《Bugs》Chapter 18
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As the heavy sound of an impact shouted over the fields a dust cloud around the two combatants covered them.
It took only a few breaths for the dust to settle for everyone to see what happened.
Droso was standing where he was and to his right was the lance deeply embedded into the ground.
The same evil grin he had before was still on his face.
Lance, the rabbitman, was still holding onto the handle with clear irritation on his face but as he saw Droso suddenly spin the club side of the Glaive he knew what was coming.
He quickly put his two feet on the flat surface of the lance in front of him and let go of the handle as his legs propelled him into the air and he flipped backwards and landed on his feet.
“Impressive. Much better than the crappy rabbits.” Droso said as he spun the Glaive once and held it with the blade forward.
He then held it with both hand and the Glaive across his front in a fashion you would hold a Halberd.
A small glow around the blade was easily perceived by most of the experienced guards and the rabbit man who stood in a way that it would allow him to jump both ways.
Taking a step forward Droso spun once and brought the blade side around his body furiously.
“WIND CUTTER!”
The light colored glow on the blade turned light green as the blade began to cut the wind itself and make a vacuum blade that shot out towards the rabbit.
He quickly jumped to the left but Droso was already ready for him to dodge and had stopped the Glaive and brought it in a quick slash with the same spell shooting it again at the rabbit.
Lance stopped and turned towards Droso, he ran forward and jumped forward over the wind blade and landed with both feet bent before lunging at Droso.
The clawed right hand extended behind him as he drew close.
Sending random wind blades towards the rabbit which the rabbit dodged by jumping forward and from left and right getting closer with each attack.
Though the spell would have caused damage if hit, the reason Droso was using so much mana was simply to tire the rabbit. The spell costs little mana and can be cast without a cooldown. He was making the rabbit expend more stamina than it normally would need just to reach him while he used a weak spell to maintain his mana at its highest.
When the rabbit was 5 meters away he loaded the blunt side of the Glaive and with a spin of the Glaive the blunt head impacted the ground releasing the Quake Spell which caused the area to shake violently making the rabbit trip on itself but it instantly recovered when its arms landed on the ground because he was once a rabbit so their natural running posture was on four legs.
When he suddenly jumped forward after getting through the Earth Shake he had looked to the ground but as he looked forward he saw the man in front of him spinning and the blunt head of the Glaive coming at his head.
Turning his body and putting both arms in front of his face he took the blunt head to the arm.
His arms numbed and the magic was the same as before, Earth Shake but when used like this it would cause the vibrations in the target's body causing internal damage.
That was why Lance’s health went down 6% before he was sent to the ground a few meters away.
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The two arms were tingling but he couldn’t get over it before his ears noticed running footsteps and he had to get on all fours and jump away before the Glaive stabbed at where his head had been.
“Quick bastard!” Lance had heard the human say.
Getting up he saw that the man had the eyes of a starved predator. It was a look he had seen since young from wolves, birds of prey and humans as well.
As a strong rabbit, he had survived and once the humans advanced in their home bringing farmland he benefited from the better food and gained power and pushed back their predators and taking strategies from humans like moving in groups he had avoided large numbers of his people dying but this man had ruined it all.
Staying on all fours the rabbitman stared at the human before. The man was cunning to a fault and so ruthless that it was disgusting.
To fight such a man he needed to lower himself to that degree.
Because of that the rabbit man took several hops back until he was near the rabbit hole he had dug and let out a loud yell.
The yell caused a bit of discomfort for the audience but from the hole came many sounds until several beings jumped out like Lance had.
They landed all around him and stood on their hind legs.
The guards were now sweating at what they saw.
Standing together with the leader were six other rabbit men all armored with bone weapons.
“So you want to play cheap huh!” Droso yelled.
With a grumble Lance warned all the unnamed rabbit men to be cautious with this man but it wouldn’t help because the next moment Droso stretched his hands up and a portal appeared and from it a sound that could only be compared to thunder came.
Like a flash, a swarm of yellow bugs rushed out while leaving behind sparks.
He had called on his Lightning Striders and Thunderbolt Darters. The sensitive ears of the rabbit men couldn’t help but be in pain as they bent over in pain dropping their weapons.
To make it worse, at a command from the despicable man, the noisy bugs swarmed around the rabbits like a ring. The noise was concentrated right on them and the piercing sound was literally leaving them deaf. The stun status which happens when getting a strong impact had easily been placed on them yet to the man he just watched from the foot of the rabbit corpse hill.
Then Lance noticed one specific bug had stopped near the outer edge of the ring of noise. From its body a sudden spark released before its entire body released a small bolt of lightning that suddenly traveled through the swarm gathering the energy of all the bugs before finally a single powerful bolt of lightning fell down on the seven rabbits.
