{Crete POV}

Collision with the beetles imminent I finally took the time to analyze the layout of the room. The length of the circular floor from one end to another was about 10 meters give or take a few feet. The walls were also smoothened, although not as much as the dirt in the incline, and it arched into a dome of earth overhead. The only entrance or exit to this room being the one I came out of.

The room now analyzed, I cursed myself for being too curious once more, my legs already moving to the exit I came out of. The room was too small to fight all 5 of them while keeping my distance and I noted that being boxed in would definitely be a death sentence for me.

Making a beeline for the exit, the distance between us closed at an even faster rate, and it looked as if I wouldn’t make it to the exit without them reaching me first. Mentally preparing for the possibility that I would be unable to make it out of the room, I tried simulating a situation in which my survival would be achievable. I concluded it obviously wouldn’t be possible with the 5 beetles remaining in the room, much less the alpha. Even when I mentally subtracted the alpha, 4 was pushing it, and the chance of me dying was still around 80%.

My firm-headed friends didn’t allow my thoughts to continue, however, because within the time that they had noticed and charged towards me and I had bolted to the exit in response, only a few seconds had passed. The beetle furthest from the corner of the wall was about 1 and a half meters away from me now, but the distance between me and the opening was still about 2 meters.

Still, within my mind, I enjoyed the slowing effect that perception, my heightened intelligence, and my overflowing adrenaline granted on the time relative to me. Within that remaining 3 seconds between me and collision with the beetle, I visualized 3 different scenarios. The first and least likely was, by some miracle, the beetle slowed down or tripped up on it itself giving me the time I needed to safely make it to the exit.

The second occupied the greatest probability, that my sloppily executed escape resulted in me getting speared by the beetle and flung to the corner, where I would no doubt become the creatures doormat. The last and most desirable outcome was me using my legs, taking some inspiration from Vito’s fight, to carry me up and above the creature’s head. I would then utilize the appendage as a foothold, hopefully increasing the speed at which I would boogie myself out of danger.

Although, I admit doing so would most likely put me in more danger, velocity carrying me down onto the smoothened floor of the incline, where gravity would turn my increased speed into my 13th reason why, the broken vision fitting the situation perfectly. I didn’t have time to think too much about that though, with my impending demise by stampeding and all, so tensing the muscles in my legs I defied gravity and the macabre hands of fate.

I only had a few moments to elevate before the beetle was upon me and doing my best to try and reenact the most favorable scenario I had in my head, I controlled the two foremost legs on my right side to quickly close in on its head. With the speed of my charge carrying me through the air, I let most of the force flow into my legs and in a cheeky move, I catapulted off it while using the last free leg on that side to pierce the side of its head.

A sickening CRUNCH followed by the warm green liquid that sprayed onto my side confirmed the success of my attack. Whose recipient I was unfortunately unable to see with my body hurtling through the air towards the exit, almost about to escape. Almost, for with a disturbance in the energy around me, and the loudest SCREE I ever heard from the creatures before; that I felt could only come from the alpha, I felt a heavy wave of sound knock my body from behind.

It served to increase my projectile motion, but it also carried with it a force that shook my organs and cracked my carapace inviting blood to flow out. In addition, one of the antennae that were attached to my head snapped due to it. I didn’t have the time to grimace in pain over the loss of the organ, however, neither did I have time to adjust to the blow to my senses I took because of losing it, my body already reaching the hole and flying through it.

Forcing myself to regain control over my body I tilted it slightly so that I would collide with the roof of the tunnel in my descent. I readied my legs to latch onto the ceiling with half of my attention placed onto the opening through which I just flew, weary of pursuit from my aggressors. Reaching out with the tips of my legs, I felt the resistance of the earth crumbling under the force brought by my body because of the fall. It resulted in me sliding for a few feet along the ceiling, with my legs almost snapping under the pressure of cutting through the earth before I stopped.

My position secure for now, I cast my gaze fully onto the entrance into the room that housed the first dungeon core I’d ever seen. A dungeon core I noted had the same information that the first young beetle I used on had, “Cleial Scarabaeidae”. It appeared there was some connection between the two in those words, which would explain the instant and forceful approach they had towards me.

