Ch. 551: Chapter 551-560
Chapter 551 Abingdon Town’s Dire Circumstances
"It may come as a surprise to you, but the Red Giant Hornets aren't really the main reason why people refuse to leave their houses," the Mayor of Abingdon Town, Pietro, said with a bitter smile.
"In fact, this is the first time that our town has been attacked by those Giant Hornets. However, the fact remains that we have one more threat stacked against our ability to survive in this town."
Pietro sighed before closing his eyes.
"Truth be told, everything started four months ago when our former Mayor died of old age," Pietro stated. "When he was still alive, Abingdon Town prospered and thrived through trade. But after his death, the beasts in the Shaufell Plains started wandering near our town on an increasing frequency.
"At first, we didn't see this as a problem because our Town's Guards were able to repel them. However, as the weeks went by, their numbers grew and grew, which made things difficult for the travelers, as well as the Merchants from other towns in the Wanid Kingdom.
"I don't know if you encountered them along the way, but a colony of Tetramorium Ants has made their home in the plains and is terrorizing any unwary creature who is unfortunate enough to come across their nest.
"Their underground tunnels are expanding by the day, and because of this, we are now cut off from the other towns—they no longer dare to travel the Shaufell Plains in fear of getting ambushed by them."
The Mayor paused for a bit before continuing his tale.
"To make matters worse, a week ago, we were attacked by a Mosquito swarm, led by a Diabolical Doom Mosquito," Pietro stated. "It was the worst thing that happened to our town since it was founded. Hundreds of people died that day, including visitors from the nearby towns."
Lux shuddered because he had a bad history with mosquitoes. When he was still in Leaf Village, there was a Mosquito Outbreak that threatened not only the entirety of the Figaro Gardens but also the territories surrounding Leaf Village.
Fortunately, Lux was able to put a stop to them before the Abomination was successfully born. If not, Leaf Village wouldn't be standing today, and all of its residents would have turned into dried husks, deprived of all the blood in their bodies.
Unaware of Lux's inner thoughts, Pietro continued his tale.
"Before the former Mayor died, he left me some parting words," Pietro said. "He said that if the Town were to come into any great danger, we should send someone to go to the Isoptera Mountain in the West to ask an old friend of his to lend us a hand.
"I don't know who this old friend of his was because he never mentioned a name. However, he said that it was a Deimos-Ranked Alpha Beast, and it would lend our town aid once. We have already sent a contingent to go to the said mountain, but none of them have returned.
"Just now, the Town's Guards informed me that the Red Giant Hornets came from the West. It is possible that my soldiers have fallen prey to this new threat. It is also highly possible that the Giant Hornets followed the trail of my men and made their way to our town, which resulted in them attacking us."
Lux and his comrades, who were listening to the Mayor's story, felt sorry for them, but there was no way they could possibly challenge a hornet's nest on their own.
Doing so would be suicide. The power of a Deimos-Ranked Queen Hornet, which could range from an Alpha to a Field Boss Monster, was no laughing matter. Even with Ithaqua summoning a blizzard, it was highly likely that it wouldn't work.
"Let me get this straight," Cethus commented after the Mayor finished his explanation. "The favor you want to ask of us is to go to Isoptera Mountain and meet with the friend of the now-deceased Mayor of this town, correct?"
The Mayor nodded. "I know it is too much to ask, so I won't force you to go. However, if you have the ability to do so, please, I beg of you to help us. We have no one else to turn to."
The Mayor of Abingdon Town bowed his head until it touched the top of his office table.
While Lux was in the middle of coming up with a reply to the Mayor's desperate pleas for help, he and his party members heard a ringing sound inside their heads.
A moment later, several rows of text appeared in front of them, informing them of a mission that made Gerhart's, Cethus', Randolph's, Grandma Annie's, Laura's, and Livia's eyes widen in shock.
—-----------------
< Abingdon Town's Great Escape >
Mission Rating: SSS
Several Insect-Type Beasts are slowly but surely taking over the entirety of the Shaufell Plains. Because of this, Abingdon Town has been closed off from the outside world and is in dire need of help.
The way things are, the only way for the people of Abingdon Town to survive is for them to evacuate. However, by doing so, there is a high chance that they would be attacked by the Insect-Type Beasts that have made the Shaufell Plains their breeding grounds.
Find a way for the residents of Abingdon Town to survive their current predicament, by leading the people to safety!
—---------
< Abingdon Town's Great Escape >
– 1,000 Residents of Abingdon Town must survive.
– Quest Duration: 13 days.
– Quest will automatically be cleared if the townspeople safely reached the Town of Broughton.
– Quest will automatically fail if the number of evacuees drops below 1,000.
—---------
< Rewards >
+200 Wanid Kingdom Reputation Points
5,000,000 Gold Coins
500 Free Stat Points.
One Rank 5 Skill Book that matches your profession.
You will obtain the Title: Insect Slayer
—---------
< Bonus Rewards >
– Bonus Rewards will be calculated depending on your performance in this mission. The bigger the role you play, the higher the rewards will be.
—---------
< Insect Slayer >
< Deals 100% increase damage against Insect-Type Monsters >
—---------
< Will you accept this Mission? >
< Yes / No >
(Take Note that only the Party Leader can decide whether to accept this mission or not.)
—---------
After reading the details of the mission, everyone in the room glanced at the red-headed teenager who had a frown on his face.
The rating of the mission was so high, so Lux was worried that the quest was too difficult for them to clear.
However, after giving it some thought, he realized that the Forest Folk might have been aware of the threat that had befallen Abingdon Town. Because of this, they had tasked Lux to go there in order to help them survive their predicament.
'This is too much,' Lux thought. 'It's like they are sending us here to die.'
The Half-Elf closed his eyes as he pondered whether he should accept the quest or not. Even Gerhart and Cethus, who were eager to fight strong opponents, hesitated after understanding the situation they found themselves in.
Even though they were Initiates, fighting against a swarm of Mosquitoes, dozens of Red Giant Hornets, and countless Ants was too high of a hurdle, even for them.
Currently, they were thinking that they should just ditch Abingdon Town and continue their journey toward the center of the Wanid Kingdom.
Chapter 552 Ants Are My Best Friends
Although the Forest Folk warned them about the consequences of not doing the task they had assigned to them, Gerhart and Cethus didn't give a f*ck and were even dying to give them all the middle finger for trying to send them to their deaths.
After several minutes, a sigh escaped Lux's lips before he opened his eyes to look at Pietro, who was looking at him with desperation.
"I'll go and see what I can do," Lux stated. "For the time being, tell the residents to prepare for an evacuation. Abingdon Town is no longer a safe place to live in. Your safest bet is to migrate to the nearest town in order to survive the terrors that surround this town on all sides."
Pietro nodded his head in understanding. In fact, he had already thought that staying in their town was no longer a possibility. He knew that if he waited for help to arrive, the insect colonies around them would just simply grow day by day.
The Mayor was certain that if they delayed their evacuation, they would not have the chance to survive the inevitable calamity that was about to fall on their heads.
------------
An hour later...
Lux and Cethus landed on the ground.
The Half-Elf decided to have a dialogue with the Tetramorium Ants because he was able to befriend the Ants in the Figaro Gardens back in Leaf Village.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Cethus asked with a frown.
"Trust me. I got this," Lux answered with a confident smile. "Ants are my best friends."
The Dragon Born crossed his arms over his chest as he watched Lux slowly approach the entrance of the Ant Nest, which two Rank 5 Alpha Steel-Tetramorium Ants were guarding.
"My Friends, today is a good day, eh?" Lux said with a smile. "Do you mind if we all have a chat about the meaning of life?"
The two Alpha Steel-Tetramorium Ants glanced at each other before motioning for the Half-Elf to come closer to them.
Lux turned his head to look at the Dragon-Born with a smug expression on his face before shifting his attention back to his new-found friends.
