Girl in the Box: Please tell me why I was reincarnated as a mimic monster!

"So, isn't it good that the result is good? Don't you think so, Xiao?"

"Hmm? That's right."

"Don't corrupt Xiao!"

Ning suddenly turned the conversation to Xiao. The innocent Xiao had no idea what they were arguing about, so she just thought that what Ning said was right. Li helplessly complained to Ning, saying that if Ning did this, she would probably lead Xiao astray in the near future.

"So, I wiped out a whole bunch of monsters in one go, are you dissatisfied with that?" Ning asked impatiently.

"Don't change the subject! So, we're being labeled as monsters too?" Li pressed on relentlessly, determined to make Ning realize his mistake. "I wouldn't say anything if you just cleared out the monsters, but why did you use such powerful magic on us?"

Here's what happened: The Demon Eye detected a large amount of magical energy emanating from a nearby area, leading them to believe a large number of monsters were gathered there. They took Akatsuki there, intending to defeat them all in one fell swoop. However, they were attacked by these monsters before they even reached the location. The monsters gathered there were a large number of Chaos Spirits, their element being darkness. They were skilled in illusion magic, and their common tactic was to drag people into illusions, creating false impressions, and then attacking them within those illusions.

Rin and Akatsuki naturally possessed resistance to illusion magic, but the guards who accompanied them weren't so lucky. Lacking such resistance skills, they were trapped in the illusions when they faced the Chaos Spirits, who even attacked Rin and Akatsuki. As Rin and Akatsuki struggled to break the stalemate by dealing with both sides simultaneously, Ning appeared.

Along with Ning appeared a vast array of magical circles. Li was stunned for a moment when she saw the magical circles before realizing they were already in motion. She hurriedly deployed a spatial barrier to temporarily pull their area away from this world, thus avoiding being caught up in Ning's magic. Ning's magic effectively defeated a large number of Chaos Elves, wiping out all hostile creatures in the vicinity in one fell swoop.

After confirming that the surroundings were safe, Li restored the space back to its original state, allowing this part of the space to re-establish its connection with the world. After removing the abnormal statuses of the others, Li immediately went to Ning, and that's how it ended up like this.

But as always, no matter what she said, Ning didn't seem to care. She would just give a perfunctory reply and occasionally throw the topic to Xiao, who was walking ahead.

The three sisters have now broken away and are acting independently, the only reason being that they want to control Ning, who always unleashes wide-area, indiscriminate attack magic at the drop of a hat. If left unchecked, she might use such magic attacks somewhere again. Li really has no way to deal with her, so she's simply given up on lecturing her, because no matter what, lecturing someone who doesn't want to listen is useless; Ning is still as willful as she was in the labyrinth.

"Ah, there's a monster."

Xiao spotted two spirits wandering in the distance, seemingly alone. Her magical eyes detected no magical energy around them, so she gave Xiao a look. Xiao nodded, and after a brief moment of holding her breath, she leaped forward, landing directly above the two spirits, facing downwards. She then drew and sheathed her sword, landing gracefully.

Click! Click!

Two flashes of cold light streaked across the two elves after a brief delay, slicing them in two. As usual, this strike would normally kill any monster, but it was ineffective against these elves.

"Still not quite dead." Ning coldly looked at the fallen elf in front of him.

"Why?" Xiao looked at the elves, puzzled. "We clearly defeated them..."

"It's like this again... No matter how I beat them, they never die."

The HP values ​​displayed in the visual field clearly indicated the result: this time, they still failed to defeat them. All the spirits they encountered along the way were like this; no matter what kind of magic they used to defeat them, they would always be left with a sliver of HP. Xiao even tried cutting them into molecules, but that had no effect whatsoever; they would gather elements from the air after a period of time to reconstruct their bodies.

It's practically like a bug in a game...

"Is it still the same as before?" Ning asked Li, who had the Demon Eye.

"Hmm..." Li nodded in a complicated manner, "No one was killed. Where did this cheat come from? Invincibility and all that is just too unreasonable."

"In any case, let's send them away using teleportation first."

"understood."

