Moon Paper Forest Under Siege

'Moon Paper Forest is under attack?'

Moon Paper Forest was under Kun's protection. If the Poison Centipede legion was still pressing the assault despite that, it meant they had someone who could stand up to him.

'With Duraan gone, who could be leading the Poison Centipede legion right now...'

Suddenly, a name flashed in my mind.

'Yuraan.'

I turned to look at the men chatting nearby.

"Even the Poison Centipedes shouldn't be able to breach the Shinseon butterfly clan's home base that easily, right? They don't even have Legion Commander Duraan."

"It's tough. But word is, Legion Commander Yuraan herself is leading the Anti-Mage Squad in the charge."

"Yuraan herself, on top of the Anti-Mage Squad? That changes everything."

The man nodded as if it finally made sense.

And why not? Yuraan was infamous as the natural predator of shamans.

'Her innate constitution gives her extreme resistance to spells, and on top of that, her runes and gear are stacked with ether and spell resistance...'

She was known to have never lost to a shaman.

She was truly unrivaled against shamans.

And she herself had reached the Ultimate Body stage, even a bit higher than her brother Duraan.

'Even Kun would struggle against her innate traits.'

This was different from the fight with Duraan. Best to avoid clashing if possible.

Fortunately, from what they said, Moon Paper Forest's barrier was still holding for now.

But if that barrier broke, it would be a catastrophe.

Yuraan hadn't just built the Anti-Mage Squad—a unit specialized against shamans—she led it herself. To the Shinseon butterfly clan, who relied on shamanic arts, they were the perfect counters.

'For her to personally lead the Anti-Mage Squad... she must be furious.'

No time to waste.

'Let's find a way to help the Shinseon butterfly clan.'

I stood quickly and headed out of the tavern.

First, I needed to send messenger birds to Karimru and Norton. Mantis Hall probably already knew about the situation, but the Shinseon butterfly clan would be valuable allies moving forward. We couldn't afford to lose them easily—I needed to weigh in.

Thud!

Lost in thought as I hurried along, my shoulder bumped into someone.

'Hm?'

The impact wasn't heavy—just a light jostle. But what surprised me more was that no matter how deep in thought I was, my body instinctively avoided people. For someone to bump into me meant they'd entered my domain on purpose and stopped me.

That required at least upper Complete Body level.

I looked up and blinked dumbly at the towering man, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠several heads taller than me, with a burly build.

"Ios?"

"Long time no see, brother."

Indeed, the one who'd stopped me was Riokku clan's next lord: Ios.

"Where you off to in such a rush you don't even recognize me? I'm hurt."

He flashed a toothy grin, showing his bright white teeth.

* * *

I chatted with the chance encounter Ios as we headed to his lodging.

"You're heading out to hit the Amar King Centipede clan's supply lines?"

"Yeah. That bastard Craig has debts to pay."

His face darkened fiercely at the mention of Craig.

From what he told me, they'd successfully fed the cicada parasite remedy I'd given them to their lord. Just as I'd said, the lord expelled the cicada parasite.

Further investigation confirmed Craig as the culprit, exactly as I'd tipped them off.

So now, with Ios at the lead, the Riokku clan was gunning hard for Craig and the Amar King Centipedes.

"And right then, Craig starts wars all over the place. We couldn't just sit idle."

'Perfect timing.'

I marveled inwardly at the impeccable coincidence.

I'd thought they'd take time to regroup, but they were jumping straight into the fray.

Handing that remedy to Ios by chance had saved their lord and sparked this momentum.

What I'd hoped for as mere borrowed hands against the Four Great Lords later... this turned it into solid allies.

'The Riokku clan is that powerful.'

In my past life, they'd fallen too easily. Their true strength only emerged late, making their collapse all the more regrettable.

'Well, with their absurd power, becoming targets for the Four Great Lords was inevitable.'

Even playing Insect King's War, their rarity classified them as a hidden race. When luck stacked right and you raised one properly, I'd solo-wiped the King Spider Tarantula clan.

Like they were born for rampages. No individual fell short of the Four Great Clans.

'Craig's done for on his own.'

From Mantis Hall, Chung Hak Gwan, Moon Paper Forest, and a few minor clans... now Riokku joining in.

'Keh.'

I shivered at the picture forming in my head.

With the other three Great Lords standing by, this was our chance.

"Ios, mind if I join the supply line raid?"

According to him, the supply route they targeted also fed the Poison Centipede legion under Yuraan assaulting Moon Paper Forest.

Cut that off first, and Yuraan couldn't sustain her push long.

That alone would hugely aid the Shinseon butterflies.

'If Norton and Ios link up to encircle and crush them?'