However, the Half-Elf only managed to take six steps forward when the ground surrounding him and Cethus burst upwards, revealing dozens of Alpha Steel-Tetramorium Ants, who immediately proceeded to attack them with Acid Spray.
Lux and Cethus immediately flew up in the sky, in order to avoid the sudden aggression from the Tetramorium Ants.
After a desperate struggle to escape, the two finally managed to gain a good distance from the Ants who had started to attack them with their skills, Steel Bullet, which were the size of cannonballs.
This forced Lux and Cethus to fly as high as they could until the lethal balls made of steel no longer posed a threat to them.
"Didn't you say you and the Ants are best friends?" Cethus sneered at the Half-Elf who had coated his entire body with the Favonius Legacy, allowing him the power of flight. "How come your Best Friends attacked you?"
"I did say that Ants are my best friends," Lux lightly coughed before giving his reply. "I didn't say that all Ants are my best friends."
Cethus snorted as he looked at the red-headed teenager in disdain. Clearly, he found the Half-Elf's attempt at negotiation extremely silly and secretly ridiculed Lux in his heart.
"Now what?" Cethus asked a few minutes later as they headed back to Abingdon Town.
Lux sighed as he looked at the Western Regions of the Shaufell Plains.
"I guess we should attempt visiting Isoptera Mountain to see the deceased Mayor's friend," Lux replied. "Maybe that friend will honor his promise to help Abingdon Town once."
Cethus narrowed his eyes as he also looked at the West. Judging by the distance of the mountain, it would take them an entire day for them to arrive at their destination.
The others were going to stay in Abingdon Town in order to protect it. Lux even left Eiko, Orion, Asmodeus, Lazarus, Zagan, and Revon behind to protect the town while he was away.
"Let's go, Cethus," Lux ordered as he summoned Jed mid-air. "The sooner we arrive at our destination, the sooner we can come back."
The Half-Elf didn't wait for the Dragon Born's reply as he urged his Thunder Warg King to fly towards the mountain where the deceased Mayor's friend lived.
The Dragon Born let out a light snort before flapping his wings to follow behind his Party Leader, who was looking for ways to help clear the mission that he had accepted not long ago.
Cethus was aware that trying to help evacuate the townspeople to safety was a gargantuan undertaking.
If they were attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes along the way, they were already lucky even if only hundreds of people managed to survive.
Currently, Abingdon Town has three thousand people. Their mission only required them to ensure the survival of at least a thousand. However, the journey toward the nearest town, on foot, would take at least 10 days--this was an estimate that Pietro had made after careful calculations on the speed of their evacuation.
Since their quest only lasted thirteen days, the Dragon Born believed that the mission required them to hasten their pace.
'I still think the odds are stacked against us,' Cethus frowned as he flew behind the red-headed teenager, whom he had reluctantly accepted as someone stronger than him. 'Anyway, I'll just escape if it gets too dangerous. There's no way I'm going to die while I'm away from Karshvar Draconis.'
The Dragon Born had wanted to accompany Lux in order to find out why he was able to increase his Rank at a rapid pace.
Now that he had seen the appearance of this mysterious mission, which was something he was experiencing for the first time, he firmly believed that he had found the Half-Elf's secret regarding how he was able to increase his Rank in such a short period of time.
Chapter 553 Nameless Vagabond
While Lux was away, Eiko, Laura, and Livia explored the town under Asmodeus' and Zagan's supervision.
The state of the town was so desolate and depressing that even the two cheerful little Dwarves found themselves unable to smile at the current state of things.
Eiko had a frown on her face as she looked around from the top of Asmodeus' head. Lux had asked her to stay and guard everyone. Since her abilities allowed her to copy the ability of his Papa's Named Creatures, she was very flexible when it came to attack and defense.
Asmodeus had summoned his Skeletons and sent them outside the town to explore the surroundings. Lazarus also personally went to scout the surrounding areas to check if there were any monster groups that could potentially attack Abingdon Town while his Master was away.
An hour later, Eiko, Laura, Livia, Asmodeus, and Zagan returned to the Mayor's Residence to rest.
"Evacuation is the only way for the residents of this town to survive," Asmodeus said to Pietro. "Make sure to let everyone prepare for a long journey through monster-infested areas. Tell them that if they don't want to leave, they can stay in this place to die."
The Archlich's words were firm, and as cold as the dead. Clearly, he didn't care whether the residents wanted to leave or not. Those who don't feel like going could just die. His only regret was that he wouldn't be able to collect their corpses to be used as fuel for his Corpse Explosion skill.
"I've already talked to the guards and had them inform the residents about the planned evacuation," Pietro replied. "At most, we will need three days to prepare for this mass migration. I hope you can wait for us till then."
Asmodeus reluctantly nodded his head because there was nothing he could do about it. If it were up to him, he would force Pietro to hasten the evacuation preparation to two days. However, knowing his Master, the Archlich knew that Lux would empathize with the townspeople and give them up to three days.
'Master is too kind,' Asmodeus thought. 'Well, I guess I should make contingency plans for the worst-case scenario.'
After learning how dire their situation was, Asmodeus was certain that within three days, they would face some kind of attack from one of the Insect-Type Beasts that had claimed the Shaufell Plains as their home.
It was not only the Archlich who felt this way.
Gerhart also shared the same sentiments as the Archlich. However, after witnessing Asmodeus' Summoned Creature, Ithaqua, in action, he felt that they still stood a chance due to the Ice Giant's control over the blizzard.
Naturally, Asmodeus had long thought of this as well, but in the face of a Deimos-Ranked Creature, even Ithaqua's territorial advantage would not be able to overcome the disparity in Rank.
The only way they would be able to win was when their entire party was complete. With Lux's, Eiko's, and Asmodeus' Doppelgangers, they would easily bring the power of Nine Initiates into battle.
If one were to add Lux's Named Creatures, it would allow them to take control of the aggro of the Deimos Monster, allowing everyone to attack it without holding back.
Of course, those were all in theory. Even if they had the firepower to deal serious injuries to a Deimos-Ranked Monster, there was one problem.
The monsters that they would face fought in groups or swarms. If they were going to fight a Deimos-Ranked Monster with its minions acting as its bodyguards, it would become an uphill battle.
Meanwhile, while Asmodeus was drawing up a battle plan in his head, Lux and Cethus were busy trying to avoid monsters as they made their way to the Isoptera Mountain in the west of the Shaufell Plains.
To his surprise, the Nest of the Red Giant Hornets was along the way, so they had to be extra careful not to provoke their ire.
"This place is infested with bugs," Cethus grumbled as he flew close to the Half-Elf, who was now riding on his Thunder Warg King, Jed. "Red Giant Hornets, Tetramorium Ants, Mosquitoes, Beetles… just how many bugs are in this place?"
"I have no idea, and I have no intention of finding out," Lux replied as he continued to monitor his map for Monsters that could ambush them from the air or under the ground.
After what happened with the Tetramorium Ants, the Half-Elf had been extra careful in choosing his route towards the Isoptera Mountain because the last thing he wanted was to get encircled by a group of territorial insects that would attack them when given the chance.
After several hours of traveling, they finally arrived at the base of the mountain. When they neared their destination, the Half-Elf noticed that there was not a single creature within a two-mile Radius of the Mountain, except for one.
'This is certainly a Deimos-Ranked Monster,' Lux thought as he made a gesture for Cethus to slow down their advance.
He didn't know how the Monster would react to their intrusion into its territory, so he decided to play it safe and decrease their speed in order to give them enough leeway, just in case the Monster decided to launch a sneak attack on them.
"That should be the place where the monster is located,' Cethus pointed at a giant cave in the middle of the mountain that could easily fit a fifteen-meter-tall beast.
"Ishtar, come," Lux ordered as soon as he landed near the entrance of the cave. "Take a look at what kind of monster it is."
