The Hidden Scenario: In Search of the Path to Transcendence

Norton's display of Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship diverged sharply from the Praying Mantis Swordsmanship I knew.

While the standard Praying Mantis Swordsmanship stuck faithfully to the basics of swordsmanship,

Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship built upon those fundamentals, incorporating an audacious attempt to commune with the heavens through the blade itself.

'Norton hasn't quite grasped that far yet.'

I could see it clearly.

The intent behind the creation of Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship.

'Its creator was undoubtedly a master who surpassed even me.'

Even I, who had once reached the cusp of Ultimate Body, lacked the confidence to invent such a technique.

Beyond the profundity of the swordsmanship itself,

this was an art infused with the aspiration to commune with all things in heaven and earth.

'And communing with heaven and earth... that signifies the realm of Transcendent Body.'

The stage reached by the palm scorpion apostle who defeated me before my regression,

and the sublime realm I had glimpsed fleetingly on the brink of death.

This swordsmanship had surely been crafted by someone who had fully attained that transcendent stage,

or at the very least had beheld it.

'Jackpot.'

Mastering Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship in its entirety would undoubtedly make it far easier to step onto the path to transcendence that I had briefly sensed.

It was at that moment.

'...!'

A thrilling shiver suddenly surged up my spine, making my body tremble uncontrollably.

A system message floated before my eyes alongside it.

'Scenario conditions?'

My eyes widened to the size of saucers.

This ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was a route I had never encountered even while playing Insect King's War.

'My god!'

A hidden scenario, no less.

The hidden piece before me was tied to transcendence.

I tried to calm my body, once again surging with shivers,

but a barrage of subsequent messages kept me from regaining my composure.

"Supreme... Praying Mantis Swordsmanship?"

Not even Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship, but Supreme Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship?

Was there something beyond Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship?

Or was Supreme Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship the true name of Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship?

Amid the whirlwind of confusion, I was utterly dumbfounded by the incomprehensible situation.

"What did you say?!"

And I wasn't the only one startled.

"Aleck, you... Do you know something of Supreme Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship?"

Norton, having overheard my mutterings, asked with a look of shock.

'What's this? Norton seems to know something...'

His reaction suggested he was aware of Supreme Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship.

Hoping this might lead to an easy source, I turned to him with sparkling eyes.

"Is Supreme Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship... different from Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship?"

"Of course it is! Where I obtained Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship, there were tales of Supreme Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship as well."

"Oh? Like what?"

I pressed him, my eyes gleaming brighter.

"Hmm? It seems you don't know much about Supreme Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship yourself."

"Yes, that's right. I've been searching for traces of it for ages, but all I know is the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠name. If you know anything, could you share?"

To draw out his willing cooperation, I spoke as if I'd been investigating it for years.

"Sorry I can't help more. All I know is that I read the creator of Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship had left to refine it into the superior Supreme Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship."

"A superior level..."

Even Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship held unfathomable depths, yet something beyond it?

I let out a sigh of regret.

Well, a hidden scenario couldn't be resolved this easily.

"Shall I at least tell you where I found Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship?"

Norton must have felt bad seeing my disappointment.

"Yes! I'd be grateful."

Thinking it was better than nothing, I expressed my thanks.

Without even this clue, I'd have been searching blindly like a needle in a haystack.

Starting from the origin would let me trace the next clues much faster.

"Very well. I'll tell you the location shortly. For now... rise."

"...?"

Suddenly telling me to stand?

"Shouldn't we have a proper spar? Heh heh, I'll teach you Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship with my body. No—I'll personally show you how to infuse it with thunder-attribute ether and elevate it to Heavenly Thunder Swordsmanship!"

"Ha..."

I couldn't help but chuckle at Norton's words.

He was saying he'd teach me Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship and Heavenly Thunder Swordsmanship directly,

but it was just a long-winded way of saying he wanted to fight me.

'Fine. Sparring with someone of a higher realm will be a great lesson for me now.'

And if it involved those two sword arts, it was perfect.

With the bud of inspiration already forming,

today's experience would be invaluable fertilizer for its full bloom later.

"Come at me first, then."

Norton provoked me, dipping his sword my way.

'Hmph.'

I gladly took the bait.

'Primalization.'

Holding nothing back from the start, I immediately invoked full Primalization.

Tzztztzt!

Kwaduduk.

Emerald exoskeleton emerged across my entire body.

Tzang!

My left arm sprouted a forelimb incomparably more perfect than before,

radiating such keen menace it seemed ready to slice the air just by existing.

My right arm, though not yet matching the left, formed a blade of extraordinary sharpness.

'Wind Essence, Thunder Essence.'

Whooooong—!

Pajijijijizit!

A mighty whirlwind erupted from my left arm,

while crackling thunderbolts burst from my right.

"Haha! To think this isn't the power of a Complete Body!"

Norton, seeing my Primalization for the first time, shouted in excitement.

His eyes trembled faintly, betraying his astonishment.

'He's never seen anything like this.'

It was no wonder.

The aura I exuded ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now rivaled that of someone at the pinnacle of Complete Body.

It was only natural he couldn't comprehend this transcendence of common sense.

