The Queen Bee was still alive.
Therefore, I would need to go to the crash site and finish her off completely.
'If I have a little more leeway, I might even be able to do more than that.'
Though the Queen Bee was still breathing, it seemed she had lost her ability to command. The movements of the giant bees had noticeably slowed.
This meant that the success of the spear thrown with the Spear of Ankelenth—was powerful enough to silence a Grade-1 Insectoid-Type creature in one blow—which was no small feat.
'The problem is the ones blocking my way right now.'
The relentless assault of the Queen Bee and the giant bees had diminished, but my destination was still the crash site of the Queen Bee.
In other words, it was the very center of the ground, crawling with beasts and monsters.
'And... those guys are a problem too.'
Grade-2 Aerial Beast: Red-Winged Wyvern.
Grade-2 Rock Monster: Demon Statue Gargoyle.
Alongside the Grade-1 Insectoid-Type Queen Bee, these were the most persistent creatures chasing me.
'First, I need to shake them off.'
I gripped Horus's reins—bone tentacles—tightly.
Just from that, Horus seemed to understand my intentions and picked up speed.
[Kieeeek!]
The number of flying beasts and monsters still chasing us was enormous.
Actually, it made sense since the ones I had killed so far were just a tiny fraction.
However, aside from a few strong individuals, most of the beasts and monsters couldn't keep up with us.
Earlier, the Queen Bee's presence had limited Horus's mobility, but not anymore.
Shooooom────!!!
Slicing through the air with a fierce sonic boom, Horus truly looked like a ruler of the skies.
'Still being chased, huh.'
Despite Horus's incredible speed, a few beasts and monsters were sticking close behind us.
Among them, two were particularly familiar—monsters I had encountered repeatedly today.
Grade-2 Aerial Beast: Red-Winged Wyvern.
Grade-2 Rock Monster: Demon Statue Gargoyle.
They were the most annoying among the beasts and monsters still pursuing me, alongside the Grade-1 Insectoid-Type Queen Bee.
Although the rest of the monsters were still giving chase, the difference in movement speed, combined with the effects of the Fear Bullet trait, made them much slower.
But the Red-Winged Wyvern and Demon Statue Gargoyle weren't affected by the Fear Bullet trait and were exceptionally fast.
'Eat this.'
I leaned backward, using the bone tentacle sprouting from Horus's body as a support.
With the Ark-15 automatic conversion rifle in my hands—
Clack—
The muzzle spat fire without hesitation.
[Kieeeeeek!]
The Red-Winged Wyvern let out a scream of agony after being hit squarely in the eye with an A-985 explosive bullet.
Flying pursuers could be terrifying, but that was only when I was on the ground.
In the air, flying faster than my pursuers, they were nothing but easy targets.
Bang—!
Boom-boom-boom-boom!!!
With each pull of the trigger, the A-985 explosive bullets tore the Red-Winged Wyvern's face to shreds.
Eventually, it gave up the chase and folded its wings.
'It's a pity to let it go, but I don't have the energy to follow.'
Now the only one left was the Grade-2 Rock Monster, Demon Statue Gargoyle.
It looked like a statue with a grotesque, demonic face carved into it.
Clack—
Without hesitation, I pulled the trigger.
Boom!!!
Smoke billowed thickly.
If it had worked as intended, the speed of the charging gargoyle combined with the bullet's power should have delivered a devastating counterattack.
However, the gargoyle didn't seem significantly damaged and continued its pursuit undeterred.
[Graaaargh!]
Although slower than the wyvern, the gargoyle's defensive power was so formidable that even A-985 explosive bullets didn't faze it.
'Hmm.'
I swiftly changed the magazine.
Armor-piercing rounds.
Switching ammunition based on the opponent's characteristics was the proper strategy.
The best way to deal with a rock monster was to break through its thick outer shell first.
That held true for the Grade-2 Rock Monster, Demon Statue Gargoyle, as well.
Bang───!!!
The armor-piercing round traced a line through the air.
But the first shot bounced off the gargoyle's exterior, barely leaving a scratch.
It was already the second time.
'As expected.'
There was no need to be surprised—I had anticipated this outcome.
Clack—
I pulled the trigger once more.
One shot, two shots, three shots...
With each successive hit to the gargoyle's forehead, tiny cracks began to form.
Crack, crack—
It wasn't just repeated strikes to the same spot.
It was the effect of combining the [Blade Rounds] trait, which reduced the opponent's defense, with the penetrating power of the armor-piercing rounds.
Crack, crack-crack!
Realizing something was wrong, the gargoyle's movements became frantic.
But it was too late.
The trigger had already been pulled.
Shoooom───!!!
The final armor-piercing round penetrated the gargoyle's forehead, and the solid armor cracked and exploded.
Craaaaack!!!
Fragments of stone scattered in all directions.
The Demon Statue Gargoyle's pursuit ended there.
Though I hadn't killed it, my goal wasn't the gargoyle anyway, so it didn't matter much.
'I'll run into it again sooner or later.'
The same went for the Red-Winged Wyvern.
I urged Horus forward.
The destination wasn't far now.
'There.'
Proving it, I saw a spot on the ground densely packed with beasts, monsters, and giant bees.
Clack—
I firmly gripped the TITAN-17 Anti-Behemoth Rocket Launcher that I had stored on Horus's back.
The TITAN-17 Anti-Behemoth Rocket Launcher was hard to hit agile flying beasts with, but for ground-based targets, it was a different story.
A perfect bullseye.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Click—
The trigger of the TITAN-17 Anti-Behemoth Rocket Launcher was pulled—
Fwoooosh───!!!
