The plan is set.

　Go down the 200-medium air hole vertically and defeat the queen ant at the bottom.

　Immediately, we would ascend the air hole and return to the ground.

　In short, it was a surprise mission.

　Once the queen ants were defeated, they would not be able to reproduce indefinitely.

　The remaining giant ants could be slowly wiped out later.

(That's really simple.)

　So, we had to go ahead with the mission.

Is that all right?

　Munyun

　Mr. Illtimina presses against my back.

　I feel my large chest crush through my armor.

"I'm fine,

　sizzling sound

　Mr. Kilt hugged me closely from the front.

　His soft silver hair rubbed against my cheek, tickling me.

''.......................''

　Munchies!

　Solstice hugs me to my left.

　The thin girl's arms were around my neck, and her skin was very hot.

(............)

　I am now being held by three beautiful women, beautiful girls.

　Throbbing.

　I'm kind of a little embarrassed.

　The sweet smell of these girls gently envelops me.

(No, no.)

　Easy, Merle?

　I'm the only one who can fly, so it's not like I have a choice.

　I don't have time to feel sorry for myself

　Munyun

..........

　Yo, we can't afford it!

I'll jump.

　As I said this, I spread the iridescent metal wings on my back wide open.

　Voon.

　Wings glowed and we rose into the air.

　Everyone's feet left the ground and we hugged each other tighter.

(...........)

　I may have never been this close to Illtimina-san before, other than as a cuddle pillow.

　It's an unusual situation and I'm kind of nervous.

　Kilt-san's beauty is also very close to me.

　If I poked my lips out for a bit, it's close enough that I could kiss her.

　Solstice's young beauty is bright red.

　Looking at that embarrassed face, it makes me nervous too.

(Shh, focus, focus.)

　Take a deep breath.

　Then.

Isn't it heavy, Merle?

　I heard a worried Illtimina's voice.

'Oh, yeah. I'm fine.'

　I nodded.

　It's not my muscle power that's flying in the sky, it's the power of the 'divine armor'.

　They are supported by their own arms and legs, and I just need to be like a dwelling tree.

　Once the descent begins, it will be easier because I won't be defying gravity.

Don't worry, I won't let you all go.

　I laughed.

"..........
..........
..........

　All three of them are staring at me in silence.

(???)

　Solstice blurted out, ".......unaware.

　Huh, what are you talking about?

　While I'm thinking about this, our four bodies move to just above the air hole.

　It's a hole about three meadows in diameter.

　At the back, it's too dark to see anything.

　Whoa.........

　A cold wind rises from the depths of the darkness.

　Mr. Kilt moved his head and called out to the captain of the Tetetet army who had led him to this point.

'I'll leave the ground to you. If we don't return in half a day, consider the strawmen a failure.
All right, have a safe trip.

　The captain salutes.

'Mm.'

　Ms. Kilt nodded back, and she turned to me at such close range that I could see my face reflected in her golden eyes.

'Now, please, Merle.'
Yes.

　I nodded broadly.

"Let our path shine on. --Lightum vaadum!

　Piiiiiiin.

　He moved the 'fairy sword' in his only free right hand and created three light birds from the magical activator's bracelet.

　These glittering birds headed for the air hole that was stained with darkness.

''Then let's go!

　I call out to them.

　The three arms and legs were strong again.

　Voong.

　With my wings shining, I lightly rose and did a somersault, then followed the light birds and plunged into the air hole surrounded by darkness.


　◇ ◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇


　The wind pressure fluttered their beautiful hair.

　The walls of the air hole, illuminated by the light birds, had a haunting glow as the snowmelt trickled down the walls of the air hole.

(!)

　After about 50 meadows down, the wall texture changes.

　The slippery, metal-like surface becomes uneven and darker in color.

　And then, in the light of the light birds.

(There!)

　I could see a few giant ants writhing on the wall.

'Keep going, Marl!

　Kilt's instructions.

　I nod and fly away without slowing down.

　Giggling.

　With the snapping of their large-jawed scissors, the giant ants threaten against the intruders.

　Gyu.

　Kirt-san let go of his hands as he tightly entwined his legs around my waist.

　The hilt of the 'Great Sword of Thunder' is held in his hands.

''Irna, Sol!''
Yes, sir.
I know!

　The sisters nodded.

　Then, Solstice chanted and released her magic.

　The 'Flaming Butterflies' flying off from the Thanatos magic letters hit the giant ants.

　''Dopapaan.''

　With countless explosions, the giant ants fall from the wall.

'Shits!'

　bang

　There, Illtimina-san's white spear was shot out, and the black demons exploded in the air.

　We flew through their flesh and blood at once.

　Zagyun, Hukon.

The giant ants that the 'Flame Butterflies' dropped and leaked out were slashed by Kirt's 'Great Sword of Thunder' and my 'Fairy Sword'.

''Never stop.''
Yeah!

　vo on

　Its metal wings glowed with rainbow colors as it descended further downward.

　Along the way, it killed several giant ants.

　The descent, which takes 20 to 30 seconds, eventually comes to an end.

　Along with the carcasses of many giant ants, we flew out through the long vertical hole and into the open space.

　Bah!

　He flapped his large wings and made a sudden stop.

(Ugh.....

　It was quite painful with the weight of all three of us at once.

　I managed to withstand it and land on the floor.

　Illuminated by the brilliance created by the three light birds, the state of the space emerges.

''..........''

　It was a vast cavernous place.

　It was about the size of a giant dome stadium?

　From the floor to the ceiling with the air holes, it was about thirty meters high.