"Kuhhuhuhuhu! As expected, Aleck. You keep surprising me. Good! Let's play a bit!"

With that, Norton drew his sword and charged.

Pajijijijizit————!

Lightning bolts from his blade began expanding their domain,

their output anything but ordinary.

'This guy's dead serious, huh?'

Should I be grateful he hadn't Primalized?

His power output was no joke,

and it seemed he had no intention of holding back against me.

'Even so, this is too much! I'm not even Complete Body yet.'

Should I take this as a compliment?

He valued me that highly,

but for a Ultimate Body warrior to unleash such force against someone visibly short of Complete Body...

It was like a healthy adult refusing to pull punches against a kindergartener.

"Kuhahaha! Try blocking this! This is the foundation of Heavenly Thunder Swordsmanship—Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship!"

With an exhilarated roar, his sword swung at me.

Kwaaaaaang——————!

Pajijijijizit!

I crossed my arms to block, but failed to fully dissipate the impact, staggering back several steps.

Not only that—lightning from his blade enveloped me, sparks flying everywhere.

Tiktiktiktik.

'Kuh.'

Current coursed through me, snapping my mind to attention with a jolt,

almost bringing a grin to my face.

'No joke.'

I'd nearly had my upper body torn clean off.

Norton was telling me with his sword: he was serious.

Go all out.

Or I'd get badly hurt.

"That was the True Strike of Extreme Praying Mantis Swordsmanship! Now, witness the Swift Blade!"

Norton raised his sword again.

Pajijijijizit!

Lightning gathered even more sharply than before,

his entire form now engulfed, resembling a massive orb of light.

'Yes, this is it.'

My smile deepened at the sight.

This strike might be impossible to block head-on like the last.

My flesh could split, blood spray,

and I might even feel my life threatened.

Of course, Transcendent Regeneration and Super Vitality would prevent actual death,

but that didn't mean I felt no sense of danger.

Tension accelerated my heartbeat,

every cell sharpening to a razor's edge.

I entered a state of ultimate focus.

'Power of the Ant.'

Amplifying my inferior strength via the ant's power,

'Predator's Eye.'

I activated Predator's Eye in both eyes, along with heightened senses.

There.

Norton's form emerged within the massive light, beginning to move.

'I can feel it.'

I predicted the lightning's trajectory,

maxing out Wind Essence and Thunder Essence for the first time,

and swung both arms with full force toward its path.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaang!

"Cough."

The shock hit,

augmented ant power adding weight to prevent retreating like before,

but I had to absorb the full brunt.

'A mess.'

Glancing at my arms that barely blocked: half-broken, flesh shredded.

For anyone else, a combat-incapacitating injury,

but Transcendent Regeneration restored them instantly.

'Still a long way. I got arrogant despite knowing better.'

Did my rapid growth make me lax, even knowing Ultimate Body's might?

Feeling its power without going all-out snapped me back to reality.

In ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠real combat, my upper body would've been obliterated.

'No, my whole body might've vanished.'

Recently, Kun and Duraan's clash vaporized a nearby mountain.

Recalling that, I recognized my own meager realm.

Of course, below Ultimate Body.

'But I'm not far from reaching it.'

At my growth rate,

stepping into that realm was imminent.

No need to despair.

I decided not to dwell on it,

focusing instead on building fertilizer for my growth.

"Kuhhat! As rumored—you've acquired Transcendent Regeneration, eh?"

While lost in thought,

Norton noted my rapidly healed arms.

I nodded with a grin.

"Incredible! First time seeing it myself. Heh heh, to obtain the legendary Transcendent Regeneration rune. How'd you do it? Another ancient species rune?"

His voice rose in agitation.

'It was in the Mantis Hall treasury...'

Telling the truth might deflate him, so I glossed over it.

"Kuhahaha! Feels like all the world's luck gathers on you. Makes me wanna trail behind you!"

His jest showed delight at my amassed abilities.

Having bet Mantis Hall's future and his all on me, it warmed my heart.

"Enough dawdling! More to do, right? I've got plenty left to show."

Norton grinned eagerly.

Music to my ears.

Just two clashes, and inspirations were diverging wildly.

All fertilizer for the bud.

Kwang, kwang, kwaaaang!

We exchanged dozens of blows in moments.

"Show me more."

Now I was demanding.

"Kuhaha, you're still holding back! Good. Let's go full throttle!"

As we clashed again,

I slipped into a trance-like state.

Woooong!

Fuzzy memories unfolded in my mind.

Kwarururung.

Kwarung.

Countless lightning bolts rained everywhere.

The radius was beyond what Norton and pre-regression's mad flea Cinnamon could achieve combined,

and at the epicenter—worthy of being called lightning's cradle—

stood a single being.

'What is this?'

Astonishingly, the lightning didn't fall from the sky.

It emanated from that being's sword.

'What kind of existence is this... Ah?'

As if a thunder god had descended, I focused my vision to identify it,

only to freeze upon seeing its face.

No wonder.

'Why are you here...?'

The being was none other than

the last chieftain of the dormant Megaera Mantis clan within me.

Bahamed.