Ishtar bowed and immediately melded with the shadows in order to check what was inside the cave.
A few minutes later, the mountain trembled, making Lux and Cethus immediately rise into the sky to distance themselves from the entrance of the cave. Seconds later, Ishtar, materialized in front of the entrance, before turning into a black mist, headed towards her Master's location.
Suddenly, a loud and piercing screech reverberated in the surroundings as a ten-meter-tall monster emerged from the cave and locked its eyes on the Nightwalker who had intruded in its home.
"An Ant?" Lux frowned as he summoned his Soul Book in order to better understand the Monster that had appeared in front of him.
—------------
< Malevolent Blaze Coned Termite >
– Nameless Vagabond
– Deimos-Ranked Alpha Monster
– The Last Member Of A Destroyed Colony
Health: 16,200,000 / 16,200,000
Mana: 8,400,000 / 8,400,000
Strength: 500
Intelligence: 7,000
Vitality: 3,000
Agility: 4,000
Dexterity: 500
Active Skills: Flamethrower, Fireball, Firewall, Fire Storm, Dig, Fire Crunch
Passive Skills: Thermal Vision, Lava Walk
Special Ability: Immolation
—------------
< Immolation >
– Coats its body with searing flames, burning those who make physical contact with it.
—------------
"Not an Ant, but a Termite," Lux muttered.
Its titles, Nameless Vagabond and The Last Member Of A Destroyed Colony, made the Half-Elf understand why the Termite was all alone in the mountain.
While he was deep in thought about how to handle the current situation, the Termite on the ground opened its gigantic mandibles, which were now coated with flames.
"Who are you, and why have you come to my Domain?"
A sharp and intimidating voice sounded in Lux's, Ishtar's, and Cethus' ears, making them realize that the monster was intelligent enough to know how to communicate through telepathy.
Since communication was possible, Lux decided to have a proper talk with the Deimos-Ranked Alpha Termite, and tell it why he had come to meet with him.
"We came here from Abingdon Town upon the request of the current Mayor, Pietro," Lux replied. "It is currently being besieged by groups of Inse– Monsters, and the people need to evacuate in order to survive.
"Mr. Pietro said that the former Mayor told him on his deathbed that, if Abingdon Town were to need your help, you would offer your assistance once."
The flames on the mandibles of the Giant Termite slowly vanished after hearing Lux's words.
It then lowered its head as if deep in thought. Lux didn't disturb it because he could tell that it was no longer hostile to them. The proof of it was in his Soul Book. Instead of a big, red, blinking dot, the dot was now yellow, which meant that the Monster was now in a Neutral State.
Neither an enemy nor a friend.
"Go back," the Giant Termite stated. "My ties with humans died when my friend died."
Just as the monster was about to turn around to head back to its nest, Lux immediately shouted to stop it in its tracks.
"Please wait!" Lux shouted. "Would you really ignore the former Mayor's hometown and its residents? You are the only one they can turn to during this time of hardship. Without your help, the evacuation will be filled with dangers."
The Termite's body remained still for an entire minute before continuing to crawl back inside its nest.
"Leave," the Giant Termite replied. "Whatever fate awaits the residents of Abingdon Town is none of my concern. I never made a promise that I would help them if they were to face a threat that they are unable to overcome. I already told you that my ties with humans died the moment my friend died. Do not trouble me again or else I will attack you."
The Giant Termite no longer bothered with the Half-Elf and went back inside its nest, leaving Lux, Ishtar, and Cethus to look at its retreating back until it blended with the shadows.
"Now what?" Cethus asked the Half-Elf who was still looking at the entrance of the cave with a disappointed expression on his face.
"We'll do what we have to do," Lux sighed. "Let's return to Abingdon Town."
The Half-Elf patted Jed's back, and the latter let out a low growl before turning back to return to the pitiful town that had been abandoned by the Former Mayor's friend.
When the Half-Elf and the Dragon Born were a good distance away from the Isoptera Mountain, the Giant Termite emerged from its nest once again to look at the East, where Abingdon Town was located.
"Sorry, Drystan," the Giant Termite muttered softly. "I am unable to grant your dying wish. Forgive me, old friend."
The Giant Termite lowered its head as if it was feeling very guilty about something.
Even so, it still decided to not offer its help to the people, whom his closest friend loved with all of his heart.
Chapter 554 Happy Days That Would No Longer Return [Part 1]
It all started fifty years ago.
In a region that was a good distance away from the Shaufell Valley, a colony of Blaze Coned Termites thrived.
This particular colony was fairly young and only numbered tens of thousands.
It was also the place where I was born.
The moment I hatched from the egg, my destiny had already been laid out for me. Unlike the Worker Termites, my role was to guard and protect our colony from any kind of threat.
Our territory was near a volcano, so our bodies had evolved to adapt to it, making us very resistant to fire.
As our numbers grew, my comrades expanded our area of influence. Because of this, we encountered our fair share of powerful Beasts who mercilessly killed our kind.
Of course, I'm not saying that we were free from fault because Blaze Coned Termites were very aggressive and very territorial. Every single encounter we faced automatically led to a confrontation.
When Worker Termites died in the field, if their bodies were not consumed by the one that killed them, it would release a scent, informing us that one of our comrades had died.
This in turn would signal soldiers, like me, to investigate what happened, and we would deal with whatever Creature dared to kill one of our brethren.
Back then, I was only a newly born Rank 3 Monster, but since I was a Soldier Termite, I joined a scouting party to investigate the cause of death of one of our members that had traveled outside our borders.
This was a very common thing since our nest was expanding, and the Worker Termites were always looking for food and other resources to provide for the entire colony.
Back then, I thought we were going to face some Fire Beetles, whom we usually found in our territory. These creatures were stronger than us, but we had the advantage when it came to numbers, so a battle between Quality and Quantity was a daily occurrence.
Unfortunately, what we found weren't beetles…
They were Ants…
Fire Ants to be exact.
Just like my comrade who perished under their hands, they were also expanding their territories, and our workers just happened to meet each other, which led to a confrontation.
I could still remember that day very clearly, for it was the day that everything that I cared for in the world… perished.
The moment our two sides met, war was inevitable.
Ants and Termites simply couldn't co-exist under the same sun. Unfortunately, our Nest was fairly young. The Ant Colony that took the initiative to attack us numbered in the Hundreds of Thousands, which put us at a great disadvantage.
Our race heavily relied on Fire Attacks to incinerate our foes to ashes, but our opponents were resistant to fire just like us.
The Fire Ants were too similar to us—they could also use Fire Attacks. However, they didn't fight with that. Instead, they used brute force and numbers to overwhelm our Colony.
Back then, our Sole Deimos-Ranked comrade fought against three Deimos-Ranked Ants to death.
I could still remember how he fought with everything he had, with his entire body burning like molten lava, illuminating that dark and nightmarish night.
All of us fought bravely. Soldiers and Workers fought with everything we had to protect our Colony and our Queen.
However, no matter how many of my brethren sacrificed their lives, we couldn't change the inevitable.
The moment our Deimos-Ranked Fighter fell, everything went downhill.
My comrades died right before my eyes, and I was among those that fell, or at least that was what I thought at that time.
I didn't know what happened after I lost consciousness, but when I opened my eyes, our nest was already destroyed.
Countless bodies of Ants and Termites were scattered across the ground. It was a scene of complete and utter carnage.
A scene that I will never forget till I draw my last breath.
Originally, our bodies should have been collected by the victors and used as food to nourish their colonies. However, for some reason, it didn't happen.
It was then that I saw it…
A fifteen-meter-tall Monster, whose mere presence was enough to make my body uncontrollably shudder.
Back then, I didn't know what it was. Later, my friend Drystan told me the name of the monster that was considered to be the Bane of the Ants' and Termites' existence.
