Painful stings wracked through my body as I tucked my curls around my shredded stomach in an effort to stop the bleeding.

I could hear the lizard's groans echoing through the chamber but it would have to bear with it for a while.

〚Skill Aptitude Increase: 『Pain Resistance: LV7』has become『Pain Resistance: LV8』〛

I suppressed my pain and focused on maintaining [Stealth] and tried to stay alert. I could feel the vibration of wings as the Queen soared through the air, searching for me.

«How can you let your guard down so easily?» Sensei scolded. «Just because you fought together for a brief period, does not make her your friend.»

"I… I didn't." I tried to argue but I couldn't refute him. "I thought she would understand the big picture, like the scary wasp did."

I sighed regretfully. Although I didn't see her as a friend, I did drop my guard against her and she didn't miss the chance. I lost more than half my HP with just one attack and subsequent bleeding kept draining it further, making my recovery much slower.

Sensei sighed. «Fortunately you reacted quickly, so the wound is not deep.»

Not deep? The horrible pain in my side begged to differ!

I realised that I needed to heal and quickly at that. Luckily I had enough XP points so I accessed the system and purchased a [HP Recovery Potion] for 50XP.

With that my plummeting HP bar stabilized.

«Your companion on the other hand…» Sensei trailed off solemnly.

My eyes scanned through the bodies and found the lizard. I would need to get over there if I was going to feed him a potion and soon.

Ding!

〚Skill『Pain Mitigation LV1』has been acquired〛

I felt a cool sensation spread over my wound, like a salve over a burn. Although the wound did not completely close or recover my HP further, the flow of blood stopped.

My movements also become much easier and that helped me remain hidden until my wound completely healed. But the Queen had other ideas.

[You seem to be forgetting something.] She spoke through the link as she landed next to the lizard.

I watched her reach over to touch his rough skin, and with a swift strike, she dug her claws deep into the lizard's wound, eliciting a torturous scream.

I forced myself to ignore his cry and remain still as I felt myself turn cold.

〚Skill Mastery Achieved: 『Stealth: LV9』has become『Stealth: LV10』〛

The lizard squirmed, its eyes twisted in pain and his cries rang with agony, but the Queen had just begun.

Seemingly playing with his wound, she ripped out a portion of his flesh and ate with relish. His heart wrenching cries filled the chamber and I shut my eyes unable to watch the horrifying scene.

This psychotic b****!

I was trembling with uncontrollable fury, raging to go out and sink my fangs into her.

«Don't. She's baiting you to reveal yourself. You can't win against her in a direct confrontation while he is her prisoner.» Sensei reminded in a strict tone.

As the lizard screamed, everything within me yearned to rip her to shreds. I never had any impression towards the dumb lizard before and I even found him annoying - but he didn't deserve to suffer like that. Not after all the torture he'd been through already.

Taking note of Sensei's words, I let down my [Stealth], exposing my location for a brief second and almost immediately, the Queen left the lizard and rushed in my direction.

[Found you.] The queen screeched in an ecstatic thrill.

A wind blade sliced through everything in the vicinity, reducing the spot to rubble. But when the dust settled, there was nothing other than debris and some blood stains I left behind.

I evaded the wind blade readily and then used the smokescreen to quickly switch my position with [Stealth].

As the Queen set foot on the ground to observe the blood trail, I zeroed in on one of the pillars still standing behind her and opened [Dimensional Box]. It had shown to be capable of taking in objects both big and small, but that was only when I looked at an object in its entirety.

If it could swallow something in its entirety, why not a smaller piece in the middle? I wondered what would happen if I focused on only a section of the object.

And so, rather than a large opening forming to absorb the entire pillar, only a sliver of darkness formed across the body of the pillar. Like a crack chipping across its centre, the pillar split in half, sending a portion of it into [Dimensional Box] and letting the rest of it crumble down towards the Queen.

The Queen's reaction was instantaneous, she sent out two wind blades that shattered the falling pillar into smaller pieces of rubble that did not harm her at all.

But harming her was never the point, it was merely a distraction so I could get close to the lizard.

[Reveal yourself. You can't hide forever.]

Although the Queen was unharmed, her voice held hints of anger.

But I was more astonished that my flimsy play on [Dimensional Box] had actually worked.

As she took to the air again, searching from above, I used the same trick with [Dimensional Box] again, this time targeting something smaller and closer to the Queen.

Focusing on a dead wasp on the opposite side, I created a thin slice that took away its neck, causing its head to roll.

It successfully drew her attention and she immediately sped off in that direction, unleashing more of her destructive wind blades, tearing through the deceased creature like it was made of paper.

But upon finding nothing more than the shredded remains of the wasp and shattered rubble, she screeched angrily. [Enough of the games. Come out and face me.]

I ignored her taunts and waited for the moment she would exhaust her wind blades.

From observing her battle with the wasps, I noticed she couldn't fire more than ten wind blades in a row. One she did, there was a cooldown period that lasted roughly about a minute, where she would only use her body to fight in close combat.

Since her [Coercion] didn't work on me, her wind blades were the only problem. And if my count was correct she could only fire two more before the cooldown set in.

The queen was fast, but she could only accelerate with singular bursts at a time, unlike the scary wasp who had free reign. I was confident I could keep up with her speed if it came down to combat.

I continued to target stationary objects to lead her around, but surprisingly she didn't react at all. I knew the more times I did this trick, the less she would fall for it but subverting my expectations once again, the Queen had caught on early.

Her dark eyes turned towards the lizard again, filled with untold horrors.

[You want to play with me? Alright, we will play. But by my rules.]

Without any delay she took off in the air. Malicious intent clear in her eyes, she fired two wind blades ahead of herself towards the lizard.

I immediately rushed out towards the lizard, but as the wind blades tore through the ground with devastating speed, I realized I wouldn't make it in time.

He might be able to survive an injury or two, but what if she severed its head?

He would surely die.

Desperate and out of options, I aimed [Dimensional Box] at the lizard.

The space in front of him distorted for a moment - seemingly about to collapse, a black hole the size of his frame opened up, and just as the wind blades were about to smash into him, disappeared mere seconds before they could hit.

When the dust settled, everything up until reaching him was destroyed by the Queen's wind blades, but the lizard remained untouched.

I was stunned by the sight, and very much thankful. I knew the lizard would be rejected because he was still alive, but nothing prepared me for the surprise at a risk that actually paid off.

I quickly shifted my attention toward the Queen who's attack had vanished into nothingness.

And with that, it made ten.

With the Queen out of wind blades, she hovered above the ground, furious eyes glaring at me like ominous black holes.

[What did you do?]

Although I was also shocked by the outcome, I tried to pretend as if everything was under my control.

[I saved something other than myself. Something you could never do.] I answered, equally furious and daring.

[Why don't you accept the truth and leave? This hive is no longer under your control.]

The Queen's eyes were cold as she snarled. [Leave?]

[Just fly out of that window. Nothing is stopping you aside from your rotten pride and selfish thoughts of revenge.]

An unsightly expression crossed the queen's face and she swept forward with a mad screech, lunging forward me with clawed limbs poised to strike. But I was waiting for her.

With the assistance from my heat sphere, I easily slithered away from her path. She instantly turned around and charged at me again and again, not realising her anger had made her easier to read.

I evaded her mad strikes with ease and eventually found an opening to sink my fangs into her leg.

I attempted to cleave her footing with [Poison Fang], but she gave no reaction of pain nor panic and instead grabbed onto me, her sharp claws digging into my stomach at once.

I immediately twisted away from her claws, slipping away to recover. I couldn't let her grab hold of me - she was strong enough to tear me apart in an instant.