Ambush

'Let's go with the elixir first.'

After a moment's deliberation, I decided to consume the elixir right away. The reason was simple.

'It just feels like it'll be more efficient.'

If I could boost my physical growth even a little with the elixir, my intuition told me I'd be able to absorb even a bit more of the fossil's power.

Crunch!

I first tossed the top-grade True Jade Elixir Pill from the Shinseon Butterfly clan into my mouth, then followed it straight up with the True Onyx Elixir Pill.

Fwoosh—

As the skill activated, a sensation like fireballs churning inside my body surged up from within. It was a symptom of absorbing the elixir's energy far beyond what I could normally handle.

At that moment, a system message popped up, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠every cell in my body began writhing in anticipation of evolution.

'Hot.'

My whole body felt like it was burning, sweat pouring from my forehead and back. It was painful, but paradoxically accompanied by a sense of pleasure. Pain like this? I could write it off as growing pains any day.

What other way was there to gain power so easily—just endure the pain, and you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠grow. This was nothing but joy.

'Now!'

The instant the searing agony peaked, I swiftly grabbed the Megaera Mantis fossil fragment in front of me. With every cell in my body boiling, I realized this was the perfect moment to absorb the power sealed within the fossil.

Grrrrrrumble.

The moment I grasped the fragment, my hand trembled like there was an earthquake. It was as if the fossil and my body were resonating.

Thoom—

Soon, a heavy drumbeat echoed in my ears, and my vision went black. My consciousness sank endlessly into the depths of my mind, and the deeper it plunged, the more exalted my spirit became.

And finally, at the place I reached...

—It's been a long time.

In the profound depths of my unconscious, I reunited with the unmistakable presence of the Megaera Mantis.

"You..."

I murmured in surprise at the figure before me. Previously, it had only appeared as a vague, hazy silhouette. Now, the face above the neck was clearly visible. And with it, clear communication was possible—something entirely new.

Probably thanks to my completely altered genetic traits.

'And it looks just like the restoration diagram.'

It bore a striking resemblance to the restoration drawing by the ancient scholar 'Merni' I'd seen before. Which meant...

'Proof positive that it's really a Megaera Mantis.'

I'd been nearly certain, but now it was fact.

'With power like this, I should try making contact through Katt.'

At that moment, the Megaera Mantis fixed its golden eyes on me and spoke.

—I didn't expect you'd claim a fragment of the power I left behind so soon.

"Hm? So the fossil I just got wasn't a natural find—it was intentional?"

—It was an arrangement left solely for the heir who would inherit my power.

You must have felt an immense pull from the fragment.

"Right... yeah."

—That marks you as my successor.

Any other being would have felt discomfort from the fossil fragment.

'Ah...'

Only then did the circumstances make sense. No matter how dubious and shabby the fragment's origin seemed, it was odd that it had been left lying around like worthless reference material.

It must have been designed to instinctively repel anyone but the intended target. Some kind of measure had been in place.

'Could that be why records on Megaera Mantises are scarcer than for other ancient species?'

I'd noticed during the loan that there were hardly any prior borrowing records.

—Finally, you can hear my will and behold it.

I've awaited this day for so long. But alas, our time is short.

Take the power quickly.

Enchanted by those words, my body was drawn forward. But since only its form was revealed, with the enveloping veil intact, we placed our hands on the barrier to connect.

Kuuuung.

A massive roar erupted, and as a majestic energy transmitted from beyond the veil, an immense pressure hit me, blurring my vision.

'This is...?'

A brief moment passed, and my vision cleared. The presence before me was gone; I floated alone in the void.

Turning my head to look around...

'...!'

I discovered an endless golden ocean blanketing the sky.

"Ahh."

The ecstatic sight made me gape in awe without realizing it. My instincts told me this was the wave of power possessed by the Megaera Mantis.

'And someday, it'll be mine.'

Drip.

Then, the heavens inverted, and a single droplet fell from the sea now in the sky toward me. I stared blankly and opened my mouth to swallow the seawater.

'...!'

My eyes widened at the scene unfolding before me. It was a familiar sight—one I'd seen once before in Ultio's memories: the full panorama of the Carboniferous period.

Fragments of memory flashed by.

Cracklecracklecrackle!

Fwooooosh!