It was none other than an Adamantium-Scaled Anteater.
Its powerful aura was said to reduce the strength of all Ants and Termites to only a tenth of their original strength, making them unable to launch an effective counterattack against it.
Even the Ants, who emerged victorious in the war against us, were all slain by it, making it the true winner of the war that we had fought against each other.
Perhaps it was a sick joke from Fate, but I woke up at the moment when the monster was about to eat our Queen.
The Spiritual Leader of our Colony whom we tried to protect with everything we had. As if sensing my gaze, the Anteater glanced in my direction and looked at me with a teasing glint in its eyes.
It then ate my helpless Queen in front of me, watching my anguished expression as it ate with relish.
I had no choice but to watch it from beginning to end because I couldn't move any part of my body. I was paralyzed by both fear and grief. Even if the Anteater had decided to kill me back then, I would have thought of it as a form of release.
A release from the nightmare that I just witnessed.
However, after eating my Queen, it didn't eat me. It only laughed.
A sickening and maddening laugh that made me wish that it had killed me instead. But, it didn't do that.
Perhaps, in its eyes, a mere Rank 3 Monster like me wasn't worthy of being eaten by an Argonaut Ranked Creature like him.
After seeing my agony and pain, it finally left and headed in the direction of the Fire Ant Colony.
Perhaps, it would feast on their Queen as well, just like it did to mine. But, I was beyond caring at that point.
I didn't know how long I stayed frozen in that spot. But since I was seriously injured, I couldn't move even if I wanted to.
That was when he appeared.
A Human, and my one and only friend in the world. Drystan.
"Fate has allowed you to live, so you must live."
That was how the two of us met, and that was how I was given a second chance at life.
Chapter 555 Happy Days That Would No Longer Return [Part 2]
"Fate has allowed you to live, so you must live."
Those were the words that he said to me back then, and without even caring that I was a Monster, he treated my injury.
There were many times when I wished that he had just killed me and taken my Beast Core. The war that happened that night haunted me to the present day, always making me wonder why I lived when my entire colony perished.
The first thing I did the day after I recovered was to scavenge the battlefield, looking for Beast Cores to eat.
My Natural Instinct urged me to rummage through the countless dead, looking for the cores that would allow me to become stronger. Although tens of thousands of corpses were all over the place, I was only able to get over a hundred cores in total.
Whenever we killed a monster, the first thing we target is our opponent's Beast Core, so we can eat it.
Perhaps, the appearance of the Anteater forced the Ants to stop their feeding frenzy and make a hasty retreat back to their nest, to warn their Queen that their mortal enemy had arrived.
So, I ate what cores were left and increased my Rank from Rank 3 to Rank 4.
Drystan didn't say anything back then and simply observed me from a distance. Since he was my savior, I didn't attack him--was what I'd like to say.
I knew that if I did attack him, the one who would end up dying was me.
The man who saved me was an Initiate, and if he wished, he could have killed me anytime he wanted.
But he wanted me to live, and so I did.
"Your Colony is gone," Drystan said after I finished eating all the cores that I could find on the battlefield. "How about you come with me and follow me on my adventures?"
As a Soldier Termite, the only thing I knew how to do was to fight, so I agreed to his proposal.
He made me his Beast Companion, and he gave me a new purpose in life. Everything was fine and we both increased our Ranks exponentially during our travels.
I became a Deimos-Ranked Monster, while he became a Ranker. Unfortunately, during one of our adventures, Drystan was heavily poisoned by a Poisonous Tree Frog. This poison didn't have a cure, and he had only been able to suppress it for a short time because he was a Ranker.
Even so, as the years passed, the poison's effects gradually spread inside his body, making his Rank Degrade from Ranker, to Initiate, to Apostle.
His once powerful body slowly weakened, but even in that state, he didn't feel down.
Drystan returned to his town and became a Mayor, using the remaining years of his life to make Abingdon Town the center of commerce.
For my part, I did my best to protect the town he had built from the shadows and eliminated anything that could pose a threat to it.
I also made Isoptera Mountain my home.
It was far enough from Abingdon Town so that people wouldn't be threatened by my existence, but near enough to lend my aid if my dear friend needed it.
Drystan would visit me from time to time every time he wasn't busy with work and would stay with me for a few days to make sure that I was doing well.
He was the only man I truly cared for, and perhaps, I even treated him as a member of my own Colony.
The Humans call this term Family, and I'm sure that deep in his heart, Drystan also thought of me that way.
But, just like how our nest was destroyed, the inevitable happened. My friend succumbed to the poison's effect and died, leaving me and his beloved town behind.
Perhaps, knowing that his time was near, he visited me one last time.
Back then, I didn't know how he was feeling because he was laughing and smiling despite the pain, and called me the Unsung Hero of Abingdon Town.
The term Hero was new to me, so I asked him what a Hero was.
"Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary," Drystan answered. "A Hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself."
"But I'm a termite," I replied back then. "I'm not Human like you."
"Termite, Ants, Monsters, Humans, Dwarves, Elves? What's the difference? Anyone can be a Hero."
"Can I really be a Hero too?"
"Yes. You can be a Hero too."
That was the last time I saw my friend, and I only knew he died because his contract with me disappeared on the day of his death.
Since then, I stayed on Isoptera Mountain, waiting for the day when I would be reunited with him in the afterlife.
On the day Drystan died, I didn't only lose my one and only friend and family member, but also my reason for living.
He was the one that saved me and gave meaning to my life. Without him, the hole that had been covered up in my heart opened once again, making me feel that life was no longer worth living.
The days were long, and the nights were cold. There were times when I contemplated whether I should just kill myself to end my suffering.
But whenever this thought passed through my head, the words he told me when we first met would resonate inside my heart, forcing me to cancel my thoughts of self-harm.
"Fate has allowed you to live, so you must live."
I sighed as I looked at the setting sun in the distance.
"It seems like Fate must really hate me then," I said softly. "How long do I have to wait until the end of my suffering?"
After the Half-Elf and the Dragon Born left, I reminisced on the happy days of my life, just as I always did every day.
My recollection would always end with the last time my friend visited me. The fleeting warmth and happiness that I would feel after that kept the thoughts of killing myself at bay, at least until the sun rose the next day.
"Since you are no longer here, I stopped repelling the monsters that have started to thrive in the Shaufell Plains," I said as I looked at the burning sun in the distance, which reminded me of the happy days that would no longer return.
"An Abingdon Town without you will never be the same. I might be vain, selfish, and ungrateful, but since you left me all alone, I decided to abandon the town that you have built as well.
"I'm sorry, Drystan. I guess not anyone can be a Hero like you said. I am no Hero. I am just the last survivor of a Colony that has long been buried by the sands of time, never to return again and will only linger as faint traces in my memory."
I survived alone, and I will die alone. That was what I had already decided.
Although this ending was not the one I envisioned when I became your Beast Companion, the years that I spent with you were still the happiest years of my life.
Chapter 556 Leaving Abingdon Town
Chapter 556 Leaving Abingdon Town
When Lux and Cethus returned to Abingdon Town, the townspeople were preparing for the upcoming evacuation.
Naturally, some of them didn't want to leave because the town was their birthplace. However, the Guards said that if they didn't want to leave, they would need to fend for themselves when the Monsters attacked.
This argument easily convinced them to reconsider their decision to stay. In the end, those who didn't want to leave reluctantly started packing their belongings.
They knew that if they stayed in Abingdon Town, all of them would die without the protection of the Town's Guards, whose numbers had decreased to less than half their original size before the Beast Attacks started.
"Did the Deimos-Ranked Beast agree to help us?" Pietro asked as soon as Lux landed inside his residence.
"No," Lux replied. "He said his ties with Humans died when the former Mayor died. We won't be getting any assistance from him."
