NOVEL WEB Chapter 185
Chapter 185. Ant King
Within the darkness governing the trunk of the Ancient Treant, Shizuku advances as the lights of a Type 10 Heavy Tank illuminate the path ahead. The resonating low bass of the tank’s movement is undoubtedly a reassuring sound for the infantry.
The Type 10 Heavy Tank, built for anti-monster combat, dwarfs the WWII Tiger Tank in size. Ridiculously, it boasts two engines for high power, equips a super-sized tank cannon akin to a railway gun, and mounts heavy machine guns. With thick armor to withstand enemy attacks and a high-firepower tank cannon to destroy foes, it seems like a return to the big-gun battleship philosophy.
Modified by Serika, this tank, capable of switching to a spare magazine, had the power to destroy the Ancient Treant’s body. Sakimori had previously planned to use it in combat against large monsters, and now it was seeing the light of day.
Currently, it’s out of shells, relying solely on the heavy machine gun.
[It looks like the monster core wasn’t destroyed, so it’s really up to you now. I’ll have to seriously consider making my own specialized weapon.]
Serika, piloting the tank, pouts. It’s been a while since she’s been on the battlefield, and she’s equipped with just a combat uniform, feeling rather insecure.
[Leave it to me. Shizuku-san is here for pest control.]
[I’ll handle support too.]
Trusting the reassuring responses from the two, she throws the prepared bag at Yukihana.
[Here.]
Yukihana catches it with a nice catch. The bag makes a clinking sound of metal inside.
[As expected of Serika-chan, you’re always fully prepared.]
[Let’s start the battle.]
Shizuku responds satisfactorily, making Serika sigh with half-closed eyes. Being prepared is a given.
“Wasn’t it always like this? Leave it to me.”
[Understood.]
She watches Shizuku charging at the termites on the monitor with a wry smile.
In the darkness, illuminated by the tank’s lights, termites are crawling out from inside the trunk. They seem to be the Ancient Treant’s defensive force. The sight of swarming ants is unsettling.
The termites have pure white exoskeletons and bright red compound eyes. Their bodies are about the height of an adult. Clicking their mandibles, they come at Shizuku using combat techniques.
[Dash]
As they spring like a coil and swing their scythe-like forelegs, Shizuku steps forward with a thin smile.
Avoiding the downward swinging foreleg by slightly bending her body to the right, the scythe-like foreleg slices through the air, causing a gust that stirs Shizuku’s hair.
[Upper Multi-Body Up]
[Slash]
She instantly enhances her stats with a combat technique and counters.
While dodging, Shizuku slashes horizontally at the termite’s body, cutting through its supposed armor-like torso like butter.
The emotionless ants, undeterred by the fall of their front-line comrades, continue to advance. It seems they aim to crush her with sheer numbers.
“Be careful when fighting in dense groups.”
As Shizuku faces them with her Oboromizu dagger, Yukihana shouts from behind, throwing a long sword from the bag.
“Use this!”
“Thanks.”
Catching the spinning long sword, she holds it sideways.
“Click, click.”
“Click, click.”
“Click, click.”
Facing the approaching termites, she readies her new weapon.
“Time to showcase my new sword.”
She channels her overflowing fighting spirit into the sword. After imbuing it thoroughly, she uses a combat technique.
[Storm Sword Dance]
A fully mastered combat technique. Shizuku unleashes a multi-hit area attack that can freely target enemies.
The termites are strong. They surpass the Treant in power. With a tough exoskeleton and strong physical abilities, they aim to defeat foes with numbers. Despite having low stats for a B-rank, they are formidable in numbers.
[Iron Skin]
Seeing Shizuku’s attack, they immediately adopt countermeasures. They increase the hardness of their already tough exoskeleton and go on the defensive.
Shizuku’s swift sword strike hits a termite’s head. Though it only makes a few centimeters deep cut…
In the same spot, an instant later, another strike lands. Continuous strikes put cracks in the termite’s exoskeleton, and the finishing blow splits its head in two.
The surrounding termites, making metallic clinking sounds, are similarly sliced apart.
Shizuku has mastered the ability to concentrate multi-hit attacks.
In no time, the termites around her are all down with their heads split.
Impressed by the power of her new weapon, Shizuku discards it and raises her hand.
“Another one, please.”
“Understood.”
Yukihana takes out another long sword from the bag and throws it. Shizuku catches it and readies herself against the termites emerging from the fallen bodies. The discarded long sword crumbles into the sand, but she doesn’t care.
[Storm Sword Dance]
She dives into the swarm, using the same technique while running through.
“Another one, please.”
“Here you go.”
As some termites withstand the combat technique and block her path, Yukihana mows them down with the heavy machine gun and throws another long sword at Shizuku.
Discarding the sandy sword with a toss, Shizuku smiles.
“I want to name this sword ‘Wanko Soba Sword’. I like it. Could this be Serika-chan’s masterpiece?”
