Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi 503 - –Aegir POV

–Aegir POV–

On the morning after one full day passed since the first engagement, we set up camp at the ruins of the abandoned fort that was partially destroyed during our battle with South Yuguria.

As we made our way to the north, anxious soldiers and sad refugees chanted a variety of both familiar and dubious words of prayer while watching the sun set.

However, the insects did not end up coming last night.

Last night, I naturally didn't sleep with a woman and stayed alert with the Dual Crater under my arm.
I fell asleep in the middle of the night because nothing appeared no matter how long I waited.

That reminds me, Rafaella remained stuck to my back the whole time, meaning we shared a bed.
I can say she's my woman at this point, right? She was exuding hostility in the morning though.

「The reason they didn't come has to be that.」

I stretch and turn to Leopolt, who is standing next to the bed before I realized.

When I told Leopolt as much as I knew about the monsters from hell, he said that my descriptions were vague after all and needed to gather more detailed information.
In the first place, what did he mean by 'after all'? Just remembering his answer pisses me off.

「The scouts sent out at sunrise discovered livestock that have turned into skin. There's no doubt about it.」

This is a part of Leopolt's plan, or rather an idea inspired by a suggestion.

It involves confiscating the pigs and cows from the refugees and tying them with rope to stakes driven into the ground.
Multiple animals are then left at designated spots on a line running eastward separated by intervals of 100 meters.

The mountain nation's territory is to the east, but they don't build cities or settle, so the only things that span the vast lands are the barren wastelands and mountain ranges. I sent a liaison to confirm no people of the mountain nation were in the vicinity and determined it should be okay.

Consequently, no monsters came to our location and all the livestock were eaten.

「After eating the first batch of livestock, they likely caught sight of the next group of prey and continued in that direction.」

「So they swarm around food that is presented to them? That makes them bugs that are simply a bit bigger then.」

At any rate, this is good news. The dumber and weaker the enemy, the better.

「But the same thing won't happen tonight, right?」

「Yes. If they are attracted to the nearest prey, then we're next. There's nothing else in the east after all.」

I sigh and look up at the sky.

The sun has risen only slightly above the horizon in the east.
When it sinks in the west, the fight will begin.

「If we run north at full speed, we might be able to gain another night.」

「We can't fall back any further.」

The citizens around Kisatto have been evacuated due to the war with South Yuguria, however that won't be the case if we continue running.
Those things will, instead of going after us, head to villages within the territory or head west where Malt is.
Although it'll be tough, we have to stay here and hold them back.

「A messenger was sent to Erich, but the earliest is……one week?」

In the first place, I don't know if he can grasp the severity of an attack by giant insects, let alone believe it.

「Ah, I actually sent a message saying, “we are unable to deal with the enemy army over 100 000 strong and are requesting urgent reinforcements”. It's not a lie.」

Tristan chimes in.

「W-what did you……」

Dingus is shocked, but I think that's a clever plan.
If Erich rushes over, that would really help.

「Nevertheless, we have to stand our ground for at least a couple days.」

I continue speaking in a tone lowered by one pitch.

「Do something about this run-down fort by night time. Dig a moat and pile up mounds of earth. Reassemble the rotten scrap wood and build a wall. Shave down rocks lying on the ground and use them as projectiles for the catapults. Get ready in the way you believe is best.」

「「「Yessir!」」」
「Understood!」

The South Yugurian soldiers and refugees led by Rinuga were confused about my change, but replied enthusiastically.

「Eeeh……so they reply with such gusto?」

Rafaella glares at Rinuga.
What's wrong with being honest?

I sit down in what looks like the inner citadel……right now it's more like a dilapidated shed filled with holes though.

「Aegir-sama, are you taking a rest? Is there anything I should get ready?」

「I gave orders to the soldiers. It looks like I can take a break.」

「Wahahaha!! Sekrit-dono is covered in blood!」

Celia, Myla and Irijina came like they were waiting for the right moment.
Sekrit has been doing something dangerous again, huh?

