Chapter 105
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Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Captain Frontera (1)
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Buzzzzz! Pfftzz-!
Rough wingbeats.
A pair of leathery wings thrashed wildly.
It lifted its 70-centimeter body into the air.
It rode the wind.
It dove.
Then, its wing collided with that of a companion flying alongside.
Crack!
It lost balance midair.
It plummeted. Relentlessly. Downward.
It was flung onto some nameless tree branch.
Splat!
The impact of the crash landing.
The thick branch swayed heavily.
The fallen specimen, the 86,215th locust of the swarm, shook its body.
As soon as it shook off the shock, it opened its massive mandibles wide.
It bit into the branch swaying before its eyes.
Crunch!
It was a branch as thick and sturdy as an adult's thigh.
But before the locust's jaws, it had no means of resistance.
With one bite, a chunk of bark and flesh was torn away.
Yet the locust kept working its mandibles.
Crunch! Crackle! Crinkle!
It bit into everything in front of it.
If it chewed and it broke, it swallowed.
Filling its belly endlessly like that.
In no time, the 86,215th locust had devoured the entire branch down to the base.
Then it kicked off the trunk and took to the air again.
Thwish-! Pfftzz!
Riding the wind once more.
The vast scenery of the Eastern Mountains passed below.
It was green.
Gazing at that green vista, the 86,215th locust suddenly recalled the lands even farther east it had fled.
Pfftzz!
The eastern lands.
The region humans called the wasteland.
The 86,215th locust had originally lived there.
It hatched from its egg in spring.
It molted several times, passing through the nymph stage.
Up to that point, the 86,215th locust's body was only about 30 centimeters long.
But one day, the environment began to change.
"Advance!"
The flute sounds that shook the wasteland.
The thick clouds of dust rolling in all at once.
Human armies burst through the dust.
They carried torches.
They swung them mercilessly toward it.
The tips of its antennae were singed in the process.
It panicked and bolted.
In the direction the humans drove it—west, west.
Toward the setting sun, solely to survive.
It traveled for days.
But the humans were persistent.
Their armies kept following behind. Lingering around. Swinging torches.
Amid it all, some soldiers even muttered things like this.
"Centurion, sir, are we really going to hurt the orc tribes on the other side of the wasteland by doing this?"
"Of course. You wouldn't understand yet."
"What do you mean, I wouldn't understand?"
"I'm talking about this new strategy General Mamluk came up with."
"And what's that got to do with anything?"
"Those puny locusts will bring a massive catastrophe to the entire wasteland."
"What, like a locust plague?"
"Not just that."
"Then...?"
"The locust swarm is only the beginning. The entire monster ecosystem in the wasteland will be forcibly disrupted by that swarm."
"No way?"
"Way. Locusts are voracious. But what food is there in the wasteland?"
"The Barrelmulk cactus groves, right?"
"Exactly. Barrelmulk cacti are packed with nutrients. The wasteland's whole ecosystem is sustained by the nutrition from those groves. But what if this unprecedented locust swarm from the west flies straight into that cactus grove area?"
"...The Barrelmulk cacti would all get eaten. Starting with the herbivorous monsters that feed on them, then the carnivores that eat those, every monster in the wasteland would face food shortages. Right?"
"Yes. Exactly. Then naturally, all the monsters would head west in sequence. There's a mountain range there, after all."
"And at the foothills of that range... lives the Iron Sand Orc Tribe, the target of this operation?"
"Precisely."
The human centurion nodded.
"Recent intel says they've escaped chronic food shortages. Thanks to building something called a Stone Ice Storage, apparently? That's a problem. Food scarcity was the one thing holding their forces back. If their numbers swell based on abundant food supplies..."
"They'd become a huge threat to us."
"That's right. So we crush them before they grow."
"But sir, what if the locust swarm or the monsters cross the mountains even farther west?"
"Hm? Into Magentano Kingdom territory?"
"Yes."
"I don't know."
"Huh?"
"That's for the higher-ups to handle. Do a lowly centurion and his deputy really need to worry about that?"
"Well, I suppose not..."
"Exactly. So let's just do what the bosses tell us to do properly. Like this."
Whoosh!
The centurion chuckled and tossed his torch.
Pfftzz! The startled 86,215th locust leaped straight up.
Of course, the 86,215th locust couldn't understand a word of the conversation between the sultanate's centurion and his deputy.
Nor could it comprehend that this operation they were carrying out resembled the subjugation tactics a nation called Joseon from another world had often used against northern barbarians.
The 86,215th locust simply leaped away from the torch.
Fleeing west at the humans' prodding.
And finally, it found refuge.
Spiky.
A paradise of thorns unfolded.
The Barrelmulk cactus juice was sweet.
It wasn't the usual food for locusts.
But it was surprisingly decent.
There, the 86,215th locust could stuff itself to its heart's content.
Even so, it was still always hungry.
It wanted to monopolize the Barrelmulk cactus juice all for itself.
But that was impossible.
Too many of its kin had gathered before it knew it.
Pfftzzzz!
Wingbeats from its kin echoing from all directions.
