Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Engaging the Giant Ants
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One thing I'd come to realize after playing Pavarintos for so long was that, surprisingly, the choices themselves often weren't all that important.
What truly mattered was how well you handled the situation when it hit you—and how solidly you'd built your foundations in the day-to-day grind.
You couldn't always make the perfect call.
So instead, you just always gave it your best shot.
This skirmish was no different.
Whether we fought or fled, the gains and losses probably wouldn't have varied much.
Even if we dodged the obvious danger right in front of us and took an uncharted path instead, who could say what waited at the end?
Having made the call to fight,
Hyun Tae-jin set down the backpack he'd been carrying and picked up his shield.
The hefty iron shield would block the ants' razor-sharp mandibles to some degree. His hand trembled ever so slightly, but I ignored it and laid out the plan.
"First, I'll fire a Mana Arrow."
"Aim for the head or chest—best case. But I might miss."
"Right after it hits, deal with whichever one charges first using Lightning Strike. That's when you step in, Tae-jin."
Lightning Strike was reliable, but its targeting could be finicky.
Fine against a single target.
But if two or more were at similar ranges, chaining casts would often hit the already-stunned one again.
In other games, that kind of brainless chaining would be OP and get nerfed—but Pavarintos didn't let you get complacent.
Maybe they judged it "realistic" that way.
"We don't need to go all-out offensively. Just block and back off to reset Lightning Strike's targeting. I'll stun them then, and we're done."
"The rest is just cleanup."
Simple tactic.
Warrior tanks safely, mage handles DPS—the basic playbook.
No thrilling swordplay, but way less chance of losing a limb.
"What do you think? Can you handle it?"
"...I'll make it happen."
"..."
Hm.
I'm the one doing all the damage anyway, so no need to get that serious...
...Whatever. Being serious never hurt anyone.
Ambush basics: Start with a snipe.
Peering around the corner: three Giant Ants.
Just as expected, they were burrowing through one side of the tunnel wall.
"..."
Creepy bastards, no matter how many times I saw them.
Even now, but in the game... they were rendered pervertedly lifelike, identical down to the grossest details.
'Not like some kinda vaccine...'
An obsessive level of detail for bug monsters.
Maybe it was prep for actually facing massive ants in real life.
...Nah, probably not.
Just some insect-obsessed freak handling graphics.
'Hoo—'
Enough stray thoughts.
I exhaled to loosen up, then aimed my staff at the distant ant.
Range: Roughly 40 meters.
'No way I'm landing this...'
Honestly, zero confidence.
In-game, I could've picked my nose one-handed and hit. Here? Tough. Nose-picking's doable, hitting's not.
'...Backup plan's in place anyway.'
Missing wasn't a dealbreaker.
Plan B for glancing blows was ready.
Of course, if that went south too... well, chalk it up to "damn, I suck" and bail.
Full sprint, and we'd shake pursuit.
Mana and Memorize would take a hit, but life's irreplaceable—survive, and it's not a loss.
So, fire easy.
'Mana Arrow.'
Mana Arrow
[Searing beam condenses and fires]
I aimed the staff and unleashed Mana Arrow.
As the signature whoosh cut the air, I caught Hyun Tae-jin stiffening beside me out of the corner of my eye.
Engagement started.
No turning back.
The soaring [Mana Arrow] flew toward the Giant Ant with its head buried in the dirt wall,
—tracing a flawless arc straight into its head between the antennae.
"Oh."
"...Huh?"
"What?"
"...Ahem."
Whoa, insane.
It hit?
But admiration was short-lived.
One comrade down, the other two reacted instantly.
Their antennae twitched, heads whipping around until they spotted us—then they charged.
"What the...?!"
"Don't panic—get ready to tank."
"R-Right!"
...No need to yell.
But no point critiquing mid-fight.
Hyun Tae-jin gripped his shield and arming sword, hands steady.
I turned from him to the charging ants dead ahead.
'Lightning Strike.'
Two ants barreling in tandem.
My Lightning Strike spell primed in my hand.
So far, perfect execution.
Lightning Strike
[Unstable electric discharge]
I thrust my left hand forward at the lead ant, Lightning Strike at the ready, while my right hand pressed my chest to control the psychokinetic field.
The field enveloped my own body.
The instant Lightning Strike fired, it'd send the signal to hurl me backward.
The robe's was just insurance.
If damage exceeded limits, it'd shred like any cloth—so rely on Tae-jin's tanking as much as possible.
"D-Do-hwa?"
"Not yet—"
Giant Ants charging, mandibles clacking.
Chillingly grotesque, but no dodging.
And no missing the window.
Eyes wide on the onslaught—for a split second.
"Now!"
As the lead ant closed in, I triggered both spells at once.
Blue lightning erupted from my left hand, slamming the frontrunner,
"—Ngh!"
—while the telekinetic wave from my right shoved me backward.
The very next instant,
the second ant's mandibles sliced a hair's breadth from me. A split-second later, and I'd have triggered .