The presumed Megaera Mantis was wreathed in lightning on its right and wind on its left—a descent of a sky god, unleashing astonishing bolts and gales.

Meganeura dragonflies of unmeasurable scale.

Titanoptera, ancestors of earwigs said to rule as overlords of the Carboniferous.

A Prometheus wasp rivaling Meganeura in size.

Arachne, the massive spider with no peers in ferocity.

And countless other ancient species I didn't know—Urupterus, Pobeticus, Alexandra, Agrippina, and more—lay fallen before it.

It seemed to have handled them all single-handedly.

And amid them, a new figure appeared.

'That guy!'

My eyes nearly burst wide. It was the man who had slaughtered Ultio's family.

The moment the late arrival and the Megaera Mantis locked eyes!

Crackle.

The memory cut off.

'What? What happened?!'

Did they fight? Or were they already acquainted? What race was that man?

Questions flooded my mind in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the uncertain scene, but I couldn't pursue them.

A colossal energy welled up inside me, beginning to restructure my entire body down to the cellular level.

Goooooo!

With the alert, my consciousness surged back to reality.

Cracklerattle, crackle.

Joints throughout my body groaned and shifted, my frame twitching even at rest. Then my body grew even larger than before, now fully adult-sized by Abian Continent standards.

But that was just the beginning of the massive changes.

Qua-crack!

First, my left forearm burst through the skin, a foreleg erupting forth.

Now I could partially primalize both arms.

Next, my back wing bones stirred.

Ku-crack!

Wings tore through, two pairs sprouting vertically along my back.

The downside? They weren't full wings—just lazy stubs covering less than half my back. Like Ultio's, sort of.

'Still, they'll grow more as I advance stages.'

As I soothed my inner regret, another change continued.

Shhhrrip—!

An exoskeleton began covering my skin—face, neck, arms, legs. This meant exoskeleton partialization was possible too.

Not a perfect exoskeleton, but it gave me serious durability anyway. Mixing it with the Exoskeleton skill would yield defense rivaling any armored bug.

With the new forelegs added, I'd gained offense and defense—perfect balance. Even the tiny wings boosted mobility.

'Unlocking partial primalization in four areas already.'

Just reaching Maturity Stage 1, and this? Uncharted territory no one on the continent had ever trod.

'I'll devour every Maturity Stage.'

A conclusion I could draw from gauging my power right away. I was at least quasi-Complete Body level now.

'My body feels insanely light, like I could fly off.'

My physical stats must have skyrocketed. Time to check the status window.

'As expected!'

The stats were one thing, but the reason power overflowed through my entire body was something else: the Megaera Mantis awakening had jumped to 41%.

A 30% leap in one go. Meaning my body was now over a third Megaera Mantis.

'Limit Break didn't trigger this time, huh.'

Every molt before had always triggered Limit Break on one stat, starting it at + rank. My current potential was so profound even that trait couldn't reach its limit.

'Insane.'

If I hit C+ physical stats and triggered Limit Break? It might rival my pre-regression Complete Body power.

'Reaching past Complete Body at just Maturity Stage 1.'

I was thrilled that there was still more to marvel at.

'It's not over.'

Channeling ether into both arms—now partially primalized with right foreleg out too—

Vmmm.

Ether externalized on the mantis foreleg blades extending from my hands, manifesting sharply.

The so-called aura blade, or battle spirit, in the Insect King's War world.

'Add this...'

I imbued thunder attribute into my right arm and wind into my left.

Then—

Cracklecrackle!

Whoooosh!

Like the Megaera Mantis in my memory, my upper body's right side was cloaked in lightning, left in storm winds.

'This is crazy.'

Inspirations flooded my mind. Just like when I'd gained foreleg traits and glimpsed Wind White Swordsmanship (SS).

'Fuse the lightning and gale into one...'

Dual-attribute fusion swordsmanship. The foundation of that supreme, exalted art permitted only to the Megaera Mantis etched itself into my mind.

Refine and adapt it further, and like the Wind White Swordsmanship I'd awakened pre-regression, I'd birth my own unique technique.

"Yeah... that's it."

As ecstasy and elation blended with dawning insight, I let out a sigh of rapture—

KABOOOOOM——————!

A colossal explosion rocked the training room where I stood.