Chapter 59: Insect Extermination

A ruined ancient temple.

There, a small creature with golden fur appeared.

“Chu!”

Chuchu climbed onto a small pile of stones and cautiously poked its head out.

Behind the ruins lay a garden bathed softly in the light of the setting sun.

Unknown grasses filled the garden, evoking memories of its once splendid scenery.

“Chu?”

Chuchu tilted its head while looking at the grass.

Dodo do!

With light footsteps, it climbed down from the stones and stepped into the garden.

“Chu…….”

Pushing through the grass, it searched its surroundings for the golden marigold that came to mind.

Sniffing with its small nose as it moved back and forth, Chuchu—

“Chu!”

Its eyes sparkled as if it had finally found something.

As though it had been waiting for this moment, it dashed forward like an arrow.

An old, weathered stone wall surrounded the garden.

It was covered in moss from the passage of time, and deep-rooted ancient trees had grown in every crevice.

Between the stones, unique flowers shone golden in the light of the sunset, appearing here and there.

“Chu!”

This was it.

The special golden marigold Chuchu had been searching for.

“Chuu!”

Lowering its small body and twitching its nose, Chuchu carefully dug up one marigold plant.

Guided by Chuchu’s tiny hands, the marigold slipped neatly into its belly pouch.

After that, Chuchu did not stop moving.

Sasasat!

Another plant, and then another.

Bustling about, Chuchu dug up many marigolds blooming in the gaps of the stone wall.

However, it did not harvest all of them.

A few blossoms were deliberately left behind.

So that when it returned here again, new marigolds could bloom.

“Chu!”

Letting out a short, satisfied sound, Chuchu fiddled with its belly pouch.

Then it dashed back toward the lair.

A faint smile spread across Chuchu’s mouth.

“A way to exterminate insect-type monsters?”

“Yes.”

At my words, Bellerin made an awkward expression.

“Well…… marigolds are indeed effective at neutralizing insect-type monsters.”

At that moment, Azukai, who had been listening, joined in.

“Marigolds?”

“Yes. There is a special marigold with golden petals, and it works instantly on insect-type monsters.”

“Oh, something like that existed? Where can you get it?”

“They carry holy power, so they usually grow around temples. But it does not seem like there is a temple here, so obtaining them will not be easy.”

“Ah…… I see.”

The conclusion that marigolds were practically unobtainable crossed my mind.

It seemed better to look for another method.

“Master, may I ask why you are trying to exterminate insect-type monsters?”

Ah, right.

They have no idea about what is happening on Earth right now.

Where should I even begin?

“Well.”

I slowly began explaining that I was from Earth, and that recently giant mantises and giant spiders marked with the name Replica had begun appearing there.

“My goodness!”

“Replica?”

Bellerin and Azukai widened their eyes in shock.

“Yes. Their level seems much weaker than the spiders and mantises that appeared here. Somehow, it feels like they started appearing on Earth because we defeated those creatures here.”

“Hm. I do not understand. How is something like that even possible?”

“Yes. I have never heard of a situation like this either.”

It seemed that even Bellerin and Azukai did not know the cause of this situation.

“In any case, hearing the situation, that special marigold might indeed be helpful.”

If what they said was true.

That special marigold.

It felt like it could be the key to resolving this situation.

What a shame.

‘There is nothing I can do.’

I would put aside what was impossible for now.

And focus on what I needed to do.

Reach level seventy as soon as possible.

And once the dimensional amplifier was completed, move to find the next dragon lair.

‘Then…….’

The triangle fragments that Arkeron brought this time.

I had collected a total of eleven.

That made twelve triangle fragments in total.

After checking with them.

“Seven triangle fragments can be combined to complete one star.”

I used seven to immediately create one star.

‘Who should I use this on?’

The last time I used a star on Dania.

Dania’s power increased dramatically.

A power that rapidly boosts combat strength in a short time.

‘If all the stars are filled, it feels like another major change will occur.’

In the long term, using the star on Dania would be the wisest choice.

However, looking at the short term right now?

Using it on combat-type guardians like Arkeron or Azukai would be a safer way to ensure security.

It was a moment that required a decision.

‘Hmmm.’

I was deep in careful thought.

And then, at that moment—

Pop!

Chuchu, who had gone outside the lair, returned.

It walked straight up to me.

“Chu!”

From its belly pouch, it held out a golden flower.

“Huh? What is this?”

At my question, Chuchu looked at me with a highly excited expression.

As if urging me to quickly recognize what it had brought.

“Hmm.”

Tilting my head, I examined the golden flower Chuchu offered.

“Reverse-Evil Marigold, Lv sixty-one”

A mysterious flower imbued with ancient power.

It possesses holy power that defeats all insect-type monsters and evil spirits of level sixty-one or below.

“……!”

My goodness.

I blinked.

Reverse-Evil Marigold?

Could this be the marigold Azukai mentioned earlier?

“My goodness!”

Azukai, who had looked drowsy, widened his eyes and stared at the Reverse-Evil Marigold in my hand.

“Where did you get this……?”

Seeing Azukai’s suddenly alert expression and reaction, I could tell this was the special marigold he had mentioned.

“Oh! You found something this precious?”

Bellerin also looked startled.

“Chuchu!”

At their reactions, Chuchu puffed out its chest proudly.

Hands planted at its waist.

With an expression that seemed to say, this is me.

“Wow. Chuchu, you really…….”

I could not help but marvel.

You had been quiet lately, and then you pulled off something big.

I lifted Chuchu into my arms and rubbed my face against its fluffy golden fur.