This was a unique hive skill that had been learned upon the first feeding. Something Droso had come up with. If these bugs had a skill to discharge electricity and could link it all up to attract lightning to feed from it then they can discharge a similar bolt of lightning when working together in the same fashion.
The sudden bolt of lightning took not only the rabbits but all the bystanders watching by surprise. A swarm of bugs is a problem but in a few instances did they ever see an attack like this. Honey bees attacked but they stung their target but this was a team attack. It can’t happen without a group effort to reach that power level.
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Over the head of all the rabbit men their health bar was rapidly reduced by a stunning 50% and they were now on the ground spasming as the electricity still coursed through their bodies.
Lance could only watch in horror as his kin and himself died so pitifully.
The leading bug that had started the chain reaction had begun to discharge small shocks again as it gathered its power once more. After a quiet minute were the rabbits had begun to gain control of their bodies the queen had finally gathered her power and her energy ran to the Royal guards who then transferred it on towards the swarm rapidly passing through the swarm and once more falling to on the group taking the life of the six allies of the boss and leaving him with only 2 measly percent left.
The swarm had begun to slow down and were weak but they were retreating now after using their power to that extent.
The man though he was walking over calmly and with that predatory grin on his face.
“You did well but not enough. In the next life, have better luck. Rabbit.” He said before the blade of the Glaive pierced Lance’s heart finishing him off.
***
As i watch the last of the rabbit man’s life hit 0 a message appears in my view.
You have killed Hidden Boss, Rabbitman Lance and 6 rabbitman.
You have gained 3000 exp.
You have gained
Bone Lance
Bone Sword
Bone Mace
Lance’s Rabbit Feet
Rabbitman Pelt x4
Rabbitman Leather chest armor 5x
You have leveled up
You have leveled up
Due to beating the hidden boss and killing so many rabbits. The level of rabbits around Yggdres shall drop by 2 for both minimum and maximum.
By killing the hidden boss you have unlocked a new dungeon.
You will gain 2x exp for a week
The first monster you kill will drop a rare item
+1000 exp
You have leveled up
Glaive Mastery has leveled up x3
Dance of the Bugs has leveled up x2
You have learned a new class skill
Swarm Strike
Basic Level 1
By learning and understanding fundamental habits of a specific species. You can create an attack that joins the power of an entire swarm of bugs of the same lineage and abilities.
Damage depends on swarm size
Mana cost: 30%
Cooldown: depends on swarm race
You have gained new Titles
The Rabbit Annihilator
For the annihilation of over 150 rabbits while using an item to anger them and further humiliate them by killing their leader in a span of over 30 minutes and causing a serious drop in strength for an entire race in a set region you have been giving a title that shows your work in bringing a race close to ruin as it was rising in power.
When this title is active, +10% more damage caused to rabbit beings
From now on, all rabbit type beings, even beastmen, shall instinctively fear you even when this title isn’t used.
Madman Murderer
For allowing yourself to be controlled by all your darkest emotions and causing the death of over 150 creatures while you relieved your own stress by their death you have gained this title.
+20 to all stats when in the state of madness
From now on anyone that has seen your state of madness shall either fear or admire you depending on your actions during the time you were controlled.
This title will automatically be equipped when you enter the state of madness.
As I finish reading I finally feel that rage in my chest subside and return deep inside me. A sense of satisfaction spilled over me. It was then that I turned around and looked at the mountain for rabbits that it slowly dawned on me that I had actually done this.
What crossed my mind wasn’t what I would tell the people that watched me fight but how was I able to fight like that. I had never taken up a weapon in my life yet the way I fought was fluid and chaotic at the same time. My body wasn’t in autopilot like when I used the system to guide my body when fighting the ratmen. It was definitely me doing every jump, turn, stab, crush. It was just like that time with the nightmare. I lose myself in my emotions and my body moves to kill.
As I open my inventory I see all the drops I gained from that mountain of rabbits.
87 rabbit meat, 78 rabbit tails, 45 rabbits feet, 30 rabbit teeth, 98 rabbit Hides all summed up means i had overkilled them. Is this what a person can do when they simply let go.
Before I could think much more on it, a group of guards followed by players approached.
"What did you do?!" The leading guard asked.
I noticed it was the same guard I talked to for the rat location.
"What did i do? Killed more than 150 rabbits while wearing a ring I got from one of the rabbits then killed their leader and dropped the species level by 2." I said what I had read in the notification.
The guard took his helmet off revealing the short brown hair. He began to rub his forehead.
"Okay... Let me rephrase that. WHY did you do this?" He said pointing to the mountain.
