Me Kawagon. Me eat veggies raw.\n\nUnder the cover of the dark night, I infiltrated the potato field the base personnel were cultivating.\n\nI layered on the ESP powers—Presence Concealment to avoid the Special Forces, Night Vision, and Sound Cancellation... In any case, I tackled the problem by stacking my abilities.\n\nTo go to such lengths for a few potatoes... if I started questioning the absurdity of it all, I'd already be losing.\n\nThe other guys from the Officer Academy were also putting their full power into stealing vegetables.\n\nWhat a beautiful display of friendship.\n\nAs I approached the potato field, I toggled on Night Vision and Farsight.\n\nPeople really do push past their limits when they’re backed into a corner.\n\nYep, no enemies in sight.\n\nOnce I was sure it was safe, Ren spoke to me in a low whisper.\n\n“Master. Why were you treated like an Unidentified Mysterious Animal (UMA) even though you were just trying to trade vegetables?”\n\n“Me no know. Me leave meat. Old man throw veggies. Me think exchange.”\n\n“That wasn’t an exchange, that was vegetable robbery...”\n\nI wouldn't know anything about that.\n\nI silently crept into the potato field.\n\nPotatoes!\n\nIt was a bit early for the harvest, but I didn't care.\n\n“The ones with the withered tops are the ones you want.”\n\nI said that as a decoy, then started harvesting without checking the tops at all!\n\nPure villainy!\n\nOh, got a potato!\n\n“Master, that field over there looks like sweet potatoes.”\n\n“Harvest them all for them.”\n\nThat said, lugging them back would be the hard part. I picked the lock on a nearby storage shed with a piece of wire I found.\n\nInside were stacks of rice bags. These would work perfectly for transport.\n\n“Found some bags.”\n\nI distributed them to the boys and began the looting operation.\n\nThis was the result of successfully shaking off the Special Forces!\n\nPlus, since we left the group who lacked confidence in their stamina back at the camp, our surveillance was airtight!\n\n“Hey, Leo... aren't you a little too used to stealing vegetables?” one of the boys asked, sounding exasperated.\n\n“When you're on a planet with nothing but an Agricultural Cooperative and you want a snack... you can figure out the rest, right?”\n\n“I now understand that you were raised through a series of local beatings.”\n\nMelissa walked up to me.\n\n“Potato harvesting is complete.”\n\n“Good. Just as planned, Potato Transport Squad, head back now. The rest of you without luggage, stay. We're raiding the food storage.”\n\n“Are we stealing portable rations?”\n\n“Salt, sugar, and oil are the top priorities. After that, take whatever you want. When I raided the food storage before, it was in the back of the cafeteria in that wing.”\n\n“Before?”\n\nAh, Melissa caught on to something she shouldn't have.\n\n“If you don't have seasonings, just steal them.”\n\n“The fact that you're saying that seriously gives me a sense of profound darkness. I mean, you stole them back when you were Kawagon, didn't you?”\n\nSeasonings are vital.\n\nThe door to the building had an electronic lock, unlike last time.\n\nWhat a nuisance. But now, I had reliable allies.\n\n“Fairy-san.”\n\n“Heeey. Already opened.”\n\nElectronic locks were actually easier to break. Before entering, I activated the ESP ability 【Fog】.\n\nWhen the mist filled the area, the optical sensors for intrusion detection became visible.\n\n“Fairy-san, deactivate security.”\n\n“Right, right.”\n\nFools!\n\nI had Fairy-san on my side!\n\nSecurity of this level was utterly meaningless!\n\n“I’m actually a bit put off by how practiced you are at burglary,” Ren said, looking at me with dismay.\n\nBut listen, Ren, you have to eat to survive.