Black Hands' Raid on Chung Hak Gwan
Aleck was just moments away from reaching the Maturity Stage.
Those who had received orders from Craig gathered together for the first time in ages. There were four in total. They were all the black hands who handled Craig's dirty work.
"I wonder how long it's been since we all sat face-to-face like this."
"Five years?"
"Has it really been that long already?"
"The higher-ups have never given us all the same directive at once during that time."
They spoke casually among themselves, but the last one to speak, Sarhan, was the only one using formal speech. And for good reason.
He was the sole sub-commander among them, not a full commander. A Ghost Ant tribesman, he was Sahan's right-hand man and had come in Sahan's stead today.
"Hmm, so where's Sahan, and why are you here instead?"
Ruspa. Thief Ant tribe. Ants had such vast numbers that they weren't fully unified under a single lord like the mantises. Thus, she was the queen of the Thief Ants while also commanding one battalion in the black hands unit Craig had secretly formed.
She wasn't alone in that. Two of the others here were in similar positions, save for one.
"Lord Sahan went to carry out Lord Craig's orders."
"Lord Craig's? Oh, you mean that Kiria bitch?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Hmph, if Sahan went after her, she's as good as dead."
"I still don't get what she was thinking, raiding the lab like that... A little more patience, and he would've given her a whole battalion."
"That's impossible, isn't it? Cloud Centipedes are rare enough without her; finding more seed stock is tough."
They clicked their tongues in low frustration.
Sahan, touted as the next Ghost Ant lord, was the real deal in terms of skill. No matter how fierce Kiria was, surviving him seemed unlikely.
"Anyway, enough of that. We're not here to talk about her. Let's hear what everyone has planned."
Burteng of the Bomb Dust Beetle tribe spoke up, scanning the others.
"Hmm, what is there to plan? We just charge in and grab the Thunderwing fossil, right?"
Gardal of the Cockroach tribe replied, prompting sighs from the other two except Sarhan.
"My mistake for asking you. Sarhan, what do you think?"
"In my view, Gardal and Burteng should draw attention from the front while I stir from the flank. Meanwhile, Lady Ruspa sneaks in and steals the Thunderwing fossil."
"Solid plan. Textbook."
"That's basically what I said!"
"Yeah, yeah. Just focus when you're breaking through the front. No wandering off like last time."
Burteng warned Gardal sternly, recalling past jobs where he'd suddenly veered off-track.
"Why bring up old stories?"
"Yeah, you won't do it again this time, right?"
Burteng looked skeptical but nodded. Time had passed; surely even Gardal had changed.
"By the way, how many troops are we each bringing?"
"At least a hundred each, minimum?"
"Probably."
Ruspa licked her lips as she spoke. Given the target, they needed to be thorough. All here had reached Complete Body, but Chung Hak Gwan housed terrifying monsters—including some at Ultimate Body.
"This is our only shot while that one is away. Everyone, stay sharp."
Burteng said, recalling Chung Hak Gwan's monster. Its top powerhouse was absent, which Craig knew—hence the timing.
"Heh heh, with all of us together, what's impossible?"
Gardal brimmed with confidence. Burteng didn't argue this time. Gardal's survival despite his antics came down to raw strength, and it wasn't just him. Burteng himself, and even thieving Ruspa, wielded serious power. Add their troops, and they could overrun the now-toothless Chung Hak Gwan—crippled by its leader's absence—like centipedes without jaws.
"Alright, let's move."
Their eyes gleamed fiercely.
* * *
"This is it."
Leading their troops, they arrived at Chung Hak Gwan. Burteng, his body clad in exoskeleton via primalization, took point.
Huuuuh.
True to his Bomb Dust Beetle nature, he inhaled the air deeply.
"Huuu—!"
He unleashed bomb gas at the barrier array.
Kwaaaaaang—————!
The barrier shook violently amid the massive blast.
"Can't do it alone after all. All units, bomb gas—fire!"
His hundred-plus Bomb Dust Beetles unleashed in unison.
* * *
'What, some explosion experiment?'
Kuaaaaaang————!
The training room shuddered again. But this scale was beyond mere research.
'No way—is Chung Hak Gwan under attack?'
