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…While the start had been rather chaotic, after some time, the players were able to calm down and properly deal with the bugs.

At first, everyone went into a frenzy, fearing the explosions the Bomb Wasps left behind, but since those explosions also affected enemies…now they were being used as additional firepower to decrease enemy numbers at a faster pace.

But…was such a simple attack really what that Aery girl was going for?
Crim wondered that as she tried to predict what kind of enemies would show up next. What would she choose to do if she was in control of the bugs?

*…I would sneak in a different attack while the enemy is still flustered by the first ones.*

She decided to act as soon as she arrived at a conclusion.

“Everyone, watch out for a land attack! Let the ranged players focus on taking out the Bomb Wasps!”

Crim shouted into the raid chat, letting everyone know what to do next.

“Freya, Elmir, and White Lily, stand in front and keep an eye for land attacks too!”
“Huh, but there’s still so many in the sky?”
“There’ll be a lot of them on the ground soon too!”

White Lily did not sound too convinced, but right as Crim replied, someone in the front lines let out a shriek.
Just like Crim had predicted, hordes of black bugs emerged from the forest, their shells making chattering noises as they moved forward.

Those were Dark Mites, the same bugs they had first encountered in the past with sharp claws shaped like sickles. Mixed amongst them were other almost humanoid-like ones, walking on two legs while holding their claws out like praying mantises.

The players had started to relax thinking they were about to be done dealing with the Bomb Wasps, so they were taken off-guard by the next wave of bugs and were getting ready to retreat…but then…

“…Slave Chain!”

Crim shot out crimson chains at the closest Bomb Wasp, restraining it in mid-air.
The bug obviously attempted to fly away, but Crim kicked off the ground and pulled herself up to the enemy, clinging onto its back.

“Hahhhh! Slash Rave!!”

Her hand that was not holding her gun began to glow, and her crimson claws tore apart the transparent wings on the Bomb Wasp’s back.
Having lost the means to fly, the Bomb Wasp began to fall, and Crim kicked it…straight in the direction of the new wave of Dark Mites.

It writhed on the ground, until the musket ball Crim shot in mid-air struck it and produced a large explosion that enveloped all the nearby bugs.

“…Queen, canst thou hear me?!”

As everyone’s eyes were focused on Crim’s acrobatic moves in the air, she called to the queen.
She really did not want to make the queen push herself too much, but it was necessary here.
After a short pause, the queen replied.

*”Crim, did you call for me?”*
“Forgive the imposition, but wouldst thou mind informing me should a red wasp like the one from but now appear again? So long as it be not too troublesome.”
*”Alright, I can do that.”*

Hearing that response, Crim gave a firm nod and took a deep breath.

“…Don’t panic!!”

The moment she shouted, the players who were getting ready to retreat stopped.

“We already knew we’d be confronted by large numbers of enemies! We’ve already gotten through the first hurdle, now we just keep going!!”

Hearing Crim’s words, the players looked at her with renewed determination.

“Those at the fore, exterminate the vermin upon the ground! Rear guard, give priority to aerial foes! Overreach not, do only what thou canst, and stray not from thy appointed positions!!”

As Crim gave them orders, the confused players all stopped, as if they suddenly recalled what their mission was, and faced the frontlines again.
They had all been training together for this. Crim wanted to believe that she could trust her comrades, and that they would be able to fight again if they got over their current panic.

*…Aery, we won’t fall as easily as you expect.*

That girl, the enemy’s leader, was yet to be seen on the battlefield, but Crim wanted her to know their determination as she prepared her next gun to keep shooting down the Bomb Wasps.

◇◇◇

…The battle waged on for another half an hour.

In that time, the Bomb Wasps appeared at a more sporadic rate, so they were all shot down before they got too close. If anything, the players had gotten better at knocking them into the other bugs to deal friendly damage amongst them.

But in any tower defense situation, there was always a time when one’s defenses were not enough. Especially if it was the first time the players were seeing any of it.

In a strange turn of luck, the enemy was being controlled by Aery…someone who could think and reason just like Crim and the other players.

So Crim and the other Demon Lords, Suzaku, and other veteran gamers began brainstorming ideas of “what they would hate the most” to predict the enemy’s decision… and their success rate was only around 30%…but any small advantage was enough to be mindful of future waves.

Still, the countless enemies both on land and air appeared endless and were slowly whittling away at the front lines.

“Ahh, the small tree in A-3 is under attack!”
“We can’t save it, retreat to A-4 while taking down as many enemies as possible, strengthen the defenses there!”
“R-Roger that!”

Countless bugs swarmed around the base of a young Harunia Tree, tearing apart through it until it began to tilt and fell down, letting out a loud noise that almost rang like a cry.

*”This is Sorleon. We’ve had to abandon the young trees in B-2, C-1, and D-2.”*
*”This is Shao. We’ve also had to abandon F-2, G-2, and H-3. We’re holding onto a position behind that.”*

Crim received updates from the other groups. The bugs were using their numbers to slowly take more of the ground.

…Crim’s group had named the eight ancient Harunia Trees around Floria with letters A to H, which they also used to identify different areas.
Then they numbered the younger Harunia Trees nearby, increasing the closer they were to the ancient one. A and B were in the north, so they were at higher risk, but H was also being swarmed.

Once those younger trees took too much damage, the players decided to sacrifice them, throwing a huge burst of magic to blast away the swarming bugs.
…So far they had endured through the third wave.

“Hahh…it seems we made it through this round. Freya, try to recover MP while we have time.”

Crim scowled a little as she drank an MP potion, which had a chemical taste like an energy drink, wiped the sweat off her brow, and then looked with pity at Freya next to her, who was as pale as a ghost.

“Eughh…I feel queasy…”
“Mm… it must weigh heavily upon thee, yet well done for enduring thus far, thou hast done admirably.”

In a rare turn of events, it was Freya who whined this time, and Crim who gently embraced her and comforted her.
Freya had never been good with bugs, so having to use her spells without missing took a heavy mental toll on her.

Looking around, the tanks led by Elmir and White Lily also looked exhausted, while the attackers like Hinagiku and Kasumi still had plenty of energy to keep going.
On the other hand, the ones with long range attacks like Frey and Lycoris were starting to get fatigued too, both mentally and in terms of MP.

Crim was also running out of resources. She had spent all her loaded muskets, and only had two GUNgnir magazines remaining, so 16 bullets.

The enemy’s movements were also limited by certain rules, including a break between rounds, so there was a five minute interval before the fourth wave would start moving.

“Frey, how’s everyone holding up?”
“Well…they’re starting to get exhausted by now, things aren’t looking bright.”

Looking around was enough to see Frey was right. All the players around them looked measurably tired.
And usually…that was also when the enemy would attack the hardest.

“I see…so she’ll probably try to kick things up a notch next round.”
“Yes, that’s also what I’d do in her position.”

Crim and Frey wearily looked into the distance.
They were looking far…far into the distance, to an enormous scorpion monster that looked almost like a hill, which made the ground shake as it landed from the air…