Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 1967: Not what was expected

While they shared a similar hue, the creatures emerging from the tunnels were not of a singular race.

A diverse swarm of insects poured out from the subterranean passages to encircle our group.

As the distance between us closed, the specific varieties of the insects became much clearer.

I spotted creatures resembling beetles, others that looked like spiders, and various other insectoid types. However, upon closer inspection of the surrounding horde, it was evident that the primary species present were ants.

Ants appeared to constitute more than half of the entire insect population gathered there.

The remainder of the swarm was composed of various other bug species.

Having successfully hemmed us in, the creatures abruptly halted their advance.

They established a perimeter around us to block any potential escape route, yet they maintained enough distance to avoid immediate physical pressure. It felt as though they were surrounding us because they required something from us.

However, deciphering the desires of these insects was nearly impossible, as their faces lacked any human expression.

The organized way they trapped us suggested they were acting under specific commands.

An uncomfortable quietude descended upon the area the moment the swarm stopped moving.

While they were approaching, the collective skittering of so many legs had been practically deafening. Now that they were stationary, the sudden lack of noise felt incredibly eerie.

Furthermore, even if these insects possessed the intent to communicate, they lacked the means to speak with us.

Consequently, there was only one course of action left to take...

"What is it that you want with us?" My voice rang out, slicing through the lingering silence.

Hearing my words, Klein and the rest of the royal guards directed worried glances my way, but they quickly seemed to steel their resolve. It looked as if they had reached the firm conviction that they would fight to their final breath if the situation demanded it.

Yet, there was no visible reaction from the insect swarm.

They remained perfectly still, acting as if they hadn't heard a single word I uttered.

A look of awkwardness crossed my features; I wasn't entirely sure what I had expected from such a question, but I had anticipated some form of acknowledgement.

Their complete lack of response made me feel quite foolish.

I remained silent, waiting patiently for any sign of a reply from the bugs.

Eventually, after a brief wait, they finally reacted. However, the nature of their response made it difficult to immediately grasp their intentions.

Suddenly, the insects shifted to the sides, parting to create a clear corridor for us.

By opening this path, they seemed to be gesturing for us to follow it to a specific destination. However, judging by the direction of the opening, it was clear they weren't simply letting us go free.

Tracing the path with my eyes, I saw that it led directly into one of the tunnels etched into the cliffside.

It appeared their goal was to lead us into the unknown.

Klein and the royal guards were clearly displeased by this development, casting wary looks at me that silently urged me not to follow the path. It was obvious they preferred to fight our way out of this predicament.

I recognized their perspective, as that was their sworn duty as royal guards.

Nevertheless, I hadn't led us to this location to wage war against these insects. More accurately, I didn't come here to battle the entity that was commanding them.

My primary objective for coming here was to establish contact with the one pulling the strings of this swarm.

This was because I was certain that the individual controlling these bugs was a god’s messenger.

I hadn't picked up on it initially, but I was beginning to sense a faint trace of divine energy emanating from within the swarm. It was a subtle presence, but its existence proved that these insects were linked to something divine.

While I wasn't certain of the exact nature of that connection, I knew it meant these creatures were tied to the god’s messenger...

Or, at the very least, they were connected to whatever was masquerading as the god’s messenger.

Regardless of the details, there was a specific reason they carried this divine energy.

"Come on, we’re going in to see what it is," I declared, paying little mind to the concerns of the others.

Klein and the royal guards wore bitter expressions upon hearing my command, yet they followed nonetheless. In truth, they had little choice but to accompany me since the swarm still hemmed us in.

Despite their disagreement with my choices, they remained dedicated to their task of protecting me.

They maintained their tight circular formation so that I was shielded from every angle.

Even though we clashed at times, they were unwavering in their commitment to my safety.

Though, I must admit, it looked quite peculiar for us to be marching in a circle like that.

As we progressed, I noticed that Klein and the guards were on high alert, watching the surrounding bugs. They seemed fully prepared to strike the moment the insects did anything suspicious.

But the swarm simply continued to flank us, as if they were merely observing our movements.

Being watched by so many motionless eyes was certainly unsettling.

It didn't take us long to reach the designated tunnel entrance, but the interior wasn't nearly as dark as I had anticipated.