I steadied myself and thought.
'No memory of Chung Hak Gwan being attacked.'
I could feel the known future starting to diverge.
'Butterfly effect.'
So far, the changes had mostly been positive. The current flow favored me and disadvantaged the Four Great Lords.
Of course, keeping it that way was the key.
'Who'd attack Chung Hak Gwan...'
Craig. No one else.
Before entering my private training room, Drvito had tipped me off.
'Orders from above. If trouble hits Chung Hak Gwan, assist discreetly.'
Who knew "trouble" meant outright invasion.
'Brutes, as expected.'
Bugs gonna bug. Plenty were aggressive savages.
I kicked open the private room door and headed for the explosions.
"Wh-what is it?"
"An attack!"
"They're hitting here?"
Trainees milled in panic outside the training building.
Bang, bang, kwaaaaang!
I shoved past toward the blasts.
'Main gate!'
Arriving, I saw pandemonium.
"Block them!"
"Urk, when are the guardians coming?"
"Kwaaaak! H-help!"
'Those guys...'
Familiar faces: Gardal, Burteng.
'All beheaded by me before. Seeing them again like this.'
Confirmed: Craig's black hands. Targeting something inside.
'Pity. If Drvito knew what.'
Why risk this for whatever it was? Exposing ties to Craig would doom even the Four Great Tribes. Chung Hak Gwan was that symbolic on Abian Continent.
"Grraaah!"
"H-Hanks!"
I spotted a familiar face among the defenders. Tenth squad helped instructors against intruders. Not just them—many new trainees too.
"Keh heh heh, today I get to taste Emperor Scorpion innards."
The Cockroach pressing Hanks licked his chops. Maturity Stage, by looks.
"Get that ugly mug outta my face, you filthy roach."
"Keh heh het, even your struggles are cute. Farewell."
Hanks barely held the roach's thorn spear. As the other arm rose, his eyes widened in doom.
Slash—!
Emerald flashed midair. The roach's head flew; body froze.
"Wha...?"
Hanks gawked at the headless, spurting corpse. Stunned that the monster fell in one strike.
But relief was premature. Roach tenacity kicked in—headless, it still thrust.
"Th-this!"
Slash.
Another emerald afterimage. The body lost arms too.
"A-Aleck!"
Hanks finally spotted me, yelling in shock.
"That form?"
"You hurt?"
"N-no. But Maturity Stage already?! How partial primalization..."
"Fall back. These aren't your level."
He had questions, seeing my partial primalization, but retreated given the chaos.
"Thanks for the save."
Admiration filled his eyes—vast change from our first meeting.
Scanning the front, screams and casualties rose everywhere.
'Response too slow.'
Guardians—Chung Hak Gwan's real muscle—should've contained this. Long peace made them sluggish?
"Huh? Parek's dead!"
"You do that?"
Two Cockroaches approached me.
"Looks like a trainee, but why's a Maturity bug here?"
Chung Hak Gwan took only Juveniles and Growth Stage. Maturity meant instant expulsion, growth guaranteed.
"Madru, careful. This one's off."
One eyed my raptorial arms, wings, emerald exoskeleton warily.
"Yeah? What are you? How so much partial primalization..."
Madru flinched in surprise. I seized the gap.
Crackle!
Lightning ether writhed; electric sparks flared on my legs.
Bang!
No jump prep—blinding speed straight at him. Half-wings accelerated further. Bolt-fast.
His face neared instantly.
"Wha—!"
He raised arms in panic, too late.
Crackle-crackle!
Slash—!
"Gaaack—."
Lightning-charged right blade swept his body.
"Madru!"
The other stared blankly, then thrust thorn spear in horror.
Zing—!
My senses read the trajectory clear. Heightened Super Sense from intuition growth.
I slipped past seemingly barely, diving into his guard.
Whoooosh—!
Slash!
Storm-infused left arm severed his neck.
Cockroaches dominating spots crumbled—two down fast. Eyes turned to me.
"What the hell's that guy?"
"Take him first!"
Five or six Cockroaches lunged. Thorn spears rained.
Yet I smirked amid it.
Because—
Predation activates.
Predating Cockroach corpse.
Delicious news from the fresh kill.