AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

“URGH?!”

“GUH! AHHH!!!”

“RRRAGH…”

Alex's agents fell to their knees, not a single one being spared. The chill gnawed at their bones, the heat of life coursing through their veins like a group of runners on a deadly labyrinth.

They ran and ran, running as fast as the heart could pump its blood, but no matter what, the agents couldn't stand up. Their bodies felt weak, each move sending extreme agony to the brain.

“SHOW YOURSELF!”

Alex yelled, his voice boiling in wrath. Drumming through the ears of his agents, his rage awoke them from their fear, collapsing into their own puddle of sweat.

“We're sorry, Chief…”

The shaky voice earned Alex's ire, further breaking his calm facade. “Shut up! Get ready for battle and offer your life if you truly are,” Alex growled, his teeth clenched as hard as they could. He looked forward, only to have a sudden headache that made his hiss in pain.

HAHAHAHA!

A laughter bloomed, messy symbols passing by them as it floated inside the faint, blue domain. Alex assumed that those symbols represented the laughter just then.

‘You get angry at your own allies, how amusing.’

Symbols swam through the air, and Alex narrowed his eyes. The symbols that could only be a different language were all coming from a certain place, and it wasn't hard to narrow down where it was.

“How cowardly to hide behind your minions,” Alex spat, taking a deep breath. Expelling all his fear out of his body, he steadied his hand and sword. Assuming a ready stance, Alex kept his focus on the Swarm.

‘Unlike you, I know how to use my army.’

In the middle of the crumbling basement, Helzar and the Swarm were gathered into a sphere. When Alex appeared, Helzar wasted no time killing all of the Swarm's Eaters, before feeding the resulting Bloodworms to the Motherbugs.

He only woke up from his sudden slumber and was feeling sleepy, but now his mind was racing, his soul still fresh from having evolved. Right now, his control over his power is unstable.

‘The Swarm is in danger,’ Helzar deduced. There was a reason he didn't have the Spawns swarm Alex and the agents.

‘The Swarm is enhanced with an unknown energy. To ordinary people, the Swarm can cut through their skin and flesh like butter. But to humans with souls, it's a bit more difficult.’

Helzar predicted that if he played the overly aggressive card, there was a good chance that he would be killed during the process. After all, he was as vulnerable as an ordinary Spawn in the face of Alex's attacks. Not only that, the Swarm would take a massive blow, and if Alex had more reinforcements, his life would be forfeit.

‘Thankfully my “Awakening” gave me a handy ability and boosted my mental strength. I can now connect with human minds and other creature’s minds. I can even instill illusions in their minds,’ Helzar felt satisfied. He already had a plan.

‘The Swarm is roughly less than fifty million in numbers. If I want to survive, I need to focus on killing the weaker agents and consume their souls.’

Along with the enhanced mental powers, Helzar was able to faintly sense the energy of Alex and the agents. In his perception, Alex’s soul is stronger than all the twelve agents combined!

‘I may be weak now, but if I can consume twelve souls and enhance my mental abilities, especially my ability to give illusions, then I may be able to escape.’

Helzar liked to think of the worst case scenario, and he assumed that Alex could easily kill him if Alex can utilize his full potential.

‘TREMBLE, THE SWARM WILL FEAST UPON YOU!’

“Be careful! Focus on killing as many insects as possible and spread out, wait for the reinforcements to arrive!” Alex yelled, charging head first toward Helzar and brandishing his sword. The sword bathed in red, crimson light, and as though turning into liquid, the sword melted before assuming another form!

Now armed with a long spear, Alex swung his weapon, slashing the pile of Spawns in half!

BUZZZZZ

The swarm spread out, rushing to Alex who was changing the shape of his weapon.

‘Watch your back.’

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Helzar whispered to Alex as he flew by the latter's ear. Alex didn't retreat, he was confident with the barrier coating his body. However, he was caught by surprise when Helzar rushed past him.

“CAREFUL!”

Turning back, Alex focused his strength to his leg, hurriedly trying to catch Helzar and the Swarm. His legs ached and were nearly mangled, but he achieved his goal at the end.

Just before Helzar could engage with the weakest agent he saw, a spear was descending above his head. Because of his awakening, Helzar's body grew to five centimeters, and he was now radiating a faint blue aura, making it easy for Alex to pinpoint him among the countless Spawns.

‘Tch,’ feeling the danger, Helzar changed course, flying toward another agent. The Swarm followed after him, but Alex was already in front of them.

BUZZ!!!

A mad buzzing noise harassed the agent's ears, as a carpet of Spawns hovered before them, flying erratically in anger as Helzar failed to execute his plan.

On the other hand, Alex was feigning calmness. His legs were sore and the muscles on them were greatly burdened. If he puts any more stress on them, they will tear apart.

