In the depths of a labyrinthine network of interconnected caves sprawled an expansive floating platform, a colossal expanse of stone infused with bone, adorned with ritualistic markings, and embellished with a tapestry of magical circles that commanded the majority of the platform.
At the very heart of this mystical stage, an imposing pillar loomed, crafted from the bones and skin of various enigmatic creatures. This bone monolith bore a tapestry of arcane and ritualistic markings, interwoven with blood-red runes that pulsed incessantly.
Encircling this ominous pillar, four hooded figures intoned with unwavering fervor. Their voices, alien and demonic, resonated through the cavern like the screeching of tires combined with the shattering of glass, creating an otherworldly symphony that reverberated through the subterranean depths.
"Ǫ̷̥͍͓̣͔̻̐͆̆́͊ņ̸̨̡̦̬̝̟̪̩̼̓̏͋̆́̅̽̽̕̚̕ě̶̺̪ ̵̨̛̪̗̔̇̈͒̃̒͑͝t̸̫̟̎͊̑w̶̗̜̰̼͐̂̽̐̇͘ͅǭ̶̛͖͕͎͓͉̀̄͒͝͝ͅ ̸̘̘̄͗̅̃̓̓̈̔s̶͙̝̗̀́̈́͑͌͗͛̌̂͗̈u̷͍̦̯̖͇̲̳̻̗͚̐͒̆̈́̀͜k̸͙͙͖͔̀͊͛̇͗̀͂a̸̧̬͉̲̻̫͉̗̞̼̦͎͌̿͌̿̔̾̌̋̚ ̵̡͕͉̹͇͐̓̋̓́́̇͒̕b̴̼͙̪̪̮͓̝̀͒͆̉̀̂̿̔͝ͅe̷̞͖̠͖̖̻͑͘͝ͅn̶̢̨͖̰̝͔̪̬͇̲̓̇͐̈́̃̈̕̕ơ̶̧̡͕͙̫̭͔̭̻͍͐̑͗̒̍̂̕ķ̶̡̺͍̃͆̇̿̃͛͝ͅo̶͉̜̭͖̙͗̂͋̑̓͂́̃̋̓͘͜͝ ̵̨̢̩͔̪̫͈͓̣̤̐̈́͗͗͊̇̉̾̚ͅl̴̫̑̚͜a̸̛̠͇͋̍̿̿͘k̴̢̖͖͖̏̎̄ā̴̢̲̲̙̫̗͑̋͋̀̍̀̈́̏͂u̵̹͛̿ ̵̣̘͘a̴͉̯͖̺̣̥̎̈́͂̏͂ǰ̵̨̱͎͙̾̂̇̐̏a̵͖̱͎͎̦̍̓l̵̼̟͆̍p̷̡̨̲̜̮͉̘͍̝̙̦̗̀̂̂͋̆̿̈́ã̸̱̳̣̻̠̹̺̞͌̏̏ͅ ̵̲̻̠̮̏l̵͎̮̩̠̯̹̱͎̙͖̩̅̃̍̆̇͒͗k̵̛̹͚̠̻̙͇͍̰͛̈́̿͗̂͠a̷̧͚͉͇͓̙͙͛̌̀̾̑͆̉̆!̷͔͈̖̜̙̩̥͍͖͈͙̅̀͛͝ ̷̡̗̘̞͙̖̹̮̹̞͙̀͜͠a̴̙̣̫͇͑̆̐̊̐̔͌̈́̚͝j̶͕̫̰̪̬͇͇̬̪͓̹͌̓̑̈́̚ͅj̶̡̪̯̪͌͒̍̿̅̉̈̚ͅa̴̖͔̒̋͊̈́̀h̴̨̧͕̯̥̊̒͒͗͂̾̀g̷̺͋͆̓̾͌̔́à̴̢̡͙̱̭͓̈́̔̀̇͒̏͝h̷̢͛͆͋͆!̶̣̻̘̲̭̦͉͒̓̅̂̊̈"