I pull all three of them by the hand and take them into a run-down room with a blanket laid out.
The three girls let out cute screams.

「We might not be able to sleep during the nights to come. We should sleep now while we can.」

Other soldiers should also be resting, however it's more important that they build up our encampment.

「But sleeping when the soldiers are working is――」

Myla is too serious.

We won't get much done even if we do a little shoveling here or there.
Resting and commanding with a clear head is more beneficial for the soldiers.
Most of all, sleeping next to the soldiers will affect morale, so that's why I dragged everyone somewhere they can't see us.

「That's the logic for the public anyways.」

「It's a front……?」

I nod at Celia.

「I'm at my limit.」

I grab Myla's and Celia's hands and push them against my crotch.

「Wah, it's swollen.」

「It's……rock hard.」

The discomfort of the bugs and the nervousness of wondering when they'll come made me forget for a moment, but it has reached a point where I can't ignore it much longer.

「I'll hold back so it doesn't last until night. If it suits your better, you can use your hand, just please squeeze it out.」

Myla and Celia exchange looks. It's not a rejection, but they seem conflicted for some reason.
Irijina is taking off her shirt like she's ready to help. Oh, she's properly trimmed her armpit hair, what a good girl.

「Of course I'm glad to be Aegir-sama's partner……」
「I actually intended to do so as well……」

Both of them scan the room, blocking large peekable holes with a wood plank or a cloth before sitting back down in front of me.

「Pardon me.」
「I'll clean it for you.」

Then Myla lowers my pants and Celia pours some water from a pitcher to give me a rinse.

「Alright……」
「Nn……」

The two of them start with a light kiss on each side and then proceed to use their tongues.

Celia traces me from the left with the tip of her tongue, while Myla wraps around me with the wide middle part of her tongue from the right side and works her way down, kisses my balls when she reaches the bottom, and then comes back up.

「Shllrru……」

Myla's cheeks suck in as she inhales strongly with her lips on the tip.
Frustrated when she sees me lean back in pleasure, Celia takes my balls in her mouth and rolls them around with her tongue.

「Aah, nice. That feels good……it feels like my lower half is going numb.」

The two of them grin and continue servicing me.

「I want to do it too!!」

Irijina barges in.

The half-naked woman starts sucking my navel and chest area.
The way her breasts sway and hit my stomach every time she changes positions is quite evocative.

「I'm counting on you for kisses too.」

As soon as the words leave my mouth, Irijina's lips press on top of mine and she gives me a very bold kiss characteristic of her personality with lots of tongue, slurping and exchanging of saliva.

「Ah, not fair.」
「I want kisses too.」

A bridge of saliva is formed as Irijina pulls away and Celia doesn't wait to occupy my lips.

My hands automatically move to strip Celia as we kiss and brush over her bare breasts which look like they belong to a fine young woman.
Celia blushes and leans into my hands as if yearning for more of my touch.

「Uugh.」

My hips thrusted up on their own, unrelated to my feelings of wanting to meet Celia's expectations.

It was Irijina who sucked really hard on a man's tip.
Irijina's lung capacity is incredible as she is someone with a large frame and a trained body. She nearly drew out the seed in my balls by inhaling with such force.

「Muー」

Celia, unhappy about my reaction, ended her deep kiss early, and after a quick glare at Irijina, bit down on my nipple.

「Hahaha, you're going to leave a mark.」

「This will make us even.」

Celia offers her chest to me.
Grinning, I grab her bosom and lightly bite her nipple, using the minimum amount of strength necessary to imprint faint teeth marks on her skin.

「Haau!」

Nevertheless, it was still a little painful and even more pleasurable.
Celia's body twitches and arches back, causing her pretty breasts to jiggle.

Woah, not good.
Irijina's powerful suction and Celia's cute gesture almost made my semen shoot out.

「Fufufu, I can't be excluding anybody.」

I open my arms and beckon Myla to me.

「T-then, I will kindly accept……」

Myla's top has already been taken off, but she is still wearing pants.

