On the feed from Three-way Canyon, thirty adult Giant Scorpions were crawling out of their caves, split into ten groups.

Their movements were systematic. Each group of three fanned out, moving in a different direction.

Allen stared at the screen, his expression flickering and uncertain in the red glow of the warning lights.

"They’re looking for that dead scout."

’According to the data from the last battle, it would take a PX-0 working with an ancient weapon to kill an adult Giant Scorpion quickly. Otherwise, we’d have to slowly wear it down with a PX-1A.’

[Based on behavioral analysis, they will finish searching a 50-kilometer radius within 12 hours.]

[Probability of mine and factory exposure: 100%.]

’This isn’t a matter of ’this will be a tough fight’ anymore. It’s a matter of ’how can I die with some dignity?’’

’There’s not enough time.’

Allen turned to look at the Golems on standby inside the factory.

Even if he mobilized all his combat forces, he only had a total of three "Peacemakers," thirty-two Spider Slayers, and two hundred "Jumping Spiders."

This small force wasn’t enough to take on even a fraction of the enemy’s numbers.

’A head-on confrontation is out of the question.’

"Jarvis, simulate the results of a defensive battle."

[Result A: Advance and engage in frontal combat. Projected kills: 5. Time until defensive line collapses: 12 minutes.]

[Result B: Consolidate defenses at the factory. Projected kills: 8. Damage to primary factory structure: 100%.]

[Conclusion: Current armament level is insufficient to handle a Magical Beast tide of this scale. Recommendation: Abandon the factory immediately and evacuate with core assets.]

"Evacuate?"

Allen sneered. "I just finished laying the foundation and opened up the mine, and you’re telling me to run away now?"

’Artificial intelligence is just too simplistic. If I don’t have the brute force, I’ll just have to play dirty.’

He walked over to the holographic map and studied it carefully.

Three-way Canyon was due west of the factory, and the mining area was a short distance to the north.

To the northwest lay a large area marked as the "Crystalized Forest."

It was another dangerous area mentioned in Gordon’s intelligence reports.

"Jarvis, pull up the detailed file on the Crystalized Forest."

[Retrieving...]

[Crystalized Forest: Primarily inhabited by Dream-Weaving Demon Spiders. This species is also a social Magical Beast that rarely leaves its habitat. Individual power levels range from Advanced Apprentice to Second-level Wizard.]

[Known population size: Approx. 400.]

Allen narrowed his eyes.

’Two different species, both of them social.’

’Since I can’t win a straight fight, I’ll just have to frame someone and shift the blame.’

His finger traced a line on the map from the mining area to the Crystalized Forest, bypassing Three-way Canyon.

"DSeek, calculate this: if I dump the Giant Scorpion’s corpse at the edge of the Crystalized Forest and use Magic Stones as bait, can I lure their search party over there?"

[Based on an analysis of both species’ behavior, the probability of success is 78%.]

[Caution: once the two populations engage in conflict, the outcome will be unpredictable.]

’Unpredictable is exactly what I want.’

Allen turned and headed for the materials warehouse.

’The harder they fight each other, the more time I’ll have.’

He began to take inventory of his supplies.

He had just over three thousand Low-Level Magic Stones and fifty-odd Mid-Level Magic Stones remaining. He’d acquired them to serve as power sources for his Golems.

"Jarvis, get five hundred Low-Level Magic Stones and five Mid-Level Magic Stones ready for me."

[Task confirmed.]

Allen walked over to the Giant Scorpion corpse, which had already been picked apart.

Its carapace was stripped off, and its tail stinger had been repurposed into a weapon.

The remaining flesh and entrails emitted a pungent, foul stench.

’This will do.’

He directed the Factory Servants to load the remains into a large metal container and place it in his spatial briefcase.

The preparations were completed swiftly.

Allen changed into his Stealth Cloak and checked his gear.

Insight Glasses, the spatial briefcase, and a Flash Scroll he had prepared some time ago.

"Jarvis, I’m heading out. I’m leaving the factory to you."

[Understood. Good luck with the mission.]

Allen walked out of the factory gate and cast Flying Magic.

The night was pitch-black, with only the WHOOSH of the wind crossing the wasteland.

He flew at a high altitude, avoiding any potential detection from Magical Beasts.

The Stealth Cloak almost completely suppressed his Magic Power fluctuations.

"The Giant Scorpion scout party is still six kilometers from the mine," Jarvis’s voice reported directly in his mind.

"Begin laying the bait."

With a flick of his wrist, Allen dropped a Low-Level Magic Stone from the sky, letting it fall into the crevice of a rock.

To the Crystal Shell Giant Scorpions, which loved to devour minerals rich in Magic Power, a pure Magic Stone like this was a beacon in the night, emitting an irresistible, alluring scent.

He dropped one every hundred meters, like someone leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for a gluttonous child.

Allen gained altitude, hiding in the shadow of a cloud to observe.

Below, two of the Giant Scorpion scout parties heading toward the mining area came to a halt.

Several of the Giant Scorpions had clearly caught the scent of the Magic Stones. Greed instantly overrode discipline in their simple minds.