　And the walls of the space were filled with a blue ore that shone translucently like an aquamarine gemstone.

(Fairy iron.........)

　I see that it is the same material as my sword.

　It's as if I'm diving into the beautiful blue depths of the ocean.

　The three bodies leave me.

"..........
..........
..........

　For a few seconds, we were all in awe of the beautiful scenery.

　Gichichi........

　There was a cacophony of sound mixed in there.

　It was an unpleasant tone, like scraping metal.

(!)

　We turned around and found the figure of the demon queen who rules this underground space in the depths of the darkness.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


That's ... the queen ant.

　In one corner of the beautiful blue space, an ochre-colored mucus-like substance had been deposited.

　Standing there, a huge black body.

　It was a winged ant that was as large as five meds in length.

　Compared to ordinary giant ants, its abdomen was unusually long and large and swollen.

　Inside the ochre-colored mucus, milky-white slender objects about thirty centimeters long were lined up everywhere.

　--They are eggs.

　There were hundreds of them, all of which were the eggs of giant ants.

　Piku, piku, piku, piku.

　Some of the eggs are bobbing around, letting us know that some of them are about to hatch.

(...when those all hatch...)

　A shiver runs down my spine at the horror of it all.

　Gasp.

　In this blue space, there were nearly 20 ordinary giant ants as well.

　They were not only on the floor, but also on the walls and ceiling.

　And those giant ants are gathering between us and the queen ants like soldiers protecting a queen.

　Mr. Kilt runs his gaze sharply around us.

'There are three paths that lead to this place.

　Behind and to the right of our location was a tunnel, and near the ceiling was another hole, this one probably dug by ants.

　Creaky.

　The queen ant has been snapping her scissors the whole time.

(..........)

You have summoned your friends. When the queen is in danger, the other giant ants will flock to you.

　I knew it!

　Our leader, the 'Golden Mark Demon Hunter', quickly gave his instructions.　

''Warawa, hold off the enemy in the rear. Marle on the right, Sol on the ceiling.
Yes.
Okay, okay.

　The two of us little ones nodded at the same time.

'Irna. You, in the meantime, take down that queen.
...Me?

　Illtimina-san looks a bit surprised.

　Indeed, usually, such a role has been taken on by Kilt-san.

　Kirt-san grinned.

''As my first prey after becoming the 'Golden Mark Demon Hunter,' it's just as well, right?
"...quilt.
Come on, kill me.

　A reliable voice as a senior demon hunter.

''Yes!''

　Illtimina nodded vigorously.

　With a white spear in her hand, she began to walk briskly towards the queen ant and the soldiers guarding it.

　We moved too.

　Countless signs were approaching from holes in three directions.

(I won't let them interfere with you, Illtimina-san!)

　I spread my shining wings and landed in front of the hole on the right side, holding the 'fairy sword' in front of me.

　Kilt-san also went to the front of the tunnel behind me.

　Solstice waits in place, staring at the hole in the ceiling and holding up her large staff.

　But he looks a bit nervous.

(............)

　I held up my left arm, the 'silvery white cuirass'

'Spirit, eliminate any enemy that comes near Solstice!

　Jeez, gagaaah.

　A 3-medium-long 'white silver wolf' pops out of the red magic stone on his cuirass.

　Solstice is a wizard.

　If he were to be approached by a giant ant, he would need a guardian until he could activate his magic.

''.........''
..........

　He exchanged a glance with the red eyes made of ore.

　Ji, gaaaah.

　The genie understood my will and ran down to Solstice.

　Solstice was surprised, and then looked at me.

　I smiled.

　Solstice, for some reason, got a Buddha's face. As it was, she looked up at the ceiling with a puissant look and held up her large staff.

　...........
　Well, let's see.

　I focus on the darkness of the tunnel in front of me.

　There's something else coming.

(It's coming!)

　First, two giant ants.

　They are not on the floor of the tunnel, but running down the wall.

　Gitty.

　He unfolded his big shears and jumped at me.

'Yes!'

　Stepping in and increasing the power with a counter-sword technique, he severed the heads of one of them.

(One body first!)

　The other pair of scissors used the metal wings on his back as a shield to protect him.

　Gagiiin.

　Sparks fly as they hit the rainbow-colored wings.

''Ha!''

　vong

　It spread its wings as far as it could and flung the black behemoth off.

　The giant ant rolled nearly ten meadows into the tunnel.

(I won't let them pass here!)

　Having regained my stance, I held the 'fairy sword' in my right eye once more.

　From behind me, Kirt's voice also came from behind me.

''Demon Sword, Thunderbolt Renzang!

　badge-in

　A blue bolt of lightning gushed out and the flesh and blood of the giant ants popped out.

　Solstice also used the 'Flame Butterfly' to drop the giant ants that came out of the hole in the ceiling.

　Dopapaan.

　The giant ants that fell down were defeated by the meteoric 'White Silver Wolf' attack before they could get up.

　The blockade of this space was perfect.

　And Illtimina-san.

　Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew Hew.

　As it moved forward, it moved like a dance and waved its white spear.

　Each time he did so, the giant ants that were trying to block his approach to the queen were disintegrated into pieces.

　The giant ants, which numbered close to 20, had been wiped out in less than 30 seconds.

　They were all gone.

　The queen ant raised her 5-med giant body and made it more threatening.

　The beautiful woman who received it readied her spear with a cool expression.

''--I will come.''

　bang

　The new "Golden Mark Demon Hunter" that was born in Shumuria attacked the giant demon queen with a beautiful leap.