「Stand in front of me. Then spread your legs.」

「Eh, you're not going to kiss or suck on my ch……aaah!?」

I put my hands on Myla's waist, pull her pants down slightly and suck her precious place through her underwear.

「P-please at least take it all off! Doing that when I'm wearing……hiih!」

I drag my tongue over her underwear stained with plenty of my saliva.

My tongue slithers into a crack between her skin and underwear like a tentacle and traces her outer lips and clit.

「T-this feels so perverted……nnnh!」

Myla expresses resistance verbally, but her hands are holding my head down and she's pressing her hips against my face.
Her hole is twitching and she'll probably climax soon if I keep licking.

「Guoh!」

That is when a strong stimulation to my crotch assaults me again.
I look down and see Irijina sucking hard and Celia giving love bites to the base of my shaft.

When I close my eyes to endure the shock, Irijina grins like she won and Celia smiles cutely yet bewitchingly, proud that she successfully pleasured a man.

My dick twitches two or three times at irregular intervals.
I sense a stream of hot liquid slowly travel up from my balls.

I let go of Myla's crotch and close my eyes.

「I'm gonna cum soon. Let me put it in.」

The girls look at each other and nod, but don't move.
Teasing me this far in, that's pretty rough.

「That's not it……it's just-」

「I actually wanted to bring it up in the beginning, except I missed the opportunity.」

「Wahahaha! It certainly is strange!」

All three of them point to my back.

「「How long is this woman going to stick to you?」」

Rafaella turns her flushed face to the side coldly.

I feel two hard nubs against my back that weren't there before.

The area around her waist is also unusually wet.
Further, she seemed to be frequently adjusting her legs and moving herself up and down.

「Don't worry about me.」

「「「It bothers me!!」」」

I calm the three girls down.
My first priority right now is to ejaculate.

「Irijina, can I ask you?」

「Sure! I'll get on top!」

After I roll on my back, Irijina grabs my dick and mounts me.

「Thick……u……uuggh!!」

With a grunt, my dick slips inside Irijina.

Irijina's toned ass slaps against me at a steady rhythm as she performs an up and down exercise that incorporates her entire body, and the building pleasure sends shivers up my spine.

「Aaah, I'm about to cum. A little harder……hey, you're stopping?」

To my dismay, her movements gradually slow down and eventually stop altogether.

「……sorry. I'm a little bothered too.」

Irijina puffs her cheeks and pulls my dick out right before I can ejaculate.

She stares resentfully at Rafaella, who moved from my back to sleep next to me in order to accommodate me lying face up while also staying attached.

「If you would allow me.」

Myla was the next to step in.

I hug her from behind and insert it from the back.

「Uuu! It's big and hard, and the angle from the back is……aaaah!」

My right hand squeezes Myla's ass as I ram my hips into her.
With every thrust I make, she leans back and cries out in pleasure.

「You like it here? Or maybe here?」

「Both are great……if you keep pounding that hard, I'm……cumming!!」

Having had foreplay done to her earlier, Myla begins to show signs of nearing climax.

She twists her body to request a kiss from me.

「……my apologies. That's enough. I can't.」

Myla controls her convulsions and slowly pulls her body forward, letting my dick slip out.

She clicks her tongue when she sees my left hand embracing Rafaella to my chest and withdraws from the bed.

「T-then I'll do it!」

I penetrate Celia in the missionary position.
My tip meets her already wet entrance and I just have to apply my weight to push it in but――

「I'm sick of this!!」

Celia springs up, grabs Rafaella who is clinging to my neck by the back of her collar and throws her onto the blanket.

「Why do I have to get fucked with you looking down on me!? If you want something to hug so badly, hug the blanket!」

After bundling herself in the cloth, Rafaella sticks her head out to protest.
But she soon realizes that she's separated from me and starts sweating like a waterfall.

「A……aah……s-scary……scary, scary, scary, scary!! Cold, cold! Ha……hand……」

Rafaella crawled toward me, trembling in fear, and even Celia, who yelled at her, felt overawed.
Hmm, this is why she didn't leave during our sexual activities.

