Chapter 320: Catching the Blood Spirit Cicada
Leaving Ironstone Citadel, Marcus swung himself onto Blackie’s back. With a sharp shout, the Nightmare Dragon Steed shot into the sky, carrying him southward toward the mysterious and treacherous Ghost Rain Marsh.
Ghost Rain Marsh lay beyond the southern borders of Ironstone, a vast wetland that seemed to stretch endlessly into the distance. Beneath its surface lurked hidden quicksand and deep mud, while poisonous miasma hung low in the air. Venomous insects and ferocious beasts thrived there, making it a place most adventurers avoided unless absolutely necessary. It was, by any standard, a seriously dangerous area.
At the same time, danger and opportunity often went hand in hand. Ghost Rain Marsh was known for its abundance of rare materials and valuable resources, which made it an irresistible destination for those willing to gamble their lives for profit.
According to Silas the Wanderer’s map, along with the detailed directions Alana had drawn for him, the Red Locust Grove where the Blood Spirit Cicadas lived was considered relatively safe, at least compared to the rest of the marsh.
From Blackie’s back, Marcus had a clear view of the terrain below. The Nightmare Dragon Steed’s speed was astonishing, and in less than two hours, he reached a dense forest of red locust trees. This was Red Locust Grove, his destination.
Flying really was the best.
If he had traveled by land, he would have been forced to take winding detours while dealing with countless dangers along the way. Five hours at minimum, and that was assuming nothing went wrong. Having a flying mount was not just flashy or impressive. It was absurdly practical. Unfortunately, the drop rate for flying pets was so low that most players could only dream about it.
The red locust trees bloomed year-round, filling the air with the rich, sweet fragrance of their flowers. Brilliant red blossoms covered the branches, turning the entire forest into a sea of crimson.
From above, the grove looked like a drifting cloud of red mist, gently swaying with the breeze. Floating petals caught the light, casting a faint reddish glow over everything beneath them. The scent was thick and intoxicating, almost enough to make Marcus forget where he was.
"Reee—"
"Reee-reee-reee—"
As he drew closer, the sound of cicadas reached his ears. It was the unmistakable call of the Blood Spirit Cicadas. The sound stirred memories of his childhood summers, running around catching cicadas in the heat.
It also reminded him, somewhat inconveniently, of grilled cicada meat and deep-fried cicada pupae. That rustic countryside flavor, especially with just a pinch of salt, had been unforgettable.
He wondered, not entirely seriously, whether Blood Spirit Cicadas had similar culinary potential.
With that hopeful and slightly ridiculous thought in mind, Marcus guided Blackie to the edge of Red Locust Grove. Red locust petals drifted around him, slowly surrounding him like falling snow.
Then, layered beneath the cicadas’ chirping, he heard a low buzzing sound.
Marcus turned his gaze and spotted the source. Red locust bees, each one as large as a kitten.
These bees were swarm-type monsters. They gathered in groups of ten or more, clustering around blooming trees to collect nectar and aggressively driving off intruders.
’Looks like it’s time to get to work.’
Marcus activated his basic buff skills one after another. His stats surged upward, and his HP climbed rapidly, stopping at a staggering 7,230.
"Sanctuary Covenant!"
A flash of light appeared before him as Temple Guardian Pebble materialized. Pebble’s base stats were only about eighty percent of Marcus’s, but Marcus had not yet applied any buffs to the summon.
Following Marcus’s mental command, Pebble immediately cast the same enhancement skills on himself. He did not hold anything back, even activating Marcus’s emergency skills, the ones Marcus usually reserved for critical moments. Battle-Wolf’s Fury, Dragon Soul Aegis, and the abilities granted by the Divine-tier Adamant Shield all flared to life.
In an instant, Pebble’s stats did not merely catch up to Marcus’s. They surpassed him, and by a wide margin. At full power, Pebble was outright stronger than his summoner.
"Heh heh."
After all this time practicing and refining his control, Marcus could now command Pebble smoothly and draw out the summon’s full potential without difficulty.
"Pebble, go."
Confident, Marcus gave the order. Pebble spurred Blackie forward and charged straight toward the buzzing swarm of red locust bees.
Once within range, Pebble activated Taunt, deliberately provoking the bees.
"Bzzzz!"
’How dare you cause trouble on our territory!’
The red locust bees that noticed Pebble instantly went berserk. They raised their abdomens and unleashed a dense barrage of venomous stingers, determined to tear the intruder apart.
