Chapter 626 - First Story: Exterminating Engrio's Ants ④
"They used Camouflage, didn't they?"
"Yes. I couldn't sense the activation. I have no excuse."
"The opponent must have been strong. As expected of a B-rank."
We went up to the sky, joined Eleanor-sama, and had an operation meeting. Below us, the hilly area is visible, and the place where we fought the ants can be seen. Since there are many trees with broken branches and missing leaves, it's obvious if you use Sight.
Those who can use high-level holy magic took turns firing basic Holy from a distance to stall the Queen so she wouldn't move to another place.
"Then, let's continue the water attack."
Since the surprise attack failed, it's a test of strength.
For now, we swap the bowls. We switched to Wilson-san's medium-sized bowl.
"First is building the foundation."
Eleanor-sama said that, made a small bowl, and landed in the forest slightly away from where the Queen was thought to be, taking Henry-sama, Lyudmila, and me. When I searched with Sense Living, there was a reaction of a clump about fifty paces away. I pointed the direction with my finger.
"Then, let's proceed in order. Henry, please."
"Understood."
Henry-sama gave instructions to go right or left, and occasionally gave instructions to Lyudmila, making earth walls in low places with Clump Sand. After repeating that work several times while moving around the clump, we ascended and joined the main body.
Once the preparations were finished, the attack began. After a brief briefing on the operation, we went into action.
Eleanor-sama, now able to use magic freely, began chanting. Next, Beatrix and Lyudmila also began chanting. During that time, the holy mages, including Annabella, fired Holy. I, who had fired one eight-shot volley, took a break. The priests fired one shot each in turn, and Bonnie judged whether they hit. In short, they aimed at the cliff, and if reddish-black things tumbled down, it was a hit. Since they had Sight cast, everyone hit quite a bit. We repeated such steady attacks.
"Now, we're going to get serious."
Eleanor-sama gave the signal.
First, Beatrix and Lyudmila.
"Here, Tornado Wind!"
"Tornado Wind!"
The two made one tornado each above their heads.
"Maelstrom!"
Eleanor-sama fired it right upwards. I wonder if this is called a tsunami...
The wave, or rather water, fired towards the two Tornado Winds was sucked into the tornadoes and became two giant vortexes, scattering water around. The bowl is fine because it has a wall of Light, or rather a roof, but the surroundings became as if it were raining heavily.
"Next."
"Here, Tornado Wind!"
"Tornado Wind!"
"Maelstrom!"
After it stopped falling, we shifted the position slightly for the second shot. Not only that, we fired a third, and then a fourth shot. The target point, which received intermittent and localized torrential rain, was waterlogged.
"Jeanne, please do Hand Over."
Eleanor-sama, who had fired four consecutive ultra-high-level spells, was out of breath. Sweat was beading on her forehead.
"Ah, yes. Hand Over!"
Eleanor-sama caught her breath and fired two more shots. This time Lyudmila was out of breath, so I restored her with Hand Over. In the meantime, the bowl descended more and more. As the medium-sized bowl approached, they apparently released a Charm, but this time everyone had Magic Reflection cast. It was just a nasty sensation that made our backs straighten.
"More is coming. Shower!"
There are two people who can use Shower. Beatrix, who can't use it, repelled the flying winged ants with a range attack of Freeze. Their wings froze and they fell off. No matter where they fall, they won't be able to fly because their wings are broken.
For a while, a magic rain like a torrential downpour poured down on the place where the Queen was thought to be. Since it's mid-level magic, their breath lasts. While doing it many times, thanks to the earth walls Lyudmila made and the effect of the water attack so far, puddles are forming here and there. We created a marsh-like terrain with six shots of Maelstrom and four consecutive shots of Shower.
The water attack was finished, so we retreated to the sky for now. Since everyone used magic all at once, we need a break.
Monitoring was left to Will, Bonnie, and Carla, and those who used magic took turns drinking wine from their water skins. I also canceled the roof I made with Light and took a breath.
Now, what will the opponent do? For us, lightning magic will be the last resort. Fire was prohibited, but other magics were not. Of course, forest fires are strictly forbidden, but if we soak it with this much water, it should be fine even if we release lightning. Carla can also participate in lightning.
Just as we were about to resume the attack after everyone's breath was restored.
"They've started something strange!"
Bonnie found it.
