Only I Know That This World Will Eventually Perish

Goblin

“So that minotaur I saw…… was a sign of what this world is going to become?”

　No one answered the words that were muttered.

　Akira turned on his brain frantically as he drooped down and covered his face.

(――――Calm down. First off, let’s sort out what’s going on. There is no doubt that this world is now full of monsters. I went to sleep a little after 1 a.m.…… In just nine hours, the city was overrun with monsters other than minotaurs. It’s not safe to go out there right now. I’m still not sure what’s happening, but I need to stay in the office for now―――― Oh, that’s right. What about electricity and water!?)

　With a gasp, Akira stood up.

　He rushed over and pressed the light switch inside the development department room. However, the interior light did not turn on. Then how about water? He headed to the service room at the end of the corridor and turned on the tap, but as he expected. The water did not flow.

“Has the domestic infrastructure been completely destroyed?”

　Akira sat there, muttering to himself.

“……What am I supposed to do now?”

　Monsters that appeared in reality and a death that came abruptly. A time slip into the past. Moreover, it’s merely been one day. After going to bed and waking up, the world was dying. How much better it would have been if this had been a dream.

“And there’s that weird game-like screen that only I can see?　……I can only think that I myself have entered the world of a game――――”

　Then, Akira suddenly remembered.

　The level indicated on that screen, which can only be thought of as one’s own status screen.

　What if this really was the case, that just like in a game, if you defeated a monster, you would gain some sort of experience and gain more levels?

　If he could raise his level by defeating goblins and other creatures―― other than the minotaurs that roamed around outside that window as if they owned the place, he might be able to survive.

“Is the only way to survive in this world is to defeat the monsters? “

　It was not clear whether this was true or not.

　But it seemed as close to the truth as one could get.

(……Anyway, let’s just think about surviving for now)

　The only certain thing was that this was a new and different world, a world with monsters in it. If that were the case, then rather than bemoaning the current situation, one should first take action to survive.

“Alright.”

　It was then that Akira finally stood up, steeling himself.

“Gihiii! “

　Suddenly, he heard a shrill voice that sounded like fingernails clawing at a blackboard.

　In response to the voice, Akira turned around hastily.

　――How long had it been there?

　A lone goblin stood in the doorway of the service room, holding a wooden stick that looked like a club. Perhaps it had broken a window somewhere and entered the company’s interior. The way he snickered and scoffed as if he was pleased to have found his prey was hideous and creepy to the point of being disgusting.

　Seeing its yellow, murky eyes narrow, Akira immediately realized that he was being evaluated by the goblin.

“Hiiiii.”

　Involuntarily, Akira’s breath stopped.

　Backing up slowly, Akira quickly turned his attention to his surroundings, looking for anything that could be used as a weapon.

　However, no matter how hard he searched, there was nothing in the company’s service room that could be used as a weapon.

　All that was available were tea sets, electric kettles, tea packets, and coffee powder. But none of those things could be used as a weapon to defend himself.

“Gihi, gegehe! “

　The goblin uttered something to Akira, who slowly backed away.

　It was a language he did not understand.

　But Akira instinctively knew that those words were not friendly.

“Gegege, gigihi.”

　Apparently, it was trying to intimidate him.

　Saying something, the goblin swung the club in his hand as if to show off.

“――Don’t come.”

“Gege, gigihii.”

　After what seemed like the umpteenth attempt at intimidation, the goblin finally seemed to realize that Akira could not understand its words.

　The goblin stared at him with a cold stare, as if he were looking at something boring, and then let out a small snort and walked slowly toward Akira.

“Don’t come…… Stay away!! “

　Akira threw tea sets, mugs, coffee powder jars, and tea packets at the goblin as it approached slowly, step by step.

　The goblin brushed them off with his hand in annoyance, sometimes dodging them, and then grinned again, its mouth full of a grim smile.

“Gigiii! “

　Then the goblin rushed out to Akira all at once.