"To relieve some stress. Got too pissed off by something." I said.
...
Nobody spoke after hearing my answer.
I waited about a minute but since they weren't talking I turned to Lance and the other rabbitman bodies.
I touched them and transferred them into my inventory. Lance being a named monster and hidden boss he was separated from the other rabbit men but the other six were all stacked. I then moved to the mountain of rabbits.
I put my hand on one and stored but without warning the entire hill vanished.
You have stored a pile of 168 Rabbit bodies in your inventory. They have been separated into 2 stacks.
Beware almost at inventory weight limit.
The group wasn't the only ones surprised. Even i was shocked that i could store the entire pile at one time instead of one by one.
That said I was able to get over the shock faster than the rest and I looked back at the rabbit hole.
I don’t know if it was passed to everyone but I know it was a dungeon. Problem was that I needed gear to get down then food, potions and so on.
Seeing how it was like this I opened a private message with Flor.
"Hey Debby, want to go dungeon diving?" I asked.
After a moment she replied.
"Yeah but where?" she asked.
"It is in the fields. I… kind of pissed off the rabbits until a hidden boss dug a hole into the fields and it's the entrance." I replied.
"Do i need to ask what happened?" She said.
"I was pissed, I used a ring that called rabbits and just kept blowing off steam using the rabbits." I say.
"Okay, I can guess that your weapon durability is low so i will bring stuff to repair." Flor said.
"Sure thing, get some food materials, water and try to find a rope ladder or simply some rope. Oh and wood for a fire."
“You pay right?” She asked.
“I will help you power level, that’s enough?” I negotiated.
“Yep!” She says.
I sent a party's request and she accepted. On my minimap I could see the little dot inside the city that indicated her.
I look at my hand and remove the ring before storing it. Finally I walked around near the remaining rabbits and tossed them in the hive. All the while the guards and players were looking at what I did. They didn’t really question what happened to the bodies and just thought it was me storing them in the inventory.
Finally with no bodies left I look at the minimap and see Flor’s dot running around and heading towards the gate.
I found a spot just a bit away from the statue like bystanders who didn’t disperse and it was getting awkward.
“Can i do something for all of you? You are just standing there?” I shouted towards the group.
This seems to snap them out of it and the guard looks back.
“Seems we don't need to worry about some monster. Let’s return to our post and report this to the captain.” The leading guards said.
Him and the twenty others nodded and walked back to the city in a jog to get away from this situation as quickly as possible and leave it to someone of higher position to deal with it since this was beyond their pay.
With the guards leaving the players remained watching the player that did something so crazy for a while before a few started to leave. With these the parties slowly began to go their own way and in less than five minutes the area was completely clear of people.
Five minutes after that a green haired well endowed woman with leather armor and a composite bow on her back came running over.
“Hi finally got here.” Flor said as she got close.
“You get all the spices and stuff?” I asked.
“Yeah, why did you need rope?” She asked.
“You will see. Do you have a metal bar or stake and a hammer… a weapon type hammer?” I asked.
She pulled out the rope then a thin metal bar and finally an iron warhammer.
I take all three and walk over to the rabbit hole.
I stop about four meters away and toss everything on the ground.
First I take one end of the rope and tie it on really well onto the metal stake. Then stabbing it into the ground.
“Hold it.” I tell Flor.
She does as I tell her and holds it about halfway down.
I take the war hammer and softly beat the metal down a few cm before lifting it higher and slamming it down harder. I drove it about a quarter of the way down before Flor let go and I could hammer at full force. It took 10 hits at full force to make three fourths of the meter long metal stake stick into the ground.
With that done I return her the war hammer and grab the bundle of rope and toss it into the rabbit hole.
“It’s down there?” She asked/
“Yep, the dungeon was unlocked when I killed a hidden boss.” I tell her, making her surprised.
I see her frown and know what she will ask and simply start telling her what had recently happened after we split up earlier all the way to calling her to come.
“So events like that can happen huh? A true unpredictable world then. Hmm… going to bring Levi?” She asked.
“Hmm… I wonder if i should bring her? Whenever i see her after a short while she seems more trouble than it’s worth.” I say.
“Oh come on. It can’t be that bad?” Flor said.
“She started talking in human tongue recently and the best way I can describe her is like a princess. A hearty princess.” I tell her.
“I will be the judge of that. Bring her out!” She demanded.
I sigh and feel through my mind until I find the little queen. She felt my touch and my call out.
At once a portal appeared and she came flying out and stopped in front of me with a smug look.
“Mister has called this great one. For such a being to request this great one’s help must mean you can’t fight on your own without the hive. Let this great one win and GYA!” I do a quick chop to her head making her drop to the ground.
