The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Chapter 69 To The Outside World (End) First Magic Beast

<Commencing analysis of current party status and situational dynamics. Combatants include 12 chimera ant soldiers, 10 flame scarabs, and 1 frog variant chimera ant. The target—direwolf at Baron rank—is fatigued and wounded, exhibiting a reduced defensive capability due to ongoing battle injuries.>

Rodion paused for a second as Mikhailis stared at the screen, assessing the situation with a sharp eye.

<Recommended strategies include Option A: Infiltration through the mouth, utilizing the small size of flame scarabs and chimera soldiers to compromise the respiratory pathways. Estimated success rate: 64%. Option B: Coordinated external assault, focusing on overwhelming the weakened target from multiple angles to force exhaustion. Estimated success rate: 48%.

Option C: Combining infiltration with external assault, aiming for maximum damage and faster incapacitation. Estimated success rate: 79%.>

Mikhailis smirked at the options being presented to him. He looked at the screen, watching the direwolf's heaving chest as it struggled to recover.

"Rodion, Option C looks like our best bet. Let's take it by the mouth and the throat. We'll play smart here, I'd rather not lose more ants than we need to." Your journey continues at empire

<Affirmative. Implementing infiltration and coordinated assault strategy. Adjusting units accordingly for optimal efficiency.>

Rodion's mechanical voice was suddenly interrupted by an alert, and Mikhailis glanced at his display with wide eyes as the number of units began to change.

<Correction: An additional 18 chimera ant soldiers and 40 more flame scarabs have been mobilized. Current unit strength is 30 soldiers and 50 flame scarabs.>

"Well, look at that..." Mikhailis muttered, a grin forming on his face. "Looks like the queen's got something to say. She wants to make sure this is over as safely as possible, huh? Let her do her thing, Rodion. This will be a good learning experience for her in strategizing."

<Confirmed. Letting the queen's directives take precedence for combat arrangements. Proceeding with coordination and final adjustments.>

Mikhailis watched in anticipation, his heart pounding as the swarm of chimera ants and flame scarabs mobilized under the queen's command. The frog variant had climbed higher into the tree, preparing to keep an eye on the situation from above. Below, the flame scarabs moved swiftly towards the direwolf's massive, open mouth, two of them slipping inside along with a soldier ant.

It was almost surreal, like watching a hamster sneak inside a sleeping dog's mouth.

Mikhailis leaned back in his chair, eyes glued to the screen. The direwolf stirred, but it didn't wake. He couldn't help but feel a twisted sense of excitement. His ants—his creations—were about to take down a magical beast. The sheer thrill of it was undeniable.

The flame scarabs slowly made their way deeper, crawling past the direwolf's sharp fangs, their luminescent bodies flickering like fireflies as they moved further into the darkness of its throat. The soldier ant followed, using its mandibles to secure itself to the inner flesh, gripping tightly as it positioned itself near the trachea.

Mikhailis felt his breath hitch as he watched the direwolf shift, its body trembling as if it could feel the intruders, yet still not waking fully.

<Infiltration proceeding successfully. Initiating suffocation protocol through internal obstruction. Flame scarabs commencing slow burn of the respiratory lining. Anticipated time until full incapacitation: approximately ten minutes.>

"Good... good..." Mikhailis muttered, his gaze shifting to the external units. The remaining soldier ants began their approach, spreading out in a circular formation to surround the direwolf. The flame scarabs positioned themselves just behind them, their luminescence creating a soft, eerie glow that painted the clearing in an unsettling mix of shadows and light.

The first chimera soldier lunged forward, mandibles snapping as it latched onto the direwolf's hind leg. The beast jerked awake instantly, letting out a deep, guttural growl that rumbled through the clearing. It shook its head violently, saliva spraying from its jaws as it struggled to comprehend the sudden assault.

"Hold on!" Mikhailis yelled, his hands clenching in anticipation.

The direwolf's eyes were wild, full of rage and confusion as it looked around, its breath coming out in harsh, ragged bursts. It snapped its jaws, but the ant and scarabs inside its throat were already working. Mikhailis watched as a thin plume of smoke curled from the corner of its mouth, the flame scarabs beginning their work in earnest.

The wolf roared, its massive body twisting as it tried to dislodge whatever was burning inside of it. Its claws scraped the earth as it struggled to get a foothold, but the soldier ants were relentless, their mandibles biting into its legs, holding on with a ferocity that surprised even Mikhailis. They were like tiny soldiers determined to bring down a beast many times their size.

The wolf swung its head, jaws snapping down on one of the flame scarabs that had moved too close. It crunched down, and Mikhailis winced as he watched the scarab's light blink out instantly, crushed in the wolf's powerful jaws.

"Damn... that one's gone," he muttered, his voice laced with frustration. The direwolf wasn't going down without a fight.

Another soldier ant was swatted away by the beast's claws, its body crumpling against the ground, but still, they pressed on. The ants and scarabs seemed to understand the stakes—they were fighting for the colony, for their queen, and they weren't about to back down.

<Current losses: one flame scarab, two chimera soldiers. Situation remains within acceptable loss parameters. Proceeding with operation.>

Mikhailis gritted his teeth, his heart pounding as he watched the direwolf thrash. It managed to get up onto its feet, despite the burning sensation in its throat. It swung its head again, its jaws closing around another chimera soldier, the crunch of its exoskeleton audible even through the display.

"Rodion, we need to finish this quickly!" Mikhailis urged, his voice strained.

<Understood. Coordinating additional units for final assault. Flame scarabs switching to ignition mode, focusing burn on the tracheal region. Anticipated result: asphyxiation within two minutes.>

The direwolf's roars grew weaker, its body swaying as the flame scarabs intensified their attack, their bodies glowing a bright red as they burned hotter and hotter. The soldier ant inside continued its assault, tearing into the wolf's throat, obstructing its airway further.

The wolf's movements became sluggish, its legs giving way beneath it as it collapsed onto the ground, its breath coming in shallow, wheezing gasps. Mikhailis could see the desperation in its eyes, the way it struggled to stay alive despite the odds stacked against it.

"Come on... just a bit more," Mikhailis whispered, his eyes locked on the screen.

The wolf let out one final, guttural growl, its body shuddering violently before it fell still. The flame scarabs crawled out of its mouth, their bodies covered in soot and ichor, but their luminescence still flickering.

<The target has been neutralized. Operation successful. Current casualties: ten chimera soldiers, seven flame scarabs.>

Mikhailis let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, his body sagging back against the chair. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the tension drain from his body. They had done it. His ants had taken down a Baron-ranked direwolf—something that should have been impossible for creatures their size. And yet, they had succeeded.

"Ten soldiers... seven scarabs," Mikhailis muttered, his voice tinged with regret. "It's a hefty cost, but we did it." He bit his lip, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the screen.

"Rodion, take note. We need to revise our strategy. We can't afford to lose that many soldiers every time. The queen's going to need to think more creatively next time."

<Noted. Revising strategy templates based on data gathered during this operation. Initiating analysis for future improvements in coordinated assaults and infiltration.>

Mikhailis nodded, his eyes still locked on the fallen direwolf. It lay there, massive and imposing, even in death. The flame scarabs and soldier ants moved around it, their movements more subdued now that the battle was over.

"Have the soldiers secure the body. The queen's going to want to feast," Mikhailis said, a small smile playing at his lips.

<Understood. Commencing retrieval protocol. Preparing to transport remains to the nest for queen consumption and evolutionary advancement.>