Kind's Reunion
Kind. During the invasion of the Poison Centipede legion on Sama Battleground, he had hidden away in one of the safe houses alongside Bishier.
'This is just a temporary shelter! As long as we stay hidden until Great Warrior Norton returns with reinforcements, we'll escape safely. Everyone, don't give up—hang in there!'
Kind held his breath, enduring as the elder leading them urged. But deep down, he harbored doubts. Everyone knew Norton was the strongest of the mantis clans, yet few had truly witnessed his full power.
'I don't know how strong Great Warrior Norton really is, but can he take on all those guys by himself?'
Legion Commander Duraan. Even from kilometers away, the overwhelming might of the infamous continent terror made Kind's flesh crawl. And that wasn't all.
'There was another one just as formidable...'
The one called the Grand Captain. His prowess was too terrifying to dismiss as mere Complete Body level. The sight of Sama Battleground warriors melting into puddles of blood before his poison was the stuff of nightmares.
'Even if Great Warrior Norton holds off Duraan, if there are more like that Grand Captain, we're as good as dead.'
They'd been lucky to slip away and hide this time, but there was no guarantee it would happen again. Fear was the only rational response.
Then—
BOOM!
The spell formation shuddered, and Third Captain Gato appeared.
'Heh, you cockroach bastards! Hiding here, eh?'
Faced with Gato's intense killing intent, Kind blacked out on the spot. Sensing an insurmountable wall, he lost consciousness convinced he'd never wake again...
'Aleck took down that guy?!'
The unbelievable news hit him. When he first came to, he thought he was dead and in the afterlife. Realizing he was alive, and seeing the situation resolved, he wondered if it was a dream.
Amid the chatter—
'That young mantis Aleck is the real deal. Some are saying he's stronger than the lord.'
'Could be. They say he took down Gato single-handedly.'
'No way! He was Juvenile Stage when he left Chung Hak Gwan... How'd he reach Complete Body so fast?'
'Must be an Irregular specialized in growth. History has rare cases of transcendent growth rates like that.'
'The more I think about it, the harder it is to believe. A bit more growth, and he'll be Sama Battleground's pillar.'
'He already is. The lord, Director Monahan, Great Warrior Norton—they're all looking for Aleck.'
It was the rumor that Aleck had slain that monstrous Third Captain.
"My god!"
Even Kind, Aleck's fervent devotee, could scarcely believe it. Why was Aleck's name—supposedly at Chung Hak Gwan—echoing here? And a Juvenile Stage mantis reaching Complete Body to kill Gato? He had to see it with his own eyes.
"Bishier! Let's go to Aleck!"
As soon as he recovered, Kind grabbed Bishier and rushed to Aleck.
"Aleck niiiiiim... Huh?"
Calling Aleck's name from afar as he charged. But upon facing him, Kind jolted in shock.
Aleck's appearance had changed far beyond recognition.
"I-is that really you, Aleck?"
"Yeah. Already forgotten my face?"
"Eek! No, that's not—"
Kind's eyes widened like saucers as he scanned Aleck from head to toe. The boyish build was gone, replaced by an adult frame—proof he'd at least reached Maturity Stage. Once there, one's outer form settled into a fully grown adult shape.
'B-but young mantis clans stay small even in Maturity...'
Now, he towered robustly, making even king and shield mantis clans look comparatively slight. No way this was a young mantis build!
'The markings confirm young mantis clan, though.'
Kind glanced under Aleck's ear.
'And the face is definitely Aleck's.'
Just more mature, but recognizable.
'Whoa... He's glowing even more handsome now...'
Kind swallowed involuntarily, staring at Aleck's face. Already handsome, Aleck had drawn whispers in warrior class for his striking looks—a notably beautiful young mantis trainee. He might not know, but female cadets often peeked at the training grounds to glimpse him.
Now, he was on another level. Before, like a flower bud on the verge; now, fully bloomed.
Even as a fellow male, Kind felt mesmerized.
"Wow... Aleck, why'd you get even more handsome?"
Bishier's voice chimed in beside him, equally awed.
"Really? Guess eating well at Chung Hak Gwan improved my complexion."
Aleck replied indifferently, his signature nonchalance making Kind's eyes sparkle.
Yes, that's Aleck!