When we all looked from the bottom of the bowl, reddish-black things were connected. Whether it was because they were outside the effective range of the Camouflage, they were floating in the air. Looking closely, ants were coming out from nowhere, and when they reached the tip, they just grabbed onto others and stopped. In that way, the reddish-black thing was extending more and more.
"What are they doing?"
Carla asked, but everyone tilted their heads.
"Maybe they're making a bridge?"
It was Beatrix. The reddish-black thing was extending from the middle of the cliff over the marsh, or rather, the puddle. It looked like it was about to reach the opposite shore.
The opposite shore side continued as a slightly elevated place. Over there, there were several winged ants, going back and forth between the cliff.
"Are they bridging to secure an escape route?"
The cliff is surrounded by puddles. Ants are bad with water.
Even so, to build a bridge, they're just like humans. Scouts explore the situation and find a safe route. Then laborers come out and do civil engineering work. No, I've never heard of humans building a bridge on the battlefield, so they might be more advanced than humans.
"I wonder if the Queen will pass once the bridge is done."
It was Lyudmila. If so, it's a chance to attack. We could pulverize it along with the bridge with an eight-shot volley. But, it might be a bit different.
"If so, the Queen must be quite small."
"Is that so?"
"How big is she?"
Beatrix, who saw the Queen in Medioland, explained to Lyudmila and Annabella. The Queen in Medioland was, how should I put it, like an ant with an earthworm attached to it. The color of the abdomen was a beautiful color like red wine and had a luster. However, it was a bit gross that I could see the internal organs moving.
"Is she that big?"
When Beatrix said the length of the abdomen was over twenty paces, Annabella was surprised. That's true. I can't believe that's an insect. If she lays eggs one after another with that big abdomen, then of course the worker ants will increase.
"The Queen here might be small. If they repeat moving normally, their mobility might be high."
Hmm. That's true too. Among human Queens, there are some who are quite active like in Sertoria. The difference in human personality might also be reflected in the size in the case of ants. If so, the Queen here is quite violent.
"Eh? Jeanne, did you say something?"
"No, nothing."
Sharp. Dangerous, dangerous.
The Queen might come out. While we were all watching closely, finally, the bridge connected to the opposite shore.
"Jeanne, we're betting on one shot."
"Yes!"
An eight-shot volley. I gripped my staff. I've already fired one shot, but if I try hard, I might be able to do three consecutive shots plus one from my mouth. Beatrix began chanting lightning magic. Seeing that, Carla and Annabella began chanting. The warriors prepared bows and javelins. The priests would obviously use Holy Lance.
"Wilson, we'll decide it all at once after a rapid descent."
"Understood."
An all-out surprise attack. If we deal great damage here, it'll be advantageous. Everyone held their breath and waited for the Queen's crossing.
"Wait a minute!"
It was Bonnie.
"They've started carrying something white. I wonder what that is?"
Since it was a raid from a rapid descent, I had returned the Sight. I'll check again by magnifying. Indeed, on the bridge made of ants, ants began carrying white ovals one after another.
"Could those be eggs or pupae?"
If the move is nest-wide, it's possible. Which means the Queen is...
"Is she the last?"
Hmm, it looks like it'll take quite a while, maybe I should take a deep breath.
"No! It's coming from below! Rapid ascent!"
Henry-sama's voice flew. The bowl rose all at once. Since I hadn't prepared particularly, I fell over.
"Are you okay?"
For some reason, Lyudmila supports me. She's crouching beautifully. She seemed fine even with that impact.
"Wind Barrier!"
Eleanor-sama, supported by Henry-sama, made a lid.
Go!
At the same time the lid was done, an impact came from below. I was jumped by the pushed-up impact. If Lyudmila hadn't grabbed my shoulder, I would have hit the lid. In fact, the two Engrio priests hit their heads and are overturned. Carla is supported by Falstaff-san, Annabella by Harrison-san, and Beatrix by Will, so they seemed fine. Harris-sama is struggling to get out, as the two Engrio priests who hit their heads are piled on top of him. If the lid hadn't made it in time, what would have happened? No, since we were in rapid ascent, was the impact upwards somewhat suppressed? Even if we had jumped, there's a high possibility we would have fallen into the bowl. That's why Henry-sama...
"More is coming! Bonnie, can you tell?"
"Behind!"
To my surprise, Bonnie was still clinging to the bottom, looking down.
With a thud, the bowl accelerated forward.
"Ga!"
Whether it grazed us, the back side rose a bit. I hurriedly clung to Lyudmila who was supporting me.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, thank you."
