It was faint, but I could hear it. Three to our north-west. Four to our east. Two in the south. The main force—the loudest buzzing of them all—were more than a dozen at least, and they were ready for a frontal assault.
The problem for us would be which way to fight. Since this was an open field, they had to come to us eventually, but an open field also meant that we had no natural terrain to defend ourselves.
I was the weakest of the party with no combat experience, sans Akari if I commanded her to protect me. But she was a speed-type attacker that relied on quick and rapid strikes to finish the job, which meant that she needed more intricate spacing than an open field to work. Midorikawa could function as a substitute, but he didn’t have the stamina or combat strength needed—as proven by his early knock-out by the Herakabuto.
The buzzing from the left was a bit louder than before. Their western flank had started to advance. Our formation right now was one for defense—with me and Yamabuki at the center, while the other four covered our corners. But with this positioning…
“Everyone! Turn one person-worth to the left!”
“Huh?”
“Swap places with the one to your left, I mean!”
Damn it, my communication with the others wasn't clear enough! This timing would mean…
“Incoming enemy!” Shouted Midorikawa. “Careful, everyone!”
From our left flank, a flash of gold and black flew in like a storm. Midorikawa, the one closest to its attacking path, was the first to react, but even he only had enough time to block the incoming stinger with his armguard in a cross. The resulting impact, however, was still enough to push the lanky man a few steps back, before the stray hornet tried to switch its target.
”Oh no you don’t!”
With a swift arm swipe, Midorikawa utilized the bladed part of his gauntlet—not as prominent as Akabane’s, but sharp enough to use in a pinch—and delivered a cut towards the violent creature, pushing it back like how it did to him. Although the attack wasn’t near lethal range, it did cause a certain threat level that forced the hornet to consider twice before going in again.
But it was not alone.
”Incoming right flank!” I shouted. “Akari!”
As the words left my mouth, another gold shadow popped up on our opposite end. But this time, I was fast enough.
With just a single jump, Akari had crossed paths with the winged assailant, and one quick slash was enough to clip its wings and stop it dead on its track. The Shinbachira cried an agonized sound before dropping down to the ground, alive but harmless to us.
However, that was far from our safety. The fact that the right flank started moving could only mean one thing.
This was the reason why the left side only sent one to attack us. They were not only outnumbering us, but they were also organized to a frustrating level. We were in an open field, but they were all hiding behind the trees and forest surrounding us. Them sending in waves of attack was their strategy of wearing us down little by little before besting us in a battle of attrition. And with the number of bodies they had in their hive, that plan would be perfectly possible.
Damn it! This is not enough! I need more information! More strategies! Don’t stop thinking!
I shifted my eyes left and right, trying to detect the faintest movement within the leaves. As I expected, there was just barely less shaking to the left rather than the right—their north-western side had the least number of attackers, likely just to bait us into moving towards the opposite side for their other force to push us. By attacking in multiple directions, they could make us dance in their palms—controlling us into going wherever they wanted.
”Everyone, move where the attack was!” I issued an order.
”What? Ya crazy, kid?” Midorikawa balked. “We know that they just attacked there!”
”That’s exactly why their forces are thinner now! Opening a blood path would be easier!”
The others were hesitant. Of course; they must have not believed in some kid that just joined their team for less than a day. But this was a matter of our survival—it didn’t matter if they would listen to me or not, I’d just have to prove that my choice was correct.
“Akari!”
“Kuri!”
With the same jump and slash combo, the Shinbachira on the left was dismissed in the same way. Now that I didn’t have anyone else to stop me, I was free to set out my plan in motion.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Putting all my strength into my legs, I dashed towards the forest in the north-western direction.
“Kid!”
”Yakushi-kun! Tch, everyone follow him!”
The group called out to me, but it didn’t matter. I had to be the one to do it anyway. I was the only one that could pull this off.
Footsteps could be heard behind me, signifying that the group had also chosen to venture into the forest with me. I could understand their reasoning—with the forest’s terrain being small and crowded with obstacles like trees, rocks and branches, they wouldn’t have enough space to counter properly, which would lead to them being the hornets’ ideal target practice. However, that possibility would never happen.
There were only three Shinbachira in the north-west, one had already been taken down at the riverbank. Within these woods, it would be harder for us to move, but also for them as well. Reinforcement couldn’t come in time if the two sides were to meet, and this time, they weren’t the one outnumbering us anymore.
