Chapter 4: Bob, Betting, and Nightshifts

"Ten bucks says Bob wipes the floor with those shadows," I said, grinning as we watched the massive bear square off against the dark figures surrounding him. They looked like animals, but their bodies were made of pure shadow, slithering and shifting like living nightmares. The forest, which had been full of the usual sounds of birds and rustling leaves, was now eerily silent, as if even nature itself was holding its breath to see how this fight would play out.

Fukuhara, always the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "You really think a bear is gonna win against whatever the hell those things are?"

"Come on, Bob's a beast! Have you seen the size of him?" I replied, gesturing towards the bear. He was at least three times the size of any normal bear, with muscles rippling under his thick fur. Even the shadows seemed to hesitate for a moment before circling him again.

"I'm with Y/N," Koyasu chimed in, his ethereal form flickering slightly as he hovered above us. "Bob's got this. Plus, I can't imagine those shadows tasting very good."

Soseki remained silent, his dark eyes fixed on the scene. He didn't usually get involved in our stupid bets, but I could tell he was interested in the outcome. Maybe not in the money—more in the survival aspect. Shadows like these weren't exactly common in these parts, and their appearance was definitely a bad omen.

Bob, completely unfazed by the sinister creatures, let out a low growl, his eyes narrowing as he sized up his opponents. One of the shadows, which resembled a wolf, lunged at him with a snarl. Bob's reaction was swift—he swiped a massive paw at it, and the shadow dispersed with a hiss, evaporating into the air like smoke.

"Hah! See? What did I tell you?" I exclaimed, pumping my fist. "Bob's a legend!"

"One down, but there's like a dozen more," Fukuhara pointed out, crossing his arms. "It's not over yet."

The shadows seemed to realize they couldn't take Bob down one at a time, so they changed tactics. Moving as a unit, they all lunged at him simultaneously, their dark forms melding into one giant mass of writhing darkness. For a moment, Bob disappeared beneath the shadows, swallowed up by the inky blackness.

"Shit," Koyasu muttered, his glowing eyes widening. "Maybe we underestimated them."

"Just wait," I said, trying to keep the confidence in my voice. "Bob's still got a few tricks up his sleeve."

As if on cue, there was a massive roar from within the mass of shadows, and then Bob exploded out of it, sending shadowy fragments flying in all directions. The shadows hissed and shrieked as they were torn apart, unable to reform as quickly as before.

Bob didn't stop there. He charged at the remaining shadows, his massive jaws snapping and his claws rending the air. Each time he connected, a shadow would disintegrate, fading into nothingness. It was a brutal, primal display of power, and despite the fact that the shadows were clearly supernatural, Bob was holding his own.

"Two to one odds Bob's gonna clean house," I said, turning to Fukuhara with a grin. "Wanna up the ante?"

Fukuhara scowled. "No way. I'm not losing more money just because you think your pet bear's invincible."

"Smart move," Soseki finally spoke, his voice calm. "But this fight's far from over."

He was right. The shadows, realizing they were outmatched in brute strength, started to shift again. This time, instead of attacking Bob directly, they began to merge together, their forms elongating and growing until they formed one enormous shadow beast, towering over even Bob.

"Okay, that's new," Koyasu said, floating a bit higher to get a better view. "What the Hell is that thing?"

The shadow beast let out a low, rumbling growl, its eyes—if you could even call them that—glowing a sickly green. Bob, to his credit, didn't back down. He let out another roar, challenging the beast head-on.

"Bob, be careful!" I shouted, though I knew it was probably useless. Bears weren't exactly known for their ability to take advice.

The shadow beast lunged at Bob with surprising speed, its massive claws raking through the air. Bob dodged to the side, just barely avoiding the attack, but the beast was relentless. It kept coming, swiping and slashing, trying to land a hit.

Bob fought back with everything he had. He bit, clawed, and slammed into the shadow beast with all his strength, but it was like trying to fight smoke. Every time Bob connected, the beast would just reform, its shadowy body rippling and shifting to avoid taking any real damage.

"Come on, Bob!" I yelled, feeling the tension build in my chest. "You can do this!"

But the longer the fight went on, the more it became clear that Bob was getting tired. His movements were slowing, his attacks becoming less precise. The shadow beast, on the other hand, seemed to be getting stronger, its form becoming more solid with each passing second.

