The Fungal Wastes
This was a vast cavern filled with all manner of plants and enormous trees.
The lower level was overgrown with moss and shrubs, with several rivers running through it.
The middle level consisted of countless vines, branches, and hollows in the trees.
And the upper level lay at the very top of the cavern, above the crowns of the giant trees.
These three distinct environments together formed the ecosystem here.
The abundant groundwater flowing through the cavern was the foundation of its prosperity.
Ubiquitous glowing fungi illuminated this space, making it possible for life to flourish.
Yet no matter how favorable the environment was, even the stupidest crawling creature on the lower level would not leave its nest lightly.
There was a reason this place was so silent.
Beneath those countless green leaves and flowers were "hunters" waiting for prey.
The "hunters" crouched in the shadows, staring intently at the places touched by faint light as they waited for the next unfortunate creature to fill their bellies.
And in still darker corners, other "hunters" waited for some less skilled fool to give themselves away.
Insects, plants, fungi-whatever they were, every living thing here was both hunter and prey.
Only the finest hunters could survive in this forest.
But if something made no attempt to hide and swaggered down the middle of the path, there were only two possibilities.
One was that it was already an apex predator, with no further need to wait or endure.
The other was that it was an outsider.
"Hiss!"
Without any warning, a long, centipede-like creature suddenly burst out of the ground and lunged straight at the prey before it.
Those strange foreign bugs.
The creature's body was several meters long and densely covered in bladed legs, while its mouth oozed corrosive venom and held sharp teeth capable of crushing stone.
As a beast that ruled the lower level unchecked, it was confident. Its attacks had never failed.
Yet the expedition team's captain did not even glance at it as he drew his nail.
Cold steel flashed, and the overlord of the lower level was instantly sliced horizontally in two.
From drawing his weapon to finishing the strike, the entire movement flowed without a single unnecessary flaw.
Of course, mastery of technique was only part of the victory.
More importantly, no amount of physical training could make flesh withstand a weapon forged from steel.
The beast clearly had not understood this. It had hurled itself onto the sharp blade and cut itself in half.
The captain had merely held his blade across its path.
Having dealt with his opponent, he looked back to find that the other members of the team had likewise severed their enemies with nails or run them through with spears.
Only the chronicler remained beside the corpses, examining them with interest and taking notes.
This information will play an important role in the battles to come, the captain thought.
His decision to abandon cautious observation in favor of taking the initiative had indeed been correct.
This precious information would not deliver itself to their doorstep, but it was still not enough.
"Keep moving." The captain's voice was utterly calm, as though the attack had been nothing more than an insignificant interruption.
And that was indeed all it had been.
They had encountered more attacks like this along the way than they could count.
The members of the team had also come to understand the rules of this place, to varying degrees.
But...
"Hunters? Hmph..." The captain gave a contemptuous snort.
To him, the creatures here might well have been excellent hunters, but their actions were nothing more than the behavior of beasts struggling to survive.
On a true battlefield, a hunter's petty tricks were no match for a warrior in a head-on fight.
Anyone who could join the expedition team was already among the clan's elite. And the one chosen as captain had been among the tribe's strongest warriors even back in their days on the wasteland.
The team wandered through the cavern's lower level, waiting to cut down any beasts that could no longer resist pouncing on them.
This seemingly pointless wandering might have looked meaningless to an outsider, but it was not. It served a purpose.
Their conspicuous movements were meant to draw out any enemies that might be hiding in the shadows.
Those that remained wary, hiding in the darkness and observing, were what the expedition truly needed to watch out for.
This operation was both a warning and a show of force.
Come out already. Where is your honor?
Aren't you supposed to be the finest hunters?
Are you really going to let outsiders do whatever they please on your land?
That should have sent a clear enough message.
But... have they become even more cautious?
"Hmph. Still watching?"
With a cold sneer, the captain realized that the other side was still being careful.
At first, there had indeed been some movement among the distant treetops, but now all signs of it had vanished.
The captain immediately adjusted his strategy to match the change.
After reaching a certain spot, the expedition team stopped to rest.
The captain wiped down his weapon, though there was absolutely no need to do so.
The other members, even the chronicler, all appeared casual and unconcerned, entirely unlike their earlier vigilant stance.
Yet a closer look would reveal that every bug in the team kept their weapon within reach.
The shell on the chronicler's back had not closed either, leaving the chronicler ready to take flight at any moment.
The entire team seemed relaxed, but they remained poised to respond immediately should anything unexpected happen.
They had gathered nearly all the information they needed on those beasts.
More precisely, they had killed nearly everything on the cavern's lower level.
This was an invitation: after wreaking havoc, they had promptly settled down to rest in the most conspicuous place they could find.
If there really were observers hiding in the shadows, this would be the perfect moment for them to reveal themselves.
Or launch a sneak attack.
Either way, whatever they were, it was time for them to appear.
From a hollow in a tree some distance above the team's resting place, a pair of compound eyes stared fixedly down at them.
But after a single glance, they vanished again. Only faint sounds among the distant trees remained, indicating that the bug had left.
The captain had guessed correctly. There were indeed intelligent natives here.
And the observer had understood his intentions, choosing not to approach recklessly.
The observer was simply more cautious than he had imagined. Upon recognizing his scheme, the bug had immediately left, with no intention of lingering.
The Fungal Wastes-middle level
There was no solid ground here. In its place was an intricate network of passages formed by vines, branches, and tree hollows.
Deep within the middle level, occupying the best location, stood a village built from branches and vines upon the tree trunks.
The emerald-green figure who had observed the team earlier was now running and leaping along the branches, hurrying into the village.
In the faint light that occasionally fell through gaps between the branches, his figure could finally be seen clearly.
He had a green shell, two long antennae on his head, and slender limbs. Instead of a mask, he had a long neck and a small head with compound eyes.
The still-developing wings on his back were unlike those of fireflies. They were tough and leathery, forming wing covers.
Without a doubt, he was a mantis.
After the little emerald-green fellow deftly crossed several defensive lines and traps, the next thing he encountered was the eyes of the village's "hunters."
Several gazes fixed on him the instant he entered the village.
It was certainly unusual for the village's scout to be in such a frantic rush, but the little fellow had no time to stop and explain.
"Chief! Chief! Outsiders! They've invaded!"