In Cassol’s outskirts—

On the cramped second floor of a small eatery sat Sedrion, Butcher, Rodrigo, and Chumila.

Just as Sedrion and Butcher seemed about to settle their duel, an intruder shattered the moment.

It stood upright like a human, yet was undeniably not one.

Its head resembled a locust’s, crowned by moth-like antennae. Eight spider eyes glared from its face, flanked by ant-like pincers for a mouth. A lean, armored body—part beetle, part mantis shrimp—covered every joint in sleek chitin. Exposed muscles coiled like those of a rhinoceros beetle. Its limbs ended in barbed, clawed fingers thick with bristles and scales. A scorpion tail lashed behind it, tipped with a venomous stinger.

This thing… was a humanoid insect.

As if every deadly insect trait had been averaged into one nightmare form.

*Insectoid.*

The only fitting name.

“A beast? Inside the city?” Sedrion muttered, then dismissed the thought.

Cassol’s defenses were ironclad. With the city packed to bursting, such a creature couldn’t have gone unnoticed.

Then—

“*Familiar!*”

Sedrion and Butcher snapped the word simultaneously, eyes locking onto Rodrigo, who hadn’t yet fled.

Butcher had sensed the sorcerer’s presence long ago.

Their Battle Spirit instincts screamed: *This Insectoid is a high-tier beast. Only a sorcerer like Rodrigo could command it.*

Rodrigo threw up his hands. “Misunderstanding! I specialize in wood-element magic—I’d never summon bug familiars!”

He released his mana. Pure wood and earth energy swirled around him. Truthful.

Then what *was* this Insectoid—

It hadn’t moved since appearing.

Standing rigid, arms loose, feet shoulder-width apart. All eight eyes fixed dead ahead.

Simple posture. Unbreakable aura.

“…Hey, you bastard!” Sedrion barked. No response.

“Deaf? Or do you even *have* ears?”

Silence.

“…Whatever.” She shrugged, turning to leave.

***SHIIING!!!***

Air split.

Claws slashed faster than sound, carving vacuum trails.

Sedrion had braced the moment she turned, sword already gripped—but she barely blocked the strike!

*(So fast! And… so strong!?)*

Boots skidded on wood. One hand clutched her Greatsword’s hilt; the other braced the blade. Sparks flew where chitin met steel. The claws matched her weapon’s hardness!

“Tch… you… bastard…”

Even with mana surging through her veins, she was shoved backward, leather soles scraping white lines into the floor. Its strength defied reason.

“DON’T GET COCKY!!!”

Her Greatsword flared. Twin magic circles ignited—fire and lightning engulfed the blade! Condensed mana detonated. The eatery’s second floor shattered into splinters. Screams drowned beneath the roar. Sedrion ignored them, eyes locked on the meddler.

But—

“Where…? Hiding, you bug?”

The Insectoid vanished in the smoke and dust. No mana trace. No breath. No heartbeat. Like a corpse.

*(Where is it…?)*

“BEHIND YOU!!!” Chumila shrieked.

Sedrion’s instincts flared a split-second late. She spun, slashing wildly—metal *clanged* against something unyielding. The impact nearly tore her sword away.

***SKREEE!!!***

A distorted shriek. Space rippled. A humanoid shape flickered—then vanished like disturbed water.

*(It can turn invisible too!?)*

Invisibility was usually a crutch for weak beasts. But this Insectoid’s body was monstrous. Invisibility was just… extra.

*(If it’s a familiar… its master is either a perfectionist or paranoid beyond reason…)*

Sedrion’s mind raced. *Where will it strike next? Should I attack first? Wipe the whole area clean?*

***CRASH!!!***

A roar erupted nearby. Butcher’s fist sent a blurred shape flying. The Insectoid vanished again. Fresh gashes bled on Butcher’s arm. Rage contorted his face.

It wasn’t just targeting Sedrion.