"Maybe we should help him," Fukuhara suggested, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword.

I hesitated. On one hand, I didn't want Bob to lose. But on the other hand, this was his fight. Bob had always been a stubborn bastard, and I knew he wouldn't appreciate us stepping in unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Not yet," I said, clenching my fists. "Bob's not done."

The shadow beast seemed to sense Bob's weakening state and pressed its advantage. It lunged at him again, this time managing to land a blow that sent Bob sprawling to the ground. The beast wasted no time, pouncing on him, trying to pin him down.

"Bob!" I shouted, taking a step forward. But before I could do anything, Bob let out a roar of pure rage, using every ounce of strength he had left to throw the shadow beast off of him.

The beast staggered back, clearly surprised by Bob's resilience. But Bob didn't give it a chance to recover. He charged at it with everything he had, slamming into it with the force of a freight train.

The impact was enough to break the shadow beast apart, its form dissolving into a cloud of black smoke. Bob kept going, tearing through the smoke, ripping and shredding until there was nothing left.

And then, just like that, it was over.

The forest was silent again, the shadows gone, leaving only Bob standing there, panting heavily but victorious.

"Hell yeah!" I cheered, rushing over to Bob and throwing my arms around his massive neck. "You did it, you big, beautiful bastard!"

Bob let out a tired grunt, clearly too exhausted to do anything other than stand there and breathe.

Koyasu floated down to join us, a grin on his face. "Well, I guess we know who the toughest one here is."

"I never doubted him," I said, still grinning from ear to ear. "Bob's a freaking legend."

Fukuhara, who had been watching the whole thing with a critical eye, finally nodded. "Alright, I'll admit it. That was impressive. But don't let it go to your head, Y/N. Next time, we might not be so lucky."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, waving him off. "But for now, let's just enjoy the fact that we survived and Bob kicked some serious ass."

Soseki, who had remained silent throughout the entire fight, finally spoke up. "We should keep moving. Those shadows weren't here by accident."

I frowned, glancing around at the now-empty forest. "You think someone sent them?"

"It's possible," Soseki replied, his tone serious. "Or something."

"Great," I muttered, the excitement of Bob's victory starting to wear off as the reality of the situation set in. "Just what we needed—more trouble."

"Trouble or not, we need to be prepared," Koyasu said, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by a rare moment of seriousness. "Those shadows were no joke. If there are more out there, we need to be ready."

"Agreed," Fukuhara said, already checking his gear. "Let's keep our guard up and stick together. We can't afford to get separated out here."

I nodded, glancing back at Bob, who was still catching his breath. "You good to keep going, big guy?"

Bob let out a low growl that I took as a yes. He was tired, but I knew he wouldn't back down from whatever was out there. None of us would.

"Alright then," I said, taking a deep breath and trying to shake off the lingering tension from the fight. "Let's move. We've got a lot of forest to cover."

With that, we set off again, this time with a renewed sense of caution. The forest, which had seemed so peaceful and inviting earlier, now felt different—darker, more dangerous. The shadows might have been gone, but the sense of unease they brought with them lingered like a bad smell.

As we made our way deeper into the woods, I couldn't help but wonder what else was out there, lurking in the shadows. And more importantly, who—or what—had sent those things after us in the first place.

The forest was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that presses down on you, making every crackle of a twig or rustle of leaves sound like the approach of something sinister. The cabin, small and unassuming, stood as their only shelter amidst the towering trees and creeping shadows. After the day's excitement, night had fallen, bringing with it a thick darkness that seemed to swallow everything beyond the glow of their campfire.

"Alright, you two," Fukuhara yawned, already half asleep as he burrowed into the thin blanket on the floor. "Koyasu, Y/N, it's your turn for night watch. Try not to let anything eat us."

"Don't worry," I replied, giving Fukuhara a mock salute. "We won't let the squirrels drag you off into the trees."

Fukuhara grumbled something incoherent and rolled over, leaving me and Koyasu to our vigil. Bob was already snoring loudly in the corner, the bear's massive form taking up most of the available space in the cabin. His snout twitched occasionally, like he was chasing something in his dreams. Soseki was sprawled out next to Bob, his dark form blending into the shadows, while Hiyori had curled up in the only bed, her five tails wrapped around her like a blanket.

