Chapter 14: The Sting of Survival

The jungle swayed ominously, as though it were alive, harboring unseen threats within its towering trees. Niko stood still, his eyes locked on the distant motion, his heart quickening in anticipation. The buzzing sound echoed louder this time, signaling the arrival of new monsters. Suddenly, two fly-like creatures shot out of the jungle at blinding speed, their grotesque forms darting straight toward Louis.

Louis, unfazed, wore the same cocky grin as before. His body moved with ease, dodging the creatures effortlessly. He sidestepped their attacks with such grace that it seemed like he was playing with them.

"Is that all you've got?" he shouted, taunting the monstrous flies.

But Niko wasn’t as confident. His hand stretched out, commanding the two spectral orbs that hovered near him. He sent them hurtling toward the creatures, hoping to strike before the flies had a chance to attack again.

Bang!

One orb hit its mark, knocking one of the flies to the ground. But the second orb veered off, missing its target completely.

“Damn it!” Niko cursed under his breath as the other fly spun mid-air, its buzzing wings frantically beating as it prepared to strike back.

The fly’s enormous, gleaming blue eyes locked onto Niko. He felt a chill run down his spine. His mind raced as he tried to recall the orbs, but they were too far away, and his focus faltered as panic crept in.

The fly zipped toward him at a terrifying speed. His heart pounded in his chest, knowing he couldn’t evade it in time.

Then, in a flash—

Fwoosh!

The creature ignited in blue flames, crashing to the ground in a violent spasm. It writhed helplessly, its body contorting as the fire consumed it from within. Yet, strangely, the flames left no visible damage—no charred remains, no burn marks. The creature simply lay there, almost as if immobilized by pain, which Maria sees as an opportunity to pounce and finish it off.

Niko exhaled in relief and turned to see Simon, leaning heavily against the giant dirt-and-grass candle, his face pale and slick with sweat. The flame atop the pillar had vanished, and Simon looked utterly exhausted.

“Thanks,” Niko said, his voice filled with gratitude.

Simon waved weakly. “N-No… problem…” he panted, his breath ragged, like he’d just run a marathon.

Louis smirked, stepping forward to examine the corpse of the fly. “Is that your little secret, Simon? Nice.”

Simon smiled faintly, as though to say, You haven’t seen anything yet.

Maria’s voice cut through the moment. “I—I got one!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement.

Niko and the others turned to see her clutching a small, gray, oval-shaped gem in her hand. Her fingers were smeared with the green goo from the fly she had killed, but she didn’t seem to care. Her entire focus was on the gem.

“Activate it,” Louis urged, eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Best to figure out what it does now.”

Maria nodded, her face set in determination. She pressed the gem against her chest, and her body briefly shimmered with a silver light before it faded. Niko knew she had unlocked her skill, though they wouldn’t know what it was until she tested it.

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As Maria adjusted to her newfound power, Niko moved toward the remains of the second fly. He wasn’t about to waste the opportunity to summon another spirit. With his mana still slowly regenerating, he could only afford one more summon for now.

[Spirit King’s Order]

The familiar green aura flared up, enveloping the dead fly. Another translucent orb formed, joining the others that hovered around Niko, each one moving in unpredictable patterns. These spirits gave him a strange, god-like appearance, as though he commanded a swarm of ethereal creatures.

Niko smiled faintly, but his mind still raced with questions. Why does it always drain two points of mana? Will it consume more for stronger monsters? The system’s limitations were becoming clearer, but it also made him realize the potential for more powerful summons in the future.

He turned his attention to Maria. Using [Celestial Probe], he quickly discovered her new skill: [Silver Trapping Net]. He nodded to himself. It was a practical ability—useful for immobilizing enemies.

After a brief respite, the jungle swayed once more. This time, the movement was different. The trees barely stirred, and instead of flies, new creatures emerged—bees, each the size of a large dog, buzzing menacingly through the air.

These bees were unlike anything Niko had ever seen. Their metallic bodies glinted in the dim light, their abdomens fitted with strange, gear-like mechanisms. Chains connected the bees’ stingers to their bodies, and the stingers themselves were long, sharp, and metallic—almost like spears. The wings were larger than those of normal bees, translucent and beating in a steady, ominous rhythm.

One of the bees broke away from the group and flew directly toward them. Its presence was more deliberate, slower than the flies, but far more dangerous.

“What the hell is that thing?” Louis muttered, his voice tinged with unease.

Suddenly, the bee stopped in mid-air, its wings still buzzing furiously as it turned to face Louis. Without warning, the gear on its abdomen spun, and with a loud pow, the stinger shot out, propelled toward Louis like a bullet. The chain rattled behind it, connecting the stinger to the bee’s body.

Louis barely had time to react. He dodged to the side, his usual confidence slipping away, but he wasn’t fast enough to completely avoid the attack.

“Ugh!” He groaned as the stinger grazed his side, slicing into his skin just below the ribs. Blood began to drip down his side, staining his shirt.

The bee’s mechanical gear whirred loudly as it started to retract the stinger, the chain pulling it back with a sickening sound.

Niko acted quickly. “Maria, use your skill now while it’s reloading! Simon, can you heal Louis?”

Simon shook his head frantically. “Not yet! I need more time!”

Maria didn’t hesitate. She stepped forward, her hand outstretched.

[Silver Trapping Net]

A metallic net shot from her palm, expanding in mid-air before wrapping itself around the bee. The creature thrashed violently, but the net held firm. Its gears ground to a halt, unable to move.

Niko seized the moment, commanding the orbs to strike.

The spectral orbs flew toward the trapped bee, slamming into its body repeatedly. It was a brutal assault, and Niko could almost hear the crunch of metal as the bee’s body was battered into the ground.

When the creature finally stopped twitching, Niko stepped forward, excitement coursing through him. This was the first time he had killed a creature himself, and he knew that meant the spirit he could summon would be far more powerful than the ones before.

[Spirit King’s Order]

Green light enveloped the bee’s corpse, and a new spirit emerged. This one was different. It was an exact replica of the bee, its metallic body shimmering with a ghostly, translucent glow. Niko grinned. This is a real upgrade.

But his smile faded as he glanced back at Louis, who was still clutching his side, blood seeping through his fingers.

“How bad is it?” Niko asked, kneeling beside him.

Louis gritted his teeth. “Not too deep, but… damn, it hurts. If I’d been any slower, that thing would’ve skewered me.”

Niko turned to Simon, who nodded. With a wave of his hand, Simon summoned the dirt-and-grass candle once more. Blue flames flickered to life, casting a soft glow over Louis. Slowly, the wound began to close, but it didn’t heal completely, leaving behind a small scar.

“Thanks,” Louis said, standing up carefully and testing his movements.

Niko exhaled in relief, his gaze drifting back to the translucent bee spirit hovering beside him. This will definitely come in handy.

As the jungle swayed again, Niko knew the real challenges were only just beginning.