Chapter 177 - Deserted Wasteland but Relying on the Hints ※Nanami's POV

I was thinking about how to use the godsend massive amount of points I got while on guard of my surroundings.

Ai-chan is still in the middle of its meal.

It must have been pretty hungry. Seeing it greedily eating without even leaving bones was giving a mysterious refreshing feeling.

No matter how you think about it, it is eating more than its body mass, but it is most likely being dissolved into Spirit Energy as it eats.

That it likes to eat Spirit Stones must be because it can get the Spirit Energy just like that without any pains.

Ai-chan ate up all the birds and the lizard, and cleaned up its mouth with its big tongue while floating.

It is hidden by its fluffy fur, but it has a big mouth.

Its sharp lined up fangs spoke fluently of its strength as a carnivore.

Maybe because this child is a Wondrous Entity, its appetite is incredible. I feel like it will be difficult to travel while making sure not to have it starve.

It was so hungry it was on the verge of dying, so maybe it ate this much because of that, and it is not like it eats that much normally every day though…

I don’t want a cute one like this to die. Let’s do our best.

“Can I touch you for a bit?” (Nanami)

—Okay.

“Alright. Good, good, good.” (Nanami)

The moment I got the ok, I ruffle the whole body of Ai-chan who is floating around me.

Its fur is all fluffy, and maybe because it is a dry area, it doesn’t smell weird, and has a hard to explain feel to it.

I even forgot that it is a dangerous place and enjoyed this moment of bliss.

—Feels good.

Looks like Ai-chan is also enjoying it.

Probably hasn’t experienced being petted. I am called the pet master Nanami by the dogs in the neighborhood (the people walking the dogs),I'll have you know.

After petting a whole ton and recovering my willpower, Ai-chan and I began our return to the previous path (not like there’s any other path).

There’s the corpses of the giant eagles that I defeated at the time when I came here. I have Ai-chan with me, so I want to at least collect the Spirit Stones.

I opened my Status Board while walking and decided on taking a Survival Hint for 1 crystal.

The first time I saw it, it said: Head west.

I think it meant to save Ai-chan. In that case, it should be giving me a different hint now.

Of course, there’s the chance it still says head west, but at that time, I will collect the Spirit Stones of the birds and head west again.

According to Ai-chan, living beings don’t get close to its surroundings, so there’s probably no danger anymore. It also means that we won’t be getting food anymore either, so that’s bad in itself.

I tap the Survival Hint.

<The Spirit Energy Potion is the most efficient method for the hunger of Monstrosities.>

Something unexpected showed up.

In other words, at this rate, there’s a high chance I would have ended up getting eaten because of the hunger of Ai-chan.

(At worst, even if it eats me, I have to make sure it doesn’t eat any other people.) (Nanami)

—I won’t eat you.

“Uh, you heard me, huh. I am just talking about the worst case. When hungry, anyone can end up not being able to endure it.” (Nanami)

Having my mind heard leaves a lot to be thought of.

The power of Communication is solely at the times when I want to tell something, or at the times when there's strong emotions directed at you, but with me and Ai-chan having become friends, it might have become easier to transmit.

(The Angel Voice clearly said that it had been tamed, so I should think that there’s some sort of pact formed between us. Well, Ai-chan should be far stronger than me, so it is more of a friendship though.) (Nanami)

—Friend?

Ai-chan blinked with its big eyelashes, looking in surprise over here.

“That’s right, friend. It is hard to explain what a friend is. It means to be together, play around, eat, and have fun.” (Nanami)

At the very least, Ai-chan doesn’t feel like a pet.

—I can tell what you are thinking.

—So mysterious.

—Nanami is friend.

“Yup! Looking forward to it, Ai-chan.” (Nanami)

In this wasteland where it is as if death is lying about here and there, I walked around while holding hands with the floating Ai-chan.

The corpses of the birds were left there without any other animals eating them. Ai-chan ate all the bodies, and I only pulled out the Spirit Stones to make it a meal for later.