She smiled at me. This girl has quite a lot of leeway.
"What on earth happened?"
Beatrix shouted. She's clinging to Will, who is balancing on one knee.
"It's stone throwing, an attack with Clump Stone!"
Eh? Which means it's the Queen's attack?
After that, several more flew at us, but according to Bonnie and Henry-sama's instructions, Wilson-san moved the bowl while ascending and dodged them all. It seemed to have exceeded the range where she could normally attack, and it finally stopped.
"We were outdone."
"The Queen?"
"Probably."
Eleanor-sama said they used carrying eggs or pupae as a decoy and attacked with Clump Stone.
"Wilson, the enemy's attack came from the east, but did you find the location where the magic was activated?"
"No, I didn't."
"I see."
If even Wilson-san or Eleanor-sama don't know the activation location.
"It's inside the Camouflage."
Beatrix said it before me. She must have disguised it with the active Camouflage.
"Surely, the stones she threw were first thrown east through the forest and then pointed upwards. Probably, they'll fly from various directions."
"Then, what shall we do?"
"An all-out attack. In short, we just have to exceed the opponent's moves, right?"
"Well said. We're going to get back at the Queen."
She thrusts out her clenched right hand. Her eyes are dangerous.
What would an all-out attack involve?
Without any particular briefing, the third attack began.
"Beatrix, please defend against the enemy's attacks with two Wind Barriers. Defense for the left and right of the bowl."
"Okay!"
Two walls deployed to the left and right of the bowl. Two at the same time is a burden, but since her magic control itself is ultra-high-level, she should be fine. To make it easier to deflect the flying stones, she's curving them so they bulge outwards.
"Lyudmila, please interfere with the Clump Stones the enemy throws and divert their direction."
"How do I do that?"
"Just chant Clump Stone and shift the direction the stones flying towards the bowl are going. From the place where the Queen is thought to be... that is, almost directly in front... just those stones are fine."
"Yes. I'll try."
She's doing it with a lack of confidence, but she has strangely good intuition, so she should be fine.
"Carla, use Wind Cutter, and those who can use Holy, please use Holy. Holy is fine at basic level."
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Carla and Annabella began chanting.
"Henry will be dedicated to supporting Lyudmila. Others, please find the stones thrown by Clump Stone and shout the direction they are flying from to your allies. Falstaff, please."
"Umu."
"Understood."
Henry-sama and the others replied, but this might be the hardest part.
The roles were decided and the attack resumed. Wilson-san dived and everyone released magic all at once. Eleanor-sama is freezing the winged ants with a range attack of Freeze. Once finished, we rapidly ascend. We keep our distance just like that, circle around greatly, and dive again from another direction. And everyone releases magic and retreats with a rapid ascent. We repeated such attacks many times.
As expected, the countermeasures against the flying stones are tough. Especially the pair of Henry-sama and Lyudmila, who are in charge of right below, have it hard. The opponent shoots up according to the rapid descent. Henry-sama, in a state where there's no time, discerns and says right, left, up, down, and she diverts the angle the stones are flying according to that. Because we are releasing magic, the Wind Barrier defensive wall is not in front. Since they are barely diverting them at the last second, they hit the front side of the bowl with thuds. Every time, we staggered from the impact, and several people became unable to release magic. Even if they fired, they often couldn't aim well.
On the other hand, the Queen throws five or six stones simultaneously at once. In contrast, the scouting group shouts the approximate location of the ones suddenly flying from behind the trees, but it's a feat that can only be done by warriors and scouts who are strong in close combat. Wilson-san, who skillfully manipulates the bowl, is also amazing. If I think about it calmly, it's a feat that can only be done because he's ultra-high-level, but I didn't have the luxury to think about such things.
The opponent is probably a single Queen, so in terms of numbers, we are superior. However, it's usually considered a forbidden move to challenge a monster to a war of attrition. Because you can't win.
How many sorties has it been... Probably, it exceeded ten. The twelfth, no, the thirteenth... Everyone is starting to get tired.
Suddenly, white smoke before my eyes? No, a cloud!
"Wilson!"
"Yes! Everyone, grab on!"
The bowl rapidly ascends.
When I got on all fours and looked down, inside the cloud were countless small yellow lights... Cumulonimbus!
Once the bowl stopped ascending, four other bowls were floating.
"Leave the rest to us."
King Seldic... why?
Without time to think, roaring sounds echoed one after another below.