"Ǫ̷̥͍͓̣͔̻̐͆̆́͊ņ̸̨̡̦̬̝̟̪̩̼̓̏͋̆́̅̽̽̕̚̕ě̶̺̪ ̵̨̛̪̗̔̇̈͒̃̒͑͝t̸̫̟̎͊̑w̶̗̜̰̼͐̂̽̐̇͘ͅǭ̶̛͖͕͎͓͉̀̄͒͝͝ͅ ̸̘̘̄͗̅̃̓̓̈̔s̶͙̝̗̀́̈́͑͌͗͛̌̂͗̈u̷͍̦̯̖͇̲̳̻̗͚̐͒̆̈́̀͜k̸͙͙͖͔̀͊͛̇͗̀͂a̸̧̬͉̲̻̫͉̗̞̼̦͎͌̿͌̿̔̾̌̋̚ ̵̡͕͉̹͇͐̓̋̓́́̇͒̕b̴̼͙̪̪̮͓̝̀͒͆̉̀̂̿̔͝ͅe̷̞͖̠͖̖̻͑͘͝ͅn̶̢̨͖̰̝͔̪̬͇̲̓̇͐̈́̃̈̕̕ơ̶̧̡͕͙̫̭͔̭̻͍͐̑͗̒̍̂̕ķ̶̡̺͍̃͆̇̿̃͛͝ͅo̶͉̜̭͖̙͗̂͋̑̓͂́̃̋̓͘͜͝ ̵̨̢̩͔̪̫͈͓̣̤̐̈́͗͗͊̇̉̾̚ͅl̴̫̑̚͜a̸̛̠͇͋̍̿̿͘k̴̢̖͖͖̏̎̄ā̴̢̲̲̙̫̗͑̋͋̀̍̀̈́̏͂u̵̹͛̿ ̵̣̘͘a̴͉̯͖̺̣̥̎̈́͂̏͂ǰ̵̨̱͎͙̾̂̇̐̏a̵͖̱͎͎̦̍̓l̵̼̟͆̍p̷̡̨̲̜̮͉̘͍̝̙̦̗̀̂̂͋̆̿̈́ã̸̱̳̣̻̠̹̺̞͌̏̏ͅ ̵̲̻̠̮̏l̵͎̮̩̠̯̹̱͎̙͖̩̅̃̍̆̇͒͗k̵̛̹͚̠̻̙͇͍̰͛̈́̿͗̂͠a̷̧͚͉͇͓̙͙͛̌̀̾̑͆̉̆!̷͔͈̖̜̙̩̥͍͖͈͙̅̀͛͝ ̷̡̗̘̞͙̖̹̮̹̞͙̀͜͠a̴̙̣̫͇͑̆̐̊̐̔͌̈́̚͝j̶͕̫̰̪̬͇͇̬̪͓̹͌̓̑̈́̚ͅj̶̡̪̯̪͌͒̍̿̅̉̈̚ͅa̴̖͔̒̋͊̈́̀h̴̨̧͕̯̥̊̒͒͗͂̾̀g̷̺͋͆̓̾͌̔́à̴̢̡͙̱̭͓̈́̔̀̇͒̏͝h̷̢͛͆͋͆!̶̣̻̘̲̭̦͉͒̓̅̂̊̈"
"Ǫ̷̥͍͓̣͔̻̐͆̆́͊ņ̸̨̡̦̬̝̟̪̩̼̓̏͋̆́̅̽̽̕̚̕ě̶̺̪ ̵̨̛̪̗̔̇̈͒̃̒͑͝t̸̫̟̎͊̑w̶̗̜̰̼͐̂̽̐̇͘ͅǭ̶̛͖͕͎͓͉̀̄͒͝͝ͅ ̸̘̘̄͗̅̃̓̓̈̔s̶͙̝̗̀́̈́͑͌͗͛̌̂͗̈u̷͍̦̯̖͇̲̳̻̗͚̐͒̆̈́̀͜k̸͙͙͖͔̀͊͛̇͗̀͂a̸̧̬͉̲̻̫͉̗̞̼̦͎͌̿͌̿̔̾̌̋̚ ̵̡͕͉̹͇͐̓̋̓́́̇͒̕b̴̼͙̪̪̮͓̝̀͒͆̉̀̂̿̔͝ͅe̷̞͖̠͖̖̻͑͘͝ͅn̶̢̨͖̰̝͔̪̬͇̲̓̇͐̈́̃̈̕̕ơ̶̧̡͕͙̫̭͔̭̻͍͐̑͗̒̍̂̕ķ̶̡̺͍̃͆̇̿̃͛͝ͅo̶͉̜̭͖̙͗̂͋̑̓͂́̃̋̓͘͜͝ ̵̨̢̩͔̪̫͈͓̣̤̐̈́͗͗͊̇̉̾̚ͅl̴̫̑̚͜a̸̛̠͇͋̍̿̿͘k̴̢̖͖͖̏̎̄ā̴̢̲̲̙̫̗͑̋͋̀̍̀̈́̏͂u̵̹͛̿ ̵̣̘͘a̴͉̯͖̺̣̥̎̈́͂̏͂ǰ̵̨̱͎͙̾̂̇̐̏a̵͖̱͎͎̦̍̓l̵̼̟͆̍p̷̡̨̲̜̮͉̘͍̝̙̦̗̀̂̂͋̆̿̈́ã̸̱̳̣̻̠̹̺̞͌̏̏ͅ ̵̲̻̠̮̏l̵͎̮̩̠̯̹̱͎̙͖̩̅̃̍̆̇͒͗k̵̛̹͚̠̻̙͇͍̰͛̈́̿͗̂͠a̷̧͚͉͇͓̙͙͛̌̀̾̑͆̉̆!̷͔͈̖̜̙̩̥͍͖͈͙̅̀͛͝ ̷̡̗̘̞͙̖̹̮̹̞͙̀͜͠a̴̙̣̫͇͑̆̐̊̐̔͌̈́̚͝j̶͕̫̰̪̬͇͇̬̪͓̹͌̓̑̈́̚ͅj̶̡̪̯̪͌͒̍̿̅̉̈̚ͅa̴̖͔̒̋͊̈́̀h̴̨̧͕̯̥̊̒͒͗͂̾̀g̷̺͋͆̓̾͌̔́à̴̢̡͙̱̭͓̈́̔̀̇͒̏͝h̷̢͛͆͋͆!̶̣̻̘̲̭̦͉͒̓̅̂̊̈"
In unison, their voices wove the eldritch chant, and the movement of their mouths sent unseen ripples cascading across the fabric of space itself, as though beckoning forth an otherworldly presence. Reality itself trembled and contorted, yielding to the emergence of an unknown force.
Their bodies convulsed and contorted under the weight of an unseen, powerful pressure that embraced the room. Yet, instead of ceasing, the robed figures began to chant with escalating hysteria.