I tumbled ungracefully across the floor.
"...Ow."
At the same time, shield-up Hyun Tae-jin blocked my front and charged the Giant Ant.
"Haaah!"
"..."
...Told you not to yell.
Bitter smile aside, I hauled myself up. Elbows and butt throbbed from the rough landing, but better than ant mandibles.
Now the tank's turn...
Luckily, he was crushing it.
Hyun Tae-jin shield-bashed; the Giant Ant reeled, legs flailing drunkenly.
'...Oh.'
...Not just good. Exceptional.
[Inner Force Activation] alone wouldn't stagger like that. Nailing [Heavy Stance] for max impact?
Not bad for a newbie—
"Hah!"
"...Huh?"
—Jinxed it.
Shouting again, he dropped his raised shield and thrust his arming sword at the ant.
Overhead strike to the head.
Land it, and it'd exceed expectations—but
...predictably,
the sword aiming for its head merely grazed the ant's glossy dome. A thin slice wept clear fluid, but no kill shot.
One mistake,
and initiative flipped to the ant.
Shaking off the hit, it whipped its elongated mandibles like a club.
"Guhk!"
Hyun Tae-jin ate it full-force.
That prior swing had overcommitted him; the impact sent him rolling.
'...Tch.'
A shame.
[Heavy Stance] there would've negated the knockback. Raised shield, and he'd have blocked.
...But that's solo play thinking.
Party-wise? Him flying was ideal.
Tank out of the way—clean line of sight.
"Bye—"
"—and bye."
I re-aimed Lightning Strike at the fully exposed Giant Ant and cast.
Lightning Strike
[Follow-up discharge]
Blue bolt struck; the ant's body convulsed and listed.
"..."
"...H-Huh?!"
A dull thump echoed as the flung Hyun Tae-jin scrambled up.
Thanks to [Inner Force Activation] and his leather chestplate, no major damage. Good—but fight not over.
"Tae-jin."
"Y-Yes?!"
"That downed one there. Finish it off."
"..."
"Aim for the head to kill."
Lightning-struck ants.
Stun wouldn't last. They'd rise soon for counterattack.
I aimed my staff at the one before me and cast Mana Arrow.
'Mana Arrow.'
Mana Arrow
[Finishing shot]
Glowing arrow nailed the twitching ant's head. Clear fluid oozed from the split cranium.
...Could vampires drink that stuff?
Possible, but didn't suppress Bloodlust Impulse, I recalled.
...Didn't look appetizing anyway.
"...Tae-jin?"
"..."
Should be done by now.
I lowered my staff and checked him. Something off, though.
Hyun Tae-jin clutched his longsword with shaking hands, glaring at the twitching ant.
...What's up?
Not humanoid like goblins—no reason to hesitate killing a bug.
As I approached puzzled, he plunged the blade into the ant with both hands.
False alarm?
Clean finish.
Headless corpse stilled; tense Hyun Tae-jin exhaled raggedly.
"Hah... ha..."
"..."
...Whatever works.
Skirmish over...
"Hyun Tae-jin?"
"...I'm good now."
"No. I'm not good."
"...?"
"I've got a lot to say. Come sit."
"..."
Farming and feedback left.
Feedback first.
Plenty of time.
"I specifically said just hold guard."
"...Yes."
"Guard up, land one stagger, then back off on my signal."
"That's... what I did."
"Then why'd you go for an attack solo?"
"..."
"Answer. Curious, not just feedback."
"...It was... my head got hot. I just... acted."
Head got hot, huh...
Fair enough.
But poor call.
Gap-exploiting strike? Decent. Brainless lunge? Gambling with your body.
Might work once, not sustainable.
"Why'd your head suddenly heat up?"
"...Pardon?"
"There's a reason. Not like you saw the ant and rage-quit from disgust."
"..."
No reply.
Hesitant to share? Means there was one.
I could guess.
Yesterday, he collapsed crying at my sight.
Saw something horrific, probably.
If truly nothing... just say "don't do it again."
"Don't wanna say? Fine. Everything else was solid—especially that first shield bash. Low risk, stable stance—"
"—I saw someone die."
"..."
Huh.
Timing on that.
Not twice the praise anyway.
But ignoring a confession mid-flow ain't human—so I listened quietly.
"...Heard screams, so I ran. Someone was getting torn apart by those things. Tried to help, but... scared. Didn't think I could win. Ran..."
"...Ah."
Yesterday's tale.
Sound judgment, though?
Newbie with a longsword vs. three ants? Suicide.
Heroics would've made "human meatballs +1."
But praising that... feels inhuman.
"Good job."
"...Pardon?"
"Smart call. Charging in? You'd be dead. Fleeing let you live to regret it here."
"..."
Still gotta say it.
Eh, whatever.
Inhuman world anyway.
A little inhumanity won't hurt.
Plus, inevitable for us both.
Me, him—long road to true "players" in this reality.