She kicked the ground, and a silver magic circle appeared, teleporting the two elves far away. Xiao lowered her head dejectedly. With her strength, she could easily deal with any monster that came, but this time she was completely helpless. Li approached Xiao from behind and reached out to pat her head to soothe her.

“Something’s not right, Ning?” Li asked.

“Yes… there are too many things that are not right.” Ning nodded. “First of all, there is the problem that these elves cannot be killed no matter what I do. I tried many ways to defeat these elves on my way here, but no matter what method I used, I could not do anything to them. They always left a trace of life.”

"I originally thought this only happened in mazes, but I never expected it to be like this..."

If it were just those creatures in the maze with such abilities, that would be one thing, but who knew that not only they possessed them, but their entire race did? Thinking about it this way, it's like returning to the endless army of undead I encountered when I first entered the maze—the same inability to be eliminated, the same constant onslaught. The similarity is simply too striking.

However, what's even more unsettling right now is...

"Are we really sure we can just take care of them like this?" Li asked. "We can't kill them all, and we can't kill them all. Of the monsters we're fighting right now, these elves make up more than half of them."

Yes, whether it was Li or Ning, most of the enemies they encountered during their raids were elves. None of these elves could be killed; they were all left barely alive and then thrown far away by Li and Ning.

“This is too strange.” Ning frowned. “If only these people had such abilities, it would be fine, but this number is a bit off no matter what. Moreover, according to my original estimate, most of the attackers in the maze should be monsters, but I didn’t expect that there are more elves.”

After a rough calculation, it was clear that there were indeed more Pokémon in the vicinity, and each Pokémon possessed a certain level of intelligence and power. This was far too unusual, and it was probably a situation that had developed beyond what the two of them had imagined. However, the headache was that they had not obtained any relevant information at all, not even the most basic information, let alone how to resolve this situation.

They can't even eliminate these spirits now; they can only inflict massive damage to bring them to the brink of death, temporarily stripping them of their combat abilities. Thinking about it, the group gathered outside the maze is a huge horde of spirits that are impossible to kill no matter what they do, and these spirits are relentlessly pursuing the maze—it's terrifying.

Why would such a bugged monster suddenly appear in this world?

Regardless, these suddenly appearing spirits are really disrupting the balance! The fact that the Mystic Eye can't even provide a way to defeat them is the most frustrating thing. I doubt even the first hero ever encountered such a situation.

"Now all we can do is find out why they're so fixated on our labyrinth." Ning shifted her mindset. "They can't deal with us on their own for the time being. Although they're high-level, we're not without ways to deal with them. After defeating them, we can use your magic to send them to a more distant place."

"Yeah...that's true." Li patted Xiao's head. "Let's go, Xiao, we should continue to fight the monsters."

"Ok!"

Subsequently, the three sisters swept away all the monsters within a radius of one kilometer around them with overwhelming force, while Li and Ning also began to record the location and geographical status of the surrounding area into the map crystal.

Besides them, the others were also carrying out the sweep in an orderly manner. The slightly weaker members would scout out the terrain and the location and situation of the monsters, and then relay this information to the others through earpieces. Usually, Seria and a few others would organize a group of strong people to deal with the more troublesome monsters. Sometimes, when they encountered extremely strong monsters, the other two dragon kings and Li would also lend a hand.

In addition, the reason why the guards were so motivated was that they had recently heard about the pangolin. Of course, they learned about it from Shiokawa and Mori who were with the team. So they came out this time for the pangolin. They had already hunted three pangolins during the sweep, one of which they had witnessed firsthand.

I happened to be passing by when I saw a large group of people hiding behind the rocks, seemingly surrounding something. Seeing so many people seriously waiting for an opportunity to attack, I wondered if it was something particularly difficult to deal with. So I used my magic eye to take a look and found that they were surrounding a mountain-slaying stone boar.

The giant rock boar was twice the size of the one Ning and the others had encountered in the maze last time, and it even had four sharp tusks. Judging from its ferocious appearance, it was clear that it would be difficult to deal with. So, Li kindly wanted to go forward to help, but they stopped him. When asked why, they just shook their heads and looked at Li with unwavering eyes.

