Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 475: The Storm I

CH475 The Storm I

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”Master, these ants are getting annoying. Should I assassinate the Ant Queen?”

”No!” Alex replied instantly. ”Her presence is the only thing keeping the ants under control. If she dies, they’ll become more aggressive—and far less predictable.”

He issued a new order without hesitation.

”Attack her, but don’t kill her. Try to incapacitate her and pull her away from the battlefield.”

”The ants will frenzy trying to recover her and withdraw from the fight,” Udara realised. ”That will create an opening for the adventurers and orcs to cut them down.”

”Exactly,” Alex confirmed. ”But you’ll likely need to eliminate her mates first.”

”Understood.”

Udara wasted no time. The moment Zora acknowledged the plan—taking over full responsibility for the backline alongside Fen—Udara moved.

The distance was too far for a direct [Shadow Dash], so she leapt from shadow to shadow across the battlefield, weaving through chaos until she reached her target.

Her figure materialised beside the Ant Queen’s mate—the one rendered unconscious by Senu’s [Dazzling Strike]. Udara dispatched it cleanly, ending its life before it could even stir.

She vanished again and reappeared beside the sole remaining mate, finishing it just as swiftly.

This time, however, she didn’t make the kill clean.

The dying ant convulsed violently, its death throes sending sharp vibrations through the ground.

The Sand Ant Queen froze.

For several seconds, her mandibles remained locked in place as she stared at her fallen mate.

Scree~~!!

A piercing shriek tore through the battlefield.

Every ant halted.

Then, as Udara stepped forward with unmistakable lethal intent, the queen released another cry—one that sent the entire colony into motion.

Unlike the monarchs of many other species, the Sand Ant Queen had no means of defending herself. That role belonged entirely to the colony—and especially to her mates, the remainder of whom Udara had just slain.

Her cry summoned them all.

Ants abandoned their fights against the orcs and adventurers, swarming toward the queen in a desperate attempt to protect her.

The response was far stronger than Udara had anticipated—she hadn’t even struck the queen yet.

”Cut off its limbs and get out of there!” Alex’s voice barked over comms.

Udara moved instantly.

She darted back and forth around the Ant Queen, her blade flashing as she severed limbs with each pass, crippling the massive insect without delivering a killing blow.

But by the time she finished, the swarm was nearly upon her.

Worse—there were no safe shadows left to retreat through.

”Move!”

She heard Alex’s voice just as Senu’s massive figure swept down, her body casting a vast shadow beside the ant horde—placed almost perfectly, just the edge of the range of Udara’s [Shadow Dash].

From there, Udara leapt into the shadow of an approaching adventurer and vanished to safety.

With Udara’s escape secured, Alex turned his attention back to the Sand Ant Queen.

Her injuries were grievous, but not fatal.

She screamed in such agony that it overwhelmed the colony’s pheromone signals and nervous network, throwing the entire ant horde into chaos.

Fortunately, nature had hardcoded survival protocols into the species.

Several ants higher up the colony’s hierarchy—easily identified by their larger bodies—forced their way through the swarm. They hoisted their crippled queen and dragged her back underground, retreating toward the nest’s depths.

With the queen removed from the battlefield, the ants’ involvement was effectively over as most of the colony flowed back beneath the earth like a reversing tide.

But not all of them retreated.

A handful remained above ground—whether out of confusion, rage, or blind loyalty to the queen’s last command, it was unclear.

But in the larger picture, they no longer mattered.

As far as Alex was concerned, they were ignorable. But same could not be said for the orcs and adventurers below.

Perhaps out of anger and pent-up frustration, the warriors descended on the ants that failed to receive the retreat signal, cutting them down mercilessly.

By the time the last of the stragglers were dealt with, Alex’s gaze had already shifted to Azgrug and the Dune Wolf King.

Calling what was happening between them a fight was generous.

The wolf was a coward—an intelligent one, but a coward nonetheless. Even when cornered, it chose evasion over confrontation.

Time and again it attempted to disengage and flee.

Time and again, Azgrug prevented it.

The orc chieftain understood this truth clearly; this was likely the last chance he would ever get to kill the beast before it slipped away and grew even stronger.

Howl~

A sharp cry rang out from the right flank.

Alex understood the signal instantly.

One of the wolves facing the expedition party’s guard team was calling for assistance or permission to retreat.

HOWL~~!

The Dune Wolf King—its Alpha—responded.

The command was clear.

No retreat.

Instead it ordered its pack to disengage and strike for ambush attack instead.

It was a time-tested tactic among wolves.

And without hesitation, the pack obeyed.

[Sand Grip]!

The remaining wolves unleashed their racial ability in unison.

The ground beneath their enemies suddenly softened like jelly, swallowing the expedition party member’s boots before hardening instantly—locking their attackers in place.

In the same breath, the wolves surged forward, executing a perfectly timed ambush.

It was a tactic they had refined countless times within the nest.

Executed flawlessly.

And yet—

This time, it failed to kill anyone.

The moment the wolves lunged to strike the immobilised members of the expedition party, blades flashed and arrows loosed.

Steel and mana tore through fur and flesh in a single coordinated counter.

The wolves fell.

Their once-prized special move—one they had relied upon to slaughter countless foes—had become the very cause of their destruction.

Within moments, every wolf lay dead.

Every wolf—

Except one.

The Dune Wolf King.

Just as its claws descended toward the bound Azgrug, the orc chieftain’s eyes flashed with ruthless clarity.

Bam!

His warhammer struck first, smashing into the wolf’s side.

[Ammos Hide]!

The Dune Wolf King reacted in time, activating its sole defensive ability.

A thick, compressed plate of sand formed instantly around its body, absorbing the bulk of the blow and dispersing the force.

Awwoooo!!!

However, it didn’t celebrate its successful brush with death. No, it cried with grief.

Through the invisible pack bond, the Alpha felt every death—each severed presence echoing through its mind.

Its gaze snapped back to Azgrug, burning with hatred.

Azgrug recognised the gaze. And a crazed grin spread across his face.

”It hurts, doesn’t it?” he said, teeth bared. ”An eye for an eye.”

”You and your pack killed my tribe. So my tribe has killed yours as well.”

He raised his spiked warhammer, pointing it directly at the wolf king.

”And I’m not done yet,” Azgrug growled. ”I am going to kill you too.”

Grrr~~!

The wolf king lowered its stance, muscles coiling as it bared its fangs.

Its eyes flicked across the battlefield—measuring the distance, and contemplating an escape routes.

But then—

Awoo~~!!

It surprisingly chose to fight.

A baleful purple aura erupted from its body.

This was nothing like the berserk energy of the Crystal Scorpion.

It poured off the wolf like molten miasma—thick, viscous, and profoundly corruptive.

Azgrug’s grin vanished.

His expression hardened.

”You’re not the only one with a trump card left.”

The final charge of the Strength Rune Tattoo engraved on his back ignited.

ROAR!!!

Both orc and beast roared as they charged toward one another.

***