Crimson tears of euphoria cascaded from their concealed faces, and with one final incantation, they collapsed lifeless. Their spilled blood, animated by some arcane force, flowed purposefully over the ritualistic markings and runes that adorned the floating platform. Before long, the entire expanse, including the stone pillar, was ensconced in a luminous sheen of glowing blood.
The platform beneath radiated a rhythmic glow, absorbing the magical blood that drenched it and tapping into the profound arcane energies saturating the world. The surrounding space began to wobble and twist, succumbing to the magical influence.
A surreal, otherworldly sound echoed through the cavern as space fragmented like shattered glass, unable to withstand the magical onslaught. Unstable shards scattered in all directions, abruptly halted by the emergence of a shimmering blue barrier that materialized shortly after the ritual's commencement.
The bone pillar disintegrated in an explosive burst as a sizable rift in space manifested in its place. From this rift, hordes of monsters spilled forth—goblins, orcs, and even baby dragons. They cascaded off the platform, surpassing its maximum capacity, and effortlessly traversed the barrier as if it were non-existent.
Shortly thereafter, the rift began to waver and flicker, glitching in and out of existence. Minutes later, it collapsed upon itself, unleashing another surge of unstable space shards in all directions. The barrier responded by flaring up once more, shielding against the onslaught of shards.