Although Li didn't understand their meaning, she simply gave up. However, for safety's sake, the three of them found a relatively high place to observe. There were ten people gathered there. They cautiously approached the pangolin, then seized the opportunity to swarm it. First, those who had prepared powerful magic from afar shattered the pangolin's tough outer skin, and then those responsible for melee attacks attacked its vital points, killing it on the spot.

Those skilled in butchering quickly stepped forward to bleed the meat, preventing it from spoiling. The others stood guard nearby to prevent other monsters from stealing the food. Suddenly, these people seemed strangely professional. Just how passionate must they be about food?

Well, there's no need to worry about such a small matter. They not only did their job well, but they also hunted the pangolins not just to satisfy their own appetites, but to share with everyone. Because the meat they brought back the other day was too little, and not many people got to eat it. Today they hunted three in one go, and each one was bigger than the one Ning and the others encountered. Now quite a few people should be able to eat it.

Around dusk, they finished their sweeping mission for the day, clearing out all the monsters around the labyrinth. This should eliminate many monsters in the area for a while. Afterwards, they would set up a portal connecting directly to Akihabara, allowing them to travel between the labyrinth and Akihabara quickly.

This is also one of the preparations for welcoming outsiders later. It takes a lot of time for people in Akihabara to travel between the inside and outside of the labyrinth. Therefore, a teleportation portal is needed to eliminate this problem and make it more efficient. However, the patrol range of the guards will also increase. After all, their influence in Akihabara has expanded to outside the labyrinth, and it would not be good to just leave it unattended.

After things were mostly settled inside Akihabara, Risa planned to do something outside the labyrinth as well. Restoring the ecosystem was a necessary step, and at the same time, she could start preparing for external communication. However, the large number of Pokémon was still a mystery. The three sisters learned from everyone who participated in the sweep that Pokémon made up at least 70% of the loot.

A large number of elves are heading towards the maze, their reasons and motives are still unclear, and at this stage we can only fight them one by one.

But leaving it like this is definitely not an option. Perhaps they need to resolve the issue of the elves before they can properly develop Akihabara.

Chapter 22 Akihabara Through Summer Sparrow's Eyes

Xia Que woke up in that familiar room today as well.

She stared blankly at the unusual ceiling above her head, and after a moment of disorientation, she finally remembered the reality of the situation.

She wasn't currently on Earth, but in another world. She had experienced a series of strange events, but they weren't pleasant memories for her. She had no affection for this world, because she had been summoned here simply to be drawn into its conflicts.

In short, she was just a victim.

Summoned to this world by some unknown reason, she became a substitute for the hero, forced to do things she clearly couldn't do, suffering immensely. However, when it all ended, there was no way back. She wasn't the hero; she was just an ordinary person, and faced with this situation, she could do nothing.

The only solace in this despair was the young man before him, Hao'er.

When Xia Que was at a loss, it was he who helped her when she was all alone, but now, he is still unconscious. The serious injuries she suffered that day have not yet healed. It seems that even in another world, there is nothing that can be done about such serious injuries?

To be honest, Xia Que didn't want to stay in this world, but she had no choice but to, because she had no way to go back. However, she didn't know where she could go in this world either. At this moment, people who claimed to be her compatriots appeared in front of her and temporarily took her in, settling her and Hao Er here in this labyrinth that was once called the Corridor of Time.

That person is Li, a very gentle and tolerant girl. Thanks to her, at least now she and Hao Er have a place to stay. She will stay here for the time being until Hao Er's injuries improve.

"He didn't wake up today either."

Xia Que looked at Hao Er's calm face with a melancholy expression, then stood up and stretched her limbs. In fact, she had been staying by Hao Er's bedside every moment during this time, taking meticulous care of him. It wasn't that there was only one bed, but Xia Que felt that she couldn't calm down when she was alone, but as long as Hao Er was by her side, she could calm down.

