Chapter 3 - School Field Trip (3)

Salty sea breeze greeted us as we climbed off the bus. A long beach extended on either side with large rocks and seashells sprinkled across the sand.

Before exiting the bus, I apologized to Ouga for taking his banana. The chubby middle-schooler shook his head saying it was okay and offered me a candy.

Yuriko nudged me, "Hey, so which sponsor did you choose?"

"I had one sponsor but there was an error with selecting mine. You?"

She shrugged, "I also only got one option."

The straw hat boy rubbed his eyes in disbelief as the Dokkaebi followed us outside into the open beach. "Huh? So you're not a projection."

One of the middle-schoolers reached up to touch the Dokkaebi but it hovered just high enough to be out of reach.

[Oh right. I should tell you all that you can use your coins earned from scenarios to improve your stats. This second scenario will be a bit challenging but do your best to survive.]

Xen slapped his fist on this palm. "So that's what the coins are for."

"It's like experience points!"

Stats? Was there a way for me to see those?

The moment I thought of this, a screen appeared.

+

[Profile Information]

Name: Miro Takeuchi

Age: 17 years old.

Constellation Support: None (1 constellation is currently showing interest in this person).

Private Attribute: Bookworm (Basic)

Exclusive Skills: Lie Detection Lv.1, Sage's Eyes Lv. 1, ??

Stigma: None

Overall Stats: Stamina Lv. 1, Strength Lv. 1, Agility Lv. 1, Magic Power Lv. 1.

+

Bookworm…? Just because I read books doesn't mean I necessarily enjoy them and I don't study that much either. Also what's up with only having 2 skills? In most games characters receive a handful of skills, but I guess it's better than having no skills.

"Umm, where are we exactly?"

A girl with shoulder-length brown hair who I recognized as Miyuki Chiba hesitantly stood near the bus. She often helped the teachers with handing out papers and was part of the student council so the teachers often mentioned her name in class.

Miyuki Chiba peered over the bridge where the mainland faded into the misty clouds.

"I don't remember there being another beach nearby. And there doesn't seem to be anyone around here."

It was true, usually tourists would flock the beaches and there would be lifeguard towers, but there were only sand and rocks here. There weren't any buildings visible nearby either, the only other lifeforms were some thickets a good distance away.

The Dokkaebi looked disinterested as if it repeated the same line a dozen times.

[This island is a zone created specifically for this scenario.]

Ouga ran towards the bridge, but fell backwards with a thud. He rubbed his head in confusion, "There's something blocking the path..?"

[A barrier field is necessary so that monsters don't go to the mainland.]

Looks of apprehension shadowed our faces. "Monsters..?"

Several rocks started shaking violently.

[It seems that the monsters have awoken. Haha good luck! Japan's population is rather limited so it would best for both of us if none of you died.]

Emerging from the rocks were heads of monstrous creatures, ones that I have never read in any book nor seen in any image.

Looking closer, the rocks themselves seem to be transforming into a form that was a conglomeration of a giant crab and a horrendous beetle. More than twenty rocks turned towards us.

"Squaaak!?"

Frightened by the sudden appearance of the monstrous horde, the chicken panicked and ran around in circles.

Alerted by the noise the monsters crawled towards our direction.

Yoshikawa yelped, "Wahh! T-they're coming to us!"

Nakano stepped forward. "I- my sponsor has a stigma that allows me to control fire. You guys should stay on the bus."

He picked up a long piece of driftwood and lit it on fire. The monsters halted as Nakano brandished the burning driftwood.

"Tomoya, hurry!" Miyuki Chiba called from the bus. The other middle-schoolers were already in the bus.

Tomoya, I assume that is the name of the straw hat boy, hurriedly scooped up the chicken but it hopped down and scurried towards the monsters.

"Bucky, come back!"

Tomoya chased after the chicken into the center of the horde.

"That idiot." Nakano had his hands full fending off the monsters from approaching the bus and couldn't go after Tomoya.

Bucky was larger than average chickens and aquatic predators usually don't eat birds because of their distaste in feathers. However the monsters were three times the size of the chicken and a single swipe of their claws would result in a fatal wound for either the chicken or Tomoya.

Maybe it was because I got over my initial fright or maybe it was because I reasoned that the monsters were weaker than I suspected. Regardless of the reason, I ran after Tomoya.

"Miro!"

I heard Yuriko shouting my name but by then I was already far away from the bus.

"Squaaak!"

