TEOCH 11

A massive silkworm-like monster collapsed without even a single attempt at resistance. As the elephant-sized creature fell, a loud thud echoed, and a cloud of dust billowed, but the swarm of ant-like monsters attacking the silkworm paid no heed, silently beginning their plunder.

They didn’t let out a single cry of joy, not even a faint sound, as they crunched through the monster’s flesh. The ants were only about the size of a human infant, but their mandibles were strong and sharp enough to tear through flesh.

Moreover, they had an overwhelming numerical advantage. The silkworm struggled desperately to fend off the ants, but there were easily hundreds of them devouring it. For every ant crushed by the silkworm’s thrashing, far more rushed in to rip at its flesh.

“We can’t handle those with our strength.”

“Of course not. No matter what, we must never enter the ants’ colony. We’re no match for them.”

It had been about thirty minutes since we set out to scout. We were hiding behind a large rock in a rugged canyon area. Tristan and Rikiel watched the ants’ hunt with pale faces, while I checked our current location on a translucent map window that appeared in the center of my vision.

Normally, those ants didn’t stray far from their nest, so there was likely an ant colony somewhere nearby. No monster was easy for humans to handle, but this ant colony was particularly troublesome in the tutorial stage.

The giant caterpillars that chased our group earlier were actually easier to deal with. They usually traveled alone unless something unusual happened, and they weren’t particularly intelligent, so they could be managed somehow. But these ants always moved in groups and were far smarter than other insects. If you were dragged into their nest, there was no way to survive.

“Are there so many insect-like monsters in the Demon Realm? I never imagined I’d fear ants…”

“There are ants in the human world too, aren’t there, Your Majesty? They’re just so small they don’t catch our attention.”

“But during the last invasion, we never faced insects like these. It’s strange.”

“That’s because these are the lowest-tier monsters, barely worthy of being called an army. They’re so weak they’re scared of even the sunlight in the safe zone. You could think of them as occupying a similar position to insects in the human world, and you wouldn’t be far off.”

“…So, we’re hiding from mere insects right now.”

Rikiel shook his head. Their faces showed not only fear but also visceral disgust. I empathized with their feelings.

As if living up to the name of the tutorial stage, most of the monsters here resembled insects. From the perspective of the ecosystem’s food chain, it was a fitting arrangement, but in terms of unfamiliarity and disgust, this was undeniably the most revolting stage.

Compared to human-world insects, these abnormally large bugs were nauseatingly repulsive just to look at. Their strange compound eyes, entirely different from mammals, their spiky antennae and bristling hairs, and their inorganic bodies covered with long, thin legs made you want to turn away and deny their existence entirely. For someone with a fear of insects, this place would be unbearable within a day.

Of course, once you overcame that visceral disgust, life here became somewhat manageable, but most companions new to this place panicked at the sight of insect-like monsters. And when you considered what we’d have to eat once our food ran out…

“Who was it that said insects are rich in protein?”

I tried to recall the name of someone from a famous show but eventually gave up. I was sure I remembered it before my thousands of deaths, but it seemed I’d completely forgotten. Well, whatever. Once you got used to them, insects weren’t inedible. Of course, that was assuming you could get their flesh…

Unaware of my thoughts, Rikiel sighed and asked.

“I want to get out of here as soon as possible… But thinking about how you said these are the weakest monsters in the Demon Realm, I’m starting to think this place isn’t so bad. Will even uglier monsters appear next?”

“No, smarter monsters will appear. They’re not particularly ugly.”

“That’s a relief then.”

“You won’t feel that way once you experience them.”

The two tilted their heads, but I didn’t elaborate further and stood up. They wouldn’t understand even if I explained now. The ants had already burrowed into the silkworm’s body, cleanly stripping its organs and flesh before leaving.

The silkworm, which had been thrashing desperately moments ago, was now an empty husk. A sour stench emanated from the crushed ant corpses left by the silkworm’s struggles. Confirming the ants had left, I started walking. Rikiel and Tristan, startled, followed me. Tristan asked with concern.

“Rohan? Why are you heading that way?”

“The ants are tenacious, so we can’t scrape any flesh from the silkworm’s body… But its husk should be quite useful.”

“Flesh…?”

“…Pretend you didn’t hear that. Anyway, the monster’s husk is a decent waterproof material. If we spread it on the ground or reinforce a tent with it, it’ll be helpful when it rains. Sleeping in a damp place makes you prone to illness.”

“You even know things like that? You really know a lot about the Demon Realm.”

“What kind of hero bound for the Demon King’s castle would I be if I didn’t know about the Demon Realm? As an otherworldly being, I’m not fully accustomed to this world, but I’ve been taught plenty about the Demon Realm.”