\n\nThe door to the food storage was secured with a padlock. I snapped it open in seconds.\n\n“Leo, what about the mineral water?”\n\n“Too heavy. I know where the water source is, so just take the Filtration and Sterilization Kits.”\n\n“Got it.”\n\n“I’ll carry the sugar and salt.”\n\n“I'm counting on you, Ren. Take the meat too.”\n\n“Okay~♪”\n\n“Captain, what about the flour?”\n\n“Let's take it.”\n\n“Hey, I found some emergency weapons.”\n\nKnives, a fire axe, a pistol, and a shotgun, huh? They were probably for fire response or in case a bear wandered in.\n\nI handed the shotgun to Ren.\n\nMelissa got the knife and the pistol.\n\nI took the fire axe.\n\nJust in case. An axe is always useful.\n\nAfter securing various seasonings and supplies, we made our run for it.\n\nWe were just about to leave the base grounds and flee through the forest back to camp when it happened.\n\n【Brrrrrrrrring—! Woo-woo-woo-woo! Emergency! Emergency! All personnel to your stations...】\n\nDid they find us?!\n\nJust as that thought crossed my mind, a building—not the one we were in—exploded.\n\nShards of glass showered the ground outside.\n\n“W-What was that?”\n\n“Captain! Let's go see!”\n\n“Everyone else, take the loot and run. Melissa, Ren, come with me.”\n\n“Roger!”\n\nWe approached the burning building.\n\nI kept Night Vision and Presence Concealment active.\n\n“Hmm?”\n\n“What's wrong, Captain?” Melissa asked, her voice laced with worry.\n\n“I suddenly got a chill. Maybe I’m catching a cold.”\n\n“...Ren, this is.”\n\n“Yes. Master, please use the Fog.”\n\n“Why?”\n\n“Hurry!”\n\nFine... I activated the Fog and approached the building.\n\nScouting from the bushes, I saw soldiers frantically trying to put out the fire.\n\nBut still, why the mist?\n\nThen I noticed a specific patch where the mist was being displaced.\n\nIt was closing in on a soldier...\n\n“Watch out!”\n\nI swung at the empty space.\n\n“I'm shooting!”\n\nAt Ren's warning, I dove to the side.\n\nThe crack of Ren’s gunfire echoed through the base.\n\nMelissa started firing her pistol wildly as well.\n\nMy axe hit something. So did Ren’s bullets.\n\nBlood sprayed into the air.\n\nIt was definitely bleeding.\n\n“Wh—! Captain Leo Kamishiro?!”\n\nA soldier noticed me and shouted.\n\n“We’re under attack! Prepare for combat!” I bellowed.\n\nAn invisible enemy. A Zork?!\n\nI felt something lunging at me. I leaped into the air to dodge, then brought the axe down.\n\nIt was softer than a crab. I could fight this!\n\n“Master! Behind you!”\n\nRen’s gunfire rang out again.\n\nI spun around and slammed the axe down with everything I had.\n\nThe blade bit deep into something that was already riddled with Ren’s bullets.\n\nWait, it's huge... oh, crap! It's stuck!\n\n“Captain!”\n\nWhatever it was probably swung its arm. I tried to dodge... but I wouldn't make it.\n\nIn that case, ESP!\n\n“Fire!”\n\nWith a muffled whump, the massive form went up in flames.\n\nIt was too big to be a bear! And it was transparent! If we hadn't used the mist, we never would have seen it!\n\nRen, are you a genius?!\n\nThe giant creature rolled around in the dirt, engulfed in flames.\n\nAnother one fled, crashing through obstacles in its path.\n\nI wrenched the axe out of the burning foe and hacked at it repeatedly.\n\nI kept swinging until the resistance stopped.\n\nFinally, I slammed the blade into what I thought was the head three more times before backing away.\n\nI was exhausted...\n\n“Over there! It's the Captain!”\n\nA squad of fully armed Special Forces finally showed up.\n\nI dropped the axe on the ground.\n\n“Whew... Can I get some water? And maybe some food?”\n\nThe camp had descended into a level of chaos that was frankly beyond comprehension.