Well, according to the hint, the spirit energy potions can serve as food, and thanks to Ai-chan, I have a lot of points.

There won’t be issues with food for the near future.

“Now then, we have returned to the starting point. Let’s aim for a human settlement again! The closest one is east, so we are running just like this!” (Nanami)

—Alright!

Even so, Communication is quite an incredible power.

To think we could connect my heart with other living beings in such a natural manner, it is like a dream come true.

“Are you fine with running?” (Nanami)

—No problem.

“Then, let’s go!” (Nanami)

Our journey has just begun!

…Wait, that’s distasteful, huh.

I am getting all ahead of myself because I got a comrade.

I should reflect.

◇◆◆◆◇

We ran for a bit after that, but when it comes to dangers, it was only one big eagle that I purposely had it attack me.

It is that big of an eagle, its territory must be pretty big. Considering that I have already defeated several of them, this place might make the living beings here big.

Judging from the barren state of this place, the size balance is weird.

There might be a prey here that has quite the high calories and it is simply that I don’t know about it. Like a pack of water buffalos.

…Well, it is a world where there’s free energy like Spirit Energy in the air, so there’s not much point even if I think about it.

They are similar to the ones from Earth, but they have been tuned in a pretty game-like way. Celica-chan told me that it can’t be explained with a simple food chain.

On top of having the same energy from the sunlight, it has the energy called Spirit Energy from even the air, and that fact is big. The living beings that can breathe the Spirit Energy in the air can survive without the nutrition of water, earth, and even the sun.

It even applies to plants. They can suck the Spirit Energy of water without the need to plant their roots on the ground. There’s a lot of diversity.

Once I have the leeway, I would like to move around and check things out.

Ai-chan defeated the giant eagle.

I was surprised by how it shot a beam from its eye and shot down the giant eagle, but is that also a Spirit Ability? It must be the same ability as the one the other woman used in that video. I heard that monsters that can use abilities show up in the dungeon, but I feel like it is rare with wild creatures.

After that, I take out the Spirit Stone from the bird. Ai-chan ate the body.

Normally, they shouldn’t be attacking us with Ai-chan here, but there was one flying nearby so, with the suggestion of Ai-chan, I tried acting as bait.

How did we do it? To my surprise, Ai-chan can use a Spirit Ability that can turn its body invisible!

I have learned about Spirit Abilities from Celica-chan before, but this must be the Light Spirit Ability, Invisibility. If that beam is Photon Ray as well, it would mean that Ai-chan is at least at the 6th Spirit Ability.

After Ai-chan hid, I ran for a bit, and the eagle attacked me with that.

It was a splendid bird that I hesitated to kill, but I want to get as many of the emergency rations that are Spirit Stones. I would be lying if I said I don’t care about killing other living beings, but I am most likely going to be required to do this countless times in the future too. I should get used to it as soon as possible.

By the way, I decided to buy a rucksack with 5 crystals and put the Spirit Stones there.

We advanced like that and evening was approaching.

“There’s still 80km till the closest settlement, huh…” (Nanami)

It is around 2 full marathons. If it is now when I have a surplus of points, I should be able to run the whole distance and take less than 10 hours. Fortunately, the state of the ground isn’t that bad.

The problem is that the threat of this wasteland…is the environment and the ecosystem. I didn’t understand that well.

Even with Ai-chan using Invisibility, there aren’t many creatures who get close. The birds…or more like, the giant eagles attack me, but I can somehow manage if it is birds. Mine and Ai-chan's means of attack are good against them.

Well, I want to save my bullets, so I am mostly leaving it all to Ai-chan though.

More importantly, the other creatures.

For example; I still haven’t seen any as of yet, but I feel like it would be troubling if several of those big and fat lizards were to show up.

I am just a frail human being, and Ai-chan doesn’t look like the type that’s strong in close combat. Ai-chan can bite, but that not only needs power but also body weight.

There’s also the need to be wary of small creatures. Like snakes or spiders.

