King Mantis' Daring Distraction

'Hm.'

Riding on the back of the King Mantis, I arrived at the cliff marked on the map and swallowed a low groan at the sight before me.

Bwoooong!

A tremendous roar like a massive motor spinning at full throttle. It was the signature deafening wingbeat of Giant Hornets.

'Why the hell is a hornet nest hanging right there?'

I stared up at the cliff in disbelief. Midway up the sheer rock face stood a long, protruding boulder. The Megaera Mantis fossil fragment seemed embedded in that very rock. But of all places, a hornet nest was dangling right below it.

To claim that fragment, I'd have to pass right by that nest.

'Giant Hornets hate uninvited guests anywhere near their home turf...'

Charging in blindly would mean getting swarmed in a hail of stings. No question about it.

'And it's not just one.'

Even from here, I could count dozens flying around. Factoring in those inside the nest, there could easily be over a hundred ready to dive on me.

'Tricky.'

The King Mantis seemed to sense it too—too many for her to handle alone. She just rolled her eyes quietly. I crossed my arms on her back, tapping my fingers as I pondered this unexpected roadblock.

"Samaat!"

The King Mantis noticed my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dilemma and called out to me.

―What?

"Samaat, samaat!"

"...!"

My eyes widened at her intent. She was offering to draw the hornets' attention herself.

―No. Too dangerous.

Her spirit was admirable, but I shook my head. I couldn't let her do it. Dozens, maybe hundreds of hornets riled up? She'd be torn to shreds in seconds. Sacrificing her just for a fossil fragment didn't sit right.

'I could probably sneak in with Stealth, snag the fragment, and slip out.'

But Stealth came with risks. These hornets might detect it like the one I fought earlier. More importantly, Sahan could be watching me from somewhere. Stealth was one of my trump cards for catching him—and a Ghost Ant exclusive. The moment he saw me use it, he'd bolt straight to Craig, mission be damned.

I wasn't ready to tip my hand yet.

'Maybe deal with Sahan first, then come back for the fragment later.'

I was leaning that way when...

"Samaaaat!"

The King Mantis transmitted her will again. She straightened up proudly, declaring she could handle it—no danger to her. She could draw their eyes and escape just fine.

―You sure you can pull it off?

"Samaat!"

She nodded firmly, full of resolve.

―Sigh... Alright. Just this once. But no heroics. The second it feels off, you bolt. Got it?

"Samaat!"

Her response was perfect. For a moment, I missed Ultio. I'd trust her without a second thought.

Anyway, decision made. I hopped off the King Mantis's back and watched her turn to me with a resolute nod.

Bwoooong!

Under the relentless drone of hornet wings, she crept toward the cliff like a shadow assassin—silent, stealthy, inching closer.

Shh shh shh.

Not a sound, swift as a ghost. She reached the base undetected in seconds.

Clinging to the vertical face with her legs, she reared up, spread her wings wide, puffed her body to full menace...

And then.

"Samaaaaaaat!"

She unleashed her Predator's Aura with a roar, broadcasting her presence to the world.

Bwoooong! Bwoong!

Startled by the sudden flare right below their nest? The hornets circling the boulder and nest whipped around. Even those inside poked their heads out, zeroing in on her.

"Kararat?"

"Kararat?"

Empathy was mantis-only, but I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠swear I felt their bewilderment from afar. Like, 'What the hell is this guy?'

"Samaat, samaaaat!"

Undaunted, she slashed at the air with her forelegs.

Shwick, shshshwick!

Praying Mantis Swordsmanship. A blatant taunt: Come at me if you dare.

"Karakararat!"

"Karakararat!"

'It actually worked...'

Incredibly, the hornets took the bait. Furious, they swarmed together and charged her.

"Samaat!"

She yelped(?) in shock at their ferocious charge.

"Samaaaat!"

Flap flap flap flap!

She spun around, wings buzzing as she rocketed into flight.

