When I arrived at the north gate, a lot of adventurers and the city's knights
were already gathering there.
Alicia and I were at the opposite side of the city when the announcement
started, so we arrived late.
I found a familiar face among that crowd.
It was the guild master giving instructions to the people around him with
rough voice.
He was also Sonya's father, Goudo-san.
Goudo-san noticed us when he finished giving instructions for the moment.
"Eliol-kun! Great, so you two are also still in the city! It's reassuring to
have you here!"
"We're staying in the city recently because of some circumstances… more
importantly, is it true that an army type Armor Ants are approaching!?"
"Yeah, you can see it yourself."
Goudo-san said that and pointed to the north of the city.
When I pushed through the crowd and looked to that direction, a hard to
believe scene was spreading before me.
It was a swarm of Armor Ants that completely covered the plain.
Furthermore that swarm wasn't just a disordered mob of Armor Ants.
There were the common Armor Ants (Equal to level 40)
Armor Ant Platoons that were commanding the small fries around them
(Equal to level 80)
Armor Ant Fortresses that specialized in defense (Equal to level 90)
Armor Ant Cannons that had the ability to fire long range attack with acid
(Equal to level 90)
Armor Ant Mages that could use earth magic (Equal to level 85)
And then, the Armor Ant General that was commanding all the ants (Equal
to level 120)
This fortress city was built on top of a small hill. From here I could see
clearly the lineup of the Armor Ants that were taking position around one
kilometer from the city.
The ants that each had their own assigned role lined up in a formation like a
real army on the plain.
There wasn't any sign of them charging here recklessly like normal
monster.
They were observing this city intently without breaking formation. I could
feel a definite intelligence and control behind it.
"They're really an army type…! But why so suddenly…!?"
An army type could only form when the Armor Ant's nest had expanded
greatly. The sign of it should be noticeable beforehand if the Armor Ants
multiplied in attacking distance to human settlement like this. It should be
impossible for this kind of army to get a drop on us like this.
A city getting attacked by the army type like this might be an even rarer
occurrence than dungeon outbreak.
"We don't know the cause of this at all. What's certain right now is that this
city will get devoured clean if we don't do something about them."
Goudo-san spoke with a grim expression.
I could feel just how pressing the situation was from his expression.
Our force that was gathering at the north gate right now was only around
200 knights and 200 adventurers.
If people who came late like Alicia and me also got included, we would
surely be able to repel the enemy force.
These were people who answered the summon for fighting Armor Ants, so
all of them must be more than level 40.
I thought that we would be evenly matched against the army of Armor Ants
if it was based on just that.
But the most troublesome aspect of the enemy was their leadership.
It was said that Armor Ant could communicate with each other using a skill
called Telepathy.
Especially the supreme commander Armor Ant General that was taking
position at the central rear. I once read in a book that it had high intelligence
and could perform advanced coordination.
In contrast half of our force consisted of adventurers who were gathered in
haste.
Of course carrying out improvised teamwork between multiple parties was
adventurer's specialty, but it was difficult to claim that they were used to
carry out tactic for fighting in "war".
Then suddenly. An intelligent and composed voice came from my side.
"It's painful for our side that the ace adventurers are all elsewhere for
investigating the abnormality of monster appearances. Although we have
guild master, Eriol-kun, and also me here, it'll still be very difficult. We're
also lacking information about this army type, we'll need to be prepared to
pay a high price to defeat them."
It was the level 80 Herculean Warrior, Rainy Emerald-san.
She was wearing the expression of a veteran adventurer who had gone
through many scene of carnage.
Coupled with the two huge clubs that she was carrying with her, she looked
really reliable.
…But, umm, why is she touching my butt? Umm, Rainy-san?
Rainy-san!? Alicia is watching us with an excited gaze so please stop doing
that!
"What the hell are you doing Rainy!"
*GON!* Goudo-san's fist crashed on Rainy-san's head. Rainy-san
screamed "Why are you hitting your own ally before the decisive battle that
will decide the fate of the city!?".
Goudo-san ignored that while,
"The situation is grim. But fortunately those ants are still observing how we
will act. We'll consolidate our chain of command using this time as much as
possible. If we can adopt a simple plan of breaking through a single point
that doesn't need any complicated teamwork, our chance of victory will
be──"
Big enough. Before Goudo-san could finish saying that.
"…!? Erio… there is something… below…!"
She must have been using Area Detection skill.
Alicia's expression had turned tense before I realized and she opened her
mouth. It was at that timing.
*BOGO! BOGOBOGOBOGO!*
The ground suddenly collapsed at several spots──Armor Ants showed up
from there.
" " "GIIIIIIIIIH!" " "
"W-whaatt!?"
The adventurers and knights who were preparing to fight at the rear
screamed from being caught completely off guard.
"Wha-!? These guys…!?"
"Don't tell me, they circled from below using Armor Ant Mages' digging
magic…!?"
Goudo-san and Rainy-san already started moving while yelling.
They swiftly crushed the nearby ants in order to quickly calm down the
panic among our force.
But the ants appeared simultaneously in a wide area. It was impossible to
annihilate them quickly.
And then the enemies started moving within that short moments to press
their advantage.
" " " " "GICHIGICHIGICHIGICHIGICHI!" " " " "
The ground rumbled.
The army of Armor Ants that were taking position on the plain started
advancing all at once to accelerate our panic. The Fortresses that excelled in
defense lined up at the front to form a sturdy charge.
"No good! Magic squad! Stop their advance! It's fine even if it's just for a
bit!"
Goudo-san's screamed his instruction. His voice shook the air.
And then a powerful magic bombardment that was centered around flame
element was fired all at once.
But──*DOBYUUUUUUUUUUUUU!*
The magic was erased midair.
The ants spewed out their acids with tremendous force and shot down all
the magic from our side.
Several of the magic attacks safely hit the target but, something like that
was no different than a drop in the bucket.
The ants' advance wouldn't stop.
"Crap!"
Even I who didn't have any experience in war understood.
Our side's coordination was already shaky even before this, and if the ants
rushed us in the middle of this panic then we wouldn't be able to even put
up a fight. We might even get exterminated in the worst case.
My body instantly started moving on its own.
"I'll try disturbing their coordination! Goudo-san and others should rally
back everyone as much as possible!"
"What!? Don't go Eriol-kun! Even if you charge into there by
yourself──wait, eh?"
Rainy-san's voice that called to me to stop became faint in an instant.
The reason was because my body was already dashing through the plain
with immense speed.
"…!? I didn't notice until now because I matched my speed with Alicia but,
this is my current fastest speed…!? If it's with this physical ability…!"
I closed the distance with the ants in the blink of eye and pulled out my
private part.
But it wasn't in the shape of blade.
Using the power of the leveled up Penis Attribute Change, I skillfully
change only the surface attribute into the hardest metal adamantite while the
inside was a lump of heavy steel.
It was a huge metallic club that I created using Rainy-san's iron club as
reference.
.
Penis club.
.
I raised my new weapon high above my head. And then,
"GET BLOWN AWAYYYYYYYYYYY!!"
I sent multiple Armor Ant Fortresses at the forefront of the swarm flying in
one go.
*BAGGYAAAAAAAN!*
" " " " "GIIIIIIIIIIIH!?" " " " "
Those ants were the largest and hardest like a lump of steel among the
swarm.
Their body flew like bullet to the back and mowed down the ants behind
them──making the enemy formation crumbling into a mess from the
inside.