I held my breath, expecting the furious bodies of the other 4 beetles to explode out from the hole in search of the murderer of their fellow beetle. However, a second later I realized nothing happened and I saw no bodies propelling down the incline, so releasing my breath, I found comfort at the realization. A breath released too soon I cursed, as I saw a hulking silhouette, of what could only be the alpha beetle, standing threateningly before the entrance, its eyes searching for a moment before locking with mine.

I saw the anger in its eyes quickly dissipate into disdain, my body latched onto the roof, missing an antenna and blue blood flowing through the cracks in my carapace caused by the sound wave, I realized its disdain was directed towards me. Taking the demonstration of superiority further, I watched it puff up, the same energy I was following flowing into its throat, an action I feared would result in a repeat of the one I had moments ago.

Slightly apprehensive, I preemptively prepared myself to throw my body out of the way of the incoming sonic onslaught. I saw the energy flowing into it still, and the puffing action ceased and responding to my fears, I witnessed its throat expand slightly as it opened its mouth and released another SCREE. Not wanting to be a victim of such an attack again, the moment I saw it open its mouth I loosened my legs from the soil and launched myself to the side of the tunnel, where my legs found purchase.

I watched as the sound from the beetle was directed towards my previous position, the expected explosion of dirt and rubble due to the blast never occurring. Confused for a moment my eyes made their way back to the alpha beetle, wondering if it was possible that its attack had failed.

A decision I would soon come to regret, for as my eyes landed on those of my aggressor, the disappointment or confusion at a failed attack was nowhere to be found in them. The only thing replacing them being the disdain I previously felt, although magnified, as well as something else, a glimmer in its eyes, almost reminiscent of… amusement? Almost immediately after the word came to my mind, did I understand the significance of what just happened, this bloody beetle… it was playing with me…

Feeling the anger bubbling within me, I channeled it through my eyes and onto the blasted creature. The only action I could do in this current moment that would sate the building desire I had to march up to and rip its head right from its smug shoulders. A smug beetle it was indeed, as realizing its actions had infuriated me it let out a satisfied high-pitched cackle, an action that only condensed my escalating rage.

Looking at me for a few moments longer and nodding its oh so rippable head, I saw the shadow of the beetle disappear back into the room, leaving me overflowing with the anger of having been toyed with. The most infuriating part of the whole situation was my inability to just barge into the room and release my indignation upon its residents.

For I knew, that even though I had subtracted one beetle from the original 5, even in my prime shape I only had a 20% chance of survival, a percentage that was way too small for my rational mind to take that gamble; much less in my current damaged state, it would no doubt be even smaller.

Bottling up my rage, I decided to bear this humiliation for now, until I was healed and had a plan prepared to wipe it from my memory. The whole experience just showed me that the strength that I had grown unconsciously content and proud of was still unable to keep me safe, in even what was considered to be an environment in which dangers were greatly reduced.

The consideration that maybe just maybe, a mysterious room in the ceiling from which creatures used for food apparently came from, was not included in what was considered to be a “safe” environment completely escaped me. Counting my blessings and remembering my humiliations, I summoned my status and read the notifications I had neglected while making my way back to the feeding chamber.

*DING*

*Gained 530 experience points*

*DING*

has leveled up! (Lvl 4 > Lvl 5)

has leveled up! (Lvl 4 > Lvl 5)

has leveled up! (Lvl 3 > Lvl 4)

has leveled up! (Lvl 2 > Lvl 3)

*Status*

Name: Crete

Species: Cleial Isopteran (Champion)

Gender: Male

Level: 0

Health Points: 123/183

Stamina Points: 210/376

Mana Points: 10/10

Spirit Energy: 31/31

Strength: 15 + (2.25)

Endurance: 15 + (2.25)

Agility: 15 + (2.25)

Vitality: 15 + (2.25)

Intelligence: 14

Luck: 5

Spirit: 8

Perception: 11

Will: 15

Undistributed Stat Points: 0

Experience Points: 99/1215 > 629/1215

Skills:

(Active)

Desperate Chomp- Lvl 2

Masticate- Lvl 4 > Lvl 5

Inspect- Lvl 3 > Lvl 4

Sprint- Lvl 4 > Lvl 5

Sneak- Lvl 2 > Lvl 3

(Passive)

