The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 1156 - 176 - The First Expedition (5)

Kaori’s POV

We had finally arrived at the place where we were supposed to hunt monsters.

At least, that was what it was called.

Standing there and actually looking around, it didn’t really feel like a proper "monster hunt." The atmosphere was strange—tense, heavy, like the air itself was aware that something was wrong in this region. It felt less like an adventure and more like a problem that had been left to rot for too long, until someone finally decided to deal with it.

Apparently, this whole area had become notorious. Monsters kept showing up again and again, almost as if the land itself was inviting them in. That was the reason there were so many people clad in armor wandering around. Everywhere I looked, there were leather straps, metal plates, worn cloaks, and weapons hanging from belts or resting on shoulders. Swords, spears, bows—tools meant for killing, all moving casually through what was once probably a peaceful road.

I remembered Tsubasa talking about things like this back then, when he used to bury his nose in web novels all day. He’d excitedly explain how dangerous zones worked, how adventurers gathered where monsters spawned frequently, and how entire villages survived off requests like these. Looking at it now, those words felt less fictional and more... uncomfortably real. These people were likely adventurers. Or mercenaries. Maybe there wasn’t much difference between the two here.

As I walked forward, my sword resting against my side, the weight of it was a quiet reminder of why I was here. The grip was familiar beneath my fingers, solid and reassuring. I wasn’t exactly relaxed, but I wasn’t panicking either. It was a strange in-between state—alert, but numb.

That was when someone approached me from the side.

I recognized her immediately, even before she spoke.

It had been a while since we’d actually talked properly.

"Ayaka?" I called out, slowing my steps.

Ayaka Sakai turned toward me. For a moment, she just looked at me, her expression unreadable, like she was deciding whether or not to say something. Then she stepped closer, close enough that her shoulder brushed against mine as we walked. She leaned in, her mouth hovering near my ear, and lowered her voice.

"Don’t you think your boyfriend’s been acting really strange?" she whispered. "I mean, I know he’s changed, but this much? And seriously... how are you staying so calm when he’s openly flirting with other women?"

I let out a quiet breath, one that felt heavier than I expected. My lips curved into a small, wry smile before I answered.

"Well," I said softly, "he’s not my boyfriend anymore."

Ayaka stiffened.

"We broke up."

She stopped walking entirely. I took a few steps forward before realizing she wasn’t beside me anymore. When I turned back, she was standing there, eyes slightly widened, like her brain hadn’t caught up with her ears yet.

I couldn’t really blame her.

I had told her so many times before—too many times, probably—about how Amakawa-kun felt like my perfect soulmate. How everything about him felt right. How I loved him so much that it scared me sometimes. Those words had come so easily back then. They’d felt true.

But feelings change.

I didn’t know exactly when it started happening. Maybe it was gradual. Maybe it was sudden. All I knew was that the warmth I used to feel had thinned out, like a fading echo. Holding onto the relationship when neither of us truly felt the same anymore wouldn’t have been fair—to him or to me. Continuing would’ve meant pretending. Lying. And I was tired of lying to myself.

"I see..." Ayaka finally muttered, her voice quieter now.

It sounded like she’d just received the shock of the day.

I nodded once and kept walking, not letting myself linger on it. There was no bitterness in my chest, no regret sharp enough to hurt. Just a calm acceptance. If anything, that realization surprised me more than the breakup itself.

As we continued down the road, I became more aware of the stares around us. People glanced at us openly—some curious, some cautious, some outright wary. A group of unfamiliar faces walking through a troubled area always attracted attention. I ignored most of it, my eyes drifting instead toward one particular figure walking ahead of us.

Miss Shredica.

No matter how many times I looked at her, the resemblance struck me all over again.

She looked just like Chihara.

Same face. Same features. Same presence.

And yet... not really.

Chihara had always been cold, yes. Distant, sharp-edged, difficult to approach. But she’d never been cruel. There was a quiet restraint to her, an unspoken line she never crossed. Miss Shredica didn’t seem to have that line at all. Her expression was indifferent, her movements efficient, and there was something unsettling in the way she spoke—like human lives were just numbers to her.

It felt wrong. Like seeing a reflection that moved differently than it should.

I shook the thought away. Comparing them wasn’t doing me any good. She wasn’t Chihara. She was Miss Shredica. A different person entirely. That was how it was supposed to be, and that was how I needed to think about it.

Eventually, we reached our destination.

The village appeared almost deceptively peaceful. Simple houses lined the dirt paths, smoke rising lazily from chimneys, and the faint sounds of daily life carried through the air. If I didn’t know better, I might have thought this place was untouched by danger.

"This is the place," Miss Shredica said, stopping at the edge of the village. "Beyond this route, there’s a Demon Tiger. It’s killed several villagers already."

Her voice was flat. Empty of emotion.

No sorrow. No anger. Just information.

Well, I guess that sounded just like us. When we heard about deaths in the news back home, we barely reacted unless it affected us personally. In that sense, the people of this world and us weren’t all that different. Or maybe we’d just grown numb.

"You’ll be staying here overnight," she continued. "We hunt the tiger during the day. It searches for food then, which makes tracking it difficult. There are other monsters in the forest, so stay alert, watch your backs, and remain in groups."

She paused briefly, then added, "If you die, that’s on you. My advice is to avoid dying. If someone does get killed, leave the body behind and let the monsters tear it apart."

The words landed heavily.

"Hey," Ayaka snapped, raising her hand sharply. Her expression was tight, clearly angry. "I get that you’re trying to make us cautious, but saying things like that isn’t helpful. Talking about us dying and abandoning bodies isn’t advice."

"That’s right," Miss Shredica replied immediately, her tone calm but cutting. Ayaka fell silent under her gaze. "I’m not giving advice."

She turned fully toward us, her eyes sweeping across the group.

"This is a warning," she said. "A warning that you will die if you’re careless."

Every single one of us swallowed.

The certainty in her voice was terrifying. I couldn’t tell whether she was trying to scare us into backing out or simply stating reality as she saw it. Either way, it worked.

"Now then," she said, turning away as if the conversation was over. "Rest up. You’ll be busy tomorrow."

And just like that, we were left standing there, the weight of her words settling heavily over the peaceful-looking village as night slowly crept in.