Chapter 69: Forest Wave Second ③: Opening Battle
Morning.
I eat Hoss’s mixed meat soup to build up my fighting spirit.
“We can assume the ‘Wounded One’s’ territory is the Queen’s kingdom.”
Garad draws a large circle on the map of the Heizen Great Forest. So this area is the ‘Wounded One’s’ territory.
“It hasn’t changed since the old days.
“Wounded Ones’ aren’t monsters that expand their territory.”
“Is that so?”
“And ‘Wounded Ones’ never leave their territory.”
“However, that doesn’t necessarily apply to the Queen.”
“There’s a possibility she’ll expand her kingdom. After all, she’s a Queen.
“Rulers desire territorial expansion.”
Lupinas declares this. Garad gives a wry smile.
“We have to take her down before the entire Heizen Great Forest becomes her kingdom.”
Everyone nods.
“Um, what happened to the Forest Wave?”
Nabel speaks up hesitantly.
Everyone except him exchanges glances.
“It was Second, right?”
“I completely forgot.”
“Hasn’t it started yet?”
“We don’t know.”
“I don’t know either. Garad, you’re a local. What about it?”
“…Honestly, everything is different from previous years. I don’t even know if Second has occurred.”
“When it starts, doesn’t the forest overflow with monsters?”
I say this, remembering what I heard.
“To be frank, no one is in the forest during the Forest Wave, so we don’t know what’s happening.”
“Normally you don’t enter.”
“That’s true too.”
From what I heard, hordes of monsters line up from one end of the forest entrance to the other. Anyone would think they’re coming out of the forest. Naturally, the forest overflows with monsters—that’s the common assumption.
But what if that’s not the case? Until now, that was common sense. But this is a dungeon. Perhaps the forest during the Wave doesn’t change much.
“Sorry I don’t know, Nabel.”
“No, given this situation, that’s understandable.”
“Perhaps you’re worried about Colan and Plancy?”
The two members of Nabel’s party are participating in the Forest Wave.
“…I couldn’t help but worry.”
Not knowing what’s happening is unsettling. But there’s no way to confirm.
“In that case, why don’t you return with Araya?”
Garad says this. Araya, whose physical condition is fine but mental state isn’t combat-ready, has decided to return. He also serves as a messenger to report what’s happened so far. Depending on the situation, arrangements can be made to send reinforcements.
Nabel doesn’t answer immediately. He seems troubled, showing expressions of conflict and anguish.
I understand his hesitation. Honestly speaking, he wants to return to his comrades.
“You can go back if you want.”
“If you have comrades, you should prioritize them.”
“We’ll be fine here.”
“That’s right. Don’t worry.”
“…Nabel.”
We respect his decision.
“Thank you, everyone.”
Nabel bows deeply.
“But I will defeat the Queen.”
His raised expression and gaze were straight. Without any hesitation. Garad listens quietly.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. If I return halfway, I won’t be able to show my face as a leader.”
“I see. You’re a party leader. Understood. I won’t say anything more. Alright. Once preparations are complete, we depart.”
Garad taps the circle drawn on the map with his finger.
“Our destination is the territory.”
We nod with determination.
After saying goodbye to Araya, we leave the subjugation village. It’s not much of a strategy, but here’s what we decided:
- Advance to the ‘Wounded One’s’ territory. Search for Liv along the way.
- Once we reach the territory, lure out the Queen.
- Fight the Queen.
- After defeating her, resume the search for Liv.
Simple with nothing complicated. The problem would be the Relic seal.
However, Constraint Relics and the spider-slaying [Hawksbill Eight Characters] can be used. Additionally, I can guard against that Relic with the gauntlet’s power.
It’s not enough to call a countermeasure, but we could respond. We approach the ‘Wounded One’s’ territory while defeating spider women we encounter.
Until now, Relics worked normally. As expected, that was likely the Queen’s own Relic.
And a Relic with such large-scale, tremendous effects. There must be usage time and cooldown.
“Beyond that is the territory.”
In the end, we didn’t find Liv. The territory. An unremarkable forest landscape, but being told so gives a strange sense of tension. The Queen’s kingdom.
“Let’s go.”
We entered the territory. I feel that oppressive, unpleasant air.
“It’s intense.”
“Indescribable.”
“Hard to believe this is the ‘Wounded One’s’ territory.”
“And you’re sure about this?”
“Yes, no need to worry.”
Lupinas says this confidently. Luring out the Queen. She holds the key to that.
“Understood. Then take your positions. Pakira, I’m counting on you.”
“Yes. I’ll make sure it hits.”
The strategy to lure her out is as follows:
Use Lupinas’s Relic [Battle Cry].
The Queen and her horde of spider women will come.
Hit them with Pakira’s Constraint Relic [Light of the Mausoleum].
During that time, we fight and buy time. If we can defeat her, good. Even if we can’t, we’ll have dealt considerable damage. We can win.
“I’ll show you. The true essence of [Battle Cry].”
Lupinas steps forward, stands firm, and takes a breath. She activates it as she exhales.
“UWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
A loud roar echoes through the great forest. It didn’t sound like an unpleasant shout at all. Rather, it was strangely pleasant. But the monsters apparently don’t feel that way.
“Here they come!! Combat positions!!”
[Battle Cry] activated, and within minutes, it arrived. Behind the large horde of spider women was a giant monster.
A pure white body with black mottled patterns. It had the torso of a four-legged beast, with six spider legs growing from its sides.
Its tail, eerily swollen at the tip, was long and pale blue. Surprisingly, the monster’s head was that of a spider.
A white spider’s head with black mottled patterns. But furthermore, a sword-like horn extended from its forehead. A white, shining horn with a stone-like texture.
Eight red eyes arranged on its face glowed bewitchingly like jewels. In the center of its mouth lined with sharp, thick beastly fangs was a spider silk discharge port. This imbalance inspires awe.
On the beast’s torso was a large X-shaped old scar. Everyone instantly understood. That is the Queen.
The Queen, leading her horde of spider women, used it the moment she confirmed us.
[Kingdom of Unreality]
I guard against that invisible wave with my gauntlet, preventing the usage prohibition.
“Even if I can’t use it!” “I couldn’t use them from the start!”
Garad and Hoss roar and charge at the Queen. They scatter the surrounding spider women and challenge the Queen to battle.
Meanwhile, Lupinas holds up her shield. She’s protecting Pakira, who has removed her robe and wears black clothing.
“<Ritahara. Kararita. Remurita. Rita. Hararita. Ra. Rita. Shuku. Hara. Shuku. Rita. Amurita. Hararita. Shukurita. Rita. Ka. Rita.>”
Pakira sings while dancing, tapping the ground with her staff’s stone tip. Rainbow light spreads out in octagonal ripples for just an instant.
Dancing rhythmically, she twirls, striking the ground and empty air with her staff. A mysterious, mystical atmosphere begins to drift in the heavy air.
A massive vortex cloud forms in the sky above part of the great forest. Pale blue lightning can be seen flashing from the vortex cloud, and gradually the vortex cloud grows larger.
Whether sensing danger, or due to [Battle Cry]’s influence, the spider women ignore us and rush toward Lupinas and Pakira.
“I won’t let you. Take this [Parestegia’s Miniature Garden]!”
Electricity runs from the installed black jewel and Bid’s spear. The spider women are electrocuted and discharge.
“[Hawksbill Eight Characters]! [Hawksbill Eight Characters]!”
Nabel is also working hard, cutting down spider women one after another. I’m also defeating spider women, but I’m concerned. The ‘Knife from a Different Sea’ on my knife belt is also rattling.
The sword-like horn extending from the Queen’s forehead. No, that is a sword. Garad and Hoss are desperately holding back the Queen.
The Queen is strong. Partly because she uses the body of the ‘Wounded One,’ a veteran beast.
Movements agile despite her massive frame, quick and powerful claw strikes and tail attacks. She can climb trees freely using her spider legs and gets caught between them. And the most troublesome is the spider silk she spits out.
The spider silk has tremendous adhesiveness. If hit even once, there’s a risk of being immobilized.
Pakira twirls her staff, spins her body, sings, chants, and dances. Lupinus, sensing something, shouts.
“Garad! Hoss! It’s coming!”
The two instantly distanced themselves from the Queen. The Queen—what. She stood up? She stood up and pointed the sword-like horn on her forehead toward the vortex cloud in the sky. As if raising a sword.
“<I pray. Prayer of myriad heavens. Prayer of festival. Prayer of dragon. Shukushuku. Ka. Hararita. Hararita. Ritahara. Amurita. Ra. Shuku. Rita. Shuku. Hararita. Uru. Shukurita. Hararita. On—>. I request. Come. [Light of the Mausoleum]…!”
Immediately after. A single pale blue light from the swirling cloud.
“Don’t underestimate me.”
It hits the white, shining sword-like horn raised by the Queen and splits into countless fragments.
“Eh.”
The split light reflects chaotically and pierces the surroundings. Instantly, the chaotically reflected light explodes all at once, and the Heizen Great Forest shook violently.
“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!”
A mocking voice echoes.
“Don’t underestimate this ‘Cutting’ Gwene… you humans…”
She raises the white, shining sword-like horn high. On the Queen’s head was a human figure.
A short while ago. Heizen Great Forest. A tree hollow in a rocky shadow.
A slightly strange spider woman looks around while holding a mushroom.
“No one is watching, desu.”
She returns to the back of the hollow and sits on a stone before a crackling campfire.
“Even if someone came… they might kill me. My current appearance is a miscalculation, desu.”
This somewhat unusual spider woman mocks herself while roasting the mushroom. Then she looks behind her.
“Now then, she shows no signs of waking. That’s also troublesome, desu.”
On a simple bed on the stone lay Liv. Though somewhat dirty here and there, she appeared uninjured.
“Mm… sleeping soundly… my stomach… is full… can’t eat anymore… sleeping soundly…”
She sleeps with small sleeping breaths and sleep talk.
“What kind of clichéd dream is she having, desu?”
She smiles wryly while eating the roasted mushroom.