Very intelligent bug

Walace was running in the thick forest, surrounded by an eerie silence that was only interrupted by the sound of leaves crunching beneath his feet.

He had planned to escape using his predator armor, but he wanted to reserve it as a last resort. It was also because he had noticed that when his armor disappeared, the assassin bugs stopped attacking him from the shadows.

He could sense an air of blade pile like a whistle, a feeling that something bad was about to happen.

That time, he knew he was too late.

Right on cue, the ground beneath him shook, and then he saw the assassin bugs surrounding him from every direction, up in the trees, ground, rocks, leaves, etc.

"Was it their plan?"

Wallace's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly reached for his futuristic bracelet. He knew he had to be ready for the unrelenting and never-stopping assault once again.

However, to his surprise, the group of enormous killer bugs that had encircled him didn't budge. They just stood there, staring at him with their small, shiny eyes, frozen in a strange and unsettling pose.

"Why?"

Walace whispered, his voice trembling with fear and confusion.

The creatures appeared ready to attack, their long limbs poised to strike. But something was holding them back.

And then, it happened.

The ground shook violently, as if the earth itself was trembling in fear.

Kaboom!

A massive figure emerged from the depths of the forest, towering over the small assassins like a horrifying nightmare.

It was a giant assassin bug that he faced earlier, and Wallace can feel that it was angrier than ever. Its body was enormous, almost the size of two cows, and it had a grotesque mouth that looked like that of a scary shark.

"This is messed up!"

Walace cursed under his breath, his mind was convinced that he had to go to his escape plan.

After all, this guy would hide in his army again and then try to ambush him once he couldn't sense him in his visor. But before he could turn his back on the monstrous creature, it let out a bone-chilling scream that echoed through the forest, freezing him in place.

"Rowaaaaerrkkkkk!"

His heart pounding, Walace activated the advanced bracelet on his wrist. He was about to say the words that would summon his protective gear, his last hope in this desperate situation. However, as if following an invisible order, the army of small killer bugs started disappearing into the shadows, one by one.

A shiver ran down Walace's spine. The sudden vanishing of the swarm puzzled and unsettled him.

Was this gigantic creature challenging him to a one-on-one fight?

The thought sent a wave of speechlessness through his body.

As the forest fell into an eerie silence, with only the sound of Walace's rapid breathing breaking the stillness. He swallowed hard, gathering his courage to speak. With every ounce of energy left in him, he muttered, "Are you asking me for a one-on-one fight?"

Wallace stood before the towering monster, his heart pounding in his chest.

The enormous killer bug loomed over him, its menacing shape casting a dark shadow on the forest floor.

The bug's hard outer shell sparkled in the dappled sunlight, a tough armor that looked impenetrable.

Summoning all his bravery once more, Wallace dared to talk to the bug again, hoping it would understand him this time. "I repeat, are you challenging me to a fight?" he asked, his voice steady despite his trembling body.

To his surprise, the bug tilted its head and let out a thunderous roar.

"Rowaaaaerrkkkkk!"

The sound echoed through his ears, sending a shiver down Wallace's spine; however, in that moment, his trembling body suddenly became relaxed.

Wallace was surprised by what was happening. He couldn't help but feel amused. "You daring bastard," he thought, trying to hold back a laugh. "Challenging me now without my armor and weapons to defend myself against you! You smart-ass insect!"

But Wallace was determined to seize this opportunity. He knew it might be his only chance to defeat the bug. "Okay then," he declared, his voice filled with determination. "If you leave me no choice, I'll fight back!"

Deep inside, Wallace couldn't help but smile. 'I'll show you,' he thought, a cunning grin forming on his face. 'Your intelligence may be your greatest strength, but it will also be your downfall.'

If this insect were not arrogant and used its horde of minions to surround him carefully, disorienting his senses, and then attacking from the sides or taking advantage of moments when he couldn't sense or was preoccupied, Wallace would be utterly defeated, even if he were used to sense facehuggers, he would still be defeated.

After all, that's the reason why he ran earlier too—he is not confident in his ability to win.

As if sensing Wallace's resolve, the bug gestured him forward with its long mouthpart, as if challenging him to make the first move. A surge of adrenaline rushed through Wallace's veins. "You asked for it!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with confidence.

Without hesitation, Wallace sprinted toward the creature, his feet pounding against the forest floor.

Just as he closed in on his opponent mid-air, he uttered the words that would unleash his true power. "Become a hunter! Use my Magic Crystals!"

The bug, seemingly delighted by Wallace's audacity, let out another deafening roar.

"Rowaaaaerrkkkkk!"

It was clearly excited, with a smugness in its insect-like eyes. Little did it know that Wallace had a surprise in store.

In the midst of his airborne attack, a glow emanated from Wallace's left wristband. In an instant, his transformation began. The Predator armor materialized around his body from his futuristic bracelet, forming an impenetrable shield of metal.

As Wallace locked eyes with the bug, time seemed to freeze.

Suddenly, in a brief moment while in mid-air, he saw a look of shock in the giant assassin bug's eyes.

…

From far away, deep in the scary Crawler Forest, the person dressed in a dark cloak moved quickly and skillfully from tree to tree.

Every movement was fast and planned, a mere sound in the wind. But then, an unexpected feeling grabbed his chest—a tightness that turned into a burning pain, relentless and agonizing.

His heart beat fast until it couldn't take it anymore, and with a deep cry of "Uggrrhh!!", he fell through the leaves.

Branches hit and scraped against his body as he fell, each impact sending waves of pain through his arms and legs. It was a quick fall, a drop through the trees until finally, with a harsh thud, he crashed onto a patch of wet grass below.

Trying to breathe, he struggled to calm down.

"What's happening?" he croaked, his voice filled with disbelief and fear. His inner spirit felt like it had been poked and stabbed, an unseen power attacking his very being. His eyes widened, horror on his face as he looked toward Toraz town.

That damned family!

The message he had sent, telling them not to send any Mana User in the Initial Mana Knight, eighth stage or higher, had been ignored. Anger rose inside him, making him curse. "Did they betray me?!" he hissed, his voice dripping with angry fury. Adding the fact that the plan was originally, was for tomorrow, not now.

Why did they suddenly break their promise?

A vengeful anger settled over his head, his eyes shining with a chilling resolve. "Once I reach there," he said through clenched teeth, "I'll make them suffer. I'll bring death to their door." The darkness in his clothes felt like it matched the darkness in his heart. He stood up, and then sped faster!