Chapter 48: Exploration (3)

A short while ago.

In the eastern sector, within the Rainbow Forest, a group had gathered in one place.

“Chung! We pay our respects to the great king.”

“We greet the great king.”

“We greet Lord Vermis.”

Mantis, spider, scorpion, and more.

Insectoids with various insect traits bowed their heads toward a single being.

“Raise your heads, all of you.”

The voice of the Abyssal Void.

An Insectoid bearing the wings, eyes, and antennae of multiple insects in one body.

Clad in a dark, armor-like exoskeleton and draped in a cloak of web and venom, he was the king of these Insectoids—and an unwelcome guest from another dimension.

Vermis.

“Have you found the location of the first Rare Dragon Lair?”

“We should be able to find it soon. We’re currently tracking where the Grim Reaper was annihilated.”

At those words, Vermis frowned.

“Hurry. We must find it before the others do.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Inside, Vermis felt impatience.

The Outer Gods summoned here.

Except for 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 become mine.’

Especially since his army relied not on elite strength, but on overwhelming numbers.

The power of the Elemental Dragon would be most effective for a leader commanding a horde like his own.

Thus, he couldn’t help but feel urgency.

“Any signs of other lairs?”

“I’m sorry. We’re searching as hard as we can, but……”

Vermis clicked his tongue low.

He didn’t know how many Rare Dragon Lairs remained here.

But at least, it wasn’t just one.

‘Chaos Dragon.’

As a single entity, the Chaos Dragon’s power would be the greatest.

The dragon he sought after the Elemental Dragon.

If he could obtain both the Elemental Dragon and the Chaos Dragon’s power—

He could reach the ideal he dreamed of.

“So make sure to find it before the others.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I obey your command.”

KWA-DDDDDD!

The insect army spread out in all directions.

“Karmax.”

Vermis called out to one among them.

“Chung!”

A man knelt before him.

A form blending giant mantis and human.

Even compared to other insects, he radiated overwhelming presence.

“Plunder the beings of the eastern forest.”

“I accept your command.”

All wars require resources and food.

He began preparations for a grand plan to consume even the other Outer Gods.

***

A Little while ago.

When Arkeron was exploring the Rainbow Forest, I felt like an adventurer discovering a mystery as I continued my exploration.

Colors poured through sunlit leaves.

The towering trees’ leaves shimmered in every hue.

Red and blue blended, yellow and purple danced in turns across the scene.

The shifting light made it seem as if the entire forest was alive and breathing.

It was like going to see the autumn leaves.

Also, all around were countless unknown herbs.

「Silver Dewgrass, LV 51」

「Clear Wind Herb, LV 35」

「Frost Lotus Petal, LV 22」

「Ironclad Sandweed, LV 55」

「Red Dolpichu, LV 62」

「Blue…….]

Mid-to-low-level herbs.

They were classified as low grade, but that didn’t mean they were easy to find.

‘Definitely.’

I felt it.

If I searched this vast forest, there would surely be another elixir on the level of Mandragora somewhere.

No.

Leave them for now. We should choose what to collect after the exploration is over.

There are too many varieties to gather them all at random.

So, pass for now.

Herbs and elixirs don’t have legs to run off like Mandragora, so I can come back and collect them when needed.

Thus, I continued exploring the Rainbow Forest smoothly.

At that moment—

“Huh, what are those?”

I was speechless at the sight Arkeron projected.

Sasat, sasa, sasasat!

Waves of green and brown covered the front.

Giant mantises the size of humans were pounding on some kind of barrier.

Kang—

KAAAAANG!

Kang! Kang!

The barrier trembled helplessly each time the mantises swung their scythes.

It looked as if it could be destroyed at any moment, like a candle before the wind.

Arkeron extended a hand, scanning the bizarre insects before him.

「King Mantis, LV 188」

「Great Broadback Mantis, LV 171」

「Giant Shield Mantis, LV 192」

“Huge…….”

Monsters in the high hundreds in level.

Just a few of them entering Earth would be enough to destroy it.

‘Wow. That’s insane.’

Then, Arkeron showed additional scan results.

「Lili, LV 155」

「Lili, LV 141」

「Lili Warrior, LV 181」

「Lili Warrior, LV 178」

「Lili Great Warrior, LV 191」

“Lili….”

“What’s a Lili?”

I detected the existence inside the barrier, but couldn’t tell what they were or how they looked.

It was Vellerin who answered my curiosity.

“Lili are the fairy tribe of the forest!”

“Forest fairies?”

“Yes! They’re a clan distantly related to us elves.”

“Really?”

Distant relatives of elves.

Forest fairies.

That was clear.

They were good people, no matter how you looked at it.

And the mantises—

‘They look filthy.’

I felt an inexplicable repulsion.

Especially—

The mana possessed by those mantises.

It wasn’t the flow of normal mana.

With , that’s how it appeared to my eyes.

Even felt disgusting.

Therefore—

“Arkeron, let’s help the friends inside that barrier.”

Kiiiiing. Clack.