Kin packed denser than it could have imagined.
That crowding triggered changes in the 86,215th locust's body.
The density of kin in one place had spiked.
Contact with other individuals had become abnormally frequent.
That environment induced the exact same hormonal shift in the 86,215th locust as Earth's locust swarms experienced.
Zzzzzz-!
Over a few days, its wings grew markedly longer.
Its hind legs shortened relatively.
The heightened density.
It reduced the risk of being eaten by predators.
But it increased the need to outcompete kin for food.
Thus, legs for escape leaps shortened, while wings for long-distance foraging lengthened.
At the same time, its size more than doubled.
To survive the law of the jungle among its own kind.
Pfftzz! Pfftzz!
Soon, a shiny black exoskeleton.
Body length exceeding 70 centimeters before long.
In its dramatically transformed form, the 86,215th locust crossed the skies.
It passed over the Eastern Mountains with the swarm.
In the process, its antennae quivered.
Its compound eyes took in the lush, bountiful land.
Below the western side of the mountains.
Human territory sprawled out.
Unlike the dense forests of the Eastern Mountains, no strong, threatening monster presences were felt.
No more hesitation needed.
Today, it was there.
Buzzzzz-!
The 86,215th locust rode a downdraft.
It dove sharply on the wind.
The human territory's scenery rushed closer in an instant.
It shot past the rough shouts of orc miners.
It crossed over paved roads in a breath.
Then it charged toward the largest building in sight.
Crash!
It shattered a glass window.
It crash-landed inside the window frame, turning the table above into chaos.
Even amid it, it greedily opened its mandibles.
It chewed whatever came into its mouth first.
Crunch!
A handful of the solid wooden table's edge was torn away in one go.
At that sight, a maid let out a shrill scream.
"Kyaaaaah!"
Emilie, maid to the Baroness Frontera, was a girl who loved peace.
Wondering where she might accompany the Baroness today.
Or what the lunch menu would be tomorrow.
Sometimes proud of her latest embroidery.
She was an ordinary girl like that.
That's why Emilie couldn't help but be shocked to the point of fainting at the sight of the giant locust that lunged onto the breakfast table this morning.
"Kyaaak! A, aaaaah!"
Was it perhaps the devil's mischief?
Or a wicked imp flung to the earth?
The locust that had burst through the window and dropped onto the table unannounced was enormous, hideous, and utterly horrifying.
But Emilie's terror didn't last long.
Crack!
A wooden chair swung down.
From above to below.
Relentlessly. Without hesitation.
Without a shred of mercy, smashing down on the locust's abdomen.
Crunch!
The giant locust's chitinous shell crumpled.
Half a shin-length of its abdomen was crushed into the chair.
Kiiiiieee!
The 86,215th locust let out a shrill cry and thrashed wildly.
It smeared bits of its innards across the table while grinding its shell furiously.
But in that moment, the 86,215th locust's auditory organs detected a roar fiercer than any human sound it had ever heard.
"Emilie! Help me! Hurry!"
Baroness Frontera shouted.
She lifted the chair she'd just swung again.
And smashed it down with all her might.
Crack!
This time, the chest.
Its wings and part of its chest shell shattered.
The 86,215th locust opened its mandibles toward the Baroness.
At that instant, Emilie lifted and flipped the table.
Crash!
They say humans unleash superhuman strength in crises.
For a slender 16-year-old girl, it was impressively real superhuman strength.
In any case, thanks to that, the 86,215th locust couldn't bite the Baroness. It lost balance and tumbled to the floor, writhing briefly.
And that writhing became its final movement in life.
Crunch!
The chair smashed down again, crushing the 86,215th locust's head.
Bodily fluids splattered everywhere.
Even staining spots on the Baroness's white dress as she panted.
But the Baroness paid no mind to such trifles.
"Emilie, are you alright?"
"Y-yes, ma'am."
"Hurry, take my hand and follow me."
The peaceful, everyday breakfast hour was already a lost cause.
Beyond the pitifully shattered window.
Seeing the locust swarm blotting out the sky pitch-black, the Baroness's fingertips trembled.
She gripped the maid Emilie's hand tightly and dashed down the mansion corridor.
Just then, Baron Frontera was running toward them.
His face paled as he took in the locust fluids staining his wife's dress.
"Dear! Are you hurt? Nowhere? Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. And you?"
"I'm okay too."
"But you..."
The Baroness's gaze went to her husband's shirt.
The white shirt was soiled with locust fluids.
Moreover, the Baron held a sword in one hand.
He must have gone through something similar.
"Let's move for now. This way."
The Baron took the lead.
They hurried down the corridor.
All the while, crash, crash—glass shattering echoed from behind closed doors along the hall.
Each time, the Baron, Baroness, and Emilie flinched.
They all knew what those breaking glass sounds meant—they'd experienced it themselves.
'What the hell is this...'
The Baron's expression turned ashen.
A locust swarm out of nowhere in the morning.
He'd never even imagined such a thing.
He hadn't anticipated a disaster like this.
'I need to gather the guards quick.'