“It’s just a reworked Goblin King’s sword.”
With a satisfied smile, Shizuku is happy that she no longer has to worry about the sword’s durability. It seems to cover the weakness of Serika-chan’s weapons lacking durability.
“Aren’t you saying something mean? Aren’t you saying something that would make me want to cry?”
A dissatisfied voice comes from inside the tank, but Shizuku thinks Serika-chan is just shy and ignores it, quickening her pace.
An enemy relying solely on hardness and numbers. As long as her weapon isn’t destroyed, they’re no match for her.
“Another one, please.”
“At this rate, we’ll run out before we reach the boss.”
In the darkness, Shizuku sprinted, her sword flashing with each swing. The gleam of the blade reflected in the light, splitting termite heads and severing necks as they fell. Building a pile of termite corpses and breaking sword after sword, Shizuku advanced until she abruptly stopped.
“As expected, there’s a guardian. I thought there might be.”
At the end of the passage lit by the tank’s lights, a crystal about five meters tall was embedded in the trunk. In front of it stood a figure that could hardly be called a termite.
It was a humanoid termite about two meters tall, with a slim build, four arms, and two legs. The air around it radiated strength.
“W-What, W-What, Is Wrong, With This?”
It muttered incomprehensibly, to which Shizuku nodded in agreement.
“Is your name Kamen Shiroarida? Understood, I will engage you with all my strength.”
Kicking off the ground, Shizuku charged towards the Shiroarida. As she approached, it began to move slowly. The name “Shiroarida” was decided.
“It’s called Ant King. Have some pity.”
“Well, if you insist.”
Shizuku replied reluctantly.
“H-Help,”
[Storm Sword Dance]
Without mercy, Shizuku unleashed her combat technique. As her rapid multi-hit attack closed in, the Ant King responded with its own technique.
[Storm Rush]
Their techniques clashed and nullified each other. Shizuku frowned and took a step back.
“So, multi-hit area attacks cancel each other out. No easy win, then,” she said, puffing out her cheeks, realizing the countermeasure remained effective even against her refined attacks.
[Ant Jammer]
The Ant King’s mandibles clicked, producing a sound wave-like nails on a chalkboard.
[Focus Ki]
Though the sound wave disrupted her balance, Shizuku quickly regained her composure.
[Accelerator]
[Accelerator]
Both left afterimages as they accelerated and collided. The Ant King skillfully wielded its four arms, each ending in sword-like claws, while Shizuku parried with her Oboromizu short sword, its blade extending and flexing like a whip.
The clash of claws and swords created a rhythmic metallic symphony. However, the Ant King’s stats were overwhelmingly superior. Its high-speed attacks evaded Shizuku’s blade with ease.
With a whoosh, a glancing blow from the Ant King’s attack cut her shoulder, carving a deep gash and shaking her with its force.
[Willow Wind Form]
Shizuku used another combat technique to sway like a willow, redirecting the attack and forcibly regaining her stance as she retreated. The sound of her body creaking in pain was ignored as she prepared for the next attack.
[Deflect]
Using her sword as a shield, she blocked the claws, but the Ant King’s sheer strength easily overpowered her. The Ant King leaped back just as heavy machine gun bullets struck where it had been, creating large holes in the floor.
“Reading our coordination, this ant has quite the awareness,” Shizuku remarked.
“It has stats nearing A-rank.”
The Ant King had anticipated their move. The plan was for Yukihana to use the heavy machine gun while Shizuku immobilized the enemy, but the Ant King read their intentions.
Yukihana, heavy machine gun at the ready, clicked her tongue. The Ant King kept a watchful eye on both Shizuku and the tank.
“H-Help, W-What.”
It muttered meaninglessly, raising its forelegs and advancing.
[Mighty Chaos Strike]
“Yukihana-chan!”
As the strike, surrounded by a shockwave, approached, Shizuku realized it was unavoidable. She yelled.
“Uryaa!”
Yukihana pulled the heavy machine gun’s trigger, unleashing a hail of bullets. The Ant King canceled its technique and dodged sideways.
[Slash]
Seizing the opportunity, Shizuku swung her sword, slicing through the joint of the Ant King’s left foreleg.
As the severed leg spun through the air, the Ant King lowered its waist and punched.
[Strong Fist]
“Ugh!”
[Sword Counter]
Taking the hit, Shizuku felt intense pain and spat blood. Despite her body bending from the blow, she grabbed the enemy’s fist to prevent being flung away, rotated in mid-air, and sliced off the extended foreleg.
Unfazed, the Ant King kicked Shizuku. She twisted her body like a willow to absorb the impact and landed on the floor, though she heard her leg muscles tearing.
Yukihana glanced at Shizuku, but she shook her head slightly. Even together, they might not win. They had to follow the plan.
From the moment she saw the Ant King, Shizuku had mentally communicated her strategy to Yukihana and Serika. The genius strategist’s plan was perfect, and despite her injuries, Shizuku smiled with a savage grin.