Chapter 308: The Lid of the Sky
“Ch-ch-ch!”
The Little Owl, ignited by jet fuel, erupted in a massive explosion, scattering fragments in all directions.
“A flying object has been detected. Estimated to be a high-speed projectile.”
“Big Sister! They’ve got ranged weapons!”
The flock of birds, resembling peacocks, turned sharply after witnessing the explosion of the Little Owl. They began a horizontal flight towards the next Little Owl.
“Prioritize information gathering. Scout A2, initiate radar scanning.”
A new threat emerged on the way to the Trout Nursery. One of the scouts, fully aware of the danger, began emitting radar waves to gather any information it could. The other two prepared to collect the reflected waves.
However, the moment the radar waves were released, the flock of birds in front of them transformed dramatically. With a fluid motion, as if they were a single living entity, they evaded the scanning range. The peacock-like formation twisted into a distorted donut shape, closing in on Scout A2.
“Conduct a wide-range radar scan.”
“Is it standard for flying monsters to be able to detect microwaves?!”
Since the microwave data collection had failed, Scout A2 switched from scanning mode to diffusion mode. Unlike regular radar, this function spread microwaves over a wide area.
While this feature was unnecessary for practical radar use, it proved beneficial for information gathering.
“Engaging the enemy.”
As the distance between the peacock flock and Scout A2 shrank to under 500 meters, a yellow light flickered once more.
“Capture successful. High-temperature projectile. Excellent penetration.”
An orange sphere of light shot from the head of a peacock, transforming into a beam that pierced through the Little Owl’s body. The Little Owl, riddled with multiple beams, ignited its jet fuel and exploded, all captured in vivid detail by a high-speed camera.
“It looks just like the high-temperature fire bullets that Fenrir shot before!”
“Does that mean it’s a common method of attack…?”
It seemed there were certain rules governing the phenomenon of magic, even if they were not entirely understood. After all, it was already expected that multiple species of Threat Creatures possessed defensive measures like magical barriers. To some extent, reproduction of such effects was possible.
“Commander. The analysis of the internal sensor data confirms that a high-temperature projectile penetrated the craft. The flight speed is estimated to be between Mach 2 and 3, with exceptional penetration capabilities.”
“It didn’t explode, but its accuracy seems quite high…”
Scout A2 wasn’t flying straight and true without any evasive maneuvers. While it hadn’t performed any drastic movements due to its information-gathering mission, it had made some adjustments to its trajectory. This meant that the peacocks were executing precise lead shots.
“Big Sister! Another flock detected!”
And then, the situation worsened further. Perhaps alerted by the commotion in the sky, two more flocks of the same species took flight from the forest.
“Are we going to be able to escape this…?”
Accelerating from below, the flocks closed in on the scouts. Just as a yellow flash flickered, the footage came to an abrupt halt.
“Scout A has lost all signals. They are presumed shot down.”
“…How many of those peacocks are there…?”
The flock captured by Scout A ultimately numbered three, with a total of at least 500 birds. It was unlikely that they inhabited only a specific region, suggesting that numerous flocks of this size existed in the vicinity.
This meant that if they were to invade from the sky, they would need to break through the subsonic ascending flocks of peacocks. While reconnaissance could be managed by flying at supersonic speeds, deploying an invasion force from the air would be nearly impossible.
“It seems the sky is a no-go. We’ll have to carve our way through on the ground.”
“Perhaps a Titan Class could manage it, but that would likely attract other Threat Creatures…”
A Titan Class, resembling a porcupine, might be able to fend off that flock. However, this would mean deploying conspicuous Titans and their guards to the front lines. There was a real risk of multiple Wyverns launching an assault, leading to a nightmare scenario.
“With radar being jammed, we’ll face various complications. We’ll have to take our time with this!”
“Right. If we rush and attract something dangerous, it could turn into a serious problem.”
While they considered the option of incinerating the forest with napalm or thermobaric warheads, such actions would undoubtedly draw attention. Given the possibility of Threat Creatures like Fenrir, which could only be repelled with overwhelming force, such measures were not feasible.
They were not equipped to pick a fight with every threat in the vicinity.
“Did Amagio record any of these creatures?”
“The relevant entry would be tagged as Peacock, indicating an aerial encounter. No sightings have been reported on the ground.”
“Let’s proceed with habitat surveys. For now, we have no choice but to clear a path. It looks like it’s going to be a long haul.”
A few days later, amidst the Demon Forest, the four-legged, two-armed automated machines known as Jumpers advanced. Numerous Jumpers had been dispatched for ground reconnaissance.
The Jumpers were small machines, about 2 meters in length, equipped with four legs for movement and two manipulators. They lacked onboard AI for control, relying instead on signals from a control unit stationed about 1 kilometer behind them, housed in a Backpacker.
Since they were powered by microwaves, they were in a precarious situation, vulnerable to attacks from Threat Creatures at any moment. To obscure their position, a separate machine carrying a wired transmitter was sent ahead, concealing the vital AI unit in the rear.
“Big Sister! There’s definitely something around us!”
“It feels like something’s been trailing us the whole time!”
Utsugi and Erika, who were controlling the Jumpers and Backpackers deployed for reconnaissance, shook their heads in annoyance.
It seemed they could sense that something was gathering around them, even if they couldn’t pinpoint its exact location.
“The fact that they’re actively approaching suggests a high likelihood of aggressive monsters.”
Asahi chimed in while assisting with data analysis. Information on the monsters dwelling in the Demon Forest had been gathered from various sources.
Currently, there was very little known about the monsters, most of which were from the northern regions of the Aflarasia United Principality, nearly 3,000 kilometers away. The ecosystems were likely quite different.
“They’re probably camouflaged among the vegetation and moving quickly, making them hard to capture on camera. They must be moving through the trees. The most likely candidates are primates or mammals specialized for arboreal life. Reptiles could also be a possibility!”
“Either way, it means we don’t know anything…”
The multiple sensors mounted on the Jumpers clearly detected movement, primarily through sound waves, but occasionally the unnatural rustling of branches reinforced their findings. Yet, despite this, the visual sensors of the Jumpers failed to capture any sign of the creatures.
“Could they be highly camouflaged…?”
“If they’re using active camouflage, it’s possible they could deceive the Jumper’s sensors, depending on their capabilities.”
It was indeed unusual for something to remain completely hidden. However, it was equally abnormal that they could detect movement yet fail to capture any visuals.
“With this much foliage, it’s no wonder we can’t see anything.”
Indeed, the area was densely overgrown with plants, making visibility even a few meters ahead difficult. The ground level was somewhat clearer due to limited sunlight reaching it, but still, it was challenging.
“Moving through the trees makes it hard to capture anything.”
The Jumpers had excellent off-road capabilities, but they lacked the mobility to traverse the treetops freely. It wouldn’t be wise to provoke potential monsters that were merely suspected to be lurking.
“For now, we’ll keep moving forward. We’ve got the mapping underway.”
Thus, the Jumpers continued their reconnaissance, ignoring the ominous presence surrounding them.
It’s like a stage gimmick. The sky is covered like a lid. If we force our way through, a raid boss-like creature might come crashing down. Who knows?
Hehe… I’m going to have the teacher draw something for me soon…