Unaware that my words were a blatant lie, the two nodded with curious expressions. I bitterly mocked myself inwardly, wishing it were that simple.

Taught? Hardly. I’d learned through countless trials and errors. In Tristan’s mind, the gods were benevolent beings who cherished humans, but the gods I’d experienced were nothing but demons who mocked and toyed with us from start to finish.

I didn’t explore the Demon Realm with the gods’ blessing; I’d clung to life, gritting my teeth to survive their games. Of course, no matter how much I explained, they wouldn’t understand my feelings.

Swallowing a sigh, I put my blade to the monster’s husk. I cut away the tattered parts damaged by the ants’ attack and selected the cleanest sections, but the volume was already considerable. It seemed sufficient to spread under a tent.

It was a good haul for our first scouting trip, so my expression brightened somewhat, but the two, unaccustomed to the situation, didn’t seem at ease. Rikiel frowned deeply, poking at the ant corpses rolling on the ground with the tip of his sword. Tristan, suppressing the urge to retch, stayed silent, but whenever the sound of monster wings came from beyond the canyon, he looked up with an anxious expression.

I worried that Tristan might regret joining the scouting trip, but fortunately, despite his pale face, he seemed relatively composed. I cautiously spoke to him, wanting to lift his spirits.

“Are you alright, Your Majesty?”

“Thank you for your concern, Rohan. …Saying I’m fine now would just be bravado, wouldn’t it?”

“Are you afraid?”

“You hit the nail on the head. To be honest, I’m a bit scared. It’s embarrassing to admit in front of you.”

“Embarrassing? It’s only natural. Someone who doesn’t feel fear in a place like this is simply ignorant of the true laws of the gods. This isn’t a place humans can endure with a clear mind.”

“Your words ease my mind a bit. …Rikiel? If you’re uneasy, it’s better to speak up honestly. Hiding your emotions with steadfast resolve doesn’t make your heart any lighter.”

“I’m a knight, Your Majesty. I’m not afraid of something like this!”

Rikiel replied curtly, as if chiding, but his slightly trembling voice, unusual for him, wasn’t very convincing.

I let out a small laugh. The ant colony was gone, and there wasn’t a single enemy around. Was this big, intimidating man actually scared? As I thought this with a hint of disdain, Tristan approached Rikiel with a gentle smile in his eyes.

“What a troublesome brother. When you say that, it makes me quite embarrassed, you know? If you admitted to being scared, it would save my pride.”

“Tch, that’s…”

“If you don’t take my side, Rohan might think I’m a coward.”

“No way! Being afraid in this situation isn’t something to be ashamed of—it’s natural…!”

“Exactly.”

As Tristan smiled innocently, Rikiel flushed awkwardly and turned his head. I was quietly surprised at how well Tristan handled Rikiel.

When Tristan wasn’t around, Rikiel and I often argued over trivial matters, our tempers flaring. But with a slightly awkward yet relaxed smile and a few words, Tristan effortlessly reined Rikiel in. Was it because, as his brother, he knew how to handle him? Or was it his natural charisma as a king?

In any case, I was relieved the mood had lightened and stood up. I’d already folded the monster’s husk and put it in my bag, and after thoroughly searching the ants’ remains, I’d even obtained some “boundary pheromones,” making this a very successful first scouting trip. But as I stretched my stiff body and looked up, a chill ran down my spine.

“Strange? It’s definitely darker than before.”

An instinctive unease began to claw at the pit of my stomach. There was definitely something out there. Something extremely dangerous.

I almost instinctively started drawing a return circle on the ground. My honed instincts screamed that we had to return now, or we’d face a horrific fate from that “something.”

Soon, Rikiel also looked up, as if he’d sensed something. The anxiety on his face suggested he felt the same thing I did. I tried my hardest to draw the circle quickly, but it wasn’t easy.

Drawing a circle to transport three people at once took a lot of time. No, I’d only drawn half of it…!

I couldn’t finish the circle in time. A tremendous gust of wind swept through, erasing the circle I’d drawn, and a powerful earthquake that shook the entire canyon instantly threw my body off balance.

Tumbling to the ground, I scrambled up and looked around. …A monster. I couldn’t identify it, but a massive monster had undoubtedly fallen from above the canyon. Fortunately or unfortunately, as the dust settled, we could see its form.

Its body, likely green or brown originally but so bloodstained it was hard to tell, had massive forelegs that looked ready to tear limbs apart, three glowing simple eyes and two compound eyes, and a grotesque, writhing mouth.

[A combat situation with a monster has occurred. Return magic cannot be used until the combat ends.]

The next moment, the giant praying mantis swung its foreleg at my head.

I instinctively drew my sword and leaped.