“Stop with that kind of stupid talk and speak normally.” I tell her.
While holding her head in pain with two big tears in her eye, she nodded.
“Yes… daddy.” She said and quietly picked up the weapons she dropped.
…
Flor was just stunned by what she had just seen. Rarely would you see such a strong personality and this one easily takes the cake.
“Leon… this girl… does she have a princess complex.” Flor muttered but I heard her.
“I feel that it’s down to the bone, unfortunately.” I replied.
“You know nowadays you wouldn’t find this right. Besides in anime she can be called a rarity.”
“I figured that as well but it’s more of a pain in the ass.” I reply.
“If videos of her princess moment were put on the net it would boom to no end you know?” Flor said with a glint in her eyes.
This time I took no expense in doing the same thing I did with Levi. Send a strong chop to the middle of her head.
“Stop thinking about money already.” I said and looked at both of them.
They were in the same position with similar teary eyes while holding their head.
“Guess she pulled some habits from you after you named her. You two bend over in pain the same way.” I tell them.
They both look at each other and suddenly Levi’s eyes end up around mid section. Suddenly she got up and pointed at Flor while looking at me.
“Daddy! Don’t compare me with this cow tits! I’m ten times better than her!” Levi said.
We both froze hearing her say that but suddenly Flor burst into rage.
“WHAT DID YOU CALL ME YOU BRAT!?!?” She shouted. Her appearance was like a demon that had just woken from a bad nap.
She slammed both closed fists on the little queen’s head on both sides and did a double noogie while grinding it.
“AHH!! WAH WAH WAH!! DADDY SAVE ME FROM THIS COW!!” Levi shouted.
I couldn’t help falling over laughing at this comedy act but when i noticed how her HP was actually dropping i pulled her away from Flor.
Levi held me tight.
“Why did you stop me?!” Flor shouted.
“You were going to kill her with the noogies.” I said and it was then that she noticed the girl’s HP.
She turned around and stuck her tongue out at Flor.
“Stupid cow!” She muttered. I then put her on the ground and with one hand behind my back I pulled out a shaved flat and blunt wooden stick made from iron wood.
“Levi! Stick both hands out in front together!” I tell her, making her shocked a bit. She looked at me before extending her hands. I grabbed onto them and in a swift motion the plank I held came and hit both palms.
“GYA!!!” She shouted and tried to pull them away but my grip didn’t let her go.
“Now this is punishment for you because you insulted Florista, my good friend.” I tell her.
“But she is just some stup…” she began.
*POW*
“GYA!!!” She shouted with tears running down her cheeks.
“Lets try this again okay.” I said and she nodded weakly while hiccuping.
“I will let your hands go, you will turn towards Flor and apologize and give a kiss on her cheek as an apology. You aren’t allowed to call her a cow or anything that implies that. Am I understood?!” I tell her.
Her eyes were pleading but mine were stean and she lowered her head and nodded.
I let go and she turns around. She looks up momentarily but then drops her gaze.
“Sor….”
“Say it louder.” I tell her.
“I’m Sorry!” She says louder.
“For?”
“For calling you a cow.” she says.
Her wings spread and she floats over and kisses Flor on her right cheek and then turns away from us.
I watch and she moves out of earshot and Flor pokes me.
“Exactly what did I just see? You hit her but no damage.” She says.
“Show ‘Skill: Educational Strike’ to Florista.” I say.
The skill appears in front of her and after a moment of reading she facepalms herself.
“How can such a skill exist!?” She exclaimed.
“Got it from holding back enough to only make her feel pain a few days ago. After that I used it a few other times, mostly when she acts up.” I say.
“This is probably the greatest parenting skill that existed.” She says.
“Yeah but the mentality has to be when you are ‘educating’ a child or a beast. In other words as long as you consider it a form of ‘educating’ a child it will take effect and not cause damage and ignore defense of the child. Imagine slavers with this skill.” I tell her in a quiet voice.
Her face pales in realization of what I mean. A skill that amplifies pain as long as you have a mentality to ‘educate’ a child or beast is a perfect thing for slavers. What kind of man would I be if I knew I made a skill that made kids suffer so much?
“Let’s put this out of our mind and get to business.” I tell her.
She nods and takes a breath to calm down.
“Levi, come here.” I call her.
The little queen flies and stops in the air.
“Okay, now this hole over here is the entrance of a dungeon. We are going down to train some and you are coming. Now no calling on other bugs to fight for you. You fight yourself but when you do you get your own food okay.” I tell her.
She nods.
“Good. Now let’s go.” I say.
With that the exploration of our first dungeon begins as I toss the rope inside.
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