Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 1982: Defense test (2)

Queenie’s expression was incredibly sour, looking as though she would prefer to be doing literally anything else.

Regardless of her feelings, I was compelling her to train alongside me, as it was vital that she mastered her abilities.

My goal was for her to produce a barrier that possessed at least half the durability of the one Insectum had utilized before.

I was certain Queenie had the potential for this; as Insectum’s messenger, she naturally had access to the gifts they bestowed upon her. It stood to reason that she could manifest a barrier on par with the one I had witnessed earlier.

I didn't intend to push her to that extreme immediately, however.

For the time being, I would keep her training until she reached a standard I deemed acceptable, and no amount of whining would grant her an escape.

The issue was that my attempts at coercion didn't seem to be yielding much progress.

Even though she technically followed my instructions, there wasn't a shred of drive behind her actions.

Naturally, one can't expect stellar results when someone is being forced into cultivation and training against their will. Under normal circumstances, the mere fact that any progress was made at all would be considered a success.

At the very least, it would serve as proof that she possessed the necessary talent.

However, these were not normal circumstances, and we were severely pressed for time.

Because she was talented, I knew she was capable of handling the regimen I had laid out.

Ultimately, I decided that a more aggressive approach was required.

"Alright, I can see that you have absolutely no motivation," I remarked with a sudden sigh.

Queenie appeared startled by my words, and a faint, subtle smile seemed to flicker across her face. I couldn't be entirely certain, as interpreting the expressions of bug-like beings isn't easy, but it wasn't difficult to guess her current mood.

Of course, I had no intention of letting her enjoy that sense of satisfaction for long.

"Since that's how it is, I suppose the only option left is to provide you with some motivation."

At first, Queenie seemed confused by my statement, but the confusion vanished the moment I revealed the item I intended to introduce to her training session.

The second Queenie laid eyes on it, a strange look took hold of her features, and she asked slowly, "What are you planning to do with that?"

"What do you think I'm going to do?" I replied, my voice remaining perfectly level.

"You wouldn't... This is your own relic you'd be releasing it in. No matter how you look at it, there's no benefit for you."

She spoke in a tone that sounded as if she were trying to negotiate a deal with me.

It was a pity for her that I wasn't in the mood for bargaining.

"This thing is weak enough for me to handle if I choose, but I don't think it will be quite so easy for you to manage. If you wish to stay safe, you'll have to take measures to protect yourself."

Hearing this, a grimace formed on Queenie’s face.

She might have been lazy, but she was certainly no idiot.

She quickly realized exactly what I was forcing her into and the effort she would now be required to exert.

"Wait, I'll be serious now. Just don't do that..." She looked defeated, but I wasn't falling for it.

"Show me," I commanded, my voice cold and indifferent.

Queenie looked as though she were on the verge of tears, yet she found herself with no other choice.

In the next instant, the swarm of bugs began to stir.

The insects she had used before clustered together, forming a solid, physical wall.

Up until now, the aspect of the barrier she had been focusing on wasn't the structure itself, but rather the density of divine energy contained within it.

Now, she was finally attempting to refine the actual barrier.

Queenie knew exactly what I expected of her, but she had been dodging the task until this moment.

It simply wasn't a skill that was easily mastered.

Or, more accurately, she no longer possessed the same proficiency she once held.

Seeing how quickly she initially picked things up, I first assumed it was pure talent. However, upon closer inspection, I realized talent wasn't the only factor at play.

There was a distinct sense of familiarity in her manipulation of divine energy, something that talent alone cannot provide. It was the kind of muscle memory that only comes from having performed a task many times before.

It was obvious that Queenie had wielded this power in her past.

The trouble was that her laziness had caused her former skills to atrophy completely. Had she maintained them, reaching the level I required would have been a simple matter.

Ultimately, she was just facing the consequences of her own negligence.

As the bugs spread out, a barrier of divine energy began to take shape.

The process involved using each individual bug as a conduit for divine energy, which was then projected around them. Once released, that energy coalesced into the form of a shield.

With so many bugs acting in unison, the resulting barrier should have been formidable, provided the divine energy was controlled with precision.

The problem remained that Queenie lacked that necessary control.

Consequently, as soon as the bugs moved too far apart, the barrier she was struggling to maintain suddenly began to fracture.

Once those cracks appeared, it took only a moment for the entire structure to shatter into pieces.