Strong explosions ripped through the jungle, echoing like thunder. Screams and battle cries filled the air as the Thornbelly Colossus went completely berserk. After losing one of its eyes, it clearly decided there was no reason to hold back anymore and chose mass murder instead.
The first thing it did after powering up was activate a support skill that sent all its minions into a frenzy, doubling their strength and rage. Then, to make matters worse, its appearance began to change. Maybe it was burning too many calories, but its massive gut shrank while thick muscles bulged everywhere. With every passing second, its power grew and so did its speed, turning the battlefield into a slaughterhouse as weaker fighters were torn apart.
That should’ve been Josh’s cue to get the hell out and run for his life. The only thing keeping him from bolting was the points. The bigger the beast, the bigger the payout and this monstrosity had “leaderboard jackpot” written all over it. In his beastform, maybe, just maybe he could actually bring it down.
“Ah, crap!” one of the mages scread as a smaller beast lunged at her, claws extended and jaws wide. Josh darted in, slicing the creature cleanly in half with a single swipe of his translucent claws.
“Thanks—hey, what’s happening to your body? Oh no, please don’t tell that’s so freaky buff skill!” she yelled when Josh started to shapeshift.
E-Grade had done wonders for him. He grew a bit taller, his chitin armor looked sleeker, and tiny thorns now sprouted along his shoulders and upper arms. Josh loved his new beastform. His boosting skill would make him grow another half ter, but he decided to save that for later. For now, his current form would do nicely.
He blurred forward, no longer picking off stragglers from the sidelines. Instead, he threw himself into the chaos — tearing through enemies left and right. They couldn’t even scratch him unless they caught him completely off guard, which wasn’t happening. Josh was fully focused, committed, and having the ti of his life.
When your enemies were on the defensive, everything beca easier. His leaderboard score was skyrocketing with every swing. This must be my lucky day, Josh thought, grinning as he ripped two beasts apart with one strike. The Thornbelly’s buff made them stronger but also blinded them with rage, easy prey for soone like him.
But then the Thornbelly Colossus finally noticed him.
Josh’s little farming session instantly turned into a fight for survival as the giant appeared before him, fists and tentacles swinging wildly. The “belly” part of its na no longer fit. It was now a solid mountain of muscle. Its strength and speed had skyrocketed, and Josh barely managed to activate his boosting skill in ti to avoid being flattened.
One of the colossal tendrils still clipped him, launching him backward like a cannonball. He slamd through trees before crashing into the ground, gasping. The beast roared in triumph. A sound so powerful it hit like a physical wave, hurling Josh even farther back.
And then, the Colossus’s aura exploded, doubling in intensity. Josh’s heart clenched in dread. Okay, maybe this one’s a bit too strong.
The smaller beasts’ auras also flared, but none got the chance to attack, because suddenly, an entirely new presence descended.
An aura so overwhelming it crushed the Thornbelly’s power into nothing. The monstrous giant froze mid-roar.
Josh looked up and his stomach dropped. Floating above the battlefield was a towering insectoid woman, her presence suffocating. Her dark golden chitin glead with crimson streaks that almost looked like living runes. Two pairs of wings beat so fast they blurred, filling the air with a high-pitched hum.
She was… disturbingly similar to Josh — a humanoid shape covered in refined carapace, black eyes filled with shifting irises, and a mouth lined with sharp teeth and clicking mandibles that twitched in amusent as she studied the chaos below.
She was enormous — at least three ters tall — and when her gaze settled on Josh, curiosity flashed in her alien eyes.
First Daughter of the Hive – Level 99
Alright, that was definitely not good.
The first place on the leaderboard was standing right before him, looking directly at him.
Josh froze in disbelief as the First Daughter suddenly moved. Her speed was so absurd that she almost vanished from sight, reappearing right in front of him. With a blur of motion, she grabbed him by the throat and lifted him clean off the ground.
He was too terrified to react, too stunned to even think. Instinctively, he reached for his escape token, only to see his own hand tumble to the ground a split second later. The pain hit him like a wave.
“Interesting. You’d make a fine specin to breed with for one of the Hive Queens,” she said, her voice calm but carrying a regal, otherworldly tone. Her dark eyes studied him up and down, analytical and disturbingly curious.
“Your origin is human, correct? How did you manage to beco insectoid?”
“Item… from the system shop,” Josh gasped out. His head felt like it was going to burst from all the blood or whatever insects had instead. Only then did he realize they were hovering several ters above the ground. She must have flown up effortlessly with him, not that it mattered much at this point.
“Did you abandon your human form completely?” the First Daughter asked, tilting her head slightly.
“N–No… I can still swap back,” Josh stamred, his voice breaking as her grip instantly tightened the mont he hesitated. He had been trying to buy ti, even though he wasn’t sure what for. Maybe so miracle, maybe pure denial.
Then pain exploded through his chest. The First Daughter had bitten him, tearing out a chunk of flesh and leaving a gaping wound.
“Hmm… you’ve progressed far with your body-tempering,” she murmured, almost impressed. “Your armor is rather resilient. You’re lucky. You may be of use to us. We’ll et again after this system event. For now, stay out of these zones. More high-rankers will arrive soon.”
And just like that, she released him.
Josh plumted, crashing hard into the dirt below. Through the haze of pain, he saw her unleash pure devastation upon the battlefield — humans and beasts alike torn apart, their corpses vanishing into her amulet or belly. The Thornbelly Colossus didn’t even stand a chance. One mont it was roaring, the next it was nothing but shredded pieces. Josh couldn’t even tell if she’d used a skill or simply flown through it at impossible speed.
Gritting his teeth, he fought against the crushing weight of her fading aura and stumbled toward his severed hand. He pressed it against the bleeding stump and downed one of his strongest healing potions.
A searing pain ran through his arm and then, slowly, the hand reattached. Within monts, it was as if it had never been cut off.
The First Daughter was long gone now. Josh lay on the ground, chest heaving, unsure whether to be relieved or horrified. Yes, she had spared him but why?
What could he possibly do against power like that? It felt as if he was living on borrowed ti.
They would et again. Of that, he was certain.
A creeping thought gnawed at him: had she done sothing when she bit him? Josh pulled at his armor, checking the wound, but found nothing. Only a faint red line where the gash had already healed. Probably just a scar. Probably.
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He forced himself up, still trembling. He needed to get back to the others and warn them. If more monsters like her were showing up, they had to change their plans imdiately.
Because if he ended up in the sa safe zone as one of those big shots…
he was dead.
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