I don’t have Poison Resistance, and if I were to faint without the time to use potions, that would be the end of me.

Maybe because it is several tens of kilometers apart from where Ai-chan was, I feel like the color of plants and living beings is getting denser, and I am sure that trend will continue growing stronger the further we go.

But the chances of getting attacked get proportionally higher.

“Ai-chan, can you move without resting?” (Nanami)

—I can. As long as I have food.

“We can somehow manage, I guess.” (Nanami)

It is possible to continue on without sleeping.

But I have the option.

I can move at night, or not.

The Barrier Stone is a barrier that’s effective for 12 hours. It costs 1 point, but it is possible to pass the time safely with that.

“When in doubt, listen to the hint.” (Nanami)

I received a whole ton of advice from Celica-chan and Karen-chan, but within those, the Survival Hint is in essence the words of God, so in this situation where the message function is frozen, this is the only outside information source.

If I am a bit troubled, I should use this without hesitation.

It is true that, as of present, I have been able to obtain incredibly important information.

My viewership is high too.

I am slightly over 100 million, so I will be able to get 1 crystal daily with this.

I opened the Survival Hint with 1 crystal.

<<Get your protection in order.>>

“That’s unexpected… No, it is a decent hint.” (Nanami)

It must be because I have a lot of points now.

It is true that I only have a flimsy white top and bottom; so-called Chosen clothes. It has begun to get cold with the sun going down.

I should follow the advice and get some equipment.

I confirm the situation once more before opening the Status Board.

“Adventurer clothes are fine by me, but…what should I do?” (Nanami)

The equipment from the point exchange has the right size for you, so I know it is actually good value.

I have 14 points remaining. I have made Ai-chan my comrade, so I got 9 points. It might be okay to use 4 points.

That said, I would be putting the horse before the cart if I end up being too heavy I can’t run. I should make it the bare minimum equipment.

“I can get a gorget plate too, but I would be done for in a situation where I would need that anyways… Hmm…” (Nanami)

I thought over it and bought the adventurer clothes and mithril vest.

The clothes were 1 point and the armor was 3 points.

I honestly wondered if it is okay to use 4 points here, but I decided on believing the hint.

I opened the hint again after equipping it.

There’s no point in being stingy about crystals here.

<<Lizards are poikilothermic animals.>>

“Hm…?” (Nanami)

An unexpected hint again.

There’s also small lizards here and there, but does that mean the reptiles in this world are also poikilothermic? Well, they do look the same. The ecology must be similar to that of Earth.

Aside from the mysterious Spirit Energy, this world is surprisingly similar to Earth after all.

“…Ah, I see.” (Nanami)

I got it.

It means that I should aim for the time when that fat and fast lizard that can avoid bullets is less active.

So hard to understand.

If that lizard is also a poikilothermic animal, it should barely move at dawn. The temperature is already lowering in the evening.

I don’t think they are nocturnal.

I see. Then, I should be able to avoid the number one threat.

It is currently 18:00 o’clock.

If I used a Barrier Stone, it would be 6 in the morning in the 12 hours, but I can wake up by 2 o’clock in the morning and run then.

“Ai-chan, can you tell when an enemy is close even at night?” (Nanami)

—I can.

It is an incredibly direct response, but a truly reliable one.

The detection ability of a wild creature can’t be compared to that of a wild animal.

Anyways, with this, it should be okay even if I run at night.

“I will be resting for a bit until night, so I will be running then. Until that time comes, I will be sleeping. I will be putting up a barrier, so you can sleep too, Ai-chan.” (Nanami)

—Barrier?

“It is something like an ability that makes other enemies not find you.” (Nanami)

—Got it.

—I have eaten a lot, so I am sleepy.

I move to a rock where I can lean against, and bring out an overcoat with 5 crystals.

Ai-chan is warm, and it was pretty hot in the daytime, so the ground is also warm.

I break a Barrier Stone, set the alarm, and take a rest for a while.

I was tired both in body and mind, so I soon fell asleep in the warmth and comfort of Ai-chan.