Maddy hovered in the air, wings flexing as her eyes scanned the red pulses on her upgraded map.
"Looks like the chaos I made has drawn more attention and judging by the size of these dots... ooh, that’s going to be fun."
The ground trembled beneath her as dozens of massive beetles scuttled into view. Their black carapaces glead in the faint glow of the cave, each armored segnt interlocked perfectly, legs thick as tree trunks.
[New Monsterpedia Entry Added: Bulwark Beetle]
[Bulwark Beetle (Evolve Form) — Habitat: Cave / Forest]
[A heavily armored insect capable of forming dense defensive formations. Uses thick limbs and interlocking shells to block attacks and protect colony mbers. Known to work as coordinated armies when threatened.]
Maddy’s eyes widened as she appraised them.
[Magic: 200,000 | Might: 400,000]
"400,000 MIGHT!? Damn, that’s a fortress on six legs! This is going to test every trick I’ve learned... and that armor looks seriously tough..."
She smirked, hovering higher.
"Well, let’s see how you handle this. DΣMӨПIᄃ BᄂӨӨD ΛЯƬ: HELLMOUTH!"
Maddy opened her mouth wide, activating her Hellmouth, the gravity field surging outward in a pull toward her maw. The beetles’ legs dug into the ground instantly, their carapaces clicking together as they resisted.
WHOOOOOOOOM!
Everything got swallowed in the area, however her main target was not. To her surprise the Bulwark beetles even form a massive like fortress so that they won’t get sucked in. After her skill stop, she was speechless.
"What in the hell..."
Maddy hovered there, jaw slightly dropped, wings twitching as she replayed what just happened in her mind.
"They... they actually held their ground? Even with the full pull of Hellmouth... those armor plates, the way they locked together... it’s like a moving fortress. I’ve never seen anything resist that before!"
She clenched her fists, a thrill running through her chest.
"This... this is going to be a real challenge. I love it. Every lesson I’ve learned, every trick... I’m going to have to use all of it just to break through that formation."
Her eyes sparkled with excitent, scanning the beetle fortress.
"And the best part? They’re smart enough to coordinate. Coordinated defense... ohhh, this is exactly the kind of fight I wanted. THEY ARE SUCH AN AMAZING SPECIES!!! Co on... show what you’ve got."
She adjusted her stance midair, wings buzzing with anticipation. Closing her eyes, she replayed the Suzerain Spider’s battle in her mind—the way it unleashed precise, armor-piercing strikes.
"That’s it! I see it... the sa precision, but with sothing new..."
The first Bulwark Beetle hissed, breaking formation and charging at her like a runaway tank. Maddy hovered in place, her chest glowing faintly blue as she drew static energy from her Kinetic Battery.
Using her Mana Storage, she absorbed the surrounding green mana orbs, collecting enough energy as another Bulwark Beetle lunged past her.
"Let’s see if your armor conducts electricity."
She opened her mouth, but instead of a gravity pull, a crackling ball of lightning ford inside. The two beetles that had charged her skidded back toward the fortress, regrouping to defend it as Maddy readied her next attack.
"LIGHTNING LASER!"
A concentrated beam of electrically charged silk erupted from her mouth, cutting through the beetle fortress in a horizontal sweep. The heavy armor of the Bulwark Beetles split effortlessly, as if it were nothing more than paper.
Combining her Silk Production, Corrosive Web Glands, and lightning elent, she unleashed the fully evolved attack of the Suzerain Spider.
[System Notice]
[Congratulations! You acquired a skill: Lightning Laser]
[Lightning Laser: Launches a concentrated beam of electrically charged silk from the mouth, slicing through enemies and terrain like a living lightning laser. Can pierce multiple targets in a line, and the silk conducts continuous shocks along anything struck. Energy buildup increases damage and electrical discharge radius.]
Maddy hovered, wings buzzing with exhilaration, eyes wide and alight.
"Holy... it worked! Every single one... gone in an instant! Their armor, their formation... nothing could stop it. I created this, and it’s devastating!"
[Response: Impressive, Maddy. You are now grasping the fundantal laws of this world. Your understanding of mana, traits, and skill integration has increased. Your battle capability is expanding, and you are now able to create skills from your own traits.]
"I love it!"
The Hellmouth icon flared over the sliced bodies of the Bulwark Beetles. Without hesitation, Maddy activated her signature skill.
"INGEST!"
CHOMP!
[System Notice]
[You have ingested an object containing traits.]
[Trait Acquired: Heavy Carapace]
[Possesses thick, layered armor plating that reduces damage from physical attacks. Particularly resistant to blunt impacts and crushing force.]
[Trait Acquired: Shield Limbs]
[Front limbs are broad and reinforced, allowing them to brace against attacks or push back enemies. Effective for blocking narrow passages and holding defensive positions.]
[Trait Acquired: Formation Instinct]
[Instinctively aligns body position with nearby allies, allowing shells to interlock into defensive structures. Greatly improves collective defense when grouped.]
[Trait Acquired: Brace Stance]
[Can lower its body and anchor its limbs into the ground, significantly increasing stability and resistance to knockback.]
[Trait Acquired: Load Bearing Strength]
[Dense musculature allows the body to support heavy weight. Enables prolonged defensive postures without rapid fatigue.]
[Trait Acquired: Coordinated Defense]
[Responds quickly to movent cues from nearby colony mbers. Improves reaction timing and defensive efficiency in organized groups.]
[Trait Acquired: Bulwark Beetle Body Parts]
[You may now manifest any portion of the Bulwark Beetle’s anatomy—arms, legs, or the entire physical form with perfect precision. These examples are not limiting; any part can be used.]
Maddy hovered, eyes narrowing as she read through the traits.
"These... these are literally made for defense. Every single one is built to hold, resist, and coordinate. Heavy armor, shielded limbs, formation instinct... it’s like the ultimate fortress packed into a living body."
[Apply these traits to yourself, or store them?]
"Yes please, anything to avoid pain."
[Response: By your command... applying all ingested traits directly to your body except the body parts...]
Initializing...
Poof!
[Done.]
Maddy felt sothing new coursing through her body, her skin, her defenses, all of it enhanced to perfection.
"Ooomm... I don’t think anything can hurt anymore."
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