Pietro was noticeably disappointed after hearing Lux's reply. However, since the Beast refused to help them, there was nothing they could do about it. A Deimos-Ranked Monster wasn't something that they dared to annoy.
"Master, we will only be able to leave on the third day" Asmodeus reported. "The chances of us getting attacked during that time is very high."
Lux nodded in understanding.
Since Asmodeus was the one that took the initiative to talk to him, the Half-Elf was sure that his trusted strategist had already formulated a plan that would allow them to survive the attacks of the Insects that lived in the Shaufell Plains.
"It will be difficult, Master," Asmodeus said through telepathy. "Regardless of who we face, casualties are inevitable. I just want you to understand that you can't save everyone."
"I understand," Lux replied. "Tell me the plan you have in mind for the evacuation."
"Very well. But, it will be best if we add Pietro and the Captain of the Guards in the discussion, so we can coordinate our strategy effectively."
"Good idea. Let's make that happen."
That night, Lux, Asmodeus, Pietro, and the Captain of the Guards, Marco, discussed the countermeasures that they will take when facing the Insect-Type Beasts.
Only when they fully grasped the strategy in their mind did they end their meeting, and retired for the night.
—-----------
The Next Day…
Lux, and the others had a simple breakfast with Pietro. After it ended, the Half-Elf discussed with his group the battle plan for the evacuation.
Randolph, Grandma Annie, Laura, and Livia would stay in one group, and they would travel alongside the residents of Abingdon Town to evacuate.
Lux and the others would position themselves at the front, the rear, and the middle of the formation, so that they could react right away if any threats were to target the residents during their evacuation.
Randolph, and Grandma Annie both understood that the danger they were facing was greater than the one they had faced in Leaf Village. They didn't want to make things difficult for Lux and the others, so they didn't have any objections to the plan.
"Regardless of who we face, Ithaqua's role is indispensable," Gerhart commented. "So we need to protect it at all times."
Cethus stated "I"ll play that role. Although I am not confident in fighting groups of monsters on my own, I will do my best to prevent any of the Monsters from killing Ithaqua."
Lux gave Cethus a brief nod. They were simply stretched too thin to protect everyone. Asmodeus would be guarding the center of procession where Randolph, Grandma Annie, Laura, and Livia would be stationed.
Gerhart would be guarding the rear of the formation, while Lux would be at the front. The Town Guards would move in groups, and position themselves accordingly to assist the defense of the Those who weren't riding the wagons, marched alongside them, creating a long line of evacuees.
16:43
Regardless if they were ordinary people, Apostles, or Initiates, All the men and women who were people when the Monsters attacked.
The rest of the third day passed smoothly, and the evacuation procedures were nearly completed. That night, the residents all prayed to the Spirits of the Wanid Kingdom to give them a safe journey to their next destination.
They knew that when morning came, all of them would leave Abingdon Town behind. Even though they were reluctant to part, there was nothing they could do about it.
Either stay and die, or leave and have a chance of survival.
For most people, the choice was easy. As for the rest, they had no choice but to do it.
Just as the sun was rising the following morning, the gates of Abingdon Town opened wide.
"Forward!" Marco ordered.
A dozen Guards accompanied him at the lead of the formation to act as the Vanguard of the evacuation.
Half a minute later, wooden wagons, and carriages passed through the gates. The residents had spent the entirety of the second day creating as many wagons as possible for their evacuation.
Of course, it was never enough for everyone, so only the women, children, those with disabilities, and the old people were allowed to ride them.
Those who weren't riding the wagons, marched alongside them, creating a long line of evacuees.
Regardless if they were ordinary people, Apostles, or Initiates, All the men and women who were able to fight carried weapons, and prepared themselves for the battle that they would be fighting soon.
None of them were delusional enough to think that they wouldn't get attacked by the Monsters of the Shaufell Plains, so they had already made peace with themselves that they had no choice but to fight.
The first few hours of traveling put people on edge. The tension was at an all time high as they traveled the plains at a steady pace.
Pietro had estimated that the journey would take ten days due to the sheer numbers of evacuees.
Although he may look like an ordinary person in the eyes of others, the newly elected Mayor was actually a Battle Mage at the peak of the Initiate Rank.
Battle Mages were proficient in wielding magic, as well as using Magic Staffs, Canes, and Quarterstaff as melee weapons.
The Captain of the Guards, Marco, was a Magic Swordsman. Just like Pietro, he was a Peak Initiate.
He mostly used his magical powers to enhance his strength, speed, stamina, and vitality, boosting his fighting abilities to the limits.
Marco could also coat his sword with the magic of the different elements, allowing him to deal attacks that take advantage of his opponent's elemental weakness.
Finally, when the sun was at its peak, the first signs of trouble appeared on the horizon.
"Giant Ground Beetles!" Pietro gasped after seeing over twenty ground beetles, who were all Rank 5 Monsters, headed in their direction. "Marco, intercept them!"
Among the group of beetles, Lux noticed that one of them was slightly bigger than the rest, and had faint red stripes on its legs.
"Field Boss Monster," Lux muttered as he raised his hand to summon his Named Creatures, and his Undead Army to fight alongside the Towns Guards, who had already prepared themselves for the worst case scenario.
Lux knew that this was only the beginning of their journey, and if they couldn't even survive these Giant Ground Beetles then they had no hope of surviving the rest of the Insect-Type Beasts they would encounter along the way.
Chapter 557 Bug Wars [Part 1]
< Viscous Carabus Ground Beetle >
– Giant Ground Beetle
– Rank 5 Field Boss Monster
– Hunter of the Plains
Health: 8,000,000 / 8,000,000
Mana: 250,000 / 250,000
Strength: 2,000
pàпdá-ňᴏνêι.сóМ Intelligence: 500
Vitality: 4,000
Agility: 1,000
Dexterity: 1,000
Active Skills: Earth Spikes, Earth Wall, Crunch, Deadly Slash.
Passive Skills: Health Regeneration, Mana Regeneration, Stamina Regeneration, Sturdy Body.
Special Ability: Herculean Strength
—-----------
< Herculean Strength >
– When engaging in combat, the strength of this monster is multiplied by 300%
—-----------
Lux covered his body with the Favonius Legacy Armor and flew in the air. He would handle the Field Boss Monster, while his subordinates handled the rest.
Summoning his Doppelgangers, he immediately unleashed a Dragon's Breath with the intention of pushing the Giant Ground Beetle backwards.
His priority was the safety of the people. For that to happen, he needed to prevent the Field Boss Monster from nearing the procession of evacuees, who had all stopped in their tracks with grim expressions on their faces.
Eiko, who was sitting on top of Asmodeus' head, wanted to head off into battle, but Lux had asked her to protect Grandma Annie, Laura, and Livia alongside Asmodeus.
The Baby Slime might be a battle junkie, but she cared for the kind grandma, and the two little girls who were taking good care of their own baby slimes, Cora and Nora.
Eiko would not allow them to get hurt, so she simply cheered her Papa on from a distance.
"Pa!"
"Fight!"
"Pa!"
"Fight!"
Asmodeus chuckled as the Baby Slime on top of his head jumped up and down, while calling out to his Master, who was taking on the Field Boss Monster by himself.
With two Doppelgangers by his side, although the enemy was stronger, and more sturdy than he was, the Half-Elf was confident that he would be able to chip away its life little by little.
Magical arrows rained down upon the Giant Ground Beetles, as Lux's newly evolved, Skeleton Arcane Hunters, joined the fray.
Upon clearing the Gate of Conquest, the Skeleton Grand Archers had gotten a free profession upgrade, which made Lux very happy.
The unique abilities of the Skeleton Arcane Hunters was a welcome addition to the Half-Elf's growing Army.
These ranged attackers had the power to imbue their arrows with elemental magic, which allowed them to increase their damage significantly. Not only that, they had the skill, Wild Focus, allowing them to imitate the abilities of certain creatures.
