“So, the three are heading this way, but do Soul Butterflies swarm?”
“No, sir. I’ve never heard of such a thing. They’ve only ever been sighted alone.”
In the end, the head diplomat, Teariada Elemes-san, made an emergency evacuation-like defense request to ＜Paraiso＞.
The head diplomat is almost at the top of the domestic hierarchy, but unfortunately, national defense matters are outside their jurisdiction.
Therefore, they prepared a document that unconditionally authorized the exercise of defense rights recognized for diplomatic delegations, limited to the area around this city.
Normally, defense rights are granted under the direction of the accompanying diplomat.
In essence, they handed over a license to do whatever it takes, “as long as it’s an action to protect life or property.”
Normally, they wouldn’t issue something like this.
However, in this case, the decision to abandon the city has already been made, and evacuation has begun.
At worst, even if the city is damaged by defensive actions, the damage will not be greater than the complete abandonment of the city.
However, if any problems actually occur, Teariada-san’s political life will likely be over.
“Multi-legged Tank (Hopper) Alpha has acquired the target. Distance, approximately 1 ET (1 Ektan).”
Hopper Alpha is the first unit of the escort multi-legged tanks accompanying the delegation.
It bends its six legs, sticks the tips of its legs into the ground to fix the machine, and lowers its torso close to the ground to lower its center of gravity.
The railgun on the upper rotating turret was already aimed at one of the Soul Butterflies.
“Can you tell the exact distance? Even in this hard-to-see time…”
Speaking to Arborea Heath-san is Rankus, the head hunter of the city’s hunter guild, who was recommended as an information provider.
However, unfortunately, he has no combat experience with Soul Butterflies and only has superficial knowledge.
However, he has a wealth of knowledge about the various flora and fauna that inhabit the forest, and since there is no one else who has more information about Soul Butterflies than what has been communicated, there was no one more suitable than him.
“There is a way to accurately measure the distance. By the way, what reasons could there be for Soul Butterflies, which don’t usually swarm, to be swarming?”
“Well… thinking of them as insect butterflies, hmm. For example, reproduction might be possible.”
Rankus immediately answered Arborea-san’s question.
Perhaps he had been thinking about it all along.
Monsters have unique ecologies as monsters, but they also express many of the characteristics of the plants and animals they were based on.
“It’s obvious that two of them are chasing one. The only thing I can think of is reproductive behavior. If it’s a monster-specific ecology, I have no idea.”
“I see. We’ll know if it’s male or female if we defeat them. Understood.”
The evacuation of the city’s residents has already begun.
The soldier class was moving the noisy residents as if chasing them away.
Naturally, there is no room to take out household goods.
If the interception is successful, there will be no damage, apart from looting during the fire.
And if it fails, everything will be lost anyway.
Time is running out.
Many residents refuse, but they will be forcibly evacuated with power and violence, it was said.
The Forest Country (Lebresta) is not an aristocracy, but it has a similar power structure. Therefore, it seems that they cannot go against the city mayor’s request.
“…Can we really defeat them?”
Perhaps because the opponent is a girl, Rankus asks suspiciously.
If it weren’t for the security robots beside her and the multi-legged tanks taking a combat stance in front, he would have completely underestimated her.
As expected, he seemed intimidated by the multi-legged tanks’ majesty.
“I haven’t actually taken down a Soul Butterfly in this country before, but…”
Arborea Heath-san lowered the head-mounted display that had been flipped up on her forehead with one hand.
With a light click, a line of light ran across the surface of the equipment.
Of course, it’s just a performance. There’s no particular meaning in making it shine.
“I made a reference to my home country and confirmed that there are records of Big Moth extermination. With the current equipment, we can sufficiently counter them. There’s nothing to worry about.”
He seemed somewhat dissatisfied with her calm reply, but he fell silent.
He was directly ordered by the head diplomat, that is, the highest-ranking person in the diplomatic department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He was told to respond to her requests as quickly as possible, without any rudeness.