The barrier valiantly withstood the relentless assault of unstable space shards until a particularly colossal shard struck with force, shattering the barrier before collapsing upon itself and fragmenting into thousands of smaller shards.
Among the fragments, one shard hurtled into a concealed grotto connected to a diminutive river. Violently impacting the ground, it sent heated stone shards scattering in every direction, subsequently rolling off a small cliff and plunging into the serene river, where it lay inert.
After an indeterminate span of time, a hairline crack in space materialized above the crystal shard. A cockroach emerged, soaring out and alighting on a nearby stone. As soon as it appeared, the shard of space dimmed before disintegrating into nothingness.
The cockroach stood motionless, a mere observer, subjected to forces beyond its control that scrutinized it with an unspoken intensity.
[Scanning...]
[No entry found]
[creating a new entry:
Genus: Megaloblatta longipennis [🪳]
Growth stage: Hatchling
Size: 5 inches
Role: Hybrid (Survivor/Killer/ Thinker)
Role level: [1/1]
Personal level: [0]
EXP: [-/-] (Personal level)
EXP: [-/-] (Role level)
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Sex: Female
Stats:
Survivability [0%]
Vitality [0]
Speed [0]
Damage [0]
Bleed [0]
Power [0]
Mind [1]
Aspect trees unlocked: [0]
Skills: [0]
(?###?)
The cockroach gazed at the hovering blue screen that materialized within its consciousness, attempting to decipher its significance. It sensed that something had scrutinized it, translating the assessment into discernible values displayed on the screen. As for the meaning of these values, the cockroach could only surmise with time, observing if they underwent any changes at all.
With a mere exertion of will, the hovering screen folded out of existence, and the world around it came back into view along with a torrent of memories of its existence before reaching this place. The cockroach remembered trying to escape, only to be blasted to bits by those strange glowing things.
It knew no more after that; suddenly, it was here, a place filled with green moss and water that led somewhere, somewhere bright too. The cockroach didn't like light or water much, so it intended to stay away from those. It couldn't see or smell much of anything else. There were a bunch of strange pheromones coming from the water near it, but they were completely new to it, and the cockroach couldn't tell if they were dangerous.
The cockroach traced the alluring pheromones of the moss, swiftly navigating through the damp, cave air. As it approached, the scent became almost overwhelming, and a sudden pang of hunger enveloped the insect. The moss, now emitting an irresistible aroma, seemed more delicious and tempting than ever. The cave's atmosphere, filled with thick pheromones, created a tantalizing and appetizing ambiance that enticed the cockroach further into the moss-laden section of the cave.
The idyllic scene abruptly shifted as the moss, once seemingly benign, swiftly moved with predatory precision. In a split second, it snapped down on the unsuspecting insect, extinguishing its life in an instant.
You have died [☠️]
Existence snapped back into place around the cockroach after the message briefly flashed in its mind. The insect looked around, clearly confused and startled. The last thing it could recall was the moss suddenly moving and snapping around it, then the strange blue message, and now it found itself back where it started, near the bank of the small river.
Another message popped up in its eyes.
Skill: Crushing resistance (Common) (1/100) unlocked
Resistance skill detected, unlocking resistance aspect tree.
Resistance aspect tree unlocked(1/??)!
As the message faded, the cockroach felt a slight shift in its body as something made its way through it. As soon as the sensation came, it disappeared, leaving the cockroach even more confused.
Wasn’t it supposed to be dead? It felt the moss crushing it briefly before the world faded from its mind, and the messages popped up shortly after, telling the cockroach that it had met its demise. The confused insect looked around and flew up, sensing the various pheromones that filled the air. The earthly pheromones of the moss called it again, and as instincts kicked in, the cockroach was unable to resist and flew over to the moss-covered wall once more. This time it managed to nibble on a piece of the succulent moss, but before it could relish the taste, the moss on the wall flexed rapidly and crushed it again.
You have died [☠️]
Awareness flooded back into the cockroach an unknown period later and a familiar blue screen popped up in its mind’s eye.
Level up!