For example, they could imitate the sharp sightedness of Eagles and Hawks, allowing them to see farther and clearer. They could also imitate the agility and dexterity of monkeys, giving them the ability to climb trees and mountains faster.
Of course, these boosts in abilities weren't permanent, and only lasted for half an hour. Even so, it was a great skill that allowed them to be more flexible on the battlefield.
Also, the Skeleton Arcane Hunters could summon Skeleton Beast Companions to assist them in battle.
Currently, they could only summon Skeleton Forest Wolves that served as Bodyguards, as well as Mounts, if necessary, making them very flexible fighters.
With the Mythical Gauntlet in his hand, Orion smashed his fists against the Ground Beetle's head, making it shriek in pain.
Diablo was doing hit and run attacks, wielding his weapon with great mastery. Since his sword strikes were imbued with the Ethereal Element, it bypassed the sturdy defenses of the Ground Beetles, making them feel a world of pain.
Pazuzu smashed his spiked mace on the head of one of the Ground Beetles who managed to break away from their defensive formation, making a sprint towards the residents of Abingdon Town with blood-shot eyes.
After repeated attempts, the Fortress Defender's passive ability activated, which paralyzed the Beetle for a short period of time. Naturally, the Town's Guards, as well as the Skeleton Gang Bangers didn't miss this opportunity and unleashed a concentrated attack on the Beetle's head, targeting its eyes.
Their efforts were not wasted as the Beetle uttered a pain-filled screech as it lost its vision in both eyes.
Zagan, and Lazarus teamed up to devastate their foes with magical bombardments. The Strategist of Lux's Necromancer Covenants called upon Black Lightning Bolts, imbued with the Power of the Abyss, against the Ground Beetles.
Similar to Diablo's ability, Abyss Touch bypassed defenses and dealt direct damage to the Soul. no matter how tough the Ground Beetles were, they weren't able to endure the intense pain that coursed through every fiber of their being.
Lazarus, on the other hand, had the Unique Ability Cold Flames. All of his attacks lowered his enemies' resistances to cold and fire attacks, making them feel the chilling cold of ice, and the burning sensation of blazing flames.
Long exposures to such attacks was enough to drive someone crazy, making the Great Flame Skull a menacing Magical Turret that could unleash deadly spells in quick intervals.
Ishtar was also making things difficult for the Giant Ground Beetles by shooting arrows imbued by Ice Magic, decreasing their mobility and attack speed.
Pietro, who was observing the battle from afar breathed a sigh of relief.
"Fortunately they decided to help us," Pietro muttered. "If not, I don't know how we would be able to live through this."
The battle between the Field Boss Monster and Lux was getting more intense.
Loud explosions reverberated in the surroundings as the Half-Elf unleashed his Draco Meteor Skill, giving the Viscous Carabus Ground Beetle no opportunity to mount an effective counter-offensive against him.
Out of desperation, the Field Boss Monster erected walls of Earth in order to protect itself from Lux's merciless bombardment.
Layers upon Layers of Earth crumbled as Lux, and his clones, continued to unleash their strongest attacks in order to exterminate the Giant Ground Beetle as soon as possible.
Because he was too focused on dealing with the monster in front of him, he didn't notice the scouts of the various Insect-Type Beasts that were watching the battle from afar.
All of them were paying close attention to the battle, as well as the thousands of Humans, who were valuable food resources in their eyes.
Chapter 558 Bug Wars [Part 2]
Gerhart and Cethus observed the ongoing battles in the distance and were quite surprised by how Lux, his Summons, and the Town's Guards were keeping the Monsters at bay.
Unlike the Half-Elf who was too focused on his battles, the two had sensed the presence of other creatures in the surroundings.
Asmodeus had sensed them as well, but he didn't tell Lux about his discovery right away because his Master was fighting against a dangerous opponent.
Although the Field Boss was unable to effectively mount a counterattack, all of that would change once the Half-Elf concerned himself with the Monsters that were gathering near the evacuees.
"Eiko, summon Boomer and your Slimes," Asmodeus said. "We got company."
The Baby Slime nodded and summoned her subordinates in order to protect the people that they were escorting. Eiko would do everything in her power that was important to her and her Papa.
Even though the scouts of the Ants, Giant Hornets, Mosquitoes, and other Insect-Type Beasts were simply observing from afar, that didn't mean that they were idle. Everything that was happening was reported to their comrades who were back in their respective colonies.
Because of this, Asmodeus, Gerhart, Cethus, Marco, and Pietro prepared themselves for the worst-case scenario. They knew that things could go wrong at any given moment, but the only option left for them was to face these challenges with everything they had.
The residents who were also capable of fighting were holding their weapons in their hands and were also preparing to engage any enemies that would dare to attack them.
Randolph and Grandma Annie also took out their weapons in preparation for the inevitable.
Behind the two little Dwarves, a black coffin hovered above their heads. Lux had set it to automatically summon Sid and Scarlet if the Dwarves' lives were being threatened as a safety precaution.
As if waiting for that cue, a loud buzzing sound came from the North, which momentarily made Lux look away.
The Field Boss didn't miss this opportunity and executed a well-aimed Earth Spike, which sent the Half-Elf spiraling toward the ground after getting a direct hit.
The Half-Elf clutched his chest with his right hand, enduring the pain as his vision locked on a dark swarm in the distance, which was all too familiar to him.
"Asmodeus!" Lux roared as Asmodeus summoned Ithaqua, who immediately conjured a blizzard, coating the surroundings in snow and ice.
Countless mosquitoes blotted the sky with their numbers, making the Half-Elf's skin crawl.
Regardless of Rank, all Mosquito Type Monsters had a passive ability to inflict poison, weakness, and paralysis on the people that they had bitten.
However, if one were to come across a mosquito swarm, suffering status conditions was the least of their problems. It was highly possible that it would only take a few seconds for them to become a dried husk when the Mosquitoes were done sucking up all of their blood.
Countless Obsidian Spite Mosquitoes (Rank 1), Iron-Scaled Torment Mosquitoes (Rank 2), Ruthless Venom Mosquitoes (Rank 3), and Horned Harlequin Mosquitoes (Rank 4) covered the sky like a thick blanket, casting a shadow upon them.
The scariest part about this formation was that three Diabolical Doom Mosquitos (Rank 5 Field Monster) were commanding this deadly army.
Even after Ithaqua summoned a blizzard to cover everyone and to decrease the enemies' field of vision, the Mosquitoes simply hovered outside the blizzard, looking for any gaps that they could break through.
Although they liked to suck blood, Mosquitoes were cold-blooded creatures that didn't like the cold because it made them lethargic. Their body functions slow down and, if they were to be exposed to extreme cold, they could die in a matter of minutes.
Lux, who saw this, managed to breathe a sigh of relief. However, his expression immediately changed when he saw the three Diabolical Doom Mosquito's eyes turned bright red, making the Half-Elf feel as if something bad was going to happen.
Suddenly, the three Rank 5 Field Boss Monsters, unleashed a barrage of crimson crescent blades, piercing through the cloak of snow and ice, and fly toward Ithaqua's location.
"Not on my watch!" Cethus shouted and immediately unleashed a Dragon Breath, which collided with the Crescent Blades that threatened their Trump Card's life.
The Dragon Breath managed to disperse a few of the Crescent Blades, but not all of them.
"""Breath!"""
Eiko and her clones shouted, and unleashed three Dragon Breaths blocking the Field Boss Monster's attack. However, the four Dragon Breath's attacks combined, managed to temporarily disperse a portion of the blizzard, giving the Mosquito Swarm a path to worm their way in.
"Sh*t!" Cethus cursed loudly as he prepared to unleash another Dragon's Breath. However, firing consecutive Dragon Breaths wasn't an easy matter. At most, he would still need a full minute to recover before he could unleash another wave of attacks.