The chicken flapped its wings in an attempt to intimidate the monsters. This only annoyed the monsters as one of them lashed out, narrowly missing the bristling feathers of the chicken. Tomoya tried to scoop the chicken up, but it hopped away and ran in circles around the spot.

A monster arched its back and prepared to launch an attack with both pincers.

I tugged on a piece of flat driftwood lying on the sand, but it was too heavy. If I had more strength… wait, strength? The Dokkaebi's words flashed in my mind. I brought up my stats info and poured all of my coins to increase my strength stat.

[300 coins have been invested into 'strength'.]

[Strength Lv. 1 -> Strength Lv. 4]

With slightly less difficulty I lifted the flat driftwood and raised it up as a shield.

Kwaaack!

Strong pincers slammed into the wood and knocked me back. I landed on something soft. I grabbed whatever was behind me and held it up to look.

It was a small round-shaped egg. The chicken must have been protecting these though the eggs look different from chicken eggs. Were these monster eggs?

[Exclusive skill, Sage's Eyes Lv. 1 has been activated!]

I felt a faint burning sensation in my eyes and a blue screen popped up in front of me.

[Item Information - Turtle Egg]

Main food source for coastal monsters. Each turtle egg eaten by a monster gives them a random +1 to stats.

So the chicken was trying to protect these eggs? That must be why it didn't want to leave. It looks like the monsters are also targeting the eggs.

"Tomoya- the eggs-"

I was so out of breath that I wasn't able to talk properly, but thankfully he understood and started piling the eggs on his overturned straw hat. The chicken jumped onto the hat and Tomoya fled towards the bus.

Kwaaack!

The driftwood broke into pieces as the monster launched another attack. I gulped in a mouthful of air and rolled away. The eggs that I mistook for seashells were scattered all over the sandy shore.

[Item Information - Coin Egg]

Gives 100 coins when broken.

[Item Information - Random Item Egg]

Gives a random B to D-grade item when broken.

Some of the eggs were normal turtle eggs while others seemed to be items that one would find in a game. It would be a bad situation if the monsters were to get a hold of the eggs.

I grabbed a fistful of the turtle eggs and stuffed them in the pocket of my gray hoodie that was drenched dark with sweat.

[100 coins have been earned.]

[100 coins have been earned.]

[You have obtained the item, 'Piece of Coal'.]

. . .

Messages popped up as I stomped on the item and coin eggs.

[750 coins have been invested into 'stamina'.]

[Stamina Lv. 1 -> Stamina Lv. 6]

Immediately my breathing became easier and my steps became lighter. However three monsters surrounded me and were creeping closer. Black jaws snapped as I backed away.

[Exclusive skill, Sage's Eyes Lv. 1 has been activated!]

My eyes burned again and a small panel popped up.

[Monster Information - Scuttle Lurkers]

A mutant crab species that mimics rocks upon shores. They feed on fishes, turtle eggs, and seagulls. Vulnerable to fire and piercing attacks. Young scuttle lurkers have undeveloped soft shells and are vulnerable to blunt damage but mature ones have thick, hard shells that protect them from physical harm. Their favorite food is pearls obtained from giant oysters.

I checked the items I got from the item eggs. Unfortunately none of them could be used as a weapon. Fire… I looked back at the bus.

The middle-schoolers were safe inside the bus and Nakano was swinging a burning stick at scuttle lurkers that were crawling towards the bus. I should have taken the turtle eggs from Tomoya since the monsters are probably lured by the stinky scent of the eggs.

One of the scuttle lurkers aimed a blow at me. I managed to roll away, but its claws grazed my arm. To my surprise I didn't feel much pain, was it because of my increased stats?

"Miro!"

Kwaaack!

A claw smashed in a downward arc but was blocked by a piece of driftwood. Xen grinned.

"Hey if you shout the name of your skill, it will be stronger."

Where on earth did he get that idea from? Xen handed the driftwood to me and lifted his arms.

"Skill activate! Gale Burst!"

A strong wind forced back the three scuttle lurkers and created an opening for us to escape.

[A constellation is amused by the idea of yelling out skill names.]

[222 coins have been sponsored!]

What the heck? Coins can be earned like that too?

We began sprinting back to the bus when the Dokkaebi suddenly appeared.

[Well well, it's been 30 mins and you're all managing to survive so far.]

A mischievous grin formed on the Dokkaebi's face.

[Why don't we make things a bit more interesting?]

Kueehhhhh!

From the direction of the thickets a humongous mound of stone reared up its head and let out a deafening roar.