「……then let's find her another man. She has decent looks so I'm sure someone won't mind taking care of her.」

「That won't work. I want to make Rafaella mine.」

Celia closes her hand tightly around my testicles.
Sorry, it's part of a man's instincts.

Then I was hit with a flash of inspiration.

「You don't want to separate from me. And you want warmth, right?」

Rafaella nods.

「Then let's do this.」

I gently welcome the clinging woman into my arms and slide her underwear off in one fluid motion.

Next I hug her from the front, and while still standing, match my dick to her hole.

「Eh?」

「This will let me connect to the inside of your body. And you will also feel warm.」

I lower my waist a bit and then push up all at once.

My penis enters the warm wet space inside Rafaella's body.
I knew it, watching us have sex from up close made her wet.

Everything up until the penetration has been smooth so far, but I hit an unexpected wall.

「Eh, stop……it hurts……」

Anatomically speaking, I know I haven't reached the end yet, so I push deeper, lifting Rafaella's entire body up in doing so.

I hear something similar to a bursting sound.

「Oow!! N-no way, it went in!? It actually went in!? This is my first――」

Yes, she clamped down around me almost like she was a virgin, and my dick couldn't take the pressure after being denied orgasm three times.

「Guh! I'm cumming!」

I slam my hips into her as I look up and grunt.
A sticky sound rings out once, then again after a few seconds, and then continues at a pace of once every second after that.

The semen in my balls finally saw their chance to shine, climbed up to my urethra, and shot out in time with the pulsing of my cock.

「Eh? Eh? Eh?」

Myla bends down to peek at the part I'm connected with the confused Rafaella, but I stare at her reproachfully.

It's basically impossible to expect intelligence or comprehension ability from a man in the middle of ejaculating.
Right now, I'm no more than a pump trying to send as much seed as I can inside a woman's body.

My hands hold down the flailing Rafaella and I press my hips into her so that I can maintain the constant stream of hot juice.
I can feel my brain burn with pleasure and my balls get lighter after every shot.

My ejaculation lasted for two minutes.

「Fuu……」

I slowly separate myself and thick gloops drip out of Rafaella's crotch.
The clumps were yellowish white……no, there was also some pink mixed in for some reason.

I hug Rafaella's shoulder softly and then completely separate from her.

Rafaella stares blankly at me, but doesn't tremble.

「I poured myself into your womb. It's my hot essence. ……it's not scary anymore, right?」

「Ah, you're right. I don't feel scared and I'm not shaking.」

Rafaella smiles when her hands are steady, but then turns pale when she sees the seed leaking from herself.

「No wait!! This! Why!? My virginity! C-contraceptive! Came inside! Semen! So much! It's a dangerous day!」

I can't understand what she's saying when she throws out random words in the middle of her sentence.

「Aegir-sama took the virginity of this woman on a dangerous day and gave her a big load inside without using contraception.」

Celia summarized it for me.
I see, that's what happened.

「Nuaaaaaaaaa――!!」

I observe the screaming Rafaella again.

Her age is somewhere in the early twenties. Her height is 168 cm……well, that's average I guess.
She has the body of a knight, but she's not as muscular as Irijina. She's slightly smaller than Myla.
She possesses beautiful amber eyes, wears her red hair in a ponytail, and although her breasts are not very large, they stand out because of their protruding shape.
Her pubic hair that matches the color of the hair on her head is quite thick……being a virgin, she probably never thought to groom herself down there.

「Mm, a wonderful woman.」

「Don't say that after you've done the deed!!」

The naked Rafaella jumps at me and repeatedly pounds my chest with her fists.

「Sorry, sorry. I didn't think you were a virgin. Don't worry, I'll take responsibility and make you my woman.」

「Is Hardlett here?」「Aegir-sama?」

「I won't belong to an enemy! Uwaaaan, I was raped! I was creampied without contraception! My virginity was stolen by force and I was impregnated!!」

Don't say such scandalous things.
Besides, it was inevitable when we're sleeping together consensually.