As he reached the corridor's end and bounded down the stairs, the Baron thought.
He came up with his own response plan.
'Set up a defensive line with Sir Bayern. Luckily, locusts aren't as tough as beast ants. Our well-trained soldiers can take down five or six each on their own. If we hold formation properly and face them...'
Bang!
At the thought's end, the Baron threw open the mansion door.
And he froze solid.
'What...'
A rigid expression.
Within it, the Baron's eyes—the only things moving.
From the left edge of his vision to the right.
Slowly sweeping across.
Taking in the scene.
Sending it along his optic nerves to his brain.
Analyzing what he'd seen. Realizing. Understanding.
'Even for a locust swarm... how can there be that many?'
Beyond the wide-open door.
Locusts covered every inch of the mansion courtyard.
The flowers the Baroness had lovingly tended.
The various trees the Baron himself had carefully maintained.
All were being devoured by locusts.
And there were easily hundreds of those over-70-centimeter locusts in the courtyard alone!
And they all turned toward him at once!
Slam-!
The Baron reflexively slammed the door shut.
Cold sweat pouring like rain before he knew it.
Tremors seizing his whole body like shivers.
His breathing grew uncontrollably ragged.
'What... what do we do?'
Gather soldiers, whatever.
Form ranks with Sir Bayern, whatever.
All the plans he'd grimly envisioned moments ago crumbled like bubbles.
The instant he saw the courtyard swarming.
The instant hundreds of locusts' gazes turned and met his.
Every strategy and plan shattered in his mind.
'This... there's no way.'
No thoughts rose in his bleached-white mind.
The only possible response was to lock the door tight. That was it.
"Dear? What's happening outside?"
His wife asked.
Should he count it fortunate she hadn't seen the horrific scene outside? Or just tell her to hide here like nothing was wrong?
As the Baron hesitated,
Crack! Crunch!
The firmly shut door shook violently.
As if struck by a massive hammer.
Or as if a ravenous beast had begun gnawing at the door.
"Kyaaaaah!"
Emilie, who had been watching nervously, screamed shrilly.
Soon, the Baron and Baroness witnessed it.
Ten gaping mandibles piercing through spots on the door.
Then mercilessly closing, punching fist-sized holes in the door.
Gasp.
The Baron was horrified.
He realized the situation.
'Those locusts... they're eating the door outright.'
No—precisely, they were devouring the entire mansion!
"Grraaah! You bastards!"
He swung his sword.
At the locusts greedily chewing the door and poking their heads through.
He thrust the blade into their heads.
Splurt, fluids sprayed.
But for each one that fell, two more locusts rushed in.
Knock down two, and three more went wild tearing at the door.
The holes in the door widened steadily.
The Baron's face grew correspondingly paler as he swung his sword.
The Baroness clutched a flower vase with both hands.
Emilie grabbed a candlestick, sobbing.
Finally, the door was utterly destroyed.
Crunch!
The door panel, eaten away everywhere.
Over twenty locusts clung to it.
It was no longer a weight it could bear.
The entire door collapsed.
Crack! Crunch!
Locusts poured in through the broken door.
Their compound eyes gleamed hungrily toward them.
"Get lost, you pests! Raaah!"
The Baron swung his sword.
But it was futile.
There were simply too many locusts surging in.
The Baron alone couldn't stem their wave-like onslaught with his sword.
"Back! Hurry!"
They retreated hastily the way they'd come.
Backing up the stairs.
But the retreat only lasted to the second-floor landing.
Crash! Crash!
Doors along the corridor burst, shattered, and fell.
Locusts poured into the hall, trampling the fallen doors.
Thus, the Baron, Baroness, and maid Emilie found themselves surrounded front and back at the top of the landing.
"Th-this..."
The Baron bit his lip.
His wife behind him, raising the flower vase.
Emilie clutching the candlestick, weeping.
He wanted to protect them somehow, but no method came to mind.
No—he just felt this was the end for him too.
"Dear..."
He reached out his swordless hand.
Grasping his wife's slender hand as if embracing it.
Meanwhile, the locusts closed in from front and back. Right up to arm's reach.
At least he could spend his final moments with the one he loved.
In that despairing romance, the couple squeezed their eyes shut.
The locusts bared their mandibles toward the pair.
They crouched their hind legs to pounce on their prey.
But at that moment—
Dooong... dooong...!
From somewhere, suddenly, a clear, beautiful sound rang out across the world.
As if striking a bell with all one's might.
Or banging a huge pot lid.
A heavy vibration shaking the air.
At the sound, the locust swarm's movements halted all at once.
Soon, a familiar voice rode the cry to them.
"You bastards! Doesn't that pot-lid clang make your whole body wanna dance? Can't help but perk up, huh!"
Dooong-!
The clear resonance now much closer.
An even more distinctly recognizable, welcome voice.
"Over here! If you're drawn, come catch me! Today, I'm Captain Frontera, you bugs!"
Doooong-!
A grander resonance echoed.
Amid it, the Baron and Baroness unwittingly murmured.
"...Lloyd?"