However… not long ago, she was called out by Li. She thought it was something serious, but it turned out she was just asked to help sort out a huge pile of things that had accumulated in an open space. At first, she was apprehensive, but after working for a while, she realized it was just ordinary sorting work, and before she knew it, she had focused all her attention on sorting.

At first, she didn't believe Rin, who claimed to be from Earth, but after seeing the mountain of Earth artifacts, she began to believe him. At the same time, she felt somewhat relieved. After the sorting work was finished, Rin even invited her to a banquet, and because he was so enthusiastic, it was difficult to refuse.

But... it seems pretty good.

Without realizing it, Xia Que had come to regard Akihabara as a place where she could settle down. There was a strange sense of familiarity here, which she couldn't express in words, but Xia Que felt as if she had returned home, as if this were another Earth.

She can finally settle down here, because here she will no longer be treated the same as before, and she feels a sense of security as if she is being protected.

Xia Que washed her face with the water she had prepared the day before, then changed into her outdoor clothes, gathered her clean clothes, and prepared to go out. After leaving home, she walked familiarly towards the places she frequented.

First, she arrived at the newly built irrigation canal in Akihabara, where many women had already gathered, all there to wash clothes, just like Natsujaku. This irrigation canal had been completed not long ago, along with Akihabara's plumbing system and public bathhouses, making the entire area seem to be moving towards modernization.

They all smiled and greeted Xia Que when they saw her. Xia Que also took a basket of clothes and went down into the irrigation ditch. The water flowing in the ditch was very cold. Xia Que, who had just woken up, couldn't help but shiver. Feeling more energetic, she also started washing clothes.

At first, she was clumsy at handwashing clothes, and some people around her couldn't bear to watch, so they came to help and taught her some tips. Xia Que was very grateful to them, and now she has become more skilled. After washing the clothes, she wrung them out and put them back in the basket to take home and hang them to dry on the roof.

From here, Natsujaku can see the current situation of the entire Akihabara.

The basic reconstruction of Akihabara has been completed, and other development work is proceeding in an orderly manner. Now everyone has moved into houses, including the large group of people who came from outside yesterday. According to the maid, they were people who fled from the outside world to take refuge here, because right now, this is the safest place.

After welcoming a large influx of outsiders, Akihabara, which was not very big to begin with, has become even more vibrant. Now, as soon as you step outside, you can see outsiders walking around on the streets. Because it was only recently rebuilt, all sorts of quirky shops have reopened. For these outsiders, it's like a treasure hunt—novel, exciting, and irresistible.

These reopened shops sell all sorts of things, meticulously crafted by Akihabara's geniuses: potions, snacks, weapons and equipment, and even desserts. These items are the product of Akihabara's whimsical imaginations; their effectiveness is uncertain, but finding something useful is a real bargain.

Everything from here is of the highest quality; getting it is a real bargain.

If there's one particularly famous shop, it has to be the Akihabara confectionery shop, Three Colors Fantasy. Its reputation is so great that even someone who's only been in the dungeon for a few days is astonished. Three Colors Fantasy recreates Earth's sweets in this other world, and it's incredibly popular, selling out every single day. Even Natsumi was tempted to try it, but since it's always packed like sardines, she decided against it.

At the other end of Akihabara, there is a large paddy field planted with a large quantity of rice, and other crops growing along its edges. It is thanks to the dragon king Chuchu that this world, filled with stone walls, has gained a sliver of life. It is said that some plants are still being cultivated, and when the time is right, they will be planted outside the labyrinth in an attempt to restore the world's ecosystem.

In just a short time, Akihabara had already become quite well-organized. Natsumi, who had witnessed the entire process of Akihabara's growth, felt a little gratified, and even a little proud, because the people who brought all of this together were people from Earth just like her.

Before they knew it, Akihabara had become more and more vibrant with life. Natsujaku lived each day to the fullest, but he still had to come here every day after all the work.

bathhouse.

The bathhouse, initially proposed by Li and ultimately built under the leadership of the Black Dragon King Negi, is equipped with modern facilities. Although it's unclear how they managed to make these things work, bathing here is truly comfortable and can wash away the fatigue of the day. It's a great place to relax and unwind, and naturally, it's one of the most popular places. Every night, many people come to bathe here, and Xia Que is also a regular customer.

