Becoming Legend

Katolin has witnessed Evolved Kruthiks ranging from six to seven meters tall. Some have even crystal-jade-like spikes as their limbs. Some stronger than the others. Others were small but agile in return. But she never witnessed an Evolved Kruthik so big it made the black beetle looked like an ant.

The only thing that stopping the Kruthiks from totally invading the Hive was Kon Sas Koron. Without her presence, the Hive would vanish a long time ago. Together with the army of the Hive and Queen, they blocked the Kruthiks from invading almost every day.

But seeing the overly Evolved Kruthik rampaging in front of Katolin, in a brief moment, Ned already knew what she was thinking: Will the Queen beat this kind of beast?

Ned wanted to find it out. So he brandished the broken Butterfly in preparation for their escape. The beast was massive, but it wasn't fast enough for Ned. But Ned has to look after those massive spikes. He was pretty sure that a single blow from the spikes would be his end. All they needed to do was turn back and leave the chamber of the Evolved Kruthik. The exit was at their back and no one was blocking it.

Ned grabbed Katolin's arm, it was warm, although looking rough, it was rather smooth.

Katolin snapped. Instead, she pulled herself away from Ned and smiled after her stern face, and said, "I can't leave them."

She was determined. Her eyes, although looking unnatural with her slanted pupil, Ned felt a warm gaze from her.

After Ned let go of her arms, her back jerked open (between her shoulder blades) and eight limbs like that of a spider appeared. The limbs then extended in retaliation to her comrades being slain and chewed by the Evolved Kruthik.

Just like Weremen, some beasts couldn't conjure spells even though they were filled with mana. Instead, they use this mana to enhance their bodies. An enhanced body would reach its limits and broke the pinnacle.

White light was coiling around Katolin's limbs, the brightest of this light was at her legs. She hissed and sprung upward, with spear spinning between her fingers.

There were four male arachne left, and one female being Katolin. The rest was either chewed alive or sliced in half. It was supposed to be an impale, but since the Kruthik's spiky limbs were too big for their body, they were sliced to half instead. The green liquid was dripping and entrails were hanging between the Evolved Kruthik's mandibles. All these and the voices spread fear for those who heard them.

The heads were once alive, the Evolved Kruthik must have found a way to use their voices to lure prey, and later on, became its food. The voices were convincing, as Katolin's team were lured desperately.

Katolin landed behind the Evolved Kruthik's spikey back. With mana enhanced arms, she stabbed the back of the Kruthik. The attack chipped a tiny part of the beast's scaly armor.

The attack made the beast's growled in dismay. Its eyes, under its thick eyebrow, darted Katolin.

Katolin knew that because of its massive size, the beast was not able to reach her even with its spikes. So she positioned herself behind the beast. Katolin stabbed, thrust until her spear was stuck between the cracks of the beast's scales.

Angered, perhaps annoyed, the beast jerked its body trying to throw Katolin behind its back.

All these while the four remaining arachne attacked with mana enhanced arms. Four of them used their spear with proficiency as they landed hits under the beast's foot.

But no matter how hard they tried, the beast shrugged them off. Uncaring even if they dealt enough force to chip some scales of the beast.

Having lost its temper, the Evolved Kruthik screamed and rammed its spiky head toward the four arachnes.

Surprised by the sudden change of action of the beast, one of them was caught between its spiky horns. His leather armor wasn't enough to block the horns. He died between the beast's horns.

Wasn't satisfied by the sight, the Evolved Kruthik did not stop its charge. It rammed everything on its path, three pillars crumbled, bodies under its foot turned to paste as they were trampled by the beast.

The beast rammed its head after reaching the other end of the chamber. Its head against the wall caused a tremendous roar that shook the entire chamber. Dust, rocks, and unwanted objects came descending after the forceful ram.

Katolin used the spear, which was still stuck between the cracked scales, to maintain balance while the beast turned towards the remaining three arachnes.

It shook its head then charged like a bull once again. It went rampaging. Dust, and rocks, and limbs, and body parts flattened under the massive beast's spiky foot.

Still, Katolin remained on its back, unwilling to let go of her spear while the beast rammed three of her remaining comrade.

Luckily, the three reacted quickly with the help of their mana enhanced legs. They sprinted, successfully evading the beast.

Its head rammed the other side of the chamber. Leaving a crack wide enough that bars of light seeped through it.

The Evolved Kruthik shook its head from the impact. It might have seen stars. This action gave Katolin ample time to enhance her body once again successfully pulling her spear. With the help of her limbs behind her back, she jumped to the wall, climbing, and sticking, and ready for another attack.

She threw herself back to the Evolved Kruthik. This time, her aim was at the beast's eyes. Braided hair waved upon her descend. She let out a scream, an illusion to make herself feel stronger.

But an illusion, was, after all, an illusion.

The Evolved Kruthik's speed suddenly increased. While mid-air, Katolin was caught by the beast's strongest attack.

Her left arm was struck by the Evolved beast's spike, tearing it away from her body.

Katolin screamed in both pain and anger. The spear she was holding dropped down the ground together with her left arm as she remained suspended by the beast's massive spike. The limbs behind her back broke since the beast kept on pushing her against the wall. She was impaled, and she can't do anything but scream.

The beast was about to impale her with its other spike but was barred from doing as the ball of fire struck its face.

Ned threw the first fireball followed by another, then another. Leaving smoke, and scream, and chipped scales from the beast's face. Three fireballs were ended by a massive orb of fire hitting the beast's face.

Ned refocused after conjuring fireballs and Egnious.

The attack took some parts of the beast's mandibles.

Slowly, it turned towards Ned.

The three arachnes from behind were surprised by Ned's attack. But was even surprised seeing that Ned vanished from his spot.

Anger rose from the beast's face sensing that the one that attacked him was nowhere to be found.

The Evolved Kruthik roared. The roar was deafening that Ned had to refocus himself after appearing behind the Kruthik's back.

Ned could see the crack, more like a chip, Katolin made. With enough mana to conjure Fireball. Ned attacked the cracked part behind the beast. It was too late for the beast to realize what Ned was up to.

It screeched with pain after the fireball boomed behind its back.

Configuring Ned's next attack, he vanished once again behind its back with white steam leaving a trace of his figure.

Ned couldn't use Overclock for a long period. So he needs to find a way to release Katolin from being impaled by the beast's spike.

The three arachnes jumped in surprise as Ned appeared behind their back. Ned then reached for one of the spears of the arachne, which the arachne was happy to lend.

Ned then appeared again, but this time, he was standing over the Kruthik's shoulder. Successfully positioning himself closer to the beast's face.

With the Butterfly back to the Ring, and with a spear he held. Ned struck the beast's eyes. With Overclock in play, Ned's arm blurred as he attacked the beast.

The spear went half-way deep the eye of the beast. Brown liquid oozed out its stabbed eye.

The beast let go of Katolin who was half-conscious. She fell to the ground with her limbs broken. The only remaining limb she got