Just as the Dragon Born was thinking of ways to stop the Mosquito Swarm that had taken a gamble to take down the Creature of Cold White Silence, Ithaqua, a bombardment of Magical Spells and Elemental Imbued Arrows flew towards the incoming Mosquitoes, decimating them at a rapid pace.
The majority of the mosquitoes were Rank 1 and Rank 2 Monsters, so they easily died under the cover fire of the Skeleton Arcane Hunters and the Skeleton Mages which numbered in the hundreds.
All of Lux's and Asmodeus' Skeleton Summons, as well as Rock Golems, were all Rank 4 Monsters, making them superior to the lower-ranking mosquitoes.
However, there was one thing that the mosquitoes had that the Skeleton Army didn't—that was their numbers.
They were simply too many of them!
The Mosquito swarm numbered in the millions, which made things difficult for the defenders.
One of the Diabolical Doom Mosquitoes had also entered the gap in the blizzard and flew straight towards Ithaqua, using his comrades as shields to block all the incoming attacks in front of it.
Left with no other choice, Cethus gritted his teeth as he flew into the air in order to intercept the Rank 5 Field Boss Monster.
"I will support you," Asmodeus stated as he conjured spinning blades that flew around Cethus' body, annihilating all the lower-ranked Mosquitoes who tried to attack him.
With one mighty roar, the Dragon Born opened his mouth and unleashed an acid spray, aiming at the Field Monster's eyes in an attempt to blind it. However, his opponent had very high agility and dexterity, allowing it to dodge Cethus' attack with relative ease.
Before the Dragon Born could even follow up with his attack, the Diabolical Doom Mosquito made a U-Turn and attempted to pierce the Dragon Born's back with its needle-like mouth, aiming for its heart.
However, before it could succeed in its attempt, a crystallized monkey fist smashed the side of its face.
A second later, a loud explosion followed as the Diabolical Doom Mosquito's attack narrowly missed Cethus' body due to Boomer's Dynamite Punch.
"I owe you one, Monkey!" Cethus shouted as he kicked the air, using it as a stepping stone to unleash a dropkick on the Giant Mosquito's head.
His attack connected, but it didn't deal as much damage as he intended. The difference in Ranks allowed the Diabolical Doom Mosquito to survive one of Cethus' full-powered strikes with ease.
As the battle between the Mosquitoes and Lux's allies intensified, another round of collective buzzing sounded, and this time, it came from the West.
Dozens of Red Giant Hornets flew in a formation and were about to join the fray. They only came to the battlefield for one reason and one reason only and that was to capture as many Humans as possible.
Their Queen had tasked them to collect as much food as they could so that she could birth more Red Giant Hornets to further increase their numbers.
Gerhart, who was at the rear of the formation, clicked his tongue as he unsheathed the dagger on his waist.
The Giant Hornets had decided to try their luck at the rear of the procession of evacuees, hoping that they would get less resistance if they did that.
"Here goes nothing…," Gerhart muttered as he summoned a tornado to rotate around his body. The Snow and Ice fused with his attack, creating a tornado of extreme cold and sharpness that could easily shred any Monster that was unlucky enough to get trapped within one of his strongest special attacks.
Chapter 559 Live A Great Life, And Die A Great Death [Part 1]
"Freezing Tempest!" Gerhart roared as he unleashed a tornado imbued with ice in the direction of the Red Giant Hornets that had entered his strike range.
Immediately, the hornets dispersed, but one of them was unlucky enough to get sucked by the spinning tornado of death, which shredded its entire body, leaving deep wounds on the insect's body.
Its wings were also damaged by Gerhart's attack, making it unable to escape the cage of death that trapped it completely.
The green-haired Half-Elf clicked his tongue. He expected to deal greater casualties with his attack, but his opponents' maneuverability exceeded his expectations.
"Everyone, brace yourselves!" one of the Town's Guards shouted as he positioned himself in front of the residents of Abingdon Town.
The other Guards did the same and immediately engaged the Red Giant Wasps that forced themselves inside the blizzard in order to complete their mission of gathering food for their nest.
These Giant Hornets ignored the guards and simply grabbed as many people as they could before flying out of the blizzard as fast as their wings could take them.
Just like the Mosquitoes, they were weak against the cold. However, their bodies were sturdier than the former, so they could withstand the blizzard for a short period of time.
Screams of pain and fear emerged from the residents as their loved ones were taken away from them by force.
Out of desperation, Gerhart unleashed countless Wind Blades at the Giant Hornets, targeting their wings.
He managed to hit some of them, which forced the hateful insects to crash to the ground and get mobbed by the Town's Guards and the residents who had the ability to fight.
Unfortunately, he couldn't save all of them, and dozens of Hornets managed to escape, carrying their prize with them.
Just like the Mosquitoes, the Red Giant Hornets were also accompanied by two Rank 5 Field Boss Monsters, which were called Supreme Dread Hornets.
These Hornets were slightly bigger than the Red Giant Hornets, and their bodies had purple metallic streaks on them, making them look extremely poisonous.
Unlike the other hornets, these two Field Boss Monsters were quite vicious and unleashed dozens of Needle-like spikes, which were coated with poison, at Gerhart, whom they found extremely annoying.
The green-haired Half-Elf had no choice but to defend himself from the combined attack of two Field Bosses, making him unable to help the residents that were being kidnapped right in front of his eyes.
Although all of them had already prepared for the possibility that they would get attacked by several Insects at the same time, they still felt bitter about it when it actually happened.
They were simply stretched too thin!
'This is impossible!' Gerhart cursed internally as he created a tornado in front of him to suck up the poisonous needle strikes that were being aimed at him by the Field Boss Monsters. He then sent them out of the blizzard, attacking the Red Giant Hornets, which caused minimal damage to them.
For some reason, these hornets were immune to the poison of their own kind, so Gerhart's plan to use the enemy's poison against them was rendered useless.
Lux also understood the hardships that his allies were experiencing at the moment, but there was nothing he could do about it.
After getting injured by the Field Boss Monster's attack, the red-haired Half-Elf no longer worried about the other battlefields and placed all his focus on the enemy in front of him.
He had already decided that even if the mission were to fail, he would make sure that his entire party would survive at all costs.
Although he felt bad for the residents, that was just how things were.
Lux could have summoned Keoza to turn the tide of battle in his favor, but he could only summon the Crystal Dragon one last time.
Because of this, he decided to just use his abilities and save his Trump Card for when his life was truly in danger.
Just as the Half-Elf had successfully incinerated the Viscous Carabus Ground Beetle's tough armor, making it screech in pain, something unexpected happened.
The Blizzard that had covered the surroundings stopped completely, making the Half-Elf pause for a brief moment in the attack that he was about to unleash.
The giant, Wendigo-like creature, who ensured that everyone would be protected from the Mosquito Warms, uttered a pained scream as it fell to the ground.
Asmodeus, who was caught by surprise by the unexpected sneak attack that came from the East, immediately summoned several Bone Walls in order to protect his Summon from being finished off by the monsters that they had dreaded the most.
Lux's face immediately became grim as countless Tetramorium Ants made their appearance.
To make matters worse, it seems that all the Insects had formed an unwritten rule that none of them would be hostile with each other and first target the Humans, whom all of them had labeled as their food supply.
When sardines grouped together, forming a school, they automatically became the greatest fish buffet in the sea.
Several marine creatures such as sharks, seals, penguins, dolphins, and even birds worked together in order to contain these delectable creatures, giving everyone their fair share of food.
That was the current situation in the Shaufell Plains.
Although all of the Insect-Type Monsters didn't get along with each other, they were able to set aside their differences in order to devastate the defenders and further thin out their ranks.
The monsters knew that this was the best way to enjoy the feast of thousands of people, who had left their town in order to escape from the same creatures that were now attacking them from all directions.