Unfortunately for them, Pebble was at full power. Stronger than Marcus himself, he barely felt the attacks. After successfully drawing their attention, Pebble turned and fled, the enraged swarm chasing after him in a furious cloud.
Running away? Hardly.
Pebble was simply following orders, cleverly luring the swarm away to clear a safe path.
As the bees chased Pebble and passed by at a distance, Marcus used Insight on one of them.
—
Red Locust Bee. Level 52. HP: 15,000.
Monsters that inhabit Red Locust Grove within Ghost Rain Marsh. Extremely territorial. They will attack any creature that enters the grove without their permission, fighting to the death.
Traits: Swarm-based. High resistance to negative status effects.
Skills: Intermediate Wind and Poison magic, Poison Tail Stinger, Buzzing Bee Talk, Illusion Red Mist, Locust Healing.
—
’Level fifty-two.’
Marcus could handle one or two of them without trouble. Three or four would still be manageable. But a dozen at once? That was asking to get slaughtered.
No matter how strong you were, numbers mattered.
With the path temporarily clear, Marcus urged Blackie forward and slipped past quietly.
"Bzzz bzzz bzzz..."
Another swarm appeared ahead.
"Sanctuary Covenant!"
Marcus summoned another Pebble without hesitation, regardless of what might have happened to the previous one.
The process repeated itself. Pebble buffed up, taunted the bees, drew them away, and allowed Marcus to advance deeper into the grove toward the sound of the cicadas.
It was simple when you knew how to do it. Completely impossible if you didn’t.
Marcus made steady progress into the heart of the forest. Rounding a massive red locust tree, he suddenly heard the crisp chirping of a Blood Spirit Cicada directly ahead. Peering through layers of leaves, he spotted it perched high on a tall branch. The cicada glowed faintly red, resembling an ordinary cicada in shape but far more vivid and striking.
"Got you."
Marcus carefully urged Blackie forward, creeping closer.
Just as Alana had warned him, Blood Spirit Cicadas were not only alert but cunning.
Marcus was still more than thirty meters away, well outside what he thought was its range. He had made no sound at all. Yet the cicada noticed him. Its wings fluttered slightly, the chirping stopped, and in the next instant it vanished.
Gone, as if it had teleported away. A perfect execution of Cicada Sheds Its Shell.
"Tch."
’No choice but to find another one.’
Marcus activated Wraith, turning invisible, and approached a second cicada.
It made no difference. Still thirty meters away, the cicada fluttered its wings, cut off its call, and disappeared just like the first.
’Damn it! Alright. Time for the real weapon.’
Marcus pulled out the Red Locust Cicada Net that Alana had personally woven and began searching again.
"There you are."
He found another Blood Spirit Cicada and stopped exactly at the edge of its detection range. Tightening his grip on the net, he began the incantation Alana had taught him.
"Extend."
The Spirit of a Hundred Flowers energy woven into the net activated instantly. Wood-element energy surged through it, and under Marcus’s control, the net stretched outward, its tip inching toward the cicada with deliberate precision.
’Yes.’
Just as Alana had predicted, the cicada showed no reaction. The net emitted the rich scent of broadleaf flower nectar, and the cicada remained completely oblivious.
"Reee-reee—"
It chirped lazily, unaware that danger was closing in.
"Close."
At Marcus’s command, the net suddenly accelerated, snapping forward like the head of a striking serpent. In a flash, it swallowed the cicada whole.
Fast as light. Before the cicada could react, the net had already wrapped tightly around it.
Once trapped, the fragrance of the broadleaf flower disrupted the cicada’s escape ability. Cicada Sheds Its Shell failed completely. There was no way out.
"Reee! Reee!"
The cicada chirped frantically, finally sensing danger.
It was useless. The net Alana had made was soundproof. The cicada’s distress calls could not escape. According to Alana, if those sounds got out, red locust bees would immediately swarm over to rescue it.
"Close."
Marcus completed the incantation again, retracting the extended net and carefully transferring the captured cicada into the matching red locust wood basket.
’Capture successful. One Blood Spirit Cicada.’
Marcus glanced at the cicada wriggling inside the basket and used Insight.
—
Blood Spirit Cicada. A rare cicada born within Red Locust Grove. Its entire body is red. Possesses blood-activating and body-strengthening properties. Has no offensive ability, but is extremely alert and agile. When sensing danger, it will instantly use Cicada Sheds Its Shell to escape.
—
"Heh heh."
Marcus grinned as he gave the basket a small shake.
Even if you had three heads and six arms, you still wouldn’t escape him and Alana’s perfect plan.