Skill: Skill: Crushing resistance (Common) (1/100) is now Skill: Crushing resistance (Common) (2/100)
A tingle flowed throughout the cockroach and it felt itself changing slightly before the feeling faded. Something was clearly going on here, the cockroach realized, the blue thing kept lying to it about death. Why would it do that? The cockroach couldn’t think of a reason for the strange entity to lie, so it must be telling the truth.
This was the second time it had fallen prey to the living moss, and there wouldn't be a third, it hoped. The concept of death was strange to it; if the message was to be taken as truthful, this would be its third time dying. The first one was different, though. No blue screen had popped up then. What was different here?
A pang of hunger smashed into it, so strong that it almost felt physical. It discarded all its current thoughts instantly and frantically started searching for something to eat. The moss was off-limits; something strange was going on over that side of the cave. The hungry cockroach turned its attention to the riverbank it was on and picked up a whiff of a new pheromone. It smelled and felt organic, slow-moving, and weak too. The cockroach wasted no time and flew off, tracing the scent to its source. Its compound eyes caught movement when it flew over a small rock, and the pheromone it was tracing spilled out into the air.
Guided by its upgraded killer instincts, the cockroach snapped in the direction and dove for the source of the pheromones. It landed on something soft and wet, which it tore into with its mandibles. A wet, gooey substance spilled out of the wound, and the source of the pheromones started thrashing, but the cockroach didn't care. It bit and tore with abandon and glee.
It greedily drank the spilled juices of the trashing source, feeling the hunger fade bit by bit as it did. Seconds later, it stopped moving and went still, a message popped up within its sight.
Maggot (Prey)[🐛] (1) Killed
[-/-] EXP awarded (Personal level)
[-/-] EXP awarded (Personal level) for killing a creature that was a higher level than you.
Level up! [✨]
You are now level [1]
Stats upgraded
A wave of power slammed into it; its body ballooned in size, and the world suddenly felt a bit smaller. Its exoskeleton brimmed with an extraordinary newfound power, and its cognitive faculties experienced remarkable clarity. Thoughts surged through its mind with unprecedented speed, allowing for more intricate contemplation. Its slender legs and delicate wings seemed imbued with an enhanced swiftness, and the cockroach felt an amplified capability to strike with intensified force and maneuver with greater speed than its usual state.
The cockroach felt as though it could take on the world, and its body lifted off the damp riverbank, exploding with even more speed. It zipped around the small cave, brimming with energy and power packed inside its body.
The cockroach continued its frenzied zipping, soaring high above the moss-covered area and swiftly returning to the damp riverbank. It remained so absorbed in its energetic dance that it failed to perceive the colossal shadow lurking beneath the river, patiently awaiting each pass. Oblivious to the impending threat, the cockroach carried on with its vibrant display, ignorant of the formidable monster concealed below.
Upon its 15th aerial journey over the river, the ominous shadow stirred, erupting from the depths in a sudden, relentless motion. It engulfed the cockroach in one swift, voracious swoop, extinguishing its life instantly.
You have died [☠️]
Awareness snapped back to the cockroach, and it found itself on the same rock it had landed on when it first arrived. It had died again, but what had killed it this time? It wasn't near the moss this time, so it was utterly confused. As it contemplated what could've possibly ended its life, a shadow leaped out of the river from behind, soaring through the air with its mouth wide open. The cockroach was crushed and devoured before it even had a chance to register the attack.
You have died [☠️]
The cockroach’s eyes snapped open, and it came face to face with something horrifying—four red, vertically slit eyes gazing down on it. A maw, filled with rows upon rows of sharp black teeth that somehow glistened in the dark, opened up at an angle and rushed towards it.
The world went dark as the cockroach suddenly felt itself being drawn down the sharp maw of the fish that was swallowing it. The walls of the creature's mouth suddenly went stiff and closed in on it, crushing it to death and swallowing the insect’s body.
Level up! [✨]
Skill: Skill: Crushing resistance (Common) (2/100) is now Skill: Crushing resistance (Common) (10/100)
You have died [☠️]