Exploration (3)
A little while ago.
In the eastern sector, a group had gathered in the rainbow-hued forest.
"Loyalty! We pay homage to the great king."
"We behold the great king."
"We meet Lord Vermith."
Mantis, spider, scorpion, and more.
Insect-humanoids possessing all manner of insect traits bowed their heads toward a single being.
"All of you, raise your heads."
A voice like the depths of an abyss.
An insect-humanoid bearing wings, eyes, and antennae from various insects on one body.
Clad in an exoskeleton like dark armor, draped in a mantle woven from spider silk and venom, he was the king of these insect-humanoids—and an unwelcome intruder in this dimension.
Vermith.
"Have you located the first Dragon's Lair?"
"We should find it soon. We're currently tracking the site where the Grim Reaper vanished."
Vermith furrowed his brow at those words.
"Hurry. We must find it before the others."
"Understood."
Vermith felt impatience bubbling within.
Among the outer gods summoned here.
Excluding the Grim Reaper, he was the weakest.
His forces were the same.
'That's why the power of that hatchling, likely an Elemental Dragon, must be mine.'
His army especially favored swarm tactics over powerful elite few—overwhelming with numbers.
The power of an Elemental Dragon would yield the greatest efficiency for leaders like him commanding vast hordes.
Thus, the impatience was inevitable.
"No traces of other lairs discovered?"
"Apologies. We're searching with all our might, but..."
Vermith clicked his tongue lowly.
He didn't know how many Dragon's Lairs remained here.
But at least more than one.
'Chaos Dragon.'
As a single entity, the Chaos Dragon's power would be the strongest.
The next dragon he sought after the Elemental one.
If he could claim the powers of both the Elemental Dragon and Chaos Dragon.
He could reach the ideal paradise he envisioned.
"Find them before the others, no matter what."
"Yes, my lord."
"We obey."
A little while ago.
Even as Archeron scouted the rainbow forest, I felt like an adventurer exploring ancient mysteries, pressing on with the survey.
Multicolored lights poured through sunlight-filtered leaves.
Towering trees reached for the sky, their foliage shimmering in every hue.
Red and blue lights mingled, yellow and purple alternating in a dancing spread.
The rippling lights made the entire forest feel alive, breathing.
Like a fall foliage outing.
And all around, unknown spirit herbs littered the ground.
Silver Dew Grass, Lv51
Clear Wind Herb, Lv35
Frost Lotus Petal, Lv22
Iron Sand Grass, Lv55
Red Stone Herb, Lv62
Blue...
Mid-to-low level herbs.
Low-grade classification, but not something you stumbled upon easily.
'Confirmed.'
I had a feeling.
In this vast forest, another spirit medicine on the level of a Mandragora lurked somewhere.
『Keron. Shall we begin gathering?』
'No. Hold off for now. We'll pick the best after the survey ends.'
Too many varieties to harvest haphazardly.
So, pass for now.
Spirit herbs and medicines wouldn't sprout legs and run off like Mandragoras, so we could harvest later as needed.
Just as the rainbow forest survey proceeded smoothly.
"Huh, what are those?"
I was speechless at the sight Archeron projected.
Rustle, rustle, rustle!
A wave of green and brown overwhelming the front.
Giant mantises as tall as people battered a barrier.
Clang—
Kaaang!
Clang, clang!
The barrier shook helplessly with every scythe swing.
Like a candle in the wind, on the verge of breaking.
『Keron. Initiating scan.』
Archeron extended a hand, scanning the bizarre insects ahead.
Giant King Mantis, Lv188
Giant Broadbelly Mantis, Lv171
Giant Shield Mantis, Lv192
Giant...
Late 100s-level monsters.
A few slipping to Earth could end the planet.
'Whoa. Insane.'
『Keron. Entities inside the barrier also detected.』
Then Archeron displayed additional results.
Liri, Lv155
Liri, Lv141
Liri Warrior, Lv181
Liri Warrior, Lv178
Liri Great Warrior, Lv191
Liri...
"Liri? What's that?"
We detected beings inside the barrier, but not what they were or looked like.
Bellerin resolved my curiosity.
"The Liri are forest fairy folk!"
"Forest fairies?"
"Yes! Distant kin to us elves."
"Oh?"
Distant elf kin.
Forest fairies.
Obvious good guys.