Arkeron, who’d been observing from a distance, charged into the battlefield.

“Samaat?”

“Samaat.”

The giant mantises tilted their heads at Arkeron’s sudden appearance.

Some approached curiously.

Padadadadot!

Giant mantises spread their massive wings and flew over.

‘Wow.’

It’s scary enough to haunt your dreams.

“Wipe them out!”

At my words, Arkeron assumed battle stance.

Kiiiiiing.

Clack.

[Battle Stance LV3, Mid-battle mode activated.]

Jiiiiiiing.

Urrrrrrrr.

The energy core embedded in Arkeron’s chest and back shone brightly, spreading mana throughout his body.

Adamantium panels on his arms and legs thickened, sharp protrusions extended, enhancing attack readiness.

The light flowing from his eyes turned a deeper red, and faint, vertical magic circuits on his body glowed more vividly.

And then—

Battle began.

Flash Break

FLASH!

A brilliant burst of light exploded from Arkeron’s hand.

“Samaaaaht!”

“Samaat—!!”

The giant mantises flying at Arkeron lost direction and crashed all around.

Blinded, they writhed in agony.

Thud, KWAANG!

Arkeron used <Flash Dash (instant acceleration)> to dash among the fallen mantises.

Sshk! Sshk! Sshk!

The 「Mana Blade」 formed on Arkeron’s arm slashed through the mantises, their exoskeletons slicing apart like tofu.

Arkeron’s 「Mana Blade」 possessed cutting power beyond imagination.

“S-saamaat!”

“Samaaaaht!”

At the sight, the mantises attacking the barrier faltered and retreated.

They never imagined the small golem that suddenly appeared would be a higher predator.

“W-what is that?”

A voice filled with panic rose among the mantises.

「Kresar, LV 201」

An Insectoid with a mantis-human form.

He was the mid-ranking officer commanding the mantis unit.

Char, charrrrt.

A pair of antennae atop his head waved toward Arkeron.

“Unable to measure……? Insane!”

Then his face went pale.

“R-red wing code activation!”

A tactic triggered in the face of a powerful enemy.

At his command, crimson light swirled from the mantises’ wings as they charged Arkeron all at once.

It was like a tidal wave of mantises surging forward.

A sight so grotesque it made my arms crawl.

But Arkeron continued the battle calmly, unshaken.

Kiiiiiing.

Clack.

Urrrrrrr.

Kugugugugugu!

Arkeron, core energy surging, rushed into the enemy ranks.

Thus began Arkeron’s rampage.

Stabbing, slashing, dodging, cutting, destroying, throwing, charging, blocking, evading, grabbing, tearing, breaking, pushing, pulling, hitting, smashing, shaking, penetrating, soaring, spinning, launching, rolling, aiming for openings, deflecting—

Every time a black streak traced through the air, two or three, or sometimes over a dozen giant mantis corpses piled on the ground.

“Kuaaaaaaaa!”

Kresar, maddened by the scene.

He knew retreat meant death at the hands of Lord Karmax.

So he burned his energy to attack Arkeron.

Jiiiiiiiiiing.

KWA-AAAAAAAAANG—!

But a sudden laser beam fired from Arkeron’s right hand, erasing his head and ending him.

“Arkeron. Battle ends.”

Pshushushushu

Arkeron brought down hundreds of giant mantises in an instant.

At that moment.

Paaaaaaat!

A pure white light burst from Arkeron’s core, his mana surging.

「Stellar Growth Acceleration buff is active.」

「Arkeron’s level increases.」

「Arkeron’s level increases.」

‘Lv 252 ->Lv 254,’

He leveled up twice at once.

“Oh……!”

I exclaimed at the sight.

Before Arkeron set out, I had drenched his core in juice.

I didn’t expect it to have such an effect.

Arkeron began gathering battlefield loot even without my instruction.

「King Mantis exoskeleton fragment x31」

「Great Broadback Mantis exoskeleton fragment x51」

「Giant Shield Mantis’s…….」

The most collected were the exoskeleton fragments of the King Mantises.

“Kya! With those, you can make a ton of Chitin Equipment!”

Vellerin was the happiest.

「Top-grade Magic Stone x101」

「High-grade Magic Stone x151」

And the harvested from their bodies.

“Ahhh!”

Vellerin trembled in excitement.

“I’ll make tons of mithril equipment!”

And finally—

[▲ has been acquired.」

“That’s…….”

A tiny fragment.

I instinctively recognized it.

‘Fragment of ★.’

The same as what was obtained after defeating the Grim Reaper before.

This time, the fragment seemed to come from the Insectoid I’d seen earlier.

Just what are these fragments?

“Hmmm….”

It’s not a question I can answer right now.

“Just keep it safe for now.”

Arkeron stored all the loot in Spatial Storage.

‘Then…….’

The Lili Clan seemed too frightened to come out from the barrier.

I’d have to visit again later.

I decided to check if there were any other beings like those just hunted nearby.

As I was about to order Arkeron—

Paaaaaat!

A figure stepped out of the Lili Clan’s barrier.