‘That damn Swarm is planning something,’ Alex thought. His gut instincts were strong, and with the help of it, he survived his first encounter with the Swarm. Back then, his calculations told him that he could kill the Swarm without retreating, but his gut told him to retreat. He retreated, just in time to save his hands and the Promised Pen and Book.

Had he lost his Object Type Anomaly, he would've been unable to retreat, dying to the Swarm.

Taking a deep breath, Alex gave a signal to his agents.

“This time, we will attack actively. The Swarm isn't as aggressive as I expected,” Alex said, changing his spear to a bow and arrow. “Give me just a moment of opportunity.”

“Understood,” the agents said in sync, before charging at Helzar and the Swarm who were mid-air. Seeing this, Helzar felt his heart beating once more, if it was even still there.

‘Thank you!’

Helzar linked with as many Spawns as he could, making sure to pick the strongest Spawns in the Swarm. He also linked with twelve of the best Motherbugs and controlled all of the Spawns and Motherbugs he connected with.

‘Zhar, gain their attention. I need one second!’ Helzar said, unable to hide his excitement.

HAHAHAHAHA!

Alex narrowed his eyes. “Something's wrong,” he mumbled, pulling back the arrow on his bow and aiming at Helzar. For a human without enhancements, his eyes were frighteningly sharp and he could easily focus on a tiny insect even inside the dark basement.

“But without their leader, the Swarm will become like the Sunlight Sparrows. Maybe we can control the Swarm if that happens, Alex muttered to himself, before quickly refocusing on the battle. Letting go of the string, the world froze with only the arrow moving forward.

Alex could see it, the arrow was rapidly closing in on Helzar when all of a sudden…

BUZZ—

The arrow passed through Helzar, before Helzar disappeared all together!

“WHAT?!”

‘FOOL! I expected more from a strong human like you.’

While mocking Alex, a small group of Spawns sneakily bit the twelve agents, their mandibles enhanced with Helzar's mental powers. After one bite, a small cut was formed, which was quickly enlarged as the other Spawns bit the exact same spot.

Then, a Motherbug burrowed inside the agent's bodies, rapidly laying eggs that likewise rapidly matured into Spawns and Motherbugs.

The wounds on the Agents swiftly worsened, all of them collapsing in pain. They became vulnerable to the other Spawns who were now flocking on their skin, helping the agents live true hell on Earth by cutting through their flesh.

Hearing the wails of his agents, Alex felt nothing but a sense of satisfaction.

“You served the organization well,” Alex told the agents, though he doubts they can hear him.

‘We knew that the Swarm can parasitize, but this is the first time I've seen it in person. With how fast it consumes the host, it's no doubt fatal within minutes,’ Alex deduced. He no longer had any intentions to attack, his role changed to that of an observer.

‘Another failed attempt to exterminate the Swarm,’ Alex sighed. He pondered if he was being overly cautious, or if he gave up too quickly. In the end, he saw no problems in his judgment. He wasn't the old Chief who was overly confident.

He prefers to be cautious, even if overly so.

With a thought, Alex turned his bow into a short sword. ‘The reinforcements are near, but I've got a bad feeling about this. The organization must retreat,’ Alex frowned.

“What should we call you?” Alex asked, his question aimed at Helzar. ‘Maybe I can gain some information, or even intimidate the Swarm. It's not like I'm in immediate danger.’

‘... you may call me Helzar.’

Seeing Alex's calm attitude, Helzar sighed, dropping the thought of trying to fight Alex. He obtained twelve souls from killing the twelve agents, and all he wants to do now is eat them.

“Helzar of the Swarm, I'll remember it. My name is Alex, remember it,” Alex pointed his sword at Helzar. He didn't know if this was another illusion, or the real deal.

“I will be the one to take you down,” Alex stated, feigning arrogance.

‘Pretentious. Don't you know that arrogance kills?’

Helzar shook his head. ‘Alex definitely has back up, otherwise he wouldn't stand there dumbly. I'm just puzzled as to why he didn't participate in the battle halfway through,’ Helzar frowned.

‘Is he conserving his energy?’

On the other hand, Alex finally grew used to the pain in his legs and walked calmly toward the Swarm. Seeing Alex approaching him, Helzar made a hasty retreat with the Swarm.

‘What a joke. I don't want to be a dead bug, and Alex's energy is growing. He reminds me a bit of that lucky human, in the sense that they're both ridiculous.’

Alex watched as the Swarm seeped into the cracks on the ceiling, before disappearing altogether. Being left alone, he sighed, carefully sitting on the ground and focusing on his sword.

“Revert,” he said, and the sword slowly dimmed. In an hour or so, it will return to the Promised Pen and Book.

“I have no idea why the Swarm retreated,” Alex sighed, not knowing that his soul was making a breakthrough. All he knew was that he has an excruciating headache.