I picked up the sobbing Rafaella and was ready to have a fivesome with Celia and the others, but then it happened.

「Hmp!!」

There was a crunching sound and stars scattered in front of my eyes.

「What the……is it the enemy!?」

I hastily turned around and found Erich.

「Anh?」

Unable to process what's going on, I shake my head and look again and see a familiar woman……Nonna.
That attack just now was her special headbutt? I have to admit that almost brought me to my knees.

「Welcome. What brings you to this place?」

「Aegir-sama is cheating on the battlefield……although it's a bit late to point out, more importantly, I was worried that your heart would distance itself from me, the legal wife…… ahem, as the wife, I will remain next to my husband's military prowess, ensuring he doesn't forget about his loyalty to the kingdom――」

In short, she's saying that I've been out on too many military campaigns and she hasn't spent much time with me.
She also mentions that she doesn't like how my heart has fallen for a new woman on the battlefield and that she will wait in a nearby town somewhere.
I'm sure that's how it is.

「Hahaha, no need to worry so much. My heart will never leave――」「Waaaaah! I was violated! My virginity was taken!」「――you」

Man, that headbutt was so strong that it made me see a hallucination of Erich.

「Aren't you the one who called me for this supposedly emergency situation?」

I knew it. There was no way such a distinct hallucination existed.

「Welcome aboard, Military Commissioner.」

I salute him sharply.

「Put away that bloody virginity-stealing dick first. We'll talk after that.」

After a short break, we headed to the commander's quarters……there's no such thing, so we converse while patrolling the campgrounds where the other soldiers are building up the encampment. Nonna is quietly accompanying us.

I can also see Carla and Mel in the distance.
So she brought everyone along with her? I would normally be a hundred times happier, even though it's irrational……but now is not the best time.
I have to take them back once I'm done talking.

However, I can't abandon Erich either.

Fortunately it's still lunchtime.
There is still time until night.

「I didn't think you would come this quickly.」

I told him about the situation yesterday.
He was too fast no matter how you look at it.

「No, well I actually left headquarters four days ago.」

In terms of date, that was when we contacted him as we were departing Rafen.
Except that's strange, because we didn't know about the large swarm of bugs at the time.

「Don't be ridiculous. South Yuguria already has their back against the wall. Launching a counteroffensive from the east in that situation is absolutely pointless. Transitioning to attack itself is abnormal for the enemy to do. If it happens, I can't think of anything other than either my grasp of the state of battle is incorrect or something is developing outside my expectations. Both are cases that require me to confirm with my own eyes.」

I see, now that he mentions it, Leopolt also said an enemy attack from the east was impossible.

「So what about Nonna……don't tell me you-!」

Before I can finish my thought, Nonna pokes Erich and pinches my butt.

「I already told you the reason why I headed south, I simply met up Radhalde-sama on the way and had him escort me.」

「She had a sufficient escort, but I couldn't allow the madam to travel alone. ……I know I shouldn't pry too much into a family affair, but your wife is too rash for leading a group of concubines to the battlefield. You should reprimand her.」

Erich gazes strictly at Nonna, who seems to shrink.

I grab Nonna's shoulder and raise my hand.

Nonna begins to tear up but she shuts her eyes as if bracing herself for what is coming.

「Here's your punishment.」

I stroke Nonna's cheek with the hand I raised.

「Uuu, I felt so lonely……」

Nonna rubs her cheek against my hand, pleading for forgiveness.

「I won't forgive you. Here's more.」

I give Nonna a hot kiss and then turn back to Erich.

「I punished her severely.」

「……I knew you weren't going to do anything harsh to a woman.」

Erich smiles wryly and I return a smile of my own.
I proceed to pull Nonna's arm.

「Make preparations to go home and leave here within 30 minutes. I don't care if you work your horses into the ground, but have them pull the carriages at full speed all the way to Rafen.」

「Eh?」

Nonna, who thought she was being welcomed by my kiss, loses her expression.
She soon realizes I am serious, lowers her head in disappointment and jogs back to where the others are.