The moment Ithaqua fell, the first line of defense against the Mosquito Swarm and the Giant Hornets also crumbled.
Laura and Livia screamed as countless Mosquitoes descended from the sky, heading in their direction.
Grandma Annie immediately stood in front of her two Disciples and unleashed a Fireball, which instantly blew up the Mosquitoes that it hit.
Unfortunately, the number she killed was not even worth mentioning as countless Mosquitoes dived down to drink the blood of the pitiful Humans and Dwarves, who had nowhere to run.
Randolph and Grandma Annie hugged the two little girls and used their bodies in order to shield them from the Insects that were out for their blood.
At that exact moment, a blazing Fire Wall rose up to intercept the mosquitoes, making them all combust like moths attracted to the flame.
A giant shadow passed over the heads of the residents of Abingdon Town, which made all of them gasp in shock.
A giant Termite then landed beside the wooden wagons where the women, children, and old people were. At first, the Guard was planning to attack the Giant Termite. However, Pietro immediately blocked their path and explained to them who the new arrival was.
"Do not attack him!" Pietro shouted. "He is the former mayor's Beast Companion!"
After hearing his explanation, the Town's Guards looked up at the Malevolent Blaze Coned Termite, who ignored them completely.
The Giant Termite had no time to worry about the residents because it was busy sizing up the three Deimos-Ranked Adamantine Tetramorium Ants that were accompanied by lower-ranked Soldier and Worker Ants to feast on the Humans.
Originally, it didn't plan on aiding the Humans because it knew that even if it helped, it would not be able to defeat the Ants, who were its kind's mortal enemy.
Even so, it still came despite knowing that it was a hopeless battle.
Why? Because every time it tried to close its eyes, its friend's final moments appeared inside its mind. Because of this, it was no longer able to sit still and decided to throw caution into the wind and fight the last battle of its life.
"Watch me, Drystan," the Giant Termite said as it coated its entire body with blazing flames. "I'll show you that I can be a Hero, too!"
The Giant Termite didn't want to die, but why did it matter when it no longer had any reason for living? Because of this, he decided to honor his one and only friend's final wish and risk its life in a battle that it had no chance of winning.
"Come!" The Giant Termite emitted a resounding screech as it faced the countless Iron, Steel, and Adamantite Bullets that were as large as cannonballs, to shield the residents of Abingdon Town, whom his friend, Drystan, had protected over the last few years that remained of his life.
Chapter 560 Live A Great Life, And Die A Great Death [Part 2]
Searing hot flames spewed out from the Giant Termite's mouth, melting the attacks of the Ant Army that were aimed in his direction, as well as the residents of Abingdon Town.
For the Ants, it didn't really matter if the humans were dead, or alive when they took them back to their nest. This was why the Deimos-Ranked Adamantine Ants attacked Ithaqua first, dispelling the Blizzard that would slow their advance.
Fortunately, Ithaqua didn't die. However, it still received serious injuries that incapacitated it.
Although the Iron, and Steel balls melted due to the Giant Termite's attack, the three Adamantine Bullets didn't melt completely.
Left with no choice, the Giant Termite used its body to block these three projectiles, protecting the Humans from further harm.
The Giant Termite was more of a Spell Caster, compared to the Ants who were warriors. Although it's health was high because of its rank, its defenses weren't that strong.
The three half-melted Adamantium Bullets collided with its body, creating loud thudding sounds, pushing the Giant Termite back a few meters before it came to a complete stop.
Although it was hurt, it didn't make any sound, and pretended to brush off the damage it received, making the Deimos-Ranked Ants think that their attacks did minimal damage to their nemesis.
The Malevolent Blaze Coned Termite then raised its head to the sky, summoning a Fire Storm, which rained fireballs to the Ant Army.
Due to the Ants' numbers, the Giant Termite didn't need to aim. It was sure that wherever a fireball landed, it would hit something!
Just as it expected, all the Ants below the Deimos Rank were incinerated the moment the fireballs landed on their bodies. Only the Adamantium Ants resisted its attacks.
While the Giant Termite brought down Hell on Earth, the three Deimos-Ranked Ants charged forward. They knew that they had to take out the greatest threat in the battlefield as soon as possible, or else their brethren would all be set on fire.
Seeing his opponents approach it, the Giant Termite gave the Humans behind it a brief glance before opening its wings to fly in the sky.
It couldn't allow the Adamantium Ants to get near the residents of Abingdon Town, or else they would be caught up in the battle between Deimos-Ranked monsters.
The Giant Termite knew that if it engaged the Ants in close combat, it would be the one to suffer. But at this point in time, it had no choice but to do it.
The reason was simple. If the Ants couldn't get to it, they would just target the Humans instead.
The Giant Termite once again unleashed a Fire Breath on the Adamantine Ants before it dove to slam its flaming body against its opponents, just like a Phoenix in flight.
As a Soldier Termite, it was also capable in close combat. However, it still specialized in firing Fire Spells at its opponents.
Unlike the Fire Ants that its colony had faced in the past, the Tetramorium Ants, weren't that resistant to fire. Even the Adamantium Ants, whose entire bodies were covered in Adamantine, weren't too keen on being bathed in the Giant Termite's searing flames.
Shrieks of pain reverberated throughout the battlefield as the lower-ranked Ants blew up one by one.
Left with no choice, they once again bombarded the Giant Termite with their powerful cannonball-like attacks, which created sparks the moment they hit the Giant Termite's body.
After suffering significant damage, the Giant Termite was forced to land on the ground.
But, before that, it made sure to set the ground ablaze with another Fire Breath, creating a space and depriving the hateful Ants that outnumbered it a hundred thousand to one of more of their members.
The Giant Termite created five-meter tall Fire Walls in every direction, blocking the path of the Tetramorium Ants, forcing them to face it head-on.
"Come!" the Giant Termite screeched. "I'll burn you all to a crisp!"
Angered by its taunts, the Ants ignored the Humans and made a beeline towards their mortal enemy, who had already killed thousands of their companions.
Lux and the others understood what the Giant Termite was trying to do, so they intensified their attacks on the opponents they were facing.
Ithaqua, who was still lying on the ground, gave a hoarse, but defiant roar.
A few seconds later, a stronger, and more powerful blizzard buffeted the Mosquitoes who had momentarily lost their momentum after the Giant Termite appeared.
"Ithaqua... you," Asmodeus said as he looked at the Creature of the Cold White Silence. "Very well, I will not waste your sacrifice. I will take one of the enemies' Deimos-Ranked Cores to revive you later."
Ithaqua gave a low chuckle before its body turned into particles of light.
It had sacrificed its life in order to conjure a more powerful Blizzard that covered the battlefield, which shielded its allies from the flying insects, who had tried to take advantage of its injuries.
Just as it had done earlier, a dome of air surrounded the residents, preventing them from getting affected by the abnormal weather change, which had reduced their visibility to zero.
Although those who were riding on the wooden wagons felt anxious, and afraid, the blizzard that was blowing fiercely around them, gave them a sense of security.
It also gave them a feeling of warmth, despite the chilling temperature that prevented the Red Giant Hornets, and the Mosquito Swarm from taking their loved ones away from them.
"Morpheus, make them pay," Asmodeus ordered as he, and his Doppelgangers summoned their Undead Army.
The Death Tyrant's dozen eyes glowed crimson as it released Death Rays, Petrifying Rays, as well as other ray attacks that caused crippling status effects to its enemies.
In the face of a Death Tyrant, all kinds of healing magic and regeneration magic didn't work. Although it had been with Ithaqua for only a short time, Morpheus got along well with the Giant Skeleton Wendigo, whom it considered as its first friend.
While the Death Tyrant was bombarding the mosquitoes that were hovering outside of the blizzard, Asmodeus' Undead Army made their move in order to take revenge for their fallen comrade, who had passed the torch to their hands.