"Well," I said, standing up and stretching, "looks like it's just you and me, Koyasu."

Koyasu nodded, his transparent blue form glowing faintly in the darkness. He reached into his robe and pulled out a bottle of sake, the liquid inside sloshing softly as he unscrewed the cap.

"I guess it's not so bad," Koyasu said, taking a swig and leaning against the wall. "At least we get some peace and quiet."

"For now," I replied, stepping outside the cabin. The night air was crisp, and the forest seemed alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures. "But you know, something's been bugging me lately."

"Oh?" Koyasu raised an eyebrow, passing the bottle over to me. "What's on your mind, oh mighty God of Reality?"

I took a swig of the sake, letting the warmth spread through my chest before handing the bottle back. "It's these damn rom-coms."

Koyasu snorted, choking a little on his drink. "Rom-coms? That's what's bothering you?"

"Yeah," I continued, my voice a little louder as I got into the rant. "Why the hell do these anime protagonists always walk in on their love interests while they're changing? And then they get hit for it! I mean, if you don't want someone walking in on you, why not just lock the damn door?"

Koyasu chuckled, nodding along. "I know, right? It's like they set themselves up for it. But I guess it's all part of the trope. Gotta have some excuse for those 'accidental' pervy moments."

"It's lazy writing is what it is," I grumbled, kicking a stone off the porch and watching it disappear into the night. "Wk in, accidental boob grab, then smack to the face."

"And don't even get me started on these overpowered protagonists. You know the ones—edgy as hell, brooding all the time, and so strong that there's no tension in the story anymore."

"Oh yeah, those guys," Koyasu agreed, taking another drink. "It's like, why even bother? If nothing can challenge them, what's the point? Just makes everything boring."

I nodded, feeling the irritation bubble up. "Exactly! Like, what's the point of having all this power if there's no struggle? No growth? It's just boring as shit."

Koyasu handed me the bottle again, and I took another swig, feeling the alcohol loosen my tongue even more. "And then there are the harems," I said, rolling my eyes. "Don't even get me started on those. One guy surrounded by all these beautiful girls, and he's always too dense to realize any of them like him. It's like, come on, man! How oblivious can you be?"

Koyasu laughed outright at that, nearly spilling the sake. "Yeah, those protagonists are something else. It's like they have a special skill for missing all the obvious signals."

"Right? And the worst part is when they finally do realize it, they just act all flustered and awkward. Like, dude, you had an entire season to figure this shit out!"

Koyasu wiped a tear from his eye, still laughing. "I think you might be watching the wrong shows, Y/N. Maybe you need to find something with a little more... substance."

"Yeah, well, good luck with that," I muttered, leaning back against the cabin wall. "It's like every other series these days is either a harem, a power fantasy, or a damn isekai. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned storytelling?"

Koyasu shook his head, taking a long drink. "I don't know, man. Seems like it's all about fan service and easy cash grabs now."

"Yeah," I sighed, looking up at the stars peeking through the canopy of trees. "But it's not just anime, you know? Even light novels and web novels are getting ridiculous. Every new series is just a variation of the same damn thing. System? Check. Overpowered protagonist? Check. Harem? Check. Isekai? Double check. It's like originality is dead."

Koyasu nodded, his expression turning a bit more serious. "I get what you mean. It's like everyone is just following the same formula because it works. But that doesn't mean it's good."

"Exactly," I agreed, feeling the need to vent even more. "And don't even get me started on the pacing. It's either too slow, dragging out every little thing, or it's too fast, skipping over important details just to get to the next big fight or fan service scene."

Koyasu hummed in agreement, leaning back against the cabin. "Pacing is key, but it's like no one has the patience for it anymore. They just want instant gratification."

I let out a frustrated groan, rubbing my temples. "Man, it's enough to make me want to rewrite the whole genre myself. Show them how it's really done."

"Well, you are the God of Reality," Koyasu said with a smirk. "You could do it if you really wanted to."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Yeah, but where's the fun in that? Part of the enjoyment is seeing what people come up with on their own. Even if it is mostly trash."

Koyasu smiled, his eyes glowing a little brighter in the dark. "True. But you could always nudge things in the right direction. Just a little push here and there."

I grinned, the thought of messing with the fabric of reality just to improve my entertainment a tempting one. "Maybe I will, Koyasu. Maybe I will."