It felt as soft as pressing my face into a cloud.

“Churrr—”

Chuchu also looked unable to hide its delight at my affection.

“I never thought you would actually obtain this marigold.”

“Was there a temple left here? How did you find it……? Either way, it is impressive.”

At Bellerin and Azukai’s praise, Chuchu’s nose lifted even higher.

“Still, since there is only one bloom, we should immediately cultivate it to increase the quantity—”

Just as Bellerin said that—

“Chu!”

Chuchu stretched one hand forward.

Then—

Whoosh!

It pulled out numerous Reverse-Evil Marigolds from its belly pouch.

“Gasp!”

“Wow…….”

“Incredible.”

Everyone exclaimed as a pile of Reverse-Evil Marigolds stacked up in front of me.

“With this amount, we can make extermination agents right away!”

Okay.

Some would be used immediately to make extermination spray and sell it on the Superhuman Network.

And some would be used for cultivation.

We began moving quickly.

A massive cavern deep within the eastern forest.

There, centipedes, spiders, hornets, ants, moths, and stag beetles—various insectkin—had gathered.

They were the legion commanders of the Vermis army.

Then—

A being with overwhelming presence walked into the cavern.

He was the king of the insectkin.

And the invader who had attacked the eastern forest.

Vermis.

“Karmaks has been injured to the point he can barely move, and the mantis legion’s vice commander, division commanders, and subordinate soldiers were annihilated?”

“That is correct, Your Majesty.”

“Absurd.”

Whooooo.

A heavy atmosphere filled the cavern.

Excluding the vacant seat of the First Legion Commander, the remaining commanders exchanged glances and maintained a heavy silence.

“So, have you identified the culprit?”

Rumble.

An unprecedented aura surged from Vermis’s body.

Before that overwhelming presence, the legion commanders could only sweat profusely, unable to answer.

Some looked as if they might stop breathing altogether.

Then—

“Your Majesty, my subordinates are currently pursuing the culprit.”

Breaking the suffocating silence was the one who spoke.

She was the Third Legion Commander, Arachne.

“Have you found traces of the culprit?”

“Yes. I believe it may be a being connected to a dragon lair.”

At those words, Vermis’s eyes flashed.

“Find them without fail.”

“Yes. I understand.”

“I will be waiting.”

“I will not disappoint you.”

After the meeting ended, Arachne returned to her quarters.

There, she received an unpleasant report.

“The wolf spiders sent to pursue them have all lost contact?”

“That is correct.”

“Hm. That is certainly suspicious.”

She relaxed her furrowed brow and instead curled her lips upward.

There was a scent.

“Gather the troops. I will move personally.”

The Third Legion Commander of the Vermis army, the Spider Queen, Arachne.

She began to move.

The giant mantises and spiders that had suddenly begun appearing.

At first, it seemed random, but soon the locations where they appeared became clear.

They showed up not only in the Forest of Phantoms, but also in the Moss Labyrinth.

I heard they appeared in the Bloodstained Garden too.

Were they not spotted in the Whispering Forest as well?

Looking at it like this…… are these not all forest-type dungeons in the level forty to fifty range?

Oh, you are right.

Wow. That is true. I have only been going to the Crimson Fog Canyon lately and have not encountered them even once.

Same here. I have been running the Temple of Petrification and they never show up.

The Forest of Phantoms, the Moss Labyrinth, the Bloodstained Garden, the Whispering Forest.

They were all forest-type dungeons in the level forty to fifty range.

Then we should just avoid forest-type areas.

Yeah.

Those places will effectively have their difficulty increased by more than double…… they will become dungeons everyone avoids from now on.

If no one clears them, what about dungeon breaks?

The government will handle that…….

Only government-affiliated superhumans will suffer then.

Superhumans in the level forty to fifty range gave up on clearing the now more difficult forest-type dungeons.

However, not everyone could afford to give up.

Countries without many forest-type dungeons were fine.

But Korea and several other countries with many forest dungeons fell into a major crisis.

I am a superhuman affiliated with Korea, and I am exhausted.

Why?

Korea has so many forest-type dungeons that giant mantises and spiders are appearing in most of them.

Ah…… that is unfortunate. My condolences.

Korea and some other countries will see their growth potential plummet now.

Why is that?

Because superhumans in the level forty to fifty range make up the largest group, and national growth depends on their activity and development.

Oh no.

Because of this, the Korean government was thrown into turmoil.

Faced with an unprecedented situation, a national disaster was declared.

At this rate, Korea was on track to fall to last place in international superhuman growth rankings as early as next year.

“What in the world is going on!”

The director of the Superhuman Management Bureau.

Kim Do-cheol.

“We need to establish countermeasures quickly. The VIP is also closely watching the seriousness of the situation.”

An emergency meeting of the Superhuman Management Bureau was convened under the director’s lead.

All section chiefs and department heads attended.

But there was no clear solution.

How could a countermeasure for suddenly appearing giant mantises and spiders be devised in a single day?

“Recommending that they form parties at two to three times the usual size…….”

“That would drastically reduce efficiency. Do you think superhumans would move like that?”

“Then perhaps research the weaknesses of the giant mantises and spiders…….”

“By the time that is done!”

No answers in sight.

Then, at that moment—

“Um, a superhuman called the Mage Emperor just posted that he will be selling an insect-type monster extermination spray. What if we make use of that?”

“What? Insect extermination spray? Who is trying to sell medicine like that? There is no way something like that would work!”

In that situation.

The insect-type monster extermination spray posted by the Mage Emperor.

At that time, no one knew.

Just how effective that spray would be.