Chapter 293 - Beetle Swarm
Theo stared at the messages with wide eyes.
He hadn’t even read the second one, being fully focused on the first instead.
’Temporarily... on Diamond Core level...?’ he thought, his mouth nearly falling open.
He had only just broken through to the Gold Core stage, yet this ability could temporarily push his strength up by two stages!
A huge grin spread across his face immediately.
’Even though there are some consequences to it,’ he thought, glancing at the second message. ’The ability is utterly ridiculous.’
It was basically a get-out-of-jail-free card.
If he were ever to get attacked by a bunch of Platinum or Diamond Cores, he could simply activate this ability and slaughter them.
’It also mentions other abilities while in that mode,’ he thought excitedly. ’I almost want to check it out on the spot.’
But almost immediately, Theo’s grin began to fade.
His mind wandered back to what had happened during the transformation.
The strange, overwhelming excitement he’d felt at the thought of destroying an entire city and literally almost doing so.
’That... was probably also part of the ability then,’ he thought slowly. ’It definitely makes the most sense.’
Suddenly, activating Calamity Incarnate again didn’t sound nearly as exciting.
The strength might be ridiculous. But if he lost control, he could kill his friends and massacre tens of thousands.
’Might be better to save this as an ace,’ he thought, nodding slowly.
Just then, Feng’s voice rang out through his mind.
’’Contractor?’’ it asked. ’’What did you discover?’’
Theo snapped out of his thoughts.
’The transformation,’ he replied after a moment. ’I found the racial ability responsible for it.’
’’What does it do?’’
Theo quickly began explaining his own thoughts.
It only took him a minute to tell Feng everything he’d figured out about Calamity Incarnate, including his suspicions about the strange change in his personality.
By the time he finished, Feng had fallen completely silent.
’So?’ Theo eventually asked. ’What do you think?’
’’I think you should be extremely careful with this ability, Contractor,’’ Feng replied seriously. ’’As you said, it might be better to save it for really dangerous situations.’’
Theo nodded slowly, having solved a lot of his questions already.
Now all that remained were the affinity itself and the strange empty world he’d found himself in.
’I’ll test my affinity out tonight once everyone’s asleep,’ he thought, letting out a sigh. ’But I doubt that’ll give me many answers.’
Just then, the group ahead of him came to a sudden halt.
Frowning slightly, Theo glanced to the front, only to see Nadia raise her hand.
’’Everyone!’’ she shouted, glancing back. ’’Lower down until I say otherwise!’’
Without hesitation, she lowered herself onto the ground.
The Church members hesitated for a moment, searching for Lucienne or Gabriel’s approval.
Theo’s group and the Dragonfang members, on the other hand, didn’t hesitate for a moment.
They immediately ducked down onto the ground, staring ahead with narrowed eyes.
A few seconds later, after begrudgingly gaining Gabriel’s approval, the Church members finally followed.
As everything fell silent, a strange buzzing noise reached their ears.
’’Remember, everyone!’’ Nadia’s voice rang out. ’’No matter what, do not attack the beetle swarm!’’
Only a moment later, a massive black mass appeared above the desert.
Theo’s expression shifted slightly.
’What the hell?’ he thought, squinting his eyes.
Tens of thousands of beetles were rapidly approaching.
Each one was nearly the size of a basketball, with six thin legs hanging beneath their bodies and large translucent wings rapidly beating behind them.
The enormous swarm was easily several hundred yards long!
BZZZZZZZZZZ!
As the buzzing rapidly grew louder, many people started growing nervous.
Within seconds, the first beetles began flying directly above them.
Theo remained completely still, watching thousands of dark bodies fill the sky.
’Only F-rank...’ he thought, swallowing slightly. ’Still fucking terrifying with this many.’
Around him, nobody dared move.
Even as several beetles began to descend and land for rest... no one moved.
’’DON’T MOVE!’’ Nadia suddenly shouted.
Theo’s attention fell on the front groups right away.
And it wasn’t just him who’d started looking to the front.
Everyone’s gaze fell on a relatively young female Church member who had several beetles crawling across her robes.
Her face had turned completely pale while her body trembled from disgust.
Even so, she somehow managed to remain still.
One of the beetles slowly crawled across her shoulder while another moved down her arm.
’’Stay calm!’’ Nadia shouted once more while covering her mouth with a cloth. ’’They’ll leave on their own!’’
The young woman swallowed nervously.
She didn’t respond, seemingly terrified that even opening her mouth would attract their attention.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then another beetle descended from the swarm.
BZZZZ!
It landed directly on her face.
The woman’s eyes widened instantly as its thin legs stretched out across her face.
Nadia was about to say something.
But it was already too late.
The woman instinctively raised her hand and lightly shoved the beetle off her face.
The beetle tumbled through the air before crashing into another beetle.
For a moment, nothing happened.
The woman froze, seemingly realizing what she had just done.
SCREECH!!!
The injured beetle let out a loud cry to the rest of its group.
’’Wait—’’ the woman said with a pale face.
Before anyone could react, thousands of beetles completely engulfed her body.
Her scream barely had time to leave her mouth before it disappeared beneath the deafening buzzing.
Then, just as quickly as they had descended, the beetles flew back into the air.
Everyone’s eyes instantly fell on the spot where the woman had been.
Now... nothing but a bloodied skeleton remained.
’What the fuck,’ Theo thought, his eyes widening. ’All she did was push it lightly...’
Nobody dared to make another move after that.
After another two minutes, the loud buzzing finally started to disappear into the distance.
Nadia slowly stood up.
’’Alright,’’ she said, glancing coldly at the others. ’’Now you all understand the consequences of not listening.’’
She paused for a moment.
’’So, let’s continue now.’’