We sat in silence for a moment, the night air filled with the distant sounds of the forest. The fire crackled softly, and the stars twinkled overhead, indifferent to our gripes about the state of entertainment.

"Hey, Koyasu," I said after a while, my voice quieter now. "You ever think about how weird all this is? I mean, we're out here in the middle of a forest, on some crazy camping trip, with a talking bear and a bunch of immortals. It's like we're living in one of those absurd stories I keep ranting about."

Koyasu chuckled, taking one last swig of the sake before setting the bottle down. "Yeah, it's pretty damn weird. But I guess that's what makes it fun, right?"

"Yeah," I agreed, a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Yeah, it does."

The night stretched on, the two of us keeping watch over our sleeping companions, sharing stories and complaints, and laughing at the absurdity of it all. As much as I loved to complain about the state of anime, manga, light novels, and web novels, there was something comforting about knowing that, no matter how ridiculous things got, there would always be someone to share the experience with.

"Alright, Koyasu," I said, standing up and stretching my arms above my head. "You think Bob will be pissed if we mess with him while he's sleeping?"

"Yes."

"Alright, Koyasu," I said, standing up and stretching, "we've ranted enough about other people's work. But honestly, who are we to talk?"

Koyasu raised an eyebrow, taking another sip of his sake. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it," I continued, leaning against the cabin wall. "We're just characters in a web novel ourselves, right? Who are we to criticize when we're literally just figments of my imagination?"

Koyasu chuckled, a slow, knowing smile spreading across his face. "Fair point. We're just as fictional as the stuff we're complaining about."

"Exactly!" I said, a grin tugging at my lips. "And you know, if we're part of a story, I wonder how we'd stack up against the others."

Koyasu's eyes flickered with amusement. "You mean, like, who'd be the most loved character? The most hated?"

"Yeah!" I said, nodding enthusiastically. "I mean, who do you think would be the most well-written character? Or the funniest?"

Koyasu leaned back, pretending to ponder it seriously. "Well, obviously, I'd be the funniest. My deadpan delivery? My love of alcohol? I'm a walking punchline."

I snorted. "You wish. If anyone's the funniest, it's me. I mean, come on, I'm the guy who brought a bear on a camping trip just because of some stupid trend. That's comedy gold."

"More like comedy bronze," Koyasu retorted. "You've got quantity, sure, but quality? Eh."

"Oh, like you're one to talk," I shot back, rolling my eyes. "But alright, let's keep going. Who'd be the most loved character?"

"Hiyori," Koyasu said without hesitation. "She's got that whole Tsundere thing going on. People love that shit."

I laughed, nodding in agreement. "True, true. She's all tough on the outside, but we all know she cares. That's like, prime waifu material."

"Exactly," Koyasu said, raising his sake bottle in a mock toast. "Now, most hated?"

We both paused, thinking it over. "Probably me," I admitted, shrugging. "I'm sure my antics get on people's nerves."

Koyasu smirked. "Yeah, you're probably right. But I think I'd give you a run for your money. I mean, I do drink a lot, and some people might not like my... let's call it 'detached' attitude."

"Or maybe Fukuhara," I suggested. "He's kind of a hardass."

"Could be," Koyasu agreed. "But what about the most well-written character?"

I thought about it for a moment. "I'm gonna go with Soseki. He's got that whole mysterious loner vibe, plus he's practical, no-nonsense. There's depth there."

"Yeah, Soseki's definitely a contender," Koyasu said. "But don't count out Hiyori again. She's got layers too—there's a lot beneath that tough exterior."

"True," I conceded. "She's definitely got a lot going on."

"And then there's Bob," Koyasu added, grinning. "Everyone loves a good animal companion. Especially one that can kick shadow monster ass."

"Bob's a legend," I said, raising an imaginary glass. "Here's to Bob, the real MVP."

Koyasu clinked his sake bottle against my imaginary glass. "To Bob."

We both fell silent for a moment, the crackling of the fire the only sound as we let the conversation settle. It was funny, thinking about ourselves as characters in some web novel, debating who'd be the most loved, most hated, or most well-written. But there was something oddly comforting about it too. After all, if we were just fictional characters, that meant someone out there was reading our story.

Thank you. All of you...