Snagging Yuraan after Duraan was just a matter of time.

I pitched Ios a plan beyond mere raids.

"That's a solid idea. Better to capture a big fish than just cut lines. I'll run it by the squad."

"Thanks."

"Speaking of, Aleck, I've heard rumors, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠damn, you feel way stronger."

"Even with my realm hidden, you see right through it."

We bantered as we reached where Ios's strike team gathered.

"Huh? Captain, back early."

"Business done already?"

"Captain! Where's the locust hind leg fries I asked for?"

"You didn't hog 'em all solo, right?"

"Hey, you ate alone without a thought for us waiting?!"

The wide clearing at the lodging swarmed with dozens of burly men like Ios.

Just their collective gaze carried insane pressure.

'This is the Riokku strike team?'

All Maturity Stage 2 or higher at a glance. Even a few at Complete Body.

Not huge numbers, but each a one-man army. Fitting for Ios's crew—top-tier quality.

"Enough chit-chat, everyone. Got a brother to introduce."

"Hm."

"A young mantis?"

"Kinda big for one, though."

At "brother," the team eyed me with interest.

"The benefactor who helped with the lord's nasty incident."

"Oh!"

"The one who gave us that cicada parasite remedy, huh."

Instant goodwill at aiding their lord.

But it faded quick.

"And he's joining us for the supply raid."

"What?"

"Him?"

"Captain, we're not playing games—why drag in some rando?"

"Observer? Not fighting with us, right?"

'Oof.'

I clicked my tongue inwardly at their reactions.

Riokku were brutally fierce in battle, dead serious about it. A "frail" young mantis like me tagging along rubbed them wrong.

'Guess reining in my realm and aura did this... fair enough.'

Higher realms subdued outward energy—that's Anti-Demon Aura or whatever.

I wasn't there yet, but recent growth let me mask my presence more naturally, plus mantis traits amplified it: Presence Reduction. Higher realms made mantises seem less imposing, even weak to normals.

"Aleck fights with us. He's stronger than you think—no worries. You brutes deaf to continent rumors?"

Ios backed me bluntly, no sugarcoating.

"Haha, yeah. Captain vouches that hard—ease up, guys."

A massive frontliner stepped up.

"Pleased to meet ya. Rak, deputy captain under Captain Ios. Take care."

Rak extended a pot-lid hand.

"Same here."

"Haha! Ignore those lugs—let's crush it together."

I smiled back agreeably.

Unlike the roughnecks, Rak seemed milder. Probably why Ios picked him deputy. And his power screamed Complete Body.

"Alright! New squadmate(?) here—let's hear how he and the captain got tight."

Rak's smooth tone bridged me in effortlessly.

* * *

Next day, we headed straight for the supply base at the route's heart.

Running into Ios by chance meant it wasn't far—half a day out.

"Where's that pet ant from before?"

Ios walking beside me asked casually.

Pet ant... Ultio.

"Molting right now."

"Ho, grows fast, huh? Cute little ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thing. Show me next time."

"Anytime."

"That ant... female, right?"

"Yeah."

"Oho! Then if she lays eggs later, can I snag one?"

'Huh?'

Ultio's words hit me.

—Ultio. When grown. Eggs possible. Want captain's eggs.

'Uh...'

No way that'd happen.

I shook my head fast.

"Ah... tricky? No biggie."

He misunderstood.

"No, not that. If she lays, I'll let you know."

"Haha! Sweet—holding you to it."

"Ho, Aleck. Raising a pet ant?"

"Yeah."

"Mind showing me sometime?"

Rak, overhearing, perked up at Ultio.

'Why the sudden hype... oh, right.'

Riokku went nuts for cute things.

Hence the spark at "pet ant."

"Aleck! Heard ya got ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a pet ant?"

"Taming a primal? Spill the secret."

The rumor spread, drawing the whole team's eyes.

Taming primordials was cutting-edge research. Only docile ones or specific clans managed it. Ants, highly social, were near-impossible.

But their cuteness hooked the Riokku instantly.

I played along casually, and even the wary ones warmed up thanks to Ultio.

'I miss you guys too.'

Once she finished molting, I'd spoil her rotten.

After trekking awhile.

"Enemy base ahead!"

A Riokku scout yelled.

Enhancing my sight confirmed it: the supply depot afar.

Bzzz!

Poison fields everywhere, like last time.

Not just that—high stone walls, surrounded by venomous thorns and bugs swarming.

Hell on earth.

"Approaching that won't be easy, huh?"

Rak grimaced.

Fair—the air already reeked of toxins from afar. Inside? Concentrated nightmare.

But not for me.

'Finally!'

Immunity to All Poisons. What others dreaded was my EXP farm for growth.