Exiled from paradise

Chapter 9: Man Eater

Today is the examination day for exterminators. Princess already told me that there is nothing to worry about because the exam is always simple. Mostly, the exam only consists of defeating one weak demon kind. Society needs more exterminators than ever because of the rapid growth of demon kind, for that reason. The exam is hard.

Kisara, before I went, said that I had defeated a Cerberus already. Defeating a weak demon kind would be easy.

Still, I don’t like being overly comfortable, especially in this world. I don’t even know what normal means in this place. Easy could be hard.

The day before the exam, I did some sword swings and practiced for a bit. There is no one who could teach me swordmanship. Moreover, the people in the company are not talking to me. I have no choice but to improve myself alone.

Mister Fluff gave me a ride toward the examination area.

Glancing over Mister Fluff, I realized that he's so cute. He also reminded me of the teddy bear I was supposed to give to Choco on that day.

The vehicle stopped. Mister Fluff from the driver's seat gives me a thumbs up indicating that we’re already at the destination.

I stepped outside and saw myself in an abandoned building.

“There are ten floors…”

The structure can’t be trusted. The building was in the middle of its ruins. Some floors don’t even have walls and a huge crack spanning from the very first floor toward the tenth was noticeable.

Other people around me are looking excited. Stretching their body and swinging their blades. Others have a plain bored expression and others are nervous.

The worst is this one girl in a big yellow rain coat. Crouched down, she was trembling and speaking to herself.

A child?

“This is my dead end… I’ll die here… Don’t talk like that, we’re not going to die… No, no, no. We’ll die here for sure.”

She’s speaking to herself.

Her face is very cute, her eyes are like ocean water, and she has curly blue hair.

She turned to glance at me. Our eyes met for a brief moment. She turned away flustering.”

“Don’t look at me like that? … Ho, ho, he is definitely seduced by our appearance… Don’t say anything like that, he’ll think we’re weird.”

She said and averted her head away.

I think it's too late for that.

I already have plenty of crazy people in my hands. It's better not to raise their numbers.

I decided to stay away from the girl. We waited for the arrival of the exam supervisor. Huge man with a huge scar on the right side of his face. His right eye was covered with a black patch. So big, I think he's 8 feet tall.

He gives off the presence of pure dominance. His straight standing posture and serious face.

He called our names one by one. After that, he explained the exam. Similar to what the Princess had told me. The exam only consists of defeating weak-level demons kinds called Kobolds. A weak wolf demon kind who has the ability to stand up like a human. Defeating one Kobold and getting the metal piercing on their ears as proof would be the only way to pass the exam.

Kobolds were said to be located on the third floor of the building. They usually lurk in darkness in the daytime.

We had to search for them in a dark spot in the building.

The exam supervisor also said that the number of Kobolds is limited. Hurting other examinees is against the rule.

There are around 60 exames including me. To pass the exam I have to be quick in searching for one and defeating it as soon as possible.

“Is everyone ready?”

“Yes sir!” We all yelled.

“Exam start!!”

Together with the loud noise of gunshot, we all ran forward to the abandoned building.

Others are so fast at running. Some people have monkey-like powers can jump high and climb walls leading them to the third floor immediately.

I turned around behind me and saw the girl in the raincoat hopelessly trying her best to run. She is in last place.

A little girl like her should not put her life in danger. Her failure must be for the better.

“Get out of my way!”

Someone behind me pushed me to the side. Others forcefully bumped me down and others stomped on my body.

I released a cry of anguish before I turned my eyes on them with rage. The exam supervisor didn’t even respond to what happening. The victim wasn’t just me, there is another who is being injured.

Hurting others is against the rule. I clearly heard it earlier. The supervisor pays no attention and stays in his straight standing posture with a cruel smile on his face.

I clenched my fist together with the dirt. Behind me, someone was about to stomp on my back. I got up and made him lose his balance. He fell down and shouted:

“That’s against the rules.”

“What rules?”

I asked.

On my side, someone was about to push me. I splashed the dirt on his eyes and pushed him away.

I ran to the others who were injured and carried their bodies to the side of the building.

“Thanks a lot…” He said.

Multiple bruises covered his body. I got back and helped the other examinee who couldn’t stand up because of the stampede… After helping the hurt, I turned my body back to the staircase leading up to the second floor.

