Chapter 323: Monsters Converge
Rumble...
Just as Marcus prepared to move, a thunderous roar erupted from the far side of Red Locust Grove. The ground trembled beneath his feet, the sound swelling rapidly until it resembled ten thousand horses charging straight toward him.
Marcus froze.
’What the hell was that?’
The sheer volume of the noise sent a jolt of alarm through him. Even the red locust bees reacted instantly. Hundreds broke formation and surged toward the disturbance, their buzzing rising into a sharp, agitated chorus.
Something was wrong.
Marcus abandoned the idea of advancing. He quickly signaled Blackie and slipped behind a nearby red locust tree, concealing himself within the thick trunk’s shadow while he observed the situation.
Crash. Crack.
Trees splintered apart as if struck by invisible battering rams. Branches snapped, trunks toppled, and a wide path was violently carved through the forest. From the shattered treeline burst more than fifty wild boars, each nearly the size of a calf, charging forward in a furious stampede.
At their head ran a massive boar with shimmering golden fur. Its body gleamed under the sunlight, and its curved tusks shone like polished blades.
Clearly, this was the boss, and the target of their charge was obvious; the Red Locust Spirit.
The red locust bees responded without hesitation.
Poison Tail Stinger.
A dense storm of stingers shot through the air, raining down upon the advancing herd. The boars’ own momentum worked against them as they slammed directly into the barrage, the combined force inflicting devastating damage.
"Squeal! Squeal!"
Painful cries erupted as the boars’ health plummeted. The bees were far stronger than before. After suffering heavy losses in the initial charge, the boars slowed, their reckless advance turning into a cautious struggle for survival.
Unfortunately for them, the bees possessed overwhelming numerical superiority and complete aerial mobility. The boars’ counterattacks barely connected, and even the golden boar king found itself surrounded and pressured, its earlier dominance fading into something almost pitiful.
Marcus watched the fierce battle unfold with calm interest.
The chaos, if anything, benefited him.
A faint grin tugged at his lips as he prepared to move.
"Ah... another group?"
A sudden shadow swept across the ground above him. Marcus instinctively looked up and felt his scalp tighten.
The sky was filled with wings.
More than a hundred Bloodthirsty Hawks descended from above, circling like predators drawn by the scent of blood. They, too, had come for the Red Locust Spirit.
The moment the hawks appeared, additional waves of bees poured from the hives, surging upward to intercept them.
But this time, the bees no longer held the advantage.
The Bloodthirsty Hawks were level seventy monsters. Powerful, fast, and perfectly suited for aerial combat. Without the overwhelming size of the swarm, the bees would have been torn apart instantly. Even now, the hawks pushed aggressively forward, forcing gaps in the defensive formation as they attempted to break through toward the spirit.
At the center of the flock, the Bloodthirsty Hawk King radiated a crimson aura. It shrieked sharply, issuing commands that drove its followers into a relentless assault.
Marcus inhaled slowly.
"I am a cloud."
The incantation slipped from his lips as he activated the Pure Mist Cloud Cluster. His body dissolved into faint vapor, transforming into a drifting cloud that floated silently toward the three ancient trees at the clearing’s center.
Toward the Red Locust Spirit, and toward the golden cicada still chirping among the branches.
"Whoa..."
"Monsters really are converging."
In the brief moment it took Marcus to assume his cloud form, the entire grove erupted into chaos.
Creatures emerged from everywhere. From the sky, from the forest floor, even from underground burrows. Hidden monsters that had waited patiently until now finally revealed themselves, rushing toward the spirit all at once after witnessing the boars and hawks make their move.
Marcus could not help muttering under his breath.
"Cunning bastards."
Moments ago, the grove had been peaceful. Now it resembled a battlefield.
Most of these late arrivals were not particularly strong, otherwise they would not have remained hidden for so long. Yet sheer numbers changed everything. With so many monsters attacking simultaneously, even the immense red locust bee swarm began to falter.
The Bloodthirsty Hawks dominated the air while the golden boars forced progress on the ground. Shielded by their underlings, both groups steadily carved openings through the defensive ring and accelerated toward the Red Locust Spirit.
Then something unusual caught Marcus’s attention to his right. A strange rabbit-like creature darted out from the grove.
Its ears were long and alert, twitching with squirrel-like agility. Round eyes shone bright and lively, almost kitten-like in their sharp curiosity. Its body carried the light, flexible build of a rabbit, covered in smooth purple-black fur streaked with thin golden stripes along its back. A purple-red head and an oversized fluffy tail completed its oddly elegant appearance.
It looked... adorable.
And yet, a faint dark glow surrounded it, unsettling and unnatural. The creature sprinted directly toward the Red Locust Spirit.
The red locust bees reacted immediately, swarming toward the intruder. To them, appearance meant nothing. There were only allies and enemies, and this unfamiliar creature clearly belonged to the latter.
Marcus watched intently.
What was that thing? And how strong was it?
Just as the bees prepared to attack, the rabbit-like creature abruptly stopped. Rising onto its hind legs, it stood upright.
Its front paws moved with surprising dexterity, almost like human hands. Reaching into the white fur on its chest, it rummaged briefly before pulling out a tall white flower more than half a meter long, its stem thick and lined with broad leaves.
Like a child proudly presenting a toy, the creature lifted the flower overhead.
Only then did Marcus notice that the white fur on its chest formed something like a pouch, similar to a kangaroo’s. The flower had been stored inside its body.
The creature gently swayed the flower and instantly, the charging bees halted.
Their aggression vanished as if erased. They flew past the creature without acknowledging it, behaving as though it did not exist at all while it calmly advanced toward the Red Locust Spirit, still holding the white flower aloft.
Marcus’s eyes widened.
’No way.’
What kind of flower could repel red locust bees like that? Another competitor had entered the race.
Fortunately, the rabbit-creature advanced slowly while walking upright. If it moved any faster, Marcus might already have lost his chance. Still, his instincts warned him not to underestimate it.
This thing was dangerous.
"Damn."
No more waiting. Marcus urged Blackie forward. Still disguised as drifting mist, he accelerated toward the Red Locust Spirit.
He glanced back toward the Bloodthirsty Hawk King. The monster was frighteningly fast. There was a very real possibility it could reach the spirit before him. As a level seventy-plus golden boss, its speed rivaled Blackie’s even at full stride.
’Damn it.’
He should have moved sooner.
Marcus activated every speed-enhancing ability available to him, stacking buffs without hesitation as he pushed his velocity to its absolute limit.
Ahead, the buzzing suddenly intensified, a flash of crimson light drew his attention.
From the three massive hives hanging upon the ancient trees, three enormous bees emerged, their bodies glowing with deep red brilliance.
Each giant bee possessed razor-edged forelimbs shaped like steel blades. Two tails extended behind them, their stingers gleaming with lethal intent.
These were clearly no ordinary monsters.