"Gyaaahhh!!"
A piercing scream erupted from the front lines where the monsters had made contact.
Eiji focused his gaze and saw a vanguard holding a large shield. His body was drenched in thick, purple viscous fluid that rapidly dissolved his clothing and began corroding his skin.
"What's happening? Even the weapons are—?!"
Someone at the front cried out in horror as they looked at the steel greatshield.
The shield, now stained with the same purple fluid, was dissolving at an even more terrifying rate than the clothes and skin. In mere seconds, the shield had completely melted away, leaving not even a trace behind.
Equipment worth at least a million valis, destroyed just like that?
"Weapon corrosion! The slime these monsters spit has weapon-destroying properties!"
A catgirl with sleek black hair immediately issued a firm command.
"Don't let their slime hit you! Dodge and aim for the magic stone inside their bodies! Their skin should be weak!"
"Understood!"
Under the catgirl's direction, the vanguards quickly adjusted their tactics. With the help of supporters, they discarded their shields and switched to offensive weapons, launching a proactive assault.
Squelch!
"Ugh—aaaah!"
Yet, as blades sank into flesh, another scream tore through the air.
A glance revealed that the same purple slime was oozing from the wound where a greatsword had struck the caterpillar. The weapon dissolved almost instantly, and splashes of the fluid landed on the vanguard's arm, leaving behind a festering purple wound as if chunks of flesh had been eaten away.
"Even their blood is corrosive?! Then how are we supposed to get close?!"
The catgirl's eyes widened, her calm demeanour cracking as frustration set in.
Swish!
At the same time, support fire finally arrived from the rear. Several arrows streaked through the air like lightning, piercing deep into the caterpillar's chest.
The monster's skin was exceptionally soft—far more so than even a Minotaur's. The powerful arrows sank in effortlessly, striking the magic stone in a single hit.
Boom!
But the next moment, purple slime erupted like a volcano, forcing the vanguards to scatter in panic.
"You've got to be kidding me! They explode when their magic stone is hit?!"
From the mage formation at the back, a golden-haired elf girl gripping a sturdy bow let out a dumbfounded shout.
The moment the magic stone was struck, the caterpillar's body violently burst apart, splattering corrosive slime across the surrounding ground and rocks. The vanguards retreated as if fleeing from venomous snakes, desperate to avoid the deadly spray.
Long-range attacks involved spitting corrosive slime. Close-range combat meant their blood was just as deadly. And when killed, they exploded—
"There's no way to fight these things!"
"What kind of monsters are these?! We've never seen them before!"
"Are they a new species?!"
A sense of helpless panic quickly spread through the front lines.
Though these caterpillar monsters lacked the overwhelming presence of Formors, their threat level was far higher. Worse, this was their first encounter with such creatures—no established tactics existed. With no captain to direct them, the camp descended into chaos.
"Should we pull the vanguards back?"
"No! Those monsters are clearly targeting the mages! If the vanguards retreat, the mages will be in danger!"
The golden-haired elf girl immediately shot down Eiji's suggestion.
A closer look confirmed her words. The caterpillars pouring out of the flat cavern were charging forward relentlessly, seemingly uninterested in the vanguards. Their focus was entirely on breaking through—as if drawn to the mages.
Were they sensing the threat posed by the spellcasters? Or was it something else? Whatever the case, the vanguards had to hold the line. If the mage formation suffered casualties, repelling these monsters would become even more impossible.
"Not ready yet?!"
Eiji glanced at Riveria, who was still chanting, his frown deepening.
In theory, his intuition provided him with absolutely accurate signals. The timing of his warning to Riveria should have been correct. So why had they fallen into crisis in less than half a minute?
Had his instincts been wrong?
No. That couldn't be it.
His gaze sharpened on the cavern's entrance. More caterpillar monsters continued to emerge in an endless stream, showing no signs of slowing.
"...We need to buy more time?"
The best strategy for the current situation became clear to him.
"Vanguards, spread out the formation! Switch to ranged attacks!"
His commanding voice cut through the chaos of the camp.
"Wait, what are you—?!"
The golden-haired elf beside him stared in disbelief. "Didn't I just say we can't let the vanguards separate?! The mages will be in danger!"
"What the hell are we supposed to do?!"
The vanguards, forced into constant evasion by the monsters, could only watch helplessly as their weapons were destroyed one after another. The front lines were in complete disarray, cries of confusion rising from the ranks.
"Alicia, trust me!"
Eiji met the elf's gaze with unwavering determination.
"I know what I'm doing. I'll take responsibility!"
He wasn't skilled in command.
In fact, he had never studied tactics. But at the very least, he could analyze the battlefield, and he had the resolve—and confidence—to act.
"Ugh… Fine! But I'm not taking the blame for whatever happens!"
Under his intense stare, even in the midst of battle, Alicia's cheeks flushed slightly. Her defenses wavered, and she reluctantly ceded command to him.
"Everyone, scatter!"
"What do we do?!"
"Listen to him!"
The vanguards exchanged glances before choosing to trust their comrade.
This was what made them a top-tier Familia.
Eiji licked his dry lips, causing Alicia to turn away with a reddened face.
Then—
With the vanguards no longer blocking their path, the caterpillar monsters surged forward unimpeded, crawling straight toward the mage formation.
Swish!
A silver streak tore through the air.
The blade fragment struck true, splitting open the monster's chest.
Though the metal dissolved the instant it pierced the flesh, the hypersonic kinetic energy alone was enough to shatter the magic stone. The caterpillar burst apart with a bang.
"So fast! And so precise!"
Alicia turned back, her expression stunned.
The blade fragments Eiji hurled weren't just incredibly fast—they struck the monsters' magic stones with pinpoint accuracy. Even as a Level 4 elven archer, she might not have been able to match his precision.
As the first caterpillar exploded, a second one rushed forward.
Another blade fragment shot out, again hitting the magic stone dead-on.
With the front lines spread out, not a single drop of slime splashed onto the vanguards.
"Got any Mental potions?!"
"Here!"
Amid the chaos, Alicia grabbed a handful of potions from a supporter and handed them to Eiji.
"No time—feed me!"
Eiji, gripping a stack of blade fragments in his left hand and continuously attacking with his right, simply opened his mouth expectantly.
"Tiona's definitely going to yell at me for this…"
Grumbling, Alicia uncorked a vial and pressed it to his lips. Though her words were full of dread, a strange, secret delight flickered in her heart.
***
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