Voice stopped me…

“We’re sorry.”

“I apologize because you are…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be able to sleep well tonight if I don’t help people in need in front of me.”

I replied.

Honestly, I’m more pissed off at the exam supervisor who just watched these five people get injured.

I dashed as fast as I could and reached the third floor immediately. The third floor was covered with darkness. The only source of light was the huge crack in the wall.

Minutes had just passed and it was so silent. I can’t hear any sound from my position.

Anxious, I unsheathed my sword and slowly walked. I shifted my eyes left and right alternately and turned my back and immediately went back in front. Checking every possible attack.

The cold liquid shocked my shoulder.

“Just water spilling from the fourth floor.”

Another liquid dropped. Not cold like the first one. I put my palm to wipe it out and saw red liquid with a metallic scent on it.

My pupils got smaller and I hurried myself up to the fourth floor.

The faint metallic scent comes from a red liquid. It's extremely familiar. Because that liquid is blood. Something bad must’ve happened to the examinee.

I thought the think of demons here were a bunch of weaklings. Is that a lie together with the established rules? I don’t know, I must check it first.

On the fourth floor, I tripped ahead. Not a human head, but the head of a demon kind, probably from a Kobold.

“The blood earlier…”

Am I exaggerating things? The blood could be from the Kobolds.

But what is this feeling of heaviness?

I clenched my grip tightly on my sword and walked around. The crack here was narrowed down and light from the sun was faint.

While slowly moving… Somebody accidentally bumps me from behind. I immediately turned my sword in defense.

“Do-Don’t kill me… Please…” Fearful trembling voice.

Voice of the girl. She moves to the position with a beam of sunlight. Revealing her face, I find out that she was the same raincoat girl.

I’m glad it's not an enemy.

“Are you okay? What happened? I can’t hear anything from another examinee.”

“I’m scared… I could sense an unworldly presence. This is not what I signed up for. I want to go away… But I need to pass the exterminator exam or else I can’t find a job without selling my body. What’s going to happen now? We can’t go away and play like cowards forever… We must go forward… So hard… Do you want to become the same way again? Do you want to be played by strangers again? I don’t want… Then, pull out all your courage and pass this exam… Okay.”

She said crazy things while crouching down.

Something is wrong with her head. It's like there are two people inside her body.

She stood up and pulled my sleeves.

“Mister, please help me pass the exam.”

She said with big tearful eyes. I’m captivated, but…

She continues giving me looks.

Unable to resist a cute girl, I held her arm and made her go with me. My egotism manifested within me. I wanted to look cool and become a hero in her eyes. Helping her and protecting him became my responsibility, overwriting my goal of passing the exam.

The fourth floor is cleared and there is no demon kind appearing.

“Mister be careful…”

She said with a very sweet voice.

“Thanks, just stay on behind me.”

“Yup, I will.”

She said and gave off a very cute, innocent smile.

I reached the fifth floor and no one was there again. Something bad is happening but I can’t pinpoint it exactly. We continued checking the other floors. The sixth and the seventh. In the end, I didn’t find anyone or the Kobolds.

I stopped walking and just sat down. I took a bottle of water and took a sip. I offered the bottle to the girl and said:

“That would be an indirect kiss.”

I averted my head awkwardly and was flustered.

“I-I’m sorry.”

I should rest for a minute and think about things thoroughly. What is happening here? Something is definitely wrong around me. I should be crossing paths with another examinee around this moment. The only one I stumbled upon was this girl.

“Hey, you said that you could feel an unworldly presence earlier?”

She nodded.

“... I can’t tell where it's coming from.”

“...”

I turned my head down and thought again. I lifted my eyes a bit and saw a shadow. Shadow looped over me. I immediately held the girl’s hand and she wouldn’t budge.

I turned my head to my side. "?!" Astonished by what I saw.

She looks at me with glowing scarlet eyes.

“Don’t worry mister, it won’t hurt. I’ll make sure to devour you completely in one swallow.”

Her hand turned into a giant rabbit with a mouth wide open.

I struck a slash of my sword into her small arm. After successfully severing her arm. I kick the ground away and put distance between us.

“Kekekekeke… I have already finished digesting those other people. Behave yourself and be consumed by us.”

The giant rabbit said.

What the heck is wrong with this world?