Chapter 117: The Hide Devourer (2)
Their morale wavered, snarls breaking into uncertain growls.
One of the hulking brutes bellowed, swinging its bone club toward Song. Ling Yu’s eyes flashed.
"Qingxue!" she commanded.
The swordswoman was already there, blade slicing into the brute’s hamstring just as Song ducked under the swing, driving his spear upward through its exposed jaw. Blood geysered. The brute collapsed like a toppled tree.
"Ziyu, now!"
The archer loosed three arrows in succession, each one glowing faintly with mana. They slammed into the heads of three charging insects, felling them in a neat row.
The little beast cackled and launched itself into the swarm, fur puffing out. It spun like a storm of teeth and claws, scattering explosive fur balls with gleeful abandon. The monsters shrieked as smoke and fire tore through their ranks.
The ground trembled as the colossal insectile silhouette emerged from the fissures. A screech split the night sky, sharp enough to make the weakest awakeners clutch their ears in agony.
[System Notification]
[Fourth-Grade Tertiary Class Monster detected!
Target: Hive Devourer (Alpha of the Swarm).
Threat Level: Catastrophic.
Objective: Eliminate or Perish.]
Ling Yu stood at the front, her black hair whipping like banners in the heated wind. Around her, her temporary squad trembled in excitement, weapons rattling in their hands.
"Steady," Ling Yu commanded, her voice calm despite the hellscape before them. "We fight together. Xian Yu, you’re our lifeline. Don’t panic. I’ll take aggro."
Xian Yu nodded his head, swallowing his fear. His hands glowed faint green, already preparing restorative pulses.
The Hive Devourer lurched forward, four scythe-arms gouging trenches in the ground. From its abdomen, pulsating sacs burst, spilling swarmlings onto the field like a tide of skittering nightmares.
[System Warning]
[Hive Spawn Activated!]
[Swarmlings: 47 detected.]
"Formation!" Ling Yu barked. "Frontline, lock shields! Ranged, burn the swarmlings before they reach us!"
The squad snapped into action. Fireballs and lightning arrows arced across the battlefield, incinerating the smaller insectoids. Shields slammed into the dirt, holding the line.
Ling Yu activated her new skill, [Commanding Aura: Sovereign’s Will], a passive effect granted by her title.
[System Notification]
[Sovereign’s Will Activated.
Team combat efficiency +25%.
Morale boost applied: Fear Resistance.]
The Hive Devourer let out a deafening screech.
[Piercing Shriek has beenactivated.]
A wave of sound washed over the fighters, making their knees buckle. But Ling Yu’s aura cut through the despair.
Her defiance steadied their hearts.
The monster’s massive forelimb slammed down where she stood. Ling Yu sidestepped, dragging her halberd in a crescent arc. Sparks flew as her blade scraped the beast’s armored leg, leaving only a faint mark.
"Tch. Chitin is too thick."
From the side, a swarm lunged at Xian Yu. Before the boy could scream, Fluffy, who was perched on Ling Yu’s shoulder, sprang forward with a snarl.
Its body shimmered, doubling in size mid-leap. Fangs sank into the swarmling’s neck, snapping it in half with disturbing ease. Fluffy turned its head, blood dripping, and hissed proudly.
[Divine Channel Active:
Divine Beings count: 225]
[Ares laughs at the Streamer delightfully.]
[HAHA! That beastlet has more guts than half the squad!]
[Athena remains neutral towards the Streamer.]
[Untrained, but effective. Keep it alive, Little Streamer.]
[Unknown Cosmic Entity cheers for the Streamer.]
[...Yes... feed, little cub. Feed until you remember.]
"Focus!" Ling Yu shouted. "Ranged, blind its eyes! Frontline, keep swarmlings off the healer!"
The Hive Devourer reared back, mandibles opening. A sizzling stream of acid torrent arced toward the formation.
"Shields! Now!"
The frontline raised their barriers, but the acid hissed and burned through the metal. Men screamed as droplets splattered skin.
"Xian Yu!" Ling Yu ordered.
The boy’s staff pulsed, waves of green light sealing and melting wounds, easing their agony. His breathing was ragged but determined.
Ling Yu dashed forward, halberd glowing with reinforced energy. She slid beneath the monster’s limb, aiming for the underbelly. Her blade pierced shallowly—black ichor sprayed, sizzling on the ground.
The Hive Devourer screeched in rage, its [Predator’s Gaze] locking onto her.
[System Warning]
[Hive Devourer has marked Ling Yu.
All attacks are redirected to the host.]
"Good," Ling Yu growled, wiping ichor from her cheek. "Look at me, bug. Leave them alone."
The monster lunged with terrifying speed. Scythes whistled through the air, one after another. Ling Yu met each strike, sparks exploding with every clash. Her arms trembled from the force, but her grin widened.
"Come on, then! Is this all you’ve got?!"
Behind her, Xian Yu clenched his fists. His body trembled, not with fear, but with his awakening.
Seeing Ling Yu bleed, seeing the healer struggle, something within him ignited.
[System Alert]
[Hidden Condition Triggered.
Potential Class Awakening: Healer’s Shieldbearer.]
The fight grew desperate. The swarmlings multiplied, clawing at the formation. Fluffy leapt from foe to foe, tearing throats, leaving a trail of twitching corpses. Xian Yu poured everything into keeping the squad alive, his mana draining dangerously fast.
[The Hive Devourer’s HP has dropped to 62%.]
[System Notification]
[Chitinous Rage Activated!]
Enemy attack speed +30%.
Ling Yu barely rolled aside as a scythe cleaved a crater where she stood. The ground shook violently. Sweat slicked her brow.
"Frontline, rotate!" she commanded. "Don’t let the swarm break through!"
Another acid torrent came. This time, Xian Yu stepped forward, raising a crude shield. White light flared around him instinctively, shielding the healer and several others from the spray.
[System Notification]
[Xian Yu has awakened [Guardian’s Blessing]!
Temporary role acquired: Sub-Healer / Shieldbearer.
The Divine Channel roared in delight, especially Asclepus, who was singing for Xian Yu nonstop in Ling Yu’s stream.
Ling Yu’s eyes flashed. The moment had come.
She feinted left, then dashed right, using the monster’s blind spot. With a roar, she drove her halberd deep into the Hive Devourer’s exposed joint. The blade sank halfway, black ichor exploding outward.
The beast shrieked, thrashing wildly. Its HP plummeted to 41%.
"NOW!" Ling Yu bellowed. "Everyone, get the ALL OUT ATTACK!"
Fire, lightning, steel, and arrows rained upon the towering insect. Fluffy climbed onto its head, biting savagely at its eyes, blinding it.