The fellow weeb Genzo’s party led us far away from the city, to the closest forest where elves lived.
Rumored to be half-extinct, those beautiful and elegant creatures possessed not only enchanting beauty of everlasting youth, but also were all skilled mages and archers.
But because of their temperament, they rarely contacted humans, and frequently would kill the people who were crazy enough to wander into their hunting grounds.
We stopped at the edge of the forest.
“We are here, great. How are we going to find an elf guide?” I threw a glance at Genzo’s elven wife.
“Uhm… I would need some time to wander around, hoping they will contact me themselves. It is very rude to go right in, even if we are of the same species.” Upon hearing this, I rolled up my eyes.
[The most esteemed Akagi-sama, am I thinking the same?]
“It might last for weeks, and you are right, this is way too long.” The loli put the flute to her lips, and started playing a gentle melody.
[What are you playing…?]
She didn’t answer.
“With this music I’d quickly find way back, keep going~!” The elf waved us, and headed to in the forest.
But the moment she disappeared from the view, the foxgirl stopped playing, and showed one of the devilish grins she got. Meaning, she did something very bad.
“Elves love to hide in the forests.” (A)
“Yes?”
“And forests are vast seas of plants.” (A)
“And…?”
“And locusts love to eat plants~. At least it will be faster than a week~.” As soon as she said it, my radar bursted with signatures. It was a formless mass that approached the forest.
‘Will the elves not just kill us all for this…?’
“No. They can’t kill me.” Thank you…
After hearing our ‘conversation’, Elina felt something wrong and approached us.
“Locusts…? What exactly is going on, Fu… Orleans.” (E)
“Soon we will see a huge cloud of locusts eating away this forest.”
“And you say it like it’s nothing…?” Elina’s eye twitched.
The kitsune glanced at us, and gently smiled. And since the 100D chess goddess is capable of everything, I wondered if she’d burn down the forest the next second.
Elina facepalmed, and leaned on my shoulder.
‘Those ‘elf’ guys would no doubt be at our throats for something like that.’ (E)
“They already are.” Bretagne said, and pointed at the forest.
Everyone looked where she pointed, but there was nothing to be seen.
‘-1 Bond’
I frantically looked at the forest, trying to spot anything, but the bond points continued to be deducted.
‘-1 Bond’
‘-1 Bond’
‘-1 Bond’
Bretagne gazed at me with suspicion, and I had no idea better than pointing at the very first bush my eyes landed on.
“There!”
‘Fwoosh’
An arrow shot out of it, and whistled past my ear.
“Is that all you’ve got?” I was completely unfazed, after seeing so many things that were supposed to kill me but never could.
‘+5 Bond’
Tra-ta-ta-ta-ta
The bush tried moving, but I fired a short burst of Oerlikon shells, cutting off the elf’s escape path.
“Come out, now! You forest folk may know your way with bows, but I am no less skilled with guns!” My bravado was followed by Bretagne deploying guns as well, and aiming them at the elf.
The bush was not rushing with coming out.
“Also, there is a huge wave of locusts incoming right now. Are you sure you’d be able to…?”
“AND WAS THAT NOT YOUR DOING?!” A tree top shouted at me.
[How would they know...? Wait, you already knew they’re here?!]
The loli kitsune smiled and did a clap.
“Guys! Let’s do it like this, we chase away the locusts, and you talk to us. Nothing would’ve happened if it wasn’t for us having to search you!”
After a short pondering, the trees, bushes, and all sorts of covers rustled, and elves stepped out to the edge of the forest.
At the same time a huge tide of locusts showed up on the horizon.
“I leave it all to you.” The goddess cutely smiled.
“S.O.S.” I muttered, as the unending tide of insects approached.
“You surely have a lot of time at hand~.” With the patron’s encouragement, I turned the guns at the locusts.
“Bretagne, do you have any airburst munitions for the main guns?”
“No…” (B)
“Then don’t bother with the heavy artillery. FIRE!”
Bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bum
After the first shots of Bofors batteries, my view was blocked by a suddenly appeared screen.
| Skills | |
| Obus semi-perforant explosif. Lv 1. | Lyddite shells. Lv 1. |
| On activation: Loads the main guns with SAPHE shells, capable of penetrating heavy armor, and exploding inside. +0% power; -90% penetration (of AP). | On activation: Fires a salvo of HE Lyddite shells with higher chance to set fire on target and deal critical damage. 90% chance of failure. |
| Unique skill |
| Sniper shot |
| Fires a single shot with main gun. The shell has 0 dispersion and is fired with 100 AC. No damage debuffs apply. Can be used every 24 hours. |
| Sistership skill |
| Decimation |
| Fires all installed guns in unison, and creates a barrage. The barrage is not affected by AC. All guns must be loaded. Can be used every 24 hours. |
I dismissed the notification, and in the corner of my view I saw the goddess sending me an air kiss.
“BRETAGNE!”
“Sœur?!” (B)
“Fire lyddite shells!”
The swarm was already a kilometer away from the forest.
“ ‘Lyddite shells’!“ The skill activated successfully, and I prepared to fire the main guns.
“ ‘Sniper shot’!” Immediately, a 500mm gun barrel was loaded and ready to fire.
BOOM
A powerful explosion spewed out the heavy shell, sending it right into the cloud of bugs.
BOOM
Somehow, the shell’s fuse set off by hitting a 2-gram bug, and exploded in a ball of fire, taking away the whole center of the swarm.
And although Bretagne’s performance was not half as good, she was handling the locusts somewhat well.
“I will bunch them together!”
“More breaking through at course 290!” (B)
“Fire more lyddite!”
“Sœur, I will take on that large group!” (B)
Our team play was working out pretty well, and the bugs were contained at the 500 meter mark. However, the new bugs were pouring in endlessly.
“LEFT FLANK! LEFT FLANK!”
“THEY ARE COMING THROUGH THE RIGHT SIDE TOO!!!” (B)
As the bugs were unable to get through the center, they naturally started increasing in numbers on the sides.
‘Pat-pat’
“AH?!” I almost had my heart stop when my shoulder was touched.
It was the most gracious and etc. goddess.
‘Guess who wouldn’t use their skills unless told to?’ (A)
“But I’m already…!”
‘Who?’ With this, she stepped away.
It took me a few 100mm shots to get the idea.
“Bretagne! Use ‘Decimation’!”
“Oui, sœur!” (B)
Bretagne stopped firing, but all her guns rose into the firing position.
“ ‘Decimation’!” (B)
KABOOM KABOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG Bang Bang Bang Bang Bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bum
After the guns fired, the shells appeared to have frozen for a split second, before they shot forward together, covering the entire swarm in a veil of fire.
When I looked at the swarm, I noticed that it took a colossal damage, leaving but a few bugs flying around. But the new wave was already on approach.
Just when I was about to tear up from having all our efforts for naught, Akagi-sama’s flute played, making the locusts disperse.
“Phew… That was insane… We are still a great team, my dear sister…” I buttered up to my sister.
‘+10 Bond’
While I was catching my breath, the goddess approached me.
“Training completed successfully~. Everything went as I planned, isn’t that what you’d say about it~?” (A)
Thanks for the chapter!