I caught a fleeting, pitiful glance back at me. But despite my worries, her speed rivaled mine with the High-Speed Flight rune. Mantises couldn't soar high, but they could dart far and fast.

At that velocity—better than I'd hoped—she'd shake them easy.

She had to.

'You got this, King Mantis!'

This was hornet turf, but the jungle depths held mantis territory too. Even without, the dense trees would make hiding simple.

'Thanks. See you around.'

I sent her silent gratitude and seized the opening.

Taat!

Mature-stage mantis parkour. Vertical wall or not, I scaled it fast and silent.

Bwoooong!

Hornet wings still buzzed everywhere, but fainter now. And around the nest? Only a handful patrolled—fingers could count them.

They'd left a skeleton crew to chase her down, narrowing their guard radius to the nest alone.

Perfect. I blew past the nest in a flash, reaching the fossil-embedded boulder.

'Jackpot!'

Dead center: unmistakably the fossil fragment. My eyes gleamed, though curiosity nagged.

'How the hell did they even find this?'

Dr. Merni. One hell of a talent scout.

'Foreleg fragment, just like the first.'

Matching the initial piece perfectly. No more mismatched arms—one fully grown, the other stunted. Balance issues in combat? Gone. Both sides even, attack power sure to skyrocket.

Bwoooong!

'Crap.'

Turning at the fresh wingbeats, I spotted hornets returning from afar, one by one.

King Mantis... she okay? Good thing they hadn't spotted me yet. Time to grab the fossil and ghost before it got dicier.

'Couldn't have done it solo. Thanks again.'

Another mental thanks to her as I prepped to extract it fast.

'Partial Primalization!'

Ching ching clang.

Blades erupted from my armguards. No time for finesse—I'd smash the rock and yank the whole chunk.

'Ant Power!'

I activated the now B-rank Ant Power without delay. Muscles swelled, compressing and expanding with raw force. Channeling ether, I slammed my foreleg down.

Kaaang! Kwududuk!

Sparks flew on impact. Infusing razor edge, I carved precisely around the fragment.

'Yes!'

Fragment secured in my grasp, I scanned around.

Bwoooong!

The commotion drew a few overhead. No time—evacuate, invited or not...

'Uh?'

Crack crack craaaack.

Snap. Crunch. Rumble rumble.

Kwaaaang!

Too much force? Fissures spiderwebbed the boulder, and it collapsed.

I darted to the base just in time, avoiding the fall.

'Oh, shit.'

Below: the nest had plummeted and shattered.

Bwoooong!

Hornets pouring from the wreckage, staring up at me.

'We're screwed.'

Cold sweat dripped. I never meant to trash their home. Total accident.

Messages flooded my vision. The nest's destruction had wiped out the larvae inside.

Enough to bump the skill rank instantly. But the surprises kept coming.

Skill synthesis prompt—like when I got Primal Jump.

Bwoooong!

'Screw it.'

Hornets ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠closing in, wings deafening now. No time to think—I trusted my potential and hit yes.

Lucky again—straight to a Primal skill. My fists clenched at the golden message, even amid chaos. Primal skills shouldn't come this easy. This body's potential was no joke.

Second Primal skill down.

'Gotta bail first.'

Great gain, but now the real mess. Returning hornets spotted the wreckage—and me. They accelerated, fury building. The scouts who'd found me were nearly on top.

'Wind Blade, Thunder Blade.'

Dual ether surged as I Partial Primalized fully. Lightning and storm gathered in my hands, I scattered it at the closest foes.

Whoooosh. Pzzt zzzzt!

Not aiming to kill—just stall. Minimal damage, but it bought space.

'High-Speed Flight!'

Wings maxed out, power to the limit, I blasted toward the jungle.

Flap flap flap flap!

'Sorry!'

Glancing back: hornets swarming the cliff and boulder, belated but enraged. Homeless, larvaless—I owed them an apology.

"Karakararat!"

"Karalara..."

Their mournful cries faded as I tore through the jungle canopy at top speed, pretending not to hear.