However, today we have a group of rare guests: the management team of Akihabara.

"Haa ...

"Yes."

"Wow~ This feels so good~"

"It was definitely the right decision to come here."

Those gathered here tonight are all the women of the Akihabara management team, led by Rie. Natsuko hasn't seen them for a while. Each of them is busy with the construction of Akihabara. It's fine if their workplace is in Akihabara, but it's very common for people like Rie and Ning to be rarely seen.

But everyone knows, especially these two, that they poured their hearts and souls into this city, and were the two who worked the hardest. No one could deny the value of everything they had done. Whether before or after the war, the impact these two had on the world was beyond imagination. It was common for them to be rarely seen; they would always find themselves effortlessly resolving problems that seemed incredibly difficult to ordinary people, and then return to their peaceful lives.

"Oh, summer sparrow!"

Li noticed Xia Que, who had been standing frozen at the door since she came in, and waved to greet her.

"Hey, hey... good evening."

Although Xia Que was a little timid, she no longer felt distant.

"Is Hao'er feeling any better?" Li asked.

"It's still the same as before..."

Xia Que tested the water temperature with her toes, and after finding it just right, she slowly walked into the pool and immersed her entire body except for her head in the hot water. Doing so was truly relaxing.

“I see,” Ning suddenly chimed in, “Then when we have time, Chu Chu and I will go and take a look at him.”

"Huh? Um... I, I'm fine!"

Chu Chu panicked for a moment when she was mentioned, but she was also listening to the conversation, so she knew that they were trying to get her to go see a doctor with them, and she had no reason to refuse.

"Then, I'll leave it to you..." Xia Que nodded her thanks to everyone.

"Not at all," Li smiled. "It's just a small matter. Compared to that, how have you been these past few days?"

"Oh, I'd like to hear the answer to that question too!" Neki suddenly ran over. "Well, it's definitely better to hear the opinions of those who actually use it. Although I think I've done my best, I still want to hear what others think!"

This person's eyes are shining; she definitely wants to hear others praise her.

“We also want to know about these things,” said the peaceful eldest sister, Finoer, speaking on behalf of everyone. “We want to know if everything we do makes others feel satisfied and happy. If there are any shortcomings, please don’t hesitate to point them out. This is also necessary for progress.”

As creators, they want to know what kind of experience their creations will give people. This is a reaction that everyone would have, a very common reaction, but it also reflects these people's seriousness and ambition in this matter. Indeed, this group of people is really amazing.

Xia Que gave a bitter smile. She pondered, carefully selecting words, piecing together her thoughts one by one. She felt she had to say something, she absolutely had to say something. Everyone waited quietly for her to begin.

"At first, I wasn't quite used to Akihabara when I first arrived, but thanks to everyone's help, I quickly settled in. Here, I feel at home; everyone is so kind, and Akihabara is so vibrant. Everyone looks energetic and has smiles on their faces. You might think I'm exaggerating, but I truly believe that Akihabara can bring happiness. You guys are amazing; it's all thanks to your efforts that Akihabara has become a place where people are happy… So, it's… that…"

Before she could finish speaking, Xia Que became flustered, or rather, she was too ashamed to speak. She submerged half her face in the water, blowing bubbles to hide her embarrassment, because she really couldn't continue and was too embarrassed to say it. Her voice became softer and softer, but a gentle smile appeared on each of their faces.

“Then,” Li asked on behalf of everyone, “do you feel happy now?”

"...I feel very happy right now."

"That's enough."

Regardless of what was said before, as long as they felt happy, that was enough. As long as someone could still feel happy for everything they had done, Li still had the motivation to move forward. However, at this moment, there was really no way to move forward. Both she and Ning had been exhausted these past few days, as had everyone else. But the happiness that filled their hearts made them all smile with joy.

It's wonderful that someone can acknowledge their efforts.

"Ah! Sister, have you gotten bigger again!"

"Eh...you're making dirty jokes right off the bat..."

"Wow, it really is...it's huge..."