The mantises, on the other hand?
'Filthy-looking from the start.'
An instinctive revulsion.
Especially their mana.
Not normal flow.
To my Dragon Blood eyes, it appeared corrupted.
Even nauseating.
So.
"Archeron, let's help those friends inside the barrier."
『Keron. Command received.』
Whirr. Clank.
Archeron, observing from afar, charged into the fray.
"Manti?"
"Manti."
The giant mantises tilted their heads at the sudden arrival.
Some approached curiously.
Flap flap flap!
Giant mantises unfolding massive wings and flying in.
'Damn.'
Scary enough for nightmares.
"Wipe 'em out!"
At my word.
Archeron assumed combat stance.
Whirr.
Clank.
『Combat Stance Lv3, Mid Combat Mode activated.』
Whiiiirrr.
Grrrrrr.
Archeron's chest and back energy cores blazed, mana surging through its body.
Adamantium panels on arms and legs thickened, sharp protrusions emerging for enhanced offense.
Eye glow shifted deeper red, vertical magic circuits on its frame glowing sharper.
And.
Battle began.
『Flash Break』
Flash Break
Flash!
A brilliant glare erupted from Archeron's hand.
"Maaaanti!"
"Manti—!!"
Giant mantises flying at Archeron lost direction, crashing everywhere.
As blinded mantises writhed in agony.
Thud, boom!
Archeron zipped through with Flash Dash (Instant Acceleration).
Slash, slash, slash!
Mana Blades on Archeron's protrusions sliced fallen mantises.
Like knife through tofu, exoskeletons parted effortlessly.
Archeron's Mana Blades boasted unimaginable cutting power.
"Ma, manti!"
"Maaaanti!"
The barrier-assaulting mantises halted, recoiling.
Never dreamed the tiny golem was an overwhelming apex predator.
"Wh-what?"
A bewildered voice from the mantis ranks.
Cresar, Lv201
An insect-humanoid blending mantis and human.
Mid-level officer leading this mantis unit.
Twitch, twitch.
A pair of antennae atop its head waved toward Archeron.
"Unmeasurable...? Insane!"
Its face paled.
"B-red wing code activate!"
Tactic for mighty foes.
At his command, red light swirled from mantis wings as they swarmed Archeron.
Like a tidal wave of mantises.
Chilling, goosebump-inducing sight.
But Archeron calmly pressed on.
Whirr.
Clank.
『Keron. Core energy overdrive.』
Grrrrumble.
Rooooar!
Archeron's core energy surged toward the enemy lines.
Thus began Archeron's rampage.
Thrust, slash, dodge, rend, destroy, throw, charge, block, evade, grab, tear, snap, shove, pull, strike, smash, shake, pierce, leap, spin, fly, roll, exploit gaps, feint.
Every black trail etched in the air.
Two or three foes felled at minimum.
Dozens at most, giant mantis corpses piling up.
"Kraaaaaah!"
Cresar lost reason at the sight.
Knew retreat meant death by Karmarks.
Burned his energy charging Archeron anyway.
Whiiiirrr.
Boom—!
Laser beam from right hand vaporized its head.
『Archeron. Combat terminated.』
Hiss!
Hundreds of giant mantises felled in an instant.
That moment.
Flash!
Pure white light burst from Archeron's core, mana boiling.
"Whoa...!"
I gasped at the sight.
Before departure, I'd doused Archeron's core in Shine Muscat juice.
Never expected such results.
『Keron. Collecting spoils.』
Without my order, Archeron began gathering battlefield loot.
Most abundant: giant king mantis exoskeleton fragments.
"Kyaa! With those, I can craft tons of chitin gear!"
Bellerin was thrilled.
Magic stones harvested from their bodies.
"Ahh!"
Bellerin fidgeted excitedly.
"I'll make loads of mithril gear!"
And finally.
"That’s..."
A tiny shard.
Instinct told me what it was.
'A ★ fragment.'
Like the one from the Grim Reaper.
This came from that insect-humanoid.
What exactly were these fragments?
'Hmm...'
No answers pondering now.
"Hold onto it carefully."
Archeron stored all spoils in sub-space.
'Alright...'
The Liri seemed frightened, not opening the barrier.
We'd return later.
Check for more of those hunted nearby.
As I prepared to command Archeron.
Flash!
One figure stepped out from the Liri barrier.