First her. Then Butcher. Third—

***THUD!!!***

A shadow slammed into Rodrigo. His hastily cast barrier shattered. He swung his staff, skipping incantations, unleashing raw mana—

***KRA-KOOM!!!***

The sorcerer’s power erupted. Verdant waves exploded from Rodrigo. Twisting roots, snapping vines, grotesque blossoms—

The eatery groaned. A miniature forest burst through the second floor, crushing the building beneath its weight.

“T-TEACHER!!!”

“I checked—everyone downstairs escaped! No one’s hurt—”

“BUT *WE* ARE!!!”

Sedrion, Butcher, Chumila, and students were swallowed by foliage. Boys dangled from banyan-like branches. Girls and Chumila hung ten meters up on vines.

“Run! Get clear! You can break free easily!”

“These are *your* magic plants! They’re not that easy to break!”

“…Ah. Right.” Rodrigo scratched his head dumbly.

His creations could stall even high-tier Mystic Warriors.

“Tch! I’ll wither them—”

***WHAM!!!***

A boot slammed into Rodrigo’s face. Sedrion yanked him up, snarling through her shield:

“Idiot! Stop dawdling! Reclaim these damn trees!”

“I-it’s not that simple! Withering takes as much effort as growing—”

“JUST DO IT!!!”

“But… the forest blocked that bug, right? It got tossed by the trees too—”

“You call yourself a teacher!? No combat sense?! This is a *forest*—a bug’s playground!!!”

As if answering her shout, a tree exploded. Butcher burst out, bleeding from a dozen new cuts. The Insectoid followed, unscathed.

***SKREEE!!!***

“FILTHY MUTT!!!”

Crimson magic spiraled around Butcher’s gauntlets. His punch unleashed a vortex that shredded trees. The Insectoid weaved through debris, using roots and rocks as mirrors, movements fluid as shadow. Butcher roared. Twin blood-red energy claws raked the air—ten crimson slashes. The Insectoid twisted mid-air, slipping through the gaps like smoke.

***THWACK!!!***

Fists collided. Butcher staggered—its punch carried monstrous force. He retaliated, blood-magic surging into his gauntlets. Crimson claws raked the Insectoid’s side—*clink!* White scratches marred its carapace. No deeper.

***WHOOSH!!!***

“—The hell!?”

The scorpion tail whipped around. Butcher ducked. The stinger pierced a twenty-meter tree. In three seconds, the trunk dissolved into foul-smelling sludge.

*Venomous!*

“DON’T STEAL MY FIGHT!!!”

Sedrion lunged. Her Greatsword’s horizontal slash was caught by a single claw. The tail snapped toward her—

She was ready. The Greatsword split mid-swing. Two broad longswords flared in her hands.

***CLANG!!!***

One blade blocked the stinger. The venomous tip struck the steel—unharmed—

***SKREEE!?***

—until the Insectoid shrieked, stumbling back. Its stinger blackened, melting at the tip.

***“Will et longulus Der Zerstörer Psuju oštricu!”***

(Dragon Chant)

Molten lava and liquid fire sheathed the blades. Heat waves withered the forest instantly. Droplets of magma ate through floorboards, leaving smoldering pits.

“Not bad, bug. Thought my Furnace Edge would barbecue you. Only ruined your stinger? Next time won’t be so lucky. Because…”

Sedrion raised her blades. Fiery afterimages trailed her movements. A new aura erupted from her—crimson and black flames, thick with dread.

“…playtime’s over. I’m getting serious.”

“Bitch! That’s *my* line!” Butcher surged upright. Blood sigils now covered his entire body. His pressure intensified.

***“Skreee…”***

The Insectoid crouched, eight eyes locked on them both.

Across the ruins, Rodrigo began a low chant, ready to strike the moment it moved.

One Battle Spirit. One Sorcerer. One monstrous Mystic Warrior. Against a single nightmare.

Then—

***“Dae'Uhl Ner'mah·Salok Zhakul Zerashk·Sha-a'zul du templari·Anht zagatir nas!”***

A chant echoed from above. Blinding silver light rained down. The Insectoid looked up—

A beam of condensed starlight descended.

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