Champion’s body- Lvl 1

Pheromone Language- Lvl 4

Compound Eyes- Lvl 2

Hyper Metabolism- Lvl 4

Indignation- Lvl 1

Titles:

The First Champion

Achievements:

First of the clutch (15 % faster experience gain)

Leader of the clutch (5% faster experience gain) Limit: 7/7

To go beyond oneself (Grants a bonus of 1 extra stat every level up)

Looking at my reduced life and almost half-depleted stamina the conclusion of being unable to withstand the combined attention of 4 of the creatures solidified. Though I had a little confidence fighting 3 of the regular creatures at once the addition of the alpha increased the difficulty of the task exponentially. Formulating a plan, I determined that the two would have to be separated in order for me to successfully remove that infuriating existence from reality.

As my legs carried me down the vertical walls of this hole where I encountered a variety of different things, I reflected on the lesson I had learned today. The fact that my curiosity could so easily result in my demise was a disheartening fact, for all the bad it brought me, I realized that it was a double-edged personality trait…

Feeling the world flip upside down, I was momentarily ejected from my thoughts and took manual control of my body once again, scaling down the walls of the chamber, in which the nymphs had already disappeared. The energy was still quite a ways back up in the hole creeping its way down, although I estimated it would only take another couple hours before the grubs were thrown from it again. So, deciding to make my move for revenge then, I was consumed by my thoughts once more.

Thinking about my curiosity, I found it hard to discard the quality as it was almost ingrained in who I was at this point, so changing the direction of my thoughts from dulling the blade, I decided I would instead create a sheath in which I could place it. The sheath of my curiosity I contemplated could only be detailed and pragmatic planning. If I had not used on the core, it may have been possible to sneak up to the beetles and kill if not incapacitate a few, maybe I could even have crippled the alpha…

Granted, the importance of information and the effect it had on unexpected situations was reduced, for it was impossible to know that the biggest beetle possessed an ability to use sound, much less the mysterious energy. I also realized I had never questioned the title of “Alpha” which it possessed, is that what gave it that abnormal ability, that none of its fellow species demonstrated before? Now that I was taking the time to analyze, I realized that I was quite lucky to escape with my life, for what if its ability had been able to restrict my movement or even more frightening, what if it had had the ability to restrict my thoughts?

Knocking me out of my increasingly self-depreciating internal considerations, I heard the shaking voice of my younger sister, who had successfully evolved, “What happened to you…?” Turning my attention to her, I observed her large sleek black head and the streamlined polished matte black carapace all of us mysteriously possessed after evolution, unlike the one Grubby had...

Noticing her attention was focused on my antenna and the dried-up blood on my body I tried to downplay the situation “Heh-heh, I just ran into a few unhappy campers… very unhappy campers,” I corrected myself “…Unhappy campers… that broke of your antenna and made you bleed so much I thought you changed colors…?” a snide remark came as a response to my statement.

Chuckling nervously with a hint of embarrassment I kept going with it “Well I guess you wouldn’t be pleased to wake up to someone sneaking in your camp and going through your valuables, would you…” a reference she was obviously unable to appreciate, which probably had to do with her not having fragmented visions of the activity known as “camping”. Seeing her about to say something else I cut her off and cutting the crap I said “I’ll tell you when everyone is present, okay…?” a suspicious nod was all I got in response.

Both of us made our way into the colosseum and I was able to witness a focused Vito, ever-present and ever-stoic as if propped up by his goals and purpose I realized I never asked him about, or any of my siblings for that matter. The object of his attention was a nymph I quickly recognized as Dynamis, who was quite concentrated on his battle against the last of the beetles from the holding room.

After catching it off guard during its charge, he tackled its side, and in a motion that could only be possible because of his focus in the area of strength, he toppled the creature onto its back. Rushing the now defenseless creature, I watched as he crushed its throat in his mandibles, putting an end to its pitiable life, after which he lost consciousness.

Waiting for Vito to bring the evolving nymph up to the seats where I and all our other siblings were gathered, I took the time to reassure my younger brother and the triplets that I was fine despite the coating of blood caking my carapace. When he had arrived, I spoke in a voice trying my best to minimize the experience I had, “Have I got a story to tell you guys…”