The sun is still in the middle of both horizons.
If she escapes now, she'll make it safely.

「So, on the way here I received several suspicious and clearly exaggerated messages. What happened? Explain it in detail to me.」

I nod and tell him everything with Leopolt's help.

Unlike Nonna, Erich must know about it.

Moments later, we finish outlining our predicament with Erich.

「Understood. But I can't believe it until I see it with my own eyes. What a preposterous story.」

I know, right?

「I did not lie. Can't you just trust me?」

「I'm saying that I want to verify it myself because it's coming from you. If it was anybody else, I would have kicked their ass and returned to headquarters.」

I guess he has to see it for himself.
Conversely, it would be bad if the supreme commander makes a big deal of when he sees the giant bugs.

「They will come at night. When the sun sets, they will come whether we like it or not……」

That would turn out to be naive thinking.

「They're hereeee!! Simultaneously from the south and from the east……there's a lot! Details unknown!!」

I hear a soldier shout from the top of a simple watchtower.
He isn't merely giving an emergency announcement, his voice reflects the instinctive terror his body feels.

「What?」

There should still be some time before night.

Or so I thought, but I realized how oddly dark it was when I got outside.
And then cold drops of water fall on my head……

「Argh, how unlucky!」

Heavy black rain clouds hang over us in the sky, completely covering the sun.

The monsters of the abyss hate light, not the afternoon.
It makes sense that they would emerge outside of nighttime when the sun is hidden by clouds.

I turn to Erich.

「It's become a situation where you have to understand sooner than you're willing to accept it.」

「……I'm afraid so. I am foreign to your chain of command. I will not interfere, so lead as you wish.」

Erich keeps silent from that point on and focuses his attention on the enemy.

I call out to Rinuga beside me like I'm yelling at him.

「Is the encampment done!?」

「I-it was supposed to be in time for nighttime, that's why it's not complete――」

I grab Rinuga's head and bring my face close to his.

「I know that much! Just tell me if it can be used whether it's done or not!」

Rinuga nods and points at the camp.
I see, the ditch is shallow, the fence is full of holes, and the soldiers in the rear are desperately setting up catapults.

Not good. There is something worse than being unprepared.

「From the south and east……then if we go north-」

Tristan interjects.

「I don't think we should do that. The massive swarm is right under our noses. If we carelessly head back north and encounter a few stragglers along the way, it's over. Staying here in the middle of the fortress is the safest. Or perhaps I should say, we'd all be dead by the time they move on to the girls gathered in the center. Man, everything's so not fair.」

「Shit!」

I demolish the crate next to me in frustration.

「I-I……I……」

Nonna is shaking.
It's not out of fear for an unknown enemy. She was the one who made the decision to come visit me. Now she's regretting it because that's causing me to be dragged down.

「Nonna, it doesn't look like you and the others have any time to escape. Hide in places you think are safe in the center of the fortress. I'll protect you so don't come out no matter what.」

I hug Nonna to my chest and kiss her lips roughly.
An uncool sound is made from our teeth colliding, but she seems a little calmer than before.

「I'll give your outrageous tits a proper punishment later so take cover and prepare yourself, got it?」

I say my final words to her with a kind expression.

「My morale is high since my beloved women are all here. It'll be fine.」

Nonna, who shows a flash of relief, dashes off as fast as she can.

After seeing Nonna run, I notice my own face showing signs of fright.

Comprehending that, Leopolt reminds me with a strict tone.

「We've lost our option to retreat.」

I won't say this in front of the soldiers, but the speed of the spiders and worms are no match for galloping horses.
In other words, there is the option to take only the important personnel on horses and breakthrough with force when all else fails.
However, Nonna and the other girls know nothing about fighting and can't ride in that manner.

I definitely can't cut them off, meaning the only choice is to defend this fort and repel the enemy.

「She can be so selfish sometimes.」

I feel a smile form on my face.

「But being able to work around that is what truly makes a man great.」

「I don't agree.」

Leopolt, try to read the mood.
You're always like that though, so whatever.