Seeing him again brought tears to Kind's eyes unbidden.
"Aleck niiiiiim! I missed you so much!"
He impulsively lunged with arms wide.
Whoosh—thud.
Aleck dodged swiftly, leaving Kind to embrace the ground.
"Hahaha! Kind, what're you doing?!"
Bishier burst into giggles at the absurdity.
"You came at me so suddenly, I dodged on reflex."
Aleck chuckled, offering a hand.
"Hahaha."
Kind laughed sheepishly, grasping it and rising. Rediscovering this everyday normalcy he'd taken for granted made him cherish it deeply.
'I need to get stronger from now on.'
This planted the seed of intense ambition for power in Kind's heart—a spark that would later blaze fiercely. He now knew the strength required to protect what was his!
* * *
After cleanup from the Poison Centipede invasion, Karimru and the Sama Battleground crew headed straight to their new base.
Expecting possible ambushes outside the territory, none came. The Amar King Centipede side showed no reaction—likely overwhelmed by multiple crises.
A blessing for Sama Battleground.
'Kiria's move was a godsend.'
I sighed inwardly in relief. The Chung Hak Gwan invasion had blown up, but Kiria's rampages everywhere were a bigger headache for them.
I'd worried she acted too soon, but it benefited both her and the mantis kind.
'We dodged the raid, but interference during transit could've caused massive losses.'
Worst case, if Craig himself moved, it might've been near annihilation. Escaping that was sheer luck.
'Normally, the other Four Great Clans might stir, but with Chung Hak Gwan chaos, they're all watching each other.'
Another stroke of fortune for us.
After days of travel, we fully escaped Amar King Centipede influence and reached the new territory.
"Aleck—!"
Shortly after entering the new Sama Battleground domain, someone rushed toward me.
"Long time no see."
Robed. She'd grown even more.
'She's bloomed further.'
Her beauty had intensified into Growth Stage.
'Kind yapped about handsomeness... but before Robed, he's a firefly to the sun.'
My heart raced seeing her enhanced allure.
"Heard Sama Battleground was attacked. You okay?"
The news had spread already. She asked cautiously, worried.
I was about to say fine, but another voice cut in first.
"Heh heh, this hurts Daddy's feelings. Raise a daughter, and she's useless..."
Karimru eyed us with mock sulkiness.
"Daddy, I asked about you first in the letter!"
"Still! It's different face-to-face. And that letter was more about Aleck than—"
"Eek! Okay, sorry for not asking you first!"
Letter? What made her panic like that?
As I opened my mouth, Robed clamped Karimru's.
She dragged him off, embarrassed.
"Aleck! See you later."
"No, daughter. Daddy's fine. Just like the letter said..."
She jolted again, eyes shaking like an earthquake.
"F-follow me for now!"
She hauled him away.
"Haha! Robed must've missed you a lot, Aleck."
A warm voice from beside.
"Ruslan!"
I greeted him brightly. Ruslan had transformed unrecognizably since before Chung Hak Gwan.
"You broke through to Growth Stage."
Impressive. He'd lagged behind me and Robed, yet now he'd shed Juvenile and reached Growth.
"Wondering how I grew so fast?"
Ruslan grinned, flashing white teeth.
"Yeah. What's the secret?"
"Might be misleading to say it's because of you..."
He teased, pausing—then someone interjected.
"Obviously all thanks to me."
Norton.
Ruslan and Robed had exploded in growth under Norton's intensive care and support.
"Whoa... Jealous. No wonder he's the clan's top warrior."
"If I could just learn one move from him..."
They didn't know he was our instructor Norun, so pure envy poured out.
'Robed knows, but Ruslan too? Kind's clueless— he'll sulk later.'
Anyway, they figured Norton's training would rocket them like Ruslan.
"Great Warrior Norton! Give us a chance too!"
"Yeah!"
Half-joking pleas, low expectations.
But—
"Fine. If you want, I'll teach you a move."
"...!"
"R-really?"
"Yes!"
Eyes bulged at the unexpected reply.
But Norton had an ulterior motive.
"One condition! Only to those who defeat that punk Aleck will I personally guide to the next realm!"
"...!"
All eyes snapped to me.
'What the...?'
Stunned by the sudden twist, I just blinked.