Their orderly formation broke apart as the Giant Scorpions scrambled over each other to get to the Magic Stones on the ground. Their large pincers collided with a sharp, metallic CLANG.

’Eat up. Eat your fill. This is your last meal, after all.’

Allen sneered inwardly. He controlled his flight speed, constantly trailing the edge of the scorpion swarm, feeding and luring them onward.

This "road of death," paved with Magic Stones, snaked its way west, leading directly to the edge of the Crystalized Forest.

Five kilometers.

Three kilometers.

One kilometer.

The landscape ahead changed dramatically. The red earth gave way to a forest of translucent crystal.

They were crystal structures that had once been trees. Their branches were now draped in grayish-white webs of silk, swaying gently in the wind.

Silent, yet shimmering.

This was the Crystalized Forest, territory of the Dream-Weaving Demon Spiders.

Allen stopped at the forest’s edge, took a deep breath, and pulled the mangled, bloody corpse of the Giant Scorpion from his bag.

He deliberately agitated the corpse to release its bodily fluids and unique, foul stench.

’Here goes.’

With a powerful swing of his arm, he sent the scorpion’s remains flying like a cannonball, smashing violently into a massive spiderweb.

SPLAT!

The web quivered violently, splattering viscous fluid everywhere. Immediately after, he tossed the remaining dozens of Magic Stones deep into the forest, creating a small "Magic Power shower."

Having done all this, Allen didn’t hesitate for a second. Unleashing his full Magic Power, he shot straight up into the sky.

"HIIISSSSSS!!!"

A blood-curdling screech echoed from deep within the Crystalized Forest.

It was the furious roar of a Dream-Weaving Demon Spider whose territory had been invaded.

At almost the same moment, the swarm of scorpions that had been following the trail of Magic Stones arrived.

And what did they see?

They saw the ground littered with Magic Stones, and the gruesome corpse of their comrade hanging from a spiderweb.

In the logic of a Crystal Shell Giant Scorpion, this was a provocation. A blatant, undeniable provocation!

The swarm, which had only been lured by the Magic Stones, instantly erupted into a frenzy.

The leading Giant Scorpions let out a low drone—the signal to attack.

RUMBLE—

Dozens of huge Demon Spiders climbed down from the crystalline trees.

Their bodies were translucent, and their abdomens pulsed with a purple glow.

The lead Demon Spider was over five meters long, its eight legs covered in sharp barbs.

The first Giant Scorpions to charge forward raised their pincers, poised their stingers, and let out a threatening hiss.

But the Demon Spiders were too numerous.

Several webs shot out at once, blanketing them from above.

The battle erupted instantly.

The Giant Scorpions’ pincers tore through the webs, while their stingers pierced the Demon Spiders’ abdomens.

The Demon Spiders’ mandibles crushed the Giant Scorpions’ carapaces, spraying venom into their wounds.

Both sides were social Magical Beasts with powerful territorial instincts, but the Crystalized Forest was the Demon Spiders’ home turf.

Allen saw one of the Giant Scorpions realize something was wrong and head back to its nest to sound the alarm.

There would be no peaceful resolution to this conflict.

Allen watched the melee below, the corners of his mouth twitching into a slight smile. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

’Go on and fight. The more brutal, the better.’

He didn’t linger, turning to leave.

On his way back to the factory, he continued to monitor the battlefield.

Although the handful of Giant Scorpions were powerful, they were gradually losing ground under the assault of dozens of Demon Spiders.

One of the Giant Scorpions became completely entangled in the webs, unable to move.

The other two fought desperately to break through the encirclement, but they were already covered in wounds.

But more Giant Scorpions were constantly arriving and joining the fray.

Just then, DSeek issued a new alert.

[Warning: Large-scale Magic Power fluctuation detected.]

[All Crystal Shell Giant Scorpion scout parties are pulling back.]

[In approximately ten minutes, a large swarm of Giant Scorpions will arrive at the Crystalized Forest.]

Allen pulled up the holographic map for a look.

In Three-way Canyon, a dense black mass had begun to move.

It wasn’t just the adults; even the juveniles and elite individuals from the caves had been mobilized.

’Looks like this is turning into an all-out war.’

He picked up his pace and flew back to the factory.

The instant the main gate closed, the faint sound of a deafening screech seemed to carry from the distance.

It was the roar of the Giant Scorpions and the shriek of the Demon Spiders.

The two species had finally clashed.

Allen stood before the control console, watching the live feed provided by Jarvis.

Hundreds of Demon Spiders poured out of the Crystalized Forest, their webs weaving an enormous, inescapable net that covered the sky.

Meanwhile, the Giant Scorpion army advanced like a black tide, bursting through the webs and tearing apart everything in their path with pincers and stingers.

Flesh and gore flew across the battlefield, and the fluctuations in Magic Power were so intense that even the surveillance feed began to distort.

’Now things are getting interesting.’

Allen turned and headed for the rest area.

"Jarvis, keep monitoring the battlefield. Notify me immediately if anything unusual happens."

[Understood.]

The war between the two species would at least buy him some time.

And that time was the window of opportunity he needed to build up his forces.

’I have to make the most of it.’

’Mining, designing, and producing new Golems.’

’By the time they’re done fighting, I should have the means to defend myself.’