Only I Know That This World Will Eventually Perish

In front of the supermarket

“Hmm? “

　It was shortly after he went into the city.

　As he wandered around looking for goblins, he noticed a commotion coming from far away.

(……What?)

　Listening carefully, he could not hear the sound of monsters. Apparently, there was someone fighting but not against a monster.

　It was more like a struggle between people――a commotion centered on the angry voices of men and women.

“…………”

　After thinking about it for a bit, Akira decided to go see what all the fuss was about.

　It had been several hours since the monsters first appeared in this world. Most people were now moving to shelters, seeking refuge with the police and the Self-Defense Forces.

　This usually lively street was now deserted.

　He wondered what kind of people were making such a commotion that would attract monsters, in a quiet place where a single noise could reverberate throughout the city.

　With caution, he listened to his surroundings.

　Akira headed toward the center of the commotion, keeping an eye out not only for monsters but also for the police and the Self-Defense Forces, who would no doubt get him into trouble if he encountered them.

　It took several minutes to advance, hiding in the shadows. But soon, he arrived at the scene of the incident.

“Over there, huh?”

　Murmuring, Akira looked from the shadows.

　The commotion was happening in front of a certain supermarket.

　Five young, mischievous-looking boys and girls, about high school age, and four older men and women were arguing at odds with each other.

　Akira immediately guessed that these high school students were probably taking advantage of the commotion to steal food from the supermarket, judging from the broken glass windows and ransacked interior of the store behind them.

(……Apparently, those kids had already just finished their burglary when the older people arrived. So, when the older people saw the water and food in their hands, they either reproached them or asked them to share it with them――Or something like that.)

　While listening to the arguments that were going on in circles, Akira grasped the situation.

　The young boys and girls said that this was something they had secured first. It’s your fault for being late to the party, they said. The repeated claim was that they were not going to share anything with anyone.

　In contrast, the older men and women argued that it was precisely in times like these that all supplies should be divided equally. In the first place, that food and water were stolen without consent. The main argument seemed to be that the property did not belong to them.

(No, but that doesn’t mean it’s yours either.)

　Akira muttered in response to the older man and woman in his mind.

　To begin with, the current time was just past 6:00 a.m. The supermarkets, as well as stores in the area, had not even opened yet.

　In the midst of all this commotion, these elderly people must have been planning to steal from the supermarket before it opened, just like those mischievous-looking high school students. It seemed to him that these older people were only complaining because it was the young boys and girls―― the unserious-looking high school students who had got there before them.

“What’s the matter with you people?!　Don’t you know anything about respect for older people?! “

　During the argument, one of the older people said such a thing.

“…………This is ridiculous.”

　Involuntarily, Akira exhaled in response.

　The world was flooded with monsters, and everyday life was shattered. The Internet was now full of talk about how defeating monsters would make you stronger―― in other words, level up. It would only be a matter of time before this became the norm in this world.

　If so, what would happen in the world from now on was a world of the weak and the strong, dominated by those with pure power who have defeated monsters and increased their level.

　There was no seniority system or the common sense that had prevailed in the world up to that point.

　This was true even for this ruckus. From the looks of it, there was still water and food in the supermarket. The high school students, who had begun their burglary of the supermarket before the older folks, did not seem to want to hog everything in the supermarket.

One of the high school students shouted in frustration, “There’s still water and food in the supermarket,” but the older people’s voices did not cease, “Everything, including what you have in your hands, should be equally distributed.”

(……Really, that’s a ridiculous statement.)

　The words of the elders were a kind of pacifist rhetoric, not really understanding that this world had changed.

(Why don’t those kids just get going and stop fighting with each other?)

　With this in mind, Akira stared at the high school students.

　If they insisted on arguing to this point, anyone could see that it would be futile to keep at each other’s throats. In that case, you should quickly ignore them and leave this place.

　But surely, they couldn’t do that. Their petty pride of youth was getting in the way. Seeing them staking their claim in the words of the older people, rather than hearing the words that they should be divided equally, it was as if the boys would simply never follow the orders of those who were talking down to them.

(…………Shall I go?)

　Akira let out a loud sigh at their dispute and quietly left.

(I mean, if you don’t keep it down, it won’t be long before it gets the monsters’ attention………… See? I told you.)

　As he proceeded, hiding in the shadows, Akira noticed a pack of gray-haired wolves approaching the source of the commotion from the other side of the alley.

(Grey Wolves, huh? That’s an opponent I’m not sure even I can beat right now. Their status is also higher than goblins, and most importantly, they are more numerous. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go back to them now.)

　If he returned, he would surely die.

　Knowing this, Akira immediately chose to retreat.

　……Soon after, screams and shrieks came from behind Akira.

　Then, the cries of despair were quickly cut short. Probably everyone who was there was now dead.

　As if to make this known, behind Akira, the howling of the gray wolves echoed endlessly, as if in celebration of their victory.