the mayor said he was' 149 '."
…… Were there three less?
"Oh, so I asked the mayor a question." Who left here? 'Then what do you think the mayor answered?
……
"-" Nobody's leaving. The numbers are the same as they were yesterday. "
"... Huh?
"It's not just the mayor. That's what Fujita and Shimizu all said. At first, I thought I was wrong."
Nishino continues.
"But I couldn't be more uncomfortable. That's why I've reviewed my email list and my handwritten roster over and over again. Then the number of residents was exactly as my notebook says."
"That's... I mean..."
"Oh, no one noticed that people were gone. And I don't even remember who disappeared. It disappeared from my e-mail list, but my handwritten roster had the names of the people who disappeared. He was an ordinary man with no skills. Probably disappear, but only out of people's consciousness, memories, and skills"
Everyone was stunned by the words.
"When I realized that, I froze my spine. Anyway, people disappear, and nobody notices. Why did it disappear? Why doesn't anyone question it? Thinking about the cause, I remembered every single action and event I had ever taken. Along the way, I realized that the number of inhabitants of this town was too small in itself."
In other words, in the course of exploring the causes of the small number of residents of City Hall, you also noticed the unnatural nature of the entire population of this town?
You'll never be able to do it from the other way around.
(I mean, I didn't even notice)
You can't laugh at Rokka with this.
Nishino, a prudent character in a few respects, is that why you noticed?
"No, but I don't... I don't..."
Rokka trembles as she holds her own arm.
Everyone was blue to your words Nishino.
Naturally. If someone has disappeared at some point and no one has noticed... there is no such thing as horrible.
"Oh, yeah. Nobody notices, I don't feel uncomfortable. In fact, I didn't think it mattered right away either.... I need to write down my thoughts in my notebook."
When Nishino turned the page, there continued to be a number of questions and his own considerations about the number of residents. As if desperately forgotten.
"I've reviewed my notebook over and over again, and that finally makes me feel 'weird'. I can't let you guys think that."
"Yes...... is it? Um, but that guy noticed that too, didn't he? And the student chairman."
"Oh. Maybe you kept a diary just like me. Besides, when discussing it with Fujita and the others, he was always the secretary. I guess that's why you noticed this question."
"Heh..."
Does this mean that Fujita and Shimizu Chiefs might be aware of the information they left behind?
When we're done, we need to tell the city hall folks.
"So, let's get back to it. The discomfort with the number of inhabitants, and the discomfort with those trees - both of these two have in part in common: 'out of man's consciousness'. Maybe it has some sort of relationship. It's worth looking into."
Nishino looks at me.
I snort.
"I'll use the 'right to ask' to find out soon after this."
"Thank you. So, once you're out there and free Ono, can Mr. Kudo check on you right away?
"Yeah. I'll take care of that. Are you okay?
"If you have to, there are Roppo and the others, and I'll do it right. Besides, I have a lot to ask... I'll try to get you to talk."
Hold your fist, Nishino you nod forcefully.
What does he think of you, Ono, who became a monster?
Yet the disappearance of the inhabitants, the population, and the trees?
You're looking more and more into it.
(And maybe...... Nishino, your prediction is a hit)
He also told me my skills that fewer people, and trees - these two are not irrelevant.
Once the discussion was over, we headed outside.
Meanwhile, in the City Hall Reception Room...
"It's a monster..."
Fujita muttered Towada's words back to the parrot.
"Oh yeah..."
With a blue look, the militia captain - Shiwada snorts.
"Soyts suddenly appeared.... and destroyed our garrison"
"... that's not calm. Does that monster mean more than that golem or queen ant?
To Fujita's inquiry, Towada nods silently.
"Whoa, wait a minute. Surely there would have been massive military exercises at this time of year. Tanks, missiles, fighters. And you're telling me that still didn't work?
"... oh"
"Are you kidding me...?
……
Towada does not answer.
But it didn't look like he was joking.
Impossible, Fujita mutters in her heart.
That is nothing more than the defeat of modern technology, such as military helicopters and opponents whose missiles do not make sense.
It wasn't a very, but it was a story I didn't want to believe.
"... what the hell kind of monster is that?
"Oh, that's..."
"Safe Zone" came to the critical boundary.
It'll be fine around here.
I'll let you out, Ono.
"Yeah, please"
When I said you were going to put something out, I thought you might be silent for treating me like a tool, but Nishino doesn't seem to care.
So spread the 'shadow' at your feet.
Then Momo and Kiki appeared out of the 'shadows' before Ono.
"Wow!
"Kyu, Kyu! Kikyu!
"Hmm? What's going on?
We both seem to be in a lot of a hurry.
What the hell is wrong with you?
"... (sighs)!
Then the acorn simulated on the clothes also trembled violently.
"Wow, wow!
"Duh, what's going on, Momo? In such a hurry?
Momo is desperately pulling my hem, pointing in a certain direction.
Over there... in the direction of the next town?
"Wow! Wow! Run!
Momo looks in the direction of the neighboring town, repeating the intimidation.
Kiki also said, "Shh!," he repeatedly threatened, riding on my shoulder.
"What the hell? - Huh!?"
Turn your gaze toward the Momos.
At that moment, my sensing skills rang the alarm.
(Hey, what... what's this outrageous intimidation (pressure)?
There are no monsters at the end of the line of sight.
Broken streets, beyond which nature and countryside extend.
That's all.
Yet...
"What... this..."
Mr. Ichinose was trembling.
She's not the only one. Nishino, Rokuka, Shibata, everyone was sweating cold and trembling.
An overwhelming enough presence to be felt by those who do not have sensing skills.
(What...? What do you got?
A slick sweat sticks on his back and his heart strikes an early bell.
"Ku, Mr. Kudo..."
Ichinose grabs my sleeve.
Reflectively I shook her hand back.
"Guys! Get back inside the Safe Zone! Come on!"
Everyone is hacked by Nishino's cry.
I felt far away from putting it in the 'Safe Zone' as soon as I took a step back, but when that distance was done.
Everyone runs out to us and turns back inside the Safe Zone.
I tried to take Mr. Ichinose out too - it was at that moment.
(- Come on!
Guru, only his neck moved and looked in that direction.
Far above.
I saw a black dot there.
(Arr...)
Black dots floating in the sky.
It was gradually reshaping and approaching this way.
I guess this is what you say when you say your eyes will nail.
Gradually, its identity is revealed.
It had a huge body that reminded me of a lizard-like reptile.
The body surface had beautiful scales that reflected light and glowed blue.
And - I had a pair of wings on my back to cleave the clouds and run through the sky.
(You're lying...)
At first glance, everyone would think of the word.
That's a super kingdom road monster in fantasy.
Make it ruler of the sky, apex of the monster.
"... Dragon (Dragon)"
The roar shook the atmosphere and the legendary presence showed its appearance before us.