Pill Bug

"Aleck, I'll be off then."

"Yeah, Senior Katt. Have a safe trip. And take care of yourself, always."

"Got it. Don't worry about me!"

I saw Katt off as he left Chung Hak Gwan. Not that he'd finally been kicked out... no. This was the self-training period now. Plenty of trainees used it for intensive sessions, but those wanting a break took one, and others stepped out for personal errands. Katt was no different.

'Aleck, I've made up my mind!'

'...?'

'I'm heading to Dr. Merni's lab during the self-training period!'

'Ah... there?'

'Yeah! You've been super curious about the Megaera Mantis too, right? I'm gonna ask Dr. Merni where she found the fossil materials for it.'

'Sounds good.'

A faint smile tugged at my lips as I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠recalled our conversation from yesterday. If Katt could dig up info on the Megaera Mantis there for me, it'd be incredibly helpful.

'If I can really inherit the Megaera Mantis's power from whatever fossil we get this time... Merni is someone I definitely need to track down.'

Considering it saved me time, I owed Katt a proper thank-you.

"Alright, I'm off!"

Katt waved energetically as he headed out of Chung Hak Gwan. After seeing him off, I made my way to the request board.

I couldn't just sit around idle while Katt was out hustling.

'Let's see... good, it's still there.'

The moment I confirmed the request was still up, I headed straight to the reception desk. This one was from a "cooperating organization."

"I'd like to take a cooperating organization request."

"Which one?"

"The pill bug habitat survey."

Pill bugs—also called roly-polies. The kind that curl into balls when threatened, common even back on Earth.

"Hmm, the pill bug habitat survey is pretty dangerous. You sure?"

Pill bugs favored damp spots like leaf piles, rotting logs, or under rocks—places often crawling with centipedes, pincers, and other venomous critters. Hence the mandatory warning.

"Yes, I'm fine."

No issue for me, obviously.

* * *

On my way out after accepting the request, I spotted a familiar face.

"Oh, Trainee Aleck. Long time no see."

It was Jebril, director of J Lab, greeting me.

"Hello, Director."

"How've you been?"

"Fine, no issues here. You?"

"Me? Well..."

She let out a faint laugh, one tinged with exhaustion. I got it right away—research was never easy.

"By the way, I've even heard rumors about you in my lab bubble."

"Rumors about me?"

"Yeah, that Grand Sage Kun is your sponsor? Folks who looked down on you are shaking in their boots, instructors are panicking, and the spellcaster society is even planning to court you?"

"Ha, haha... it's not that big a deal. Not many looked down on me to begin with, and spellcasters... they don't even know the 's' in spells."

I answered, then drifted into thought.

'Come to think of it, the upper clans do seem to be avoiding me a bit.'

Drvito's crew got wrecked by me, sure, but even Hoover from the giant hornet clan and Jodru from the Girapatop stag beetle clan—guys who'd eyed me with disdain—had been acting awkward since Kun's visit. Not trembling, but definitely uncomfortable.

Makes sense. Even the four great lords couldn't casually flash their cards against the Shinseon Butterfly clan's Grand Sage Kun.

"Hah, really? Still, impressive. Kun as a sponsor... how'd that happen?"

Jebril's eyes sparkled at Kun's name. Her fatigue-worn gaze had flipped in an instant. No need to ask what he meant to her.

'An idol, or close to it.'

I chuckled lightly. "I had a favor to ask Kun, so I visited Moon Paper Forest, and we hit it off."

"No way—that favor was... the cicada parasite repellent?"

"Hahaha... yeah, spot on."

"Whoa! So that's how it went. That repellent was revolutionary! Word is you gave Kun the breakthrough."

"Yeah, kinda happened that way. My friend nearly got infected with cicada parasites, so I got a lead from that."

Kind popped into my head. His close call sped up my decision to meet Kun, leading to this alliance.

"Tell me the full story sometime. Mind if I invite you over?"

"Of course. Honored."

"Great, see you then. Oh! If you can snag more thunderwood fruit, pretty please?"

"Sure, if the chance comes up."