The Anti-Behemoth Rocket Launcher, designed to annihilate beasts, cut through the wind as it shot forward.
Boom──!!!
Due to the sheer number of concentrated beasts, the explosion wasn't as big as expected.
The massive and sturdy exoskeletons of the giant bees had suppressed the blast.
But it didn't matter.
Clack-
I never intended to fire just one shot in the first place.
Fwoooosh───!!!
Fwooosh—!
With relentless trigger pulls, bombardment rained down on the ground.
[Beeep, BEEEEEP!]
The Queen Bee's signal came too late. The giant bees that were supposed to heed her command were already caught in the explosion.
[Beeeee... ]
The Queen Bee, who had been protected by the giant bees until now, stood scorched and wounded, facing me.
Even the wings that once soared proudly in the sky had long since burned away.
"It's been a while."
I gripped the TITAN-17 Anti-Behemoth Rocket Launcher once again.
The Queen Bee's life hadn't been snuffed out yet.
Now, it was time to end this ill-fated connection.
BOOOOM───!!!
A massive explosion erupted.
Smoke rose thickly.
I guided Horus straight to the ground in one swift dive.
[BEEEEEEEEP...]
The Queen Bee's entire body was revealed—charred black.
Even as a Grade-1 Insectoid-Type, there was no way she could survive such a bombardment after being gravely injured.
'I'm surprised she's still breathing, though.'
No matter what, a Grade-1 Insectoid-Type was still a Grade-1 Insectoid-Type.
"It's over."
Before finishing her off, I felt the need to clear out the surrounding beasts and monsters charging at me.
"Take this!"
I leapt from Horus's back, aiming straight for the Queen Bee's position.
It was quite a height to jump from, but it didn't matter.
I had excellent support.
[Take it?]
[Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. Take it.]
[Got it.]
The ethers caught my fall, slowing me down.
Had I crashed straight to the ground, even with Janus's support, I would have taken significant damage.
Thanks to the ether, that disaster was avoided.
[Beeeee...]
Once I landed on the ground, the Queen Bee looked straight at me.
Having lost both the will and strength to attack, she could only let out a low whimper in my direction.
And then—
[Kieeeeeek!]
[Beeeeeep!!!]
Suddenly, beasts and monsters charged at me from all sides.
This was still the heart of the beast horde.
'First, I need to clean up the nearby threats.'
The method wasn't complicated.
And it was something I had used before.
[Declaring 'Ankelenth's Domain'!]
[Time remaining: 33 minutes and 4 seconds.]
With that, the movement of the beast horde charging at me halted.
It was as if they had encountered an overwhelmingly superior predator and froze in place.
Of course, I wasn't truly such a predator.
To deliver the final blow to the Queen Bee, I drew the most powerful weapon I possessed.
[Summoning 'Ankelenth's Spear'!]
[Summon duration: 24 minutes and 4 seconds.]
The jet-black spear extended in my hand.
Without hesitation, I thrust it toward the defenseless Queen Bee.
[Beeeeeeee────!]
A death wail.
Blood sprayed in all directions.
That was the end.
[Grade-1 Insectoid-Type, Queen Bee, has been slain.]
[Damage to Grade-1 Insectoid-Type Queen Bee increases by 0.05%.]
"Haa..."
As expected of a Grade-1 Insectoid-Type, it wasn't an ordinary opponent.
If I had lacked even one of the weapons or abilities I possessed, it would have been impossible to hunt it down.
But there was no time to rest.
Since I had killed a beast while maintaining Ankelenth's Domain, the domain's effect was undone.
[Kieeeeeee!]
[Beeeeeep!]
The giant bees that had lost their queen, along with the beasts and monsters on the ground, charged at me again.
That was why I usually avoided hunting beasts while maintaining Ankelenth's Domain.
"Horus!"
[Kieeeeeek!]
At my call, Horus extended a bone tentacle toward me and snatched up the Queen Bee's corpse as well.
If the Queen Bee had still been alive, she would have been far too large for Horus to carry.
But since she was dead and parts of her body had been blown away by the bombardment, it was now possible.
At last, the corpse of the Grade-1 Insectoid-Type Queen Bee was in my grasp.
["...You really did it."]
Esther, who had been watching the whole time, finally sighed with relief.
Even though Horus's speed had noticeably slowed while carrying the Queen Bee's body, there were hardly any remaining beasts capable of keeping up with us.
Strictly speaking, some were fast enough, but every time they caught up, the bullets from the Ark-15 anti-material sniper rifle set their wings ablaze.
'Looks like the danger's mostly passed.'
Taking a moment to catch my breath, I shifted my gaze to the Queen Bee's corpse.
It wasn't exactly small, and I needed to process it quickly.
"Janus, Horus."
At my call, bone tentacles extended from both Janus and Horus.
Since it wasn't efficient for me to devour the entire Queen Bee alone, it was better to divide it between the two.
"Devour it."
[Kieeeek!]
[Kikik!]
Upon receiving the long-awaited order to feed, bone tentacles from Janus and Horus plunged into the Queen Bee's body.
Poke!
Squish!
All that remained was to consume the Queen Bee entirely.
Chomp, chomp—
Even amidst the ongoing aerial chase with the remaining beasts, neither Janus nor Horus stopped devouring.
Schlurp───!
Time passed steadily.
[Kieek, kieeeek...]
[Krik, krikrikrikrik!]
Their bodies began to tremble violently, and almost simultaneously, eerie howls echoed around us.