The death of Bugsy Linoone made the hot battle pause, as both sides stared in shock at the sheer power displayed. The bugs on Darius' side especially, had most of their info and fighting style based around the mechanics of the Supreme System.

Seeing one of their pinnacle members drop dead in a single strike left them collectively confused, as this was not what the script should say.

What had changed?

Naturally, they had no idea about the system's existence, so the only answer they could come up with is that their enemy was just that powerful.

The thing with events like these was that once it had occured, it usually began to recur more and more frequently. With the advent of one Grandmaster attacking, those others who had been looking on with interest and amusement felt the need to step in, if only for the chance to outshine their peers.

From the sea, both the bugs and the deployed warriors saw different elemental attacks forming, their sizes surpassing anything they had ever seen before. Without caring that they would strike their own men, the Grandmasters let out their apocalyptic attacks.

The result soon became evident.

Those who had yet to hit the beach were forced to take cover from the ensuing shockwave and the bright flash that lasted more than half a minute. When they finally lifted their heads to look, they could only gasp which fear, a dark chill running down their bodies.

The previously full battlefield had turned into a giant crater of different elements, with only some bug corpses still present, everything else had been razed to ash.

Satisfied, the Grandmasters laughed amongst each other and compared their prowess, some flaunting their superior skills while others grimaced due to their lackluster contribution.

One thing was certain though, these powerhouses only treated this small 'warm-up' as a passing thought, not something worth ruminating over or considering.

Normally, this should have been the end of the matter. The Insect Queen who had commanded her swarm would most likely hide and pray to never meet the ones responsible for eradicating her brood personally.

That would be the case for wild bugs. However, in this case, there was an owner and only time would tell what he would do to repay the Grandmasters' 'kindness'.

.......

Darius allocated their points and checked out the changes with a smile.

[Name: Darius Stone

Race: Ancestor Dragon (Fledgling)

Stage: Journeyman

Class: Itemancer

Subclass: Magus

HP: 10,000/10,000 (2,500)

MP: 16,000/16,000 (8,000)

STA: 4,000/4,000 (2,000)

Level: 40(+4)

Experience: 2,654/4,000

Strength: 100 (50)

Agility: 150 (62)

Endurance: 100 (50)

Intellect: 400 (200)

Charisma: 100 (50)

Luck: 100

Physical Status: Healthy

Mental Status: Calm.

AP: 22.4

SP: 49.4

Active: Elemental Breath - Lv.40 (1), Combine - Lv.40, Lightning Bolt - Lv.40, Group Teleportation - Lv.40, Spawn - Lv.20, Analyze Lv.40, etc

Passive: Magical Mastery - Lv.20 (3), Elemental Control - Lv.20 (1), Draconic Regeneration - Lv.20 (4), Spell Enhancement - Lv.100 (50), Spell Mastery - Lv.100 (20), Mageward Barrier - Lv.100 (5), Spirit Barrier - Lv.100 (5), Channeling - Lv.1, Basic Lancer Arts - Lv. 4, Weapons Mastery - Lv.1, Unarmed Mastery - Lv.1, etc

Abilities: Transmutation (Intermediate), Dragon Transformation (Intermediate), Limit Release (Intermediate), Super Instinct (Intermediate), Man of Steel (Intermediate), Intermediate Psychomancy (Advanced), Metamorph (Intermediate), Divine Favor (Intermediate).]

[Name: Gunner

Race: Half-Human, Half-Giant (Royal Blood)

Class: Vanguard

Stage: Journeyman

Subclass: Anti-mage

HP: 90,000/90,000 (13,440)

MP: 2,000/2,000

STA: 12,000/12,000 (4,800)

Level: 40(+4)

Exp: 2,652/4,000

Strength: 300 (112)

Agility: 50

Endurance: 300 (120)

Intellect: 50

Charisma: 50

Luck: 100 (50)

Physical Status: Healthy

Mental Status: Indifferent.

Affection: Friendly lvl max

AP: 42.4

SP: 43.4

Active: Engage - Lv.40 (15), Earthen Stomp - Lv. 40 (10), Earthen Punch - Lv.40 (10), Earthen Lariat - Lv.40 (1), Omega Blow - Lv.40 (1), Eraser Cannon - Lv.40 (1), Solid Defense - Lv.1, Unbreakable Ward - Lv.1 etc

Passive: Energy Ward - Lv.100 (30) , Mageward Barrier - Lv.100, Weapons Mastery - Lv.1, Unarmed Mastery - Lv.1, Earth's Guardian - Lv.100 (50), Extreme Speed - Lv.1, Spirit Barrier - Lv.100 (5) etc

Abilities: Unlimited Power (Advanced), Afterimage (Basic), Immortal Body (Advanced), Mind Power (Basic), Morph (Basic), Divine Favor (Intermediate).]

[Name: Xieliartorsobotar Staonroefuso

Race: Elf (Royal Blood)

Class: Cleric

Stage: Journeyman

Subclass: Divine Maiden

HP: 3,750/3,750 (2,500)

MP: 12,000/12,000 (6,000)

STA: 3,000/3,000 (2,000)

Level: 40 (+5)

Exp: 1,952/4,000

Strength: 50

Agility: 100 (65)

Endurance: 75(50)

Intellect: 300 (150)

Charisma: 100 (50)

Luck: 300 (100)

Physical Status: Healthy

Mental Status: Happy.

Affection: Friendly lvl max

AP: 0.5

SP: 0.5

Active: Divine Blessing - Lv.40, Divine Ward - Lv.40 (21), Divine Summoning - Lv.10 (2), Purify - Lv.19 (12), Purge - Lv.40 (10), Divine Restoration - Lv.40, Isolate Evil - Lv.40 (10), High Cure - Lv.40 (21), Super Heal - Lv. 40 (21)

Passive: Divine Sight - Lv.20 (10), Light's Chosen - Lv.50 (10), Pure Body - Lv.50 (20), Pure Soul - Lv.50 (20), Pure Spirit - Lv.50 (20), Aura of Life - Lv.10 (2), Spell Mastery - Lv.100 (10), Spell Enhancement - Lv.100 (10)

Abilities: Limit Release (Intermediate), Super Instinct (Intermediate), Fast Regeneration (Basic), Intermediate Psychomancy (Advanced), Metamorph (Intermediate), God's Chosen (Advanced).]

The trio felt the power and knowledge course through them, their bodies jerking abruptly as they moaned from pleasure. Even Darius was not able to escape this, as the increase this time was just too great, especially to his mind.

Gunner roared and jumped up and down like a monkey, his every stomp causing the entire continent to shake since he now had above-Grandmaster physical stats. He didn't mean to cause a commotion, he just had to vent out the feeling of his body becoming so powerful somehow.

Xela just folded like an omelet while twitching on the ground helplessly. Her Spiritual Senses were overloading her mind, as her greatly expanded Luck was too much for her to handle.

After what felt like an eternity, they all overcame their extreme reactions and calmed down. Darius was about to suggest they head below the earth when he received a severe distress call from the Queen Bug.

For the first time since he had allowed it to upgrade, he released the Queen Bug from her Bag of Holding. What appeared before the group was a tiny humanoid bee, looking no different from a fairy, but with a thorax and stinger as a form of tail, two compound eyes, and two feelers from her forehead.

Despite her cuteness, Darius gazed at her calmly and asked. "Tell me everything that happened in detail."