76 – Practice, Dungeon Exploration (5)
[Magic, ready!]
Yone closed his eyes and concentrated.
At that, Lucia, who looked around for a while, raised her hand.
It was a sign of permission.
Beep-!!
At that moment, a loud noise echoed through the forest.
[Kiik?]
[Keee!!]
Of course, the heads of the Giant Ants stood up.
They started to react violently, starting to look around out of nowhere, and some spreading their jaws open or lowering their posture as if they were on alert.
Even in insects, hearing organs that sense sounds naturally exist.
Not much more to say about a monster with flesh and blood.
Monsters, like humans, are living creatures with vivid reflexes and senses.
[Kieack!]
They started moving towards the other side of the forest where the sound came from.
Yone, who had been watching the scene from the top of the tree, showed a bright color.
[It works!]
A swarm of ants rushing by.
Moreover, even the worker ant class individuals that were hiding in the ant nest were moving.
Lucia, who was watching, opened her eyes wide and showed embarrassment.
[Large, how many?]
They popped up without end.
The ants were coming out in a file.
[If you tried to enter as it is, it would have been a big deal.]
[That’s right.]
But before long.
The frequency of popping out from the inside of the ant nest started to decrease, and the objects that came out no longer appeared.
[Looks like all the ants have escaped. It is no longer visible.]
[Now. Enter!]
Starting with Lucia jumping down the tree and running, everyone started running after her.
Flutter!
Hando spread his wings and flew up beside them.
* * * *
Gooh Oh-.
The inside of the ant nest was dark. And it also smelled of damp dirt.
They descended past the jagged root ceilings of the trees that webbed the ceiling.
Drips dripped from the damp water on the roots of the trees.
‘This is what the inside looks like.’
Guardian dragon Han looked around Yeonsin.
The habitat of monsters that you see for the first time in your life.
The inside was a gloomy space.
It was a dark space without a single light, but there were no elements that would be a problem for them.
This is because Yone and Princess Rachel took charge of the front and back respectively, lighting up the darkness with fire magic.
‘It’s quiet. I don’t see a single ant.’
The inside of the ant nest was quiet.
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There were obviously a lot of ants coming and going from the outside, but inside, it was just a long passage that was so quiet.
Instead, there was only gloomy silence.
Thanks to that, there was only a quiet atmosphere for a while.
[Kiii.]
Is it an enemy?
Suddenly, Han flinched.
He tried to evoke mana reflexively, but put his blue eyes to sleep.
What was dead on the floor was the corpse of a Giant Ant that seemed to have died a long time ago.
It looked as if it had died in this passageway, with only a hard shell left after it had dried up.
It could be an older entity, or it could be injured.
I don’t know the exact cause of death.
[Kiii.]
They passed over the body of the already dead Giant Ant.
However, Han’s gaze was constantly glancing at the dead guy.
That guy is quite concerned. Did something happen
Seeing that, Lucia lightly brushed her body.
[Take care, Guardian Dragon. I will protect you.]
[Kiii.]
Soon, with her gaze forward, she opened her mouth.
[I heard that the eggs of giant ants are located a little deeper. Soldier ants are also blocking the way.]
This anthill dungeon was also a training ground for 2nd and 3rd year students.
The first dungeon you encounter every time you start your anti-magic defense class.
For that reason, it was also a very well-known space for the cadets in many ways.
It is said that there are many cadets who reach this place even with their eyes closed after becoming accustomed to it after reaching the third grade.
Anyway, since it was such a place, it was also a relatively common place where attack methods were known.
It wasn’t long before they encountered two giant ants guarding the other side of the passage.
[Kieek!]
The party faced the ants, who spread their jaws and showed hostility.
Lucia raised her sword and stood in everyone’s way.
[Princess, Yone!]
[Yes, leave it to me.]
With the answer, the two quickly moved their hands for a moment.
Hand seals that contain the meaning of witchcraft and sorcery.
At that moment, bundles of blue magic that extended from the two reached the two ants.
The bodies of the men who were approaching with ferocious force stopped as if they stood still for a moment.
[Kieek?]
[Key!]
The guys showed their bewilderment.
It was as if he could no longer move from his seat.
It was a simple tying up of the surrounding objects.
Lucia, who did not miss the moment, rushed at it.
[Ha-!]
She drove the sword right between the forehead of the one in front.
The surface of the carapace, which is unique to insects, is hard and unmatched.
However, her enchanted sword pierced the surface surprisingly lightly and lodged itself, causing the Giant Ant’s body to collapse.
But Lucia didn’t stop there. She drew her sword and spun like a top, cutting down the other guy next to her.
Kwajik!
The surface of the remaining head was shattered with a terrifying noise just as her sword brushed past.
[Kiii-.]
The guardian dragon Han, who was watching, opened his mouth in surprise.
He blinked her enlarged eyes at the sight of Lucia casually retrieving her sword.
‘Wow. It’s amazing. Aren’t they both finished in a second?’
Should I say Lucia? Should she be called his contractor?
Her movements were as smooth as flowing water.
As if she had waited, seeing her shoot down enemies like arrows, she wondered if she was the gentle Lucia who had dealt with resentment so far.
Guardian Dragon Han approached the fallen guy.
Then I tried tapping it with my front paw.
‘These guys, these guys have very hard shells? Maybe even harder than steel.’
Lucia cut through these guys at once.
That must mean that her strength and swordsmanship skills are beyond that.
As long as I stared at the dead Giant Ant’s corpse for a while.
In his eyes, he could see the surface of the guy’s skin with a rough, hairy surface.
[Why is that, Guardian Dragon?]
[…]
Lucia wondered if such Han looked strange, but she couldn’t answer him this time.
It was because she felt something.
‘…This.’
As long as I stared blankly at the antennae of the long soldier ant.
He immediately thought of something.
‘Maybe I can use it?’
Dude.
Soon after, Han pulled out one of its long antennae and sent his magical energy to it, and it immediately began to glow with a bluish light.
‘Oh?’
As expected. That’s the answer.
This blue light was the proof.
There is no doubt that this is a magical power conductor.
I think it can be used as a substitute for a cane.
At that appearance, the party looked at him quietly as if wondering.
[Huh? What are you going to do with this…]
Shake. Shake.
At that moment, Han grabbed the long antenna and shook it lightly.
Then, his mana rode up from the tip of the antennae, emitted light like a maniacal light, and shot straight out.
Puck!
The magical energy containing the cold air flew like an arrow and froze the opposite wall.
Oops, a block of ice formed in the middle of the aisle.
[What, what?]
The bewildered party.
On the contrary, the guardian dragon Han raised his eyes in satisfaction.
‘Hey. This is a perfect wand substitute. They receive my magic very well?’
The feelers are, after all, one of the most delicate organs for ants.
It was also a medium of communication for recognizing surrounding objects and having conversations with each other.
Is that why?
It seemed to be enough to serve as the central axis where his mana gathers.
* * * *
[…Found. Right there.]
Some time after they made their way down the aisle.
Soon they could face a large room.
There was a group of Giant Ants gathered together.
They were one size smaller than the soldier ants I had just encountered, of the rank of worker ants.
[Kyik.]
[Keye!]
They were busily moving and carrying white ant eggs all together. Gathered together in such a way, the guys in this room seemed to be workers whose role was to take care of and protect the eggs.
‘It’s finally my turn.’
Guardian Dragon Han’s eyes shone.
The ant antennae clenched in his forepaw fluttered and swayed.