On Saturday, I head to a slightly larger shopping mall in the next station over for a change of pace.
Once I get here, there is only one thing to do.
"Ah, this is so healing."
I go straight to the pet shop and gaze at the adorable animals.
Right now, I am watching a Pomeranian bouncing around energetically, letting it wash away my daily fatigue.
"Why are you so pretty?"
"Woof!"
She seems pleased with my words.
Her cute tail wags back and forth, and she lets out happy barks.
Ugh! I want to break through this glass right now and pet her!
But...
I glance at the price tag.
Thirty thousand yen stares back at me in plain numbers.
(That's way too expensive! No way I can pay that!)
"Ah, Sally! I'll come see you again someday... I promise!"
I say goodbye to Sally (temporary name) in front of me.
She looks a little sad too. Her tail droops weakly.
A heartbreaking pain tears at me, but I clench my fist, endure it, and leave the pet shop.
After the pet shop, I have no real plans, so I just wander around the mall.
Even just walking and watching people's faces turns out to be surprisingly entertaining.
A little girl eating ice cream her mom bought her, beaming smiles at everyone around her.
And... couples holding hands, clearly in love, showing off their happiness.
I give them the finger and curse under my breath.
"Tch! Don't come out in public just to flaunt your lovey-dovey crap, you damn normies!"
It's not like I'm some hopeless loner or anything!
It's just... well, there isn't a girl who matches me yet!
I let out a huge sigh.
After browsing for a while, I decide it is about time to head home and turn around.
That is when the ground suddenly shakes violently.
"That was huge!"
"Eek!?"
"Are you okay?!"
The mall's tiles crack. Items from stores fly everywhere.
Several people get injured; I see blood on a few.
In the middle of the chaos, I quickly look for an escape route out of here.
I realize this is not just an ordinary earthquake.
As if to confirm my suspicion, a deafening roar echoes through the mall the next moment.
"GRAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
The roar fills everyone with terror. People in the mall tremble uncontrollably.
Then an announcement blares over the speakers.
"Attention: A B-rank monster has appeared near the shopping mall. Customers, please evacuate as quickly and as far as possible!"
The panicked voice in the announcement shows just how dangerous the situation is.
For reference, the muscular Minotaur guy I ran into yesterday was also B-rank.
To explain simply: monsters are ranked from F to SSS.
F-rank can usually be defeated by any attack-type ability user. SSS-rank, on the other hand, poses a world-level threat.
B-rank means town-scale disaster. Only experienced ability users stand a chance.
As soon as the announcement ends, the crowd panics and flees in every direction. The mall turns into a scene of screams and despair.
People shove others aside to get out first.
A child separated from their parents cries out.
A teenage boy desperately tries to protect his family.
When death is near, human nature shows itself clearly.
I move away from the fleeing crowd and head deeper into the mall instead.
"Well, staying calm is hard in this."
Logically, splitting up and exiting from multiple directions would reduce congestion, but in emergencies, people's vision narrows.
Distant explosions and combat sounds reach me from far away.
It seems the town's defense team has already arrived. I am genuinely impressed by how fast they moved.
With that level of training, this might end quickly.
As I reach near the center of the mall, I spot the little girl who was eating ice cream earlier. She is crying.
Nearby, a woman who must be her mother lies unconscious on the ground.
I rush over and check on the woman.
"...Good. Looks like a mild concussion. Little miss, your mom will wake up soon, so don't worry."
I try to sound gentlemanly and reassuring, but it does not suit me at all.
If Ao saw this, she would probably burst out laughing.
The girl sniffles at my words, then manages to speak.
"...Thank... you... big... brother..."
She is really strong.
She probably wants to cry her eyes out right now.
I gently pat the little girl's head.
That is when it happens.
A crack appears in the space right behind the girl.
"No way..."
What shocks me is the size.
The fissure easily exceeds ten meters.
While I stand frozen for a moment, something shoots out from the crack at high speed.
I instantly move in front of the girl and stare it down.
It is an arm. An enormous one, the size of a house.
Its claws are razor-sharp, capable of slicing anything they touch in half.
And that vicious arm swings sideways toward me.
"Guh!"
"...Big brother!"
The blow is stronger than I expected. I cannot hold my ground and get sent flying.
After knocking me away, the monster slowly emerges from the fissure.
Its full form is revealed.
The ancients described this monster like this:
It is a massive four-legged beast.
It possesses claws that slice through everything and jaws that crush anything.
And it is a slaughterer that annihilates all in its path.
Individual name: Ravana.
A B-rank monster—city-destroying level—with a gigantic body and multiple floating cannons orbiting it that obliterate enemies.
Ravana looks down at the trembling little human in its sight. Its mouth twists into an ugly grin.
One of its cannons moves in front of the girl and begins charging energy.
"Ah... ah..."
The girl clings tightly to her unconscious mother with her shaking body.
Right in front of her, the cannon aimed at her is gathering terrifying energy to kill her.
Her body trembles naturally, but she desperately tries to move her thin arms to protect her mom.
But there is no time.
The cannon fires a massive ball of energy.
As she stares in shock at the glowing projectile, someone steps in front of her.
It is the boy who was just blown away by the monster.
"Don't get cocky, you piece of trash."
The boy mutters that, then swings his right arm and smashes into the energy ball.
The attack meant to kill the girl cannot withstand his strike. It vanishes without a trace.
He does not stop there. Moving at blinding speed, he closes in on the monster and punches its torso hard.
"GRAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
The monster crashes into pillars, destroying parts of the building as it is sent flying.
Hayato turns back to the girl with a smile and speaks.
"I'll take care of that small fry, so just relax and wait for it to be over, okay?"
Hearing those words, the little girl feels safe. She faints beside her mother.
Her expression is peaceful.