Chapter 200: The Beginning of the Stampede
The mercenary operations commenced, with the assigned mission for the Paraiso focusing on the villages located on the western side of the Forest Country (Lebresta). The combat strength provided this time consists of eight multi-legged tanks, known as Hoppers. They will be dispatched in four teams of two.
“We’re within the range of the high-altitude power supply drones stationed near the border, so we won’t need a power vehicle,” one of the commanders stated.
“The capital is technically within the power supply range as well,” another added.
The capital, Linda, lies approximately 350 kilometers in a straight line from the nearest border. The territory of the Afrasia United Kingdom beyond that is a desolate wasteland, but deploying drones in the sky poses no issues. Furthermore, as long as operations are conducted west of the capital, energy supply remains feasible.
“Still, it went through surprisingly smoothly. I thought there would be more complications…”
The Forest Country (Lebresta) had swiftly permitted and requested the deployment of mercenaries from Paraiso. Normally, a decision to entrust national defense matters to another country would not be made so hastily.
However, it was the twelve members of the Council of Elders (Le Elphia) who made this decision. They had likely understood that the proliferation rate of the butterfly monsters (Big Moss) had already exceeded manageable levels.
Recognizing the power of the multi-legged tanks (Hoppers), capable of defending an entire city on their own, they weighed the pros and cons and decided to accept the mercenary deployment. Yet, since some understanding of the situation on the ground was necessary, they initially requested three teams.
Three villages encroached upon by the Demon Forest.
It seemed they had determined that these villages would soon have to be completely abandoned if the situation progressed further.
They were not close enough for mutual defense, necessitating individual defense efforts, and they were under constant attack from the front lines. The assumption was that it would be better to abandon these villages and relocate to a city further south to concentrate their forces.
If they could move the stationed combat strength and still defend these villages, it would be an ideal outcome.
The withdrawn forces could be redirected elsewhere, allowing them to buy precious time. Additionally, if the defense by Paraiso proved effective, it could free up forces from other villages as well.
However, this would require turning a blind eye to the issue of bringing foreign forces into their territory.
“For domestic purposes, it seems they are promoting the narrative that even if Paraiso were to invade, the forces from Lebresta would be concentrated and thus easier to defend against and resist. In the worst-case scenario, even if they had to abandon their territory, it was already deemed unmanageable, so it’s a zero-sum situation.”
“That’s a bit forceful, but it might resonate with the citizens,” another remarked.
“It appears that public discourse within Lebresta is somewhat controlled. Aside from specific anti-government factions, everything seems to be under control.”
A calm leader had reigned for an extended period, and the education or indoctrination of the populace had taken root. The nation was remarkably stable, and had circumstances remained unchanged, it might have dominated the continent in a few decades or even centuries.
However, they were currently facing a crisis for their very survival due to the massive outbreak of monsters.
“At the very least, we need a road that can accommodate transport vehicles to reach the villages we need to defend.”
“It seems the minimum roads are already open, so we will need to reinforce and widen them while also improving trade routes. Transporting ammunition and repair parts will be necessary.”
“Additionally, we were tasked with transporting essential supplies as well.”
To be precise, they had been granted the right to sell the food and daily necessities they purchased in the villages. However, the caravans within Lebresta had been nearly decimated due to the wartime regime, and the transportation of goods was beginning to stagnate. This meant that for the foreseeable future, the transport caravans from Paraiso would become a lifeline.
“For the time being, we will use the multi-legged tanks and multi-legged transport aircraft while simultaneously widening the roads. Once the maintenance is complete, we can begin transporting with wheeled vehicles.”
While multi-legged machines excelled in traversing rough terrain, if roads were available, moving by wheels would be more energy-efficient. This would eliminate the need for complex mechanisms, reduce the failure rate, and improve maintainability.
“Also, it seems that magic tools made from Big Moss are being produced within Lebresta. I’ve heard we can receive some of those as compensation.”
“Tools made from insects…?”
Big Moss, when used alongside magic stones as structural material, becomes an ideal resource with both flexibility and hardness. Previously, due to the low number of hunts, it was treated as a luxury item, but now the supply was overflowing. It appeared that it was being used in vehicles requiring durability, such as high-speed carriages.
If Lebresta could overcome this crisis, the transportation situation within the country could change dramatically.
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am). It shows about three times the strength of the structural materials we are currently using. If we utilize this, for instance, the weight of the multi-legged tanks could be reduced by about half. If used in spacecraft, it could dramatically improve fuel consumption.”
“Hmm, I see? Using it for rockets isn’t a bad idea. I’m a bit concerned about the quantity for the multi-legged tanks, though.”
“It will significantly contribute to the lightweighting of the rocket itself. I will incorporate it into the plan.”
“Please do. It would be good to have Asahi handle it.”
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am).”
◇◇◇◇
The Soul Butterflies—Big Moss—overflowed.
The signs had already been present. The absolute defense line that had been established had been crossed by the monsters time and again. Although they had managed to take them down with their skirmishing forces, everyone understood that if this continued, a breakdown would not be far off.
And then.
The number of Big Moss increased day by day. Numerous eggs had been laid in the hotspots used for breeding, and the fully grown younglings were metamorphosing into adults one after another.
The swarm of Big Moss, exceeding the sustainable capacity, began to move outward in a cascading manner, seeking new territories.
The swarm moved outward in a circular formation, but the northern side was already infested with Big Moss and other monsters. Consequently, the final direction of their movement would be southward.
In other words, within the Forest Country (Lebresta).
“It started, albeit a bit later than expected,” one commander noted.
“Yes, Commander (Ma’am). It seems our intervention has increased the number of hunts, and the roller extermination by the Lebrestan army we relocated has worked well.”
Lebresta had mobilized nearly all available forces within the country to hunt Big Moss. They shot down the adults and hunted down the younglings in the hotspots. Even so, they could not reach the source of the outbreak deep within the Demon Forest, so it was merely a palliative measure.
They had likely bought enough time to evacuate the citizens. Now, only the decisive battle remained.
“Still, that’s an incredible number. Can we really hunt them all down?”
“As we move southward, the number of magic essence hotspots decreases. For example, the capital, Linda, has one of the highest concentrations of magic essence hotspots in the country. It seems the strategy is to position the army in places where Big Moss tends to gather and hunt them down.”
Some towns had been abandoned, and they were fortifying themselves with the forces they could defend, hunting down the surrounding Big Moss before moving north. This strategy needed to be executed swiftly. Otherwise, new adults would emerge from the abandoned hotspots. The immediate plan was to concentrate their forces and significantly reduce their numbers before the worst-case scenario unfolded.
“However, the source of the outbreak is in dire straits…”
Commander (Eve) gazed up at the aerial images of the Demon Forest adjacent to Lebresta. The marked adults of Big Moss numbered in the hundreds, if not more.
“The massive outbreak is temporary, and future increases in adult numbers will be kept to a certain level. After that, they will gradually push the front lines forward over time.”
This stampede, not limited to Big Moss, had reportedly occurred multiple times throughout history. Given that the Forest Country (Lebresta) was adjacent to the Demon Forest and had been gradually expanding its living space, they had established a certain degree of countermeasures for this issue.
“This time, thanks to our assistance, the retreat distance seems to have been minimized. As a result, the national strength has some leeway. As a source of unreasonable (fantasy) materials, we can look forward to what comes next.”
“Indeed. If the materials increase, perhaps Olive and Asahi will deepen their understanding as well.”