「Lookout, can you estimate how far away the enemy vanguard is from here?」

「Err, let's see……the spiders are jumping……they're faster than they look! They'll be here in three minutes!」

I climb up to an elevated platform where I can overlook the entire fortress and shout.

「The enemy will be here in two minutes. Have everything ready by then.」

The fight has begun.

As predicted, the vanguard of the monster army is composed solely of spiders.
Their speed when leaping in close matches that of a galloping horse.

Further back, I see the worms squirming towards us.
They probably don't have the intelligence to align their pace.

「So that's what they look like……how grotesque……are they creatures of this world?」

「It's highly unlikely that they came from our world, but they're here now.」

An allied commander yells out after Erich's question was answered.

「Spearmen, in front! Imagine they are horses, their sizes aren't that different. Watch out for the tube in their mouths!」

Despite the unsightly appearance of the spiders, the attack is basically identical to a cavalry charge.

We will position spearmen behind a ditch and line up crossbows behind the spearmen.
Archers even further behind will shoot in an arc.

The difference between them and horses is that they can jump over the ditch with their leaping power.
That's where the spare squad of spearmen come into play, with their spears pointed upward, so when the spiders land, they skewer themselves, allowing swordsmen to finish them off while the rest of the soldiers hold the line.

The enemy won't search for our weak point.
They will only surge toward the spot nearest to them.

「Intercept them――!!」

When the spiders reached a certain distance within the ditch, Dingus gave the word and the spears thrusted out in unison.

The ditch in the middle gave the soldiers more time to respond, resulting in most of the spearheads accurately piercing the head.

Screeching too weird to be called screams came from all over and purple bodily fluids splatter everywhere.

The bodies of the spiders are surprisingly soft.
A thrust that follows the proper lowering of the waist will plunge deep inside at the very least and two or three spears of that nature stabbing into the spider's head will stop its movements.

「Pull back――! Thrust――!!」

Just when I thought the spearheads were taken out, they were promptly shoved back in.
The spiders might be two meters big, but getting repeatedly stabbed by two or three thick spears is fatal.

Of course, not all of them would be killed so easily.
A few spiders weaved through the gaps of the spears or blocked the spears with their forelegs and then slipped past.

「Aim carefully――now!!」

Crossbows concentrated on the ones that escaped. Nobody missed such large targets.

It goes without saying that bolts are not enough to kill spiders even at close range.

But the slight hesitation caused by the pain is good enough.

「「「Uoooooh.」」」

Several spearmen change the trajectory of their thrusts and stick their weapons into one of the spider's abdomen.
Two times, three times, four times, five times……more than ten holes are created in the body and the spider dies, its legs sliding on the ground.

Another spider snaps two spears in half with the claws on its forelegs.

「Change, go!!」

Soldiers who lost their spears withdrew and substitute soldiers lunged with a running start.
Crossbows provided support and swordsmen slashed at the head and kicked the monster into the ditch.

Corpses gradually pile up in front of the ditch.

Humans would avoid a frontal assault on a well-organized formation and look for a place to detour.
Insects don't have the intelligence to do that.

At the same time, they don't feel fear.
They keep advancing, stepping over their fellow spiders' dead bodies.

With the added height, spears and bolts reduce in power to deal lethal damage.
The spiders lower their bodies and get into a stance preparing to leap past the ditch.

「Now! Loose!!」

A chorus of twangs ring out and a whooshing sound falls from the sky.
Arrows draw a parabola from the rear and rain down on the spiders.

The spiders standing on top of the pile of corpses are easily identified by the archers.
Now covered in arrows, the agonizing spiders stop moving.

「Steady your aim……you better not miss……」

An especially loud whoosh follows a lower pitched twang and a spider flies away.
It was a direct hit from a ballista.

The monsters from the abyss don't know fear.
But spiders get killed by spears and their bodies accumulate in the ditch, while those that try to jump over are perfect targets for a concentrated volley of arrows and ballista bolts.

