“Aim carefully… not yet, not yet… now!!”
“Pierce!!”
The drawn bowstring is released.
The meticulously kneaded Magical Power is converted into acceleration according to the given will, and the metal arrowhead arrow is launched with great force.
The arrow flies through the air for about 50 meters, and then hits the very center of the target.
“Hit. Good arm, Piribiarga.”
Along with the captain’s words, the giant body of the target—a Soul Butterfly—sways.
Whether the hit was good or bad.
The Soul Butterfly, pierced through vital organs in its torso, ceases its life activity and falls as if dancing in the wind.
“…Phew. I didn’t expect to take it down in one shot…”
“As expected. Piribiarga, keep up this pace next time.”
“Please have mercy. I can’t get this kind of fluke hit very often.”
Normally, to kill a Soul Butterfly of that size, you need to shoot at least five arrows.
Presumably, if you can accurately shoot through vital organs such as nerve ganglia or the heart, you can defeat it in a short amount of time. However, the opponent is huge, and there are individual differences, so it is not enough to Pierce the same spot.
If the arrows we fire were the size of spears, it might be a different story.
“Fortunately, I’m getting priority for arrows. The problem is that you’re the only one who can Pierce that body.”
That giant butterfly monster, the Soul Butterfly, has low attack power and movement speed, but its defense is guaranteed.
A half-hearted arrow will be bounced back from the front.
If we could drag it down to the ground, we could still damage it with stabbing daggers or the strong arms of warriors.
That monster usually flies higher than the trees in the forest.
Only bows and arrows can reach it.
“We’re making people learn Pierce in a hurry now. Until then, you’re the only one we can rely on.”
“That’s overwork. I demand a temporary bonus.”
“I’ve told the higher-ups… Well, here, I’ll give you the Magic Stone, so please.”
Such scenes were currently being repeated all over the Forest Country (Lebresta).
Soul Butterflies are surging in from the north of the country.
And a defense line by the Garrison, and Pierce users dispatched from the military and civilians to defend the country.
So far, there have been no intrusions that have crossed the defense line. The monsters’ invasion is barely being held back.
However, it is not known how long this will last. The situation is always precarious.
To make matters worse, Soul Butterflies invade day and night.
As a result, the fatigue of those fighting them is gradually accumulating.
◇◇◇◇
“Uraaaaaaaah!!”
I pour all my strength into attacking the enemy in front of me.
In my hand is a long sword.
I swung it down at the opponent’s defenseless torso, holding it high.
He, who possessed valuable close combat skills even among the Garrison of the Forest Country (Lebresta), was working by stepping into the Demon Forest.
His prey is the larva of the Soul Butterfly.
The goal is to find them before they become adults and reduce their numbers as much as possible.
The larva, a giant caterpillar, whose side has been cut open, writhes in surprise.
The gushing bodily fluids splash on the man who attacked it.
“Nuoooooooh…”
He jumps back in a hurry, but unfortunately, he couldn’t avoid it.
“Ah, damn it. It’s not easy to find a water source…”
The caterpillar, whose skin has been cut open, spills its organs from the wound due to internal pressure, and the force of its own thrashing makes it even worse.
Its defense is not great, and its attack power is low. It’s just a monster that devours what’s in front of it.
But, for that reason, its location is difficult to pinpoint, and you have to painstakingly search for open spaces created by this caterpillar.
Moreover, places that have been eaten bare enough to be easily identified have often already hatched, making them difficult to find while they are still growing.
“Oh, it always turns into a mess.”
“…Can you take over?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, I can’t even lift that sword in the first place. Shooting it with arrows won’t work either.”
This giant caterpillar, due to its huge size, will not die from being shot with arrows. If you could hit the nerve ganglia directly, you could defeat it, but it is blocked by thick flesh, and it is unknown where it is.
The head is a weak point, but the skin there is correspondingly hard, and ordinary arrows cannot Pierce it.
“Ugh, disgusting. I hope there’s a water source before we go to the next one…”
“That way is a bit mountainous, so there might be spring water. I want to check it out from a high place soon, so should we go?”
“Yeah, please. For now, there’s no problem here. I’ll put the usual Mana Hotspot mark and then we’ll go…”
This monster seems to have the habit of laying eggs in Hotspots.
Therefore, the places where they are defeated become good collection spots.
“But, as expected, it would be difficult to come all the way to a place like this to collect…”
They are currently operating in an area about three days away from the border of Lebresta. Normally, no one comes to collect in such a remote area.
It’s simply dangerous, but there is also a limit to the amount of luggage you can carry, and Medicinal Herbs have freshness issues.
Besides, after all, the vegetation hardly changes even after moving for three days.
In other words, you can collect the same things even if you go deeper.
If so, it is better to carry out collection activities nearby. The Demon Forest is rich enough to fully cover Lebresta’s needs, even in the shallow layers.
“Well, maybe there will be a use for it in the future. Okay, that’s good. Let’s go!”
◇◇◇◇
“Is the Soul Butterfly invasion being suppressed somehow?”
“Yes. According to reports, the number of exterminations is 40 to 50 per day, and it has been flat for the past month. We expect to secure additional extermination personnel in about another month.”
“It’s hard on the people in the field, but it can’t be helped.”
The giant butterfly monster (Soul Butterfly) is moving south from the Demon Forest. It is not a ferocious species, but because of its ecology of laying eggs in Hotspots and its larvae eating away at the vegetation, there is a risk that Lebresta’s land will be stripped bare if left unchecked.
Hotspots are the most important strategic locations for Lebresta.
The magical materials brought from here are directly related to the country’s prosperity.
“The number of Hotspots is also limited. And we don’t know how the monsters that are left over will move…”
Monsters instinctively seek out others with Magical Power.
This is why both larvae and adults have the habit of eating monsters. However, they often get defeated because their combat ability is low.
“It’s encouraging to have more personnel who can move in the field, but the stock of equipment is becoming a problem.”
“Yes. Here is the forecast data. At this pace, we won’t last even two more months. We have requested increased production, but the supply will not increase in earnest for another three months.”
“I see… The existing workshops have no choice but to do so. Are there any countermeasures?”
Lebresta has a history of peace lasting for hundreds of years.
Therefore, there was a problem that equipment production was dependent on specific workshops.
Of course, we have secured sufficient stock for emergencies—or so it should have been.
“As of now, there is nothing in particular. In this case, we may have no choice but to collect from the private sector. It’s painful, but…”
“We can’t keep saying that. Even if we collect, it won’t happen today or tomorrow. Let’s issue a proclamation immediately.”
The people who use equipment to operate in the Demon Forest other than the Garrison and regular soldiers are the collectors.
However, they basically operate individually and do not have a large stock.
Besides, collecting them would mean taking away their tools of the trade.
“Regarding that matter, there is a proposal from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
And, if domestic production cannot keep up.
We have no choice but to seek help from abroad.
“We have already begun deploying them in some areas, but we are importing bows, arrows, and armor from the Afrasia United Kingdom…”