Whether he was somewhat dissatisfied, suspicious, or had contempt as a foreigner, he must never express such words or actions.
Well, in reality, if he saw the multi-legged tanks, or, as the Lebresta people would say, the giant Golems, moving freely at her command, he wouldn’t deliberately try to incur her displeasure.
By the way, Teariada Elemes-san is holding back in the rear in case of an emergency, and the chief aide, Baladega Tigilis-san, has left the city with the evacuees.
Also, to give a sense of security, the Fusion Reactor Power Vehicle (Little Whale) is acting as the rearguard. Therefore, Alisterta Heath-san was accompanying it.
“Like the bows and arrows you use, we will attack from a distance first. The range is approximately 800 T (Tan). I’ve heard that they are attracted to Mana Hotspots, but if those three are moving for reproductive behavior, they may ignore them. In that case, we need to track them.”
“Understood.”
Depending on whether the range of 800T is the guaranteed hit distance or the maximum distance, he will be able to understand the performance of their Golems to some extent. Rankus, who had been directly asked by the head diplomat to see a part of their power with his own eyes, nodded and returned to observation.
Such a person is also being observed in detail by the ＜Paraiso＞-affiliated machine group.
◇◇◇◇
The Soul Butterflies were steadily approaching the north side of the city where the multi-legged tanks were deployed, following a wobbly trajectory.
Although the trajectory is swaying, they are definitely heading this way. If the movement points are plotted and averaged, it can be seen that they are approaching this way with almost no hesitation.
According to the head hunter, Rankus, the only Hotspot discovered in this area is in the grassland south of this city.
If there are no Hotspots in the surrounding area, it is understandable that they are heading this way.
“Distance to target, 750 T (Tan).”
“Aren’t you going to attack?”
The leading Soul Butterfly has already fallen below the 800T range that was explained.
“We will attack after all three are within range. It’s troublesome if they escape.”
“I see…”
Eventually, the two following also fell within the 800T range.
The Soul Butterflies show no interest in the humans or multi-legged tanks on the ground.
They are omnivorous, but humans are too small compared to them. This is what it means to not even bother with them.
“Fire.”
The main cannon of the multi-legged tank, which had been finely adjusting its aim to match the Soul Butterfly dancing in the air, fired a Cannon Shell with a cracking sound.
It’s a Sonic Boom caused by the projectile breaking the sound barrier.
The fired projectile is a high-speed metal dart (super flechette) round developed for use against Big Moths.
The projectile, which flew out at approximately 4,000 m/s, had a timed fuse that activated when it had flown approximately 800 m. It ejected 60 built-in metal arrows (flechettes).
Hit.
Some of the arrows slid across the surface, but most of them penetrated the Soul Butterfly’s skin as calculated.
Because the distance was short, it wasn’t completely riddled with holes, but a large hole was made in its chest.
As expected, it was a fatal wound.
The leading Soul Butterfly, which had lost its balance, began to spin in a corkscrew.
“Next round loaded, complete. Fire.”
The next target is the rearmost. The distance between them is approximately 1,200 m.
“Hit.”
This time, the flechettes were sufficiently dispersed because the distance was a little further.
However, perhaps because the speed decreased due to air resistance, there seemed to be few effective hits.
Even so, a dozen or so penetrated the surface, and fragments of the skin and body fluids scattered into the air.
“Last one.”
Third shot. The flechette bullet group hit the neck of the Soul Butterfly in the middle. Its head was half torn off, and this was probably also an instant kill.
The last individual did not die instantly, and showed signs of trying to escape, but collapsed and crashed as it ran out of strength.
In about 3 minutes.
All three Soul Butterflies were exterminated.
The new Cannon Shell prepared by ＜The Tree＞ produced sufficient results.
Not too strong, not too weak, it can defeat Big Moths with just the right power.
It’s a warhead that can be explained to Lebresta to a certain extent, with a deliberately limited range, and sufficient attack power within its effective range.
Furthermore, no use other than against Big Moth has been found.