My Titanic Ravager makes landfall on the surface of Glacierwood, and my ears ring with the loud crashing of 150 metric tons hitting the ground—a cataclysmic racket after spending so long in the soundless vacuum of space.
'Worst.'
My head spins crazily as I barely manage to release the blue button on my left.
[Re-entry has been successful. Damage Report: None.]
[Stellar Convergence mode has been deactivated!]
Taking a few moments to adapt to this sudden change of environment, I summon my holographic keyboard. 'Let's connect to my babies in space!'
At the end of my rhythmic typing, Titanic Ravager successfully links with the navigation and scanning drone I had with me.
[Link established!]
[Location Synchronized!]
With that message, a futuristic g-map pops up. 'Let's see!'
The Xylothorax is a highly intelligent and social creature, dwelling in dense forests or jungles on its homeworld. Led by an alpha male and female, these packs exhibit intricate social structures and rituals.
'In a way, they are akin to wolves, only on a completely different level!'
I walked into the wilderness. I continued walking relentlessly until I reached a point where the red light blinking on my navigation screen became abundant.
The monster group is around that area, so they should be within range now. If things continue like this, it's clear that the fortress will fall, and it would be suspicious if I were to eliminate them completely.
However, I want to chip away at them enough to be able to fight.
Let's use the skill learned at the end, the one where you pound the final boss from outside its range. One of the ultimate skills of the Quantum Pulse Rifle.
"Quantum Disruptor!"
As I activate the skill, my arsenal transforms. The sleek barrel of the rifle splits into multiple segments, each reshaping into razor-sharp blades resembling shards of quantum energy.
The transformation continues as its form shifts and contorts, resembling a fusion of advanced technology and otherworldly energy. Quantum pulses surge through its intricate circuitry, illuminating the surrounding area with a crimson glow.
[Target Locked!]
An affirmation message pops up before me as I press the trigger. "Whizz!!" With a low hum, the missile bursts into the icy, illuminated sky. The recoil from it almost disabled Titanic Ravager's stealth, though.
"There it goes!!!"
When it hit the ground, a pillar of light rose up and then disappeared.
In that moment, I felt an unusually exhilarating sensation.
Is this a level up? And it feels even more exhilarating than usual.
'Did I just level up by two in one go?'
Gulp.
Come to think of it, a large horde of monsters is a mountain of experience points.
Would it be suspicious if I overdid it? Nah, it's fine, right? They'll probably think it's a natural disaster, and even if the massive horde of monsters disappears because of it, I won't be suspected.
Yeah, let's do it. The experience points are too good to pass up.
I continued to fire Quantum Disruptor while laughing heartily. After all, my QUANTUM PULSE RIFLE doesn't require ME!
"Muahaha!!! Die, die ahaha!!"
My villainous laugh seems a bit cringy though... "..."
At night, there was a commotion about a meteor falling onto Glacierwood, wiping out the horde, including both the attacking pack's alpha, beta, and several gammas.
In the morning, it was officially confirmed that the Xylothrax had disappeared, causing another commotion. However, I had forgotten that Quantum Disruptor works on a molecular level.
The scout machineries couldn't even find the remnant bones of the Xylothrax. Currently, we are re-entering the home planet, as I admire the beauty of the re-entry, a figure appears behind me.
"Your Highness." It was General Lorenzo. Before he could say something, I rushed to speak first.
"I never expected that a meteor shower would wipe out such a large army of monsters. It was quite surprising, wasn't it?"
"Your Highness. Do you really believe that was just a meteor shower?"
"Well, yes. I mean, there's no other explanation for it, right?"
"Well, that may be so, but..."
General Lorenzo and I have been having this kind of conversation for a while now.
After exterminating the large group of monsters, which I didn't exploit for experience points... I mean, after taking care of the large group of monsters, I hurried back to passenger number 3.
Then, I woke up late and pretended to be surprised by the commotion among the soldiers, asking what had happened while I was asleep.
This scheme was successful, and the soldiers didn't suspect me, but for some reason, this guy does.
Well, there's no way he can prove that what they think is a meteor shower is my doing. It's fine if he just suspects me.
It doesn't matter if one person doubts me, since at the end of the day it's just the doing of a meteor so powerful.
But more importantly...
In "Stardom Academy", Saffron awakens and prevents the large-scale monster invasion, which leads the king to declare her as a candidate for ruler.
However, with the way things have turned out, I'm likely to remain a candidate for ruler. Moreover, General Lorenzo praised me as the individual most deserving of credit.
This may push me even further into the spotlight.
What should I do?
Although I wanted the spotlight, since if I performed well, in the future, maybe, just in case, if I am to be executed, the guys of the vanguard array will voice for me.
It seems I had overdone it.
'What should I say to decline?'
Hmm, I've been thinking about it while groaning, but it's all going to be in vain.
I may have acted too greedy for those experience points.