She beamed. "Thanks!"

As she turned to go, she added, "And Aleck, that perfume you're wearing today? Smells amazing."

She winked and breezed off.

'Hm?'

Perfume? Never worn any.

I sniffed my arm. Nothing.

'Weird, must've been mistaken.'

Anyway, after parting with Jebril, I headed out of Chung Hak Gwan.

'Thunderwood habitat first. I was gonna check on Ultio anyway.'

Bonus: grab some thunderwood fruit. That alone would net three miles easy.

But the real reason for the pill bug survey? Exoskeleton.

The Exoskeleton skill synergized great with toughness, and acquiring it could trigger a Limit Break on my toughness stat. That hunch sealed it.

'Ultio first.'

Plenty of time. Hope her injury's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠healing well...

* * *

"Here's your pass."

I flashed the pass from the management center last time and entered the Thunder Forest right away.

Kraaack-boom!

The massive lightning storms shooting skyward were as spectacular as ever. A sight that never failed to impress.

The wild bugs swarmed as before. I slipped past them toward the thunderwood trees.

"Kiriririt!"

Thunder ants popped up along the path, but...

"Kiri, ririt—."

They'd twitch their antennae and freeze, then bolt. It happened so often, it was ridiculous.

'Hmph.'

I knew why. Ultio's scent clinging to me—or pheromones?—freaking them out.

'That explains Jebril's comment earlier.'

She was house ant clan. 'Reacting to pheromones.'

Mystery solved. No interruptions meant quick arrival at the thunderwood habitat.

"How do I even call it, though?"

I reached Ultio's burrow entrance... but it was sealed with dirt.

Dig in? Dig skill made it easy.

'Won't disturb her healing, will it?'

As I pondered—

'...!'

Telepathy from Ultio. Guess we could communicate at this range.

'Ultio! You okay now?'

'Good.'

I sighed in relief. Her arm regenerating had me worried.

'Can I take a peek?'

I activated Dig immediately.

'Dig! Shffft... rumble rumble rumble.'

I cleared the entrance and followed her tunnel. It opened into a massive cavern—big enough for hundreds of mid-sized butterfly primals. Right under the thunderwoods, too; the air crackled with thunder ether.

'This place...'

Dark, but my natural night vision lit it up. Thunderwood roots carpeted ceiling and walls. In the center: a cocoon wrapped in white silk.

"Ultio!"

"Me too."

Her voice sounded fine. I grinned and approached the cocoon.

"You been well?"

Her thoughts radiated comfort.

"When ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can you come out?"

Then—

Groooaaan!

Thunderwood roots on the ceiling stirred.

'...!'

They parted like curtains, revealing... a fist-sized orb pulsing with thunder ether.

'That's... a thunder core!'

Instinct screamed it was the thunderwood's essence.

Kraaack-boom!

Lightning surged from the core... into the cocoon.

I gawked as Ultio's cheerful thoughts rang out. She was accelerating her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠recovery with the core's power.

'Wait, could that be...'

A sudden idea. Up close, it resembled a core rune.

'No way?'

Staring entranced—

I knew that much, but—

"Lifespan ends?"

'Then...'

I swallowed hard. Fierce intuition: that dying core would become a Thunder Core Rune.

'Cinnamon. That flea got his thunder core rune here?'

Cinnamon, the mad flea. Continent's strongest via thunder ether. Had to be from here.

"Ultio, when its lifespan ends, can you tell me?"

"Yeah, desperately."

"Thanks."

Heart pounding at the possible thunder core rune, I stroked her healing cocoon. It wriggled happily, sensing my touch.

'Ultio's communication feels smoother than when we met.'

Started noun-only; now mixing verbs with endings.

'Full conversations soon?'

I chuckled. "Haha! Yeah, my Ultio's the best."

* * *

Galileo Farmhouse. The biggest farm near Chung Hak Gwan, growing carrots, radishes, lettuce, and more.

Lately, though, big headaches.

Because...

"Damn it, again today! These goddamn pill bug bastards!"

Daily pill bug raids.