As soon as the sight of their striped backs and buzzing wings appeared before us, I let out a grin of victory. We’d won this round.
But I couldn’t issue an order. Too large a sound and the hornet would be alerted. And the others knew about this as well—all of us held our breaths at the same time.
Now was the time to put my communication skills to the test.
I raised my arm.
If anyone could understand me, then follow my signal.
Taking a deep breath, I swallowed any fear and worry I had left.
One shot. I had one shot. It’s now or never.
I swatted my arm down as fast and strong as I could.
There were two that reacted to my command in time. Akari rushed towards the left, using the trees as her launchpads to dash around in a zigzag pattern, before finally slashing off the wings of one of the hornets like she had done before. At the same time when it fell, Midorikawa had already done the same thing, leaving behind a burst of sound and wind before the other Shinbachira’s wings were clipped.
By the time the other three had realized what had happened, everything was already over.
I didn’t dare to say a word. But I was excited enough to clutch my hand in victory. My strategy worked. My orders worked. And now we’d cleared our path straight to the hive. Nothing could stop us anymore…
“Yakushi-kun, look out!”
A sharp pain went through my entire body in seconds, as I felt myself being lifted into the air. From that elevated position, I could see the panic within the group’s faces, before Akabane rushed towards my direction. A surge of metallic liquid filled my mouth, while my ears vaguely detected screaming or crying, and at this point, I couldn’t tell if it was the people with me, or the creature that attacked me.
Ah, I get it. The pill wore off.
I was too careless. I didn’t factor in the possibility of the southern flank moving up to pincer us… No, I had thought of it, but my reliance on my enhanced senses meant that I failed to notice when and where the effect would wear off—after all, the pill was nowhere near the potency of the real thing. And by a pure chance of misfortune, the hornet’s attack was aimed right when the effects of the pill were gone.
My vision was failing me, but even with these eyes, I could see a giant hole in my stomach. There was no saving me, from the looks of it.
I had much more to do, though…
“Don’t you dare give up yet!”
A voice pulled me back to reality, as a certain liquid and a round, hard sphere went down my throat at the same time. Immediately, my brain and body both felt like being on fire again. My muscles twitched as if being shocked, while the sensation from the stab earlier came back like a truck.
“AGH!” My scream shook the nearby trees. The pain was so intense, I had to pant for air, with each breath felt like its own version of hell. As I looked down my body again, a large white bandage had wrapped itself around my wound.
“Bear with it for a while,” now that I was conscious enough, I could realize Yamabuki’s concerned voice. “That was a double dose of Shinbachira’s raw honey and my condensed pill. Since your senses are being amplified a hundred fold, you’re literally living off the pain right now. I’m sorry, but that’s the best first-aid we could give you right now.”
“Thanks… I guess…” each word that I uttered was like spewing out blood.
“Sorry Yakushi-kun, but I’m resuming command,” Akabane continued. “We should…”
I grabbed onto his wrist before he could finish the words he meant to say, squeezing onto it as hard as I could.
”Yakushi-kun?”
”Don’t you dare… quit right now…” I uttered. “You said it before… this is my operation, right? I’m not going back…until we get to talk to those damn bees…”
“But…”
Before Akabane could argue, another hand was placed on his shoulder.
“Let the kid do it, Red,” Midorikawa sighed. “He’s always like this. Don’t worry, with Yellow’s aid and the honey, he ain’t dying just yet.”
“… Okay. But if anything happens…”
”I’ll take him to safety as fast as my wings can take me, don’t worry.”
“Thank you, Green.” Giving a nod, Akabane finally gave in and turned to me. “Well, Yakushi-kun, let’s finish this operation.”
I gave out a nod in return, and we were on our way again. Only this time, I was being carried by two of the group members—Aozaki on the left, and Kurogiri on the right. Midorikawa and Akabane were too important in terms of combat capabilities to be occupied with me, so this was the best formation we could make at the moment.
Finally, our objective had appeared.
It had no distinctive shape, unlike the hive I encountered in my first venture in this forest. Instead of a spherical shape held by sticky honey, this Shinbachira hive was like a formation of solid amber, with branches and sections growing out of it in all directions, while still having that same soppy golden liquid flowing beneath it. A true monstrosity… and also a true wonder of nature.
It was my target. Not for conquest, but for achieving an understanding. And now, we took our first step to that future.