「They're fighting well. As long as it doesn't become chaotic, this battle is ours.」

「Generally speaking, we are suffering one casualty per eight enemy kills where there is a ditch, one per twelve kills where a fence is set up in time……and one per three kills when nothing has been prepared……I'd say we're putting up a good fight.」

Perhaps because of Leopolt's cold words, one of the commanders gets stabbed by the tube of a spider.
Nearby soldiers quickly sever the tube so his organs don't get sucked out, but his entire body seizes and green foam leaks from his mouth until he eventually perishes.

「……poison? That's tough to deal with.」

「It's best not to get close.」

I don't respond to Leopolt's advice.

「Ah, the next wave is coming.」

Tristan's unamused report and Erich's guttural groan accompany the arrival of the worms.
They are late because they move slower than the spiders.

「Guaaaaaah!!」

One soldier writhes in pain on the ground.
Upon closer inspection, I see a one meter long worm entering his anus.

「Poor guy……」

Erich mutters as Celia throws a dagger at it, but it's no use.
The worm bursts out of the man's stomach covered in blood from chewing through multiple organs.

「……I see, such a monster doesn't exist on the surface. I refuse to believe it does.」

My eyes remain fixed on the worm as I let Erich's comment pass over my head.
I'm not going to jump in yet. We have a measure in place to deal with that.

Strings twang and giant bolts are launched.
The sound is dull unlike before and the arrows travel a wobbly path until eventually falling near the worm.

The first three miss, but the fourth one hits.

It lands with a sound resembling a hammer striking the earth and the worm shakes violently in place.

「An arrow with a deliberately blunted tip……?」

Erich questions the intention of the design.

「That monster has skin that is difficult to penetrate even with giant bolts. Arrows with pointed tips slide off the surface of its body and don't deal damage. If we use blunt tips, the precision and range decrease, but it carries the impact into the monster's body and can destroy the insides in one shot.」

In addition, stones are thrown at the worms trying to slither past the ditch like snakes.
Stones for throwing are typically smaller than the size of a fist, but the ones being used this time are as big as a human head.

「Uooooh!! There's more where that came from!」
「Nuuuu!!」

Muscular men with their shirts taken off hold the stone above their shoulder with their hand bent back and then hurl it.

Particularly strong individuals in each squad were picked to form the stone-throwing squad.
Although they were proud of their strength, the rocks are still too heavy and they can only be thrown about ten meters. They are a comical team that can't really be used in a normal war.

「But they're a big help now.」

The stones drop onto the worms' tails……I don't know if you can call it a tail, but the stones drop onto the end part and make squishing sounds.

Soldiers wielding siege hammers rush in and swing down on the head part.

「There's a big one!!」
「Don't run! Follow the plan.」

The six meter long worm flings multiple soldiers away and crosses the ditch.
Allied soldiers don't fight back and glare at the large body.

They waited until the giant worm chose a soldier and opened its mouth.

「Fireeee!!」

Crossbow bolts get sucked into the worm's mouth.

A rock was thrown on top of the upturned worm, followed by hit after hit by the anti-worm arrows.
Soldiers crowd around with hammers and whack its body as hard they can, and the worm slowly falls lifelessly.

「「「Uooooooh!!」」」

Cheers erupt.

Giant worms in the south also collapse and murky blood sprays out from the worms crying out in the east after swallowing bolts.

「……you fought these things before?」

Erich asks me in amazement.
It's only the second time though.

Considering we've encountered them once before and had time to fortify our defences, we're doing better than before.
Dingus and I turned proudly to Erich and then it happened.

「The fourth earthen wall in the east has been breached!! Our attacks are being repelled!!」

「The third eastern wall is also in danger! The ballista can't penetrate them! You're kidding……」

「The enemy at the sixth southern wall……is slow……but won't stop no matter what we do!!」

My eyes meet with Erich's eyes and I smile wryly.

「This is just the start. Hang in there.」

I practice a few swings with my Dual Crater and Keravnos to test how they feel.

Chapter end