Legend

t.
No, there wouldn’t be a problem if you just called it weak.
This wasn’t without grounds as he with Set had wiped out more than 30 Soldier Ants in a few minutes.

However, the problem was the amount of fatigue.
They hardly felt any fatigue even after defeating 30 of them this time.
But what about fighting the same amount several times, or tens of times, what if the battle was repeated dozens of times.

Certainly, for Set and Rei, their bodies were tougher than normal monsters and humans.
However, this didn’t mean they had infinite strength.
It is natural for movement to dull if you are tired, and if your movement dull, you become more likely to be hit by an attack.
Even if their bodies had eternal youth, they were not immortal.

Still, to miss out on the magic stone of the C rank Queen Ant was too regretful.

「Well, what to do.」

Thinking while thrusting the handle of the Death Scythe through the body of a Soldier Ant……suddenly, he felt a sense of incongruity with the exoskeleton.

(What?　Why do I feel something different when I look at this exoskeleton?　This exoskeleton looks normal……so, apart from size, the appearance and size are the same as the other ants.
There’s no mistake.
However……!?)

Muttering in his mind, he finally understood his sense of dissonance.
An ant that leaves its nest will usually grow wings, a so called winged ant.
However, there were no wings attached to the Soldier Ant that lay before his eyes.

(In other words, not all the ants in Elgin have the habit of becoming winged ants?　Or did these ants not leave the nest to become winged ants……there’s a strong chance of being wrong either way.)

All the ants the Queen Ant controlled didn’t have wings to fly……that would be considered too optimistic.
However, the few Soldier Ants Rei and Set defeated didn’t have wings.
In other words, the chance of success was higher if instead of going along the ground, Rei and Set flew, mounting a surprise attack on the Queen Ant from the sky, Rei thought.

Whether or not it was fortunate, from the information obtained from the guild receptionist, if the Queen Ant is defeated, the swarm, which is lead by the Queen Ant would no longer be able to maintain itself and will scatter into the surrounding area.
The number of times Soldier Ants will appear near the city of Gimuru would increase for a while, however, it would still be better than the swarm governed by the leading Queen Ant.

「……Set」
「Guru~?」

While watching the surroundings, Set, who was pecking at the corpses of the Soldier Ants, curiously turned his head to face Rei.

「Try to search the Queen Ant from the sky.
Launch a surprise attack from the sky to kill the Queen Ant.」
「Guru~!」

Nodding at Rei’s proposal, Set crouched down.
Rei vaulted onto Set’s back while holding the Death Scythe.

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「Gururu~!」

Raising a sharp cry, Set flapped his eagle like wings after a run up of a few steps.
Rei’s cheeks unintentionally loosened as they steadily ascended into the sky by kicking the air, a smile floated onto his face as he saw another group of Soldier Ants heading to the place they were at before, they had evaded a second battle.

「Though it would have taken some time for more to arrive after Set and I defeated the first group, we would have been stuck in a constant war of attrition.
The correct decision was made early.」
「Guru~」

I agree, Set seemed to say as he gave a short cry.
While patting his neck, a grassy plain a forest spread along the highway……it wasn’t easy to see deeply into the forest from the sky.

They had flown through the sky for about 20 minutes.
Although they occasionally saw the figure of a monster passing through, the figure of the Queen Ant, which was their aim, could not be seen anywhere.

「Its not so easy to find after all.」
「Guru……Guruu~!」

Set raised a cry as if to comfort Rei but changed into a sharp cry half way.
It was a cry of precaution.

The reason he raised his voice was immediately found.
The enemy appeared from the forest.
Because there wasn’t an object for comparison, it can’t be said for sure, however, they looked larger than the Soldier Ants.
Moreover, they had wings growing from behind their necks.
They flew through the sky, straight for Set.
There were 5 in number.

「To fly through the sky, moreover, they’re bigger than Soldier Ants.
Imperial Ants, or should I call them Imperial Ants?　Well, an enemy is an enemy.
Let’s go, Set!」 TLN: More word differences, the first Imperial Ant is written in Kanji while the second in in Katakana.
「Gururururu~!」

Flapping his wings while raising a courageous cry, Set flew straight towards the Imperial Ants in a straight line without hesitation.

The distance between them decreased……

「Gururururu~!」

A water ball appeared near Set’s face and with Set’s cry, was fired on the Imperial Ants.

「Gigigigi~!」

Though the Imperial Ant flying at the top avoided the attack by tilting its body at an angle, the Imperial Ant that flew behind it didn’t fair so well.
Hitting it in the face, the water ball exploded at the same time.
Most of the upper body exploded with it and it fell to the ground.

「Four remaining.」

Muttering, Rei began to cast a spell.

『Flame, collect and gather.
One for all.
All for one.
Appear at my command.』

After Rei finished casting the spell, a mass of flame 1m in size gathered at the tip of the Death Scythe Rei held.
Facing the Imperial Ants, Rei swung the Death Scythe with all his strength.
At the same time, the flame flew straight towards the enemy.

However, its speed was only half the speed of the water ball Set had fired first, it was lacking speed in all aspects.

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In fact, the Imperial Ants scattered so as to avoid the flames……

『Bloom Flames!』

Flames exploded at the same time Rei activated his magic.
A large amount of flames the size of his fist scattered into the surroundings at high speeds.

「Gigigigigigi!」

It was a magic that Rei had made in the image of fireworks, however, the power of the flame after the explosion wasn’t that high.

Still there was enough power to burn the wings of the Imperial Ants, with their wings burnt completely, two of them fell to the ground.

Falling from a height of over 30m, they would not survive.

And there were 2 Imperial Ants left.
But.

「Gururu~!」

One had its body crushed by Set’s claws.

「Haah!」

The other was split in half by the blade of the Death Scythe wielded by Rei.

「Right, the next step is to find the position of the Queen Ant……」

When Rei said that, a huge cry came from the surroundings.

「Gigigigigigigigigigyi~!」

The main sounds were coming from near tree 30m ahead of Set.
There was the figure of a giant ant monster bigger than the Soldier Ant and Imperial Ant.

In other words.

「Queen Ant」
「Gururu~!」

Set gave a sharp cry in agreement to Rei’s words.
Rei stroked Set’s neck while smiling at his bravery.

「Right.
Then……lets go!」
「Gurururururu~!」

Giving a high pitch cry in response to Rei’s words, Set dived towards the Queen Ant on the ground.