All-Kill Rampage
"Heh heh, I'll go easy on you, so don't be so tense."
"Our pretty little thing can wait her turn. Big bro's gonna spoil you good."
"Damn, a puny lesser mantis as team leader? The world's gotten way too sweet, way too sweet."
Vulgar. And utterly low-class.
Those third-rate thug trio... no, those five who'd scraped together two more to form their own little clique—they were on a level so pathetic it was hard to even compare.
Where the hell did these gutter trash crawl out from?
Watching their crude antics, my annoyance had given way to a hollow chuckle.
As far as I remembered, Mantis Hall had no such deadweights...
Judging by their sorry state, they'll probably get booted soon or croak on some mission outside.
I glanced at the clan marks under their ears.
Broad mantis and antler mantis. All common clans.
No surprise they weren't packing much power.
With attitudes like that, strutting around outside, they'd end up murdered by even mole crickets or dragonflies without anyone the wiser.
They weren't even Complete Body yet, so they could get done in by lower subspecies than mantis clans.
"Aleck, can I take point for our first match?"
Robed asked me with a chilling expression.
"Sure."
I met her eyes for a moment before nodding.
I couldn't ignore the displeasure and faint rage simmering in her gaze.
Id never seen Robed this pissed before.
What got her this riled up?
Those creeps calling her 'pretty' and teasing her like that?
Recalling their earlier drivel, that seemed the only culprit.
Though for me, the bit about a 'mere lesser mantis clan' like me being team leader had pissed me off the most...
No way shed get that mad just over me getting dissed.
Either way, Robed was taking point.
"Leave the first match to Robed, everyone. Loosen up while you can."
The others probably wouldnt even step into the arena.
Even if all five rushed her at once, they couldnt handle Robed alone.
* * *
Thwack—!
"Gahk!"
Thwack, thwack-thwack!
"Gaaarghhh!"
As our match against the thug team kicked off, their agonized screams echoed vibrantly across the arena.
"Whoa... Robed was seriously pissed, huh."
"An angry Robed is scary..."
Bishier and Kind's voices came from beside me.
It was understandable.
Robed couldve ended it in one go, but instead she was bludgeoning them with the flat of her blade like she was tenderizing meat.
"Match over! Team 7's Robed wins!"
The referee finally intervened, declaring her victory.
"......"
"F-Fucking insane..."
Turning to the thugs, I saw their jaws slack, eyes vacant in shock.
They couldnt recover from Robed's overwhelming might.
They looked like they'd hit Juvenile Stage a while back...
Guess they had no idea a freshly molted Juvenile Robed was this strong.
"Kekeke! Those losers are finally snapping to, huh."
Kind gloated at them, looking immensely satisfied.
Maybe because they'd been snickering and picking fights with us before the match—it felt extra sweet.
"Next."
Robed smiled sweetly at the remaining four thugs.
To other guys, it mightve been a heart-fluttering beauty of a smile.
To them, it was the Grim Reaper's grin.
They paled, bodies trembling.
"Damn it, shit! Fine, lets do this!"
Finally, the hottest-headed one shot up and stormed the arena.
And...
"Gaaarghhh!"
No twists.
His screams rang out.
Just like that, Robed soloed the whole team for an all-kill in the first match, drawing eyes from all around.
* * *
"Ho... Zadan, check that out."
"Hm?"
Two boys passing by Group 19's prelim arena.
They were members of the Overlord Club competing in this prelim.
The one called Zadan was a shield mantis, team leader for the club's Infant-to-Juvenile League entry in Group 32.
Heading to their own Group 32 arena, they'd caught Robed mid-all-kill, pummeling broad mantis boys one after another.
"Kuh, what a knockout."
"......"
Takwin licked his lips.
Knowing Takwin's womanizing ways, Zadan let out a quiet sigh.
This guy's at it again.
Zadan tsked at Takwin, but even to his stone-hearted eyes, Robed was stunning.
Her maturing allure blooming with Juvenile Stage made her beauty shine brighter by the day.
But her skills aren't ordinary either.
He could gauge her power to a degree.
Takwin was too dazzled by her looks to notice her true strength yet.
But to him, Robed could at least parry his blade.
"Ah, I remember! There was a super pretty orchid mantis newbie, right? Must be her."
"......?"
Takwin blurted in sudden realization.
Zadan tilted his head at the words.
"A recent enrollee?"
"Yeah, not long ago. Word was spreading, so I was gonna check her out, but she's already molted to Juvenile?"
"Huh..."
He looked stunned.
If recent, then one of the newbies from a few months back.
To reach a level that impressed him in that time?
Molted to Juvenile too?
Absurd growth speed.
Even in the Overlord Club of Mantis Hall elites, this was rare.
Shed fit right in our team. With the right squad, she could've gone far in finals too.
He scanned her other teammates in Group 19's Team 7 bench.
One other Juvenile, three Infants.
That other Juvenile... lesser mantis...? Held back a year?
Even the other Juvenile looked hopeless.
Lesser mantis Juveniles often lagged physically behind upper-clan Infants.
Practically four Infants backing her.
"Wait, hold up... That team's got a funny lineup."
Suddenly, Takwin's eyes widened as he muttered.
"What do you mean?"
"You don't know them?"
Takwin pointed at Aleck and Ruslan.
"Hm..."
"Heh, figures you wouldnt. Holed up training, no clue about the world."
Takwin snickered, then explained what he knew to Zadan.
"Heard about the once-in-a-generation prodigy in our shield clan?"
"Yeah, Ruslan, right?"
"Spot on. That's him, the shield mantis."
"Hoo."
Zadan's eyes lit up, memorizing Ruslan's face.
Ruslan rumors were hot enough to reach even him, who ignored worldly buzz.
Hed even heard clan talk pre-enrollment.
Hed never seen him, but the name stuck.
Definitely built beyond Infant level.
Zadan nodded inwardly, pleased.
More talent in the clan was good news.
Once he hits Juvenile, invite him to Overlord Club.
As Zadan etched Ruslan's face, Takwin continued.
"And that lesser mantis kid? Famous newbie Aleck."
"Aleck... that one?"
Hearing the name, Zadan recalled recent wild rumors that wouldnt quit.
Survival exam's historic Island Lord Bee capture.
A newbie subduing the Mature-stage ghost ant that raided Mantis Grand Battle recently.
That impossible feat's star: this boy.
"Huh, that's the guy?"
"Yep! Hmph, doesn't look special... but he's Juvenile already as a newbie, so some truth to it?"
Takwin sounded skeptical.
Aleck's tales were too flashy to swallow whole.
Island Lord Bee? Maybe some trick.
But soloing a Mature ghost ant?
As an Infant lesser mantis?
Even king mantis couldnt. Pure fantasy.
Most dismissed it as baseless gossip now.
"Well, plenty enroll right before molting anyway. Too soon to call it prodigy growth."
True enough.
True early growth measured Juvenile-to-Growth Stage time.
Hm, not a repeater at least.
Still, reaching Juvenile so soon post-enrollment was noteworthy.
Maybe genuine fast grower.
"Lets handle our prelims first. If they make finals, well test them then."
Zadan dragged away Takwin, still glued to Robed, and left.
Even assuming some rumors true,
Aleck downing a Mature ghost ant? Overhyped.
Probably warriors nearly had it, Aleck finished for the credit...
No way a lesser mantis pulls off what our shield clan couldnt. Total BS.
He shook his head, deeming it impossible.
* * *
Our prelims went smoothly.
After Robed's all-kill in the first,
Ruslan took point in the second, all-killing to assert himself.
"Whoa, those guys aint pushovers."
"Ahem, just watch those two! Rest are nobodies. Dont wuss out!"
Group 19's top seed, Team 1.
We faced them in the prelim final for finals berth.
Funny part? They obsessed over just Robed and Ruslan.
Our one-two punch, they figured.
So Kind and Bishier as point and second? Ignored.
But...
"Kind wins!"
"Bishier wins!"
They downed Team 1's four.
"Insane...!"
"This make sense?"
Only their leader left.
Unexpected flow paled their faces.
No dream they'd, all Juveniles, lose to still-Infant Kind and Bishier.
Hell, Kind and Bishier looked stunned too.
Probably lost feel for their strength, always weighted with iron balls.
"Jackpot... All thanks to Instructor Norton's training!"
"R-Really?"
They couldnt hide their surging joy.
Days rolling with iron balls under Norton flashed by.
Thought it nuts then, but now felt its genius skin-deep.
"Thank you... Instructor Norton!"
They looked ready to bow if he were there.
"Ill wrap it up."
I chuckled at them, standing.
Normally mid-guard Ruslan, but
Id yet to fight in prelims, so I went to warm up for finals.
"Damn, how'd we end up humiliated like this..."
As I entered, Team 1's leader—who'd tired vs Bishier—gnashed his teeth.
"Garan! We believe in you, please!"
"Just drop three!"
"Coral Club's pride is on you!"
Downed teammates yelled encouragement at Garanz.
They looked desperate.
Coral Club was big in Mantis Hall.
Losing to newbies? Embarrassing rep hit.
"Match start!"
Signal dropped.
But he didnt move.
Steadying breath, recovering stamina from Bishier duel.
"Mantis with no front legs."
I smirked, muttering at him.
"You little shit!"
Hearing me? Eyes bulged in fury.
Prideful type.
Foaming, charged—felt mocked.
"Scram, you weeds! Send the backups!"
Bellowing, swung at me.
Broad mantis build: huge, wielded greatsword his torso size.
"Yes! Garanz, go!"
"One-shot him!"
His slash cleaved air at me; teammates cheered.
Looked fierce.
But...
Too many openings.
His glaring flaws made me pause on targets.
That one.
Even in the pinch, I calmly chose.
Raised right leg—not sword—at him.
Whiiiish—
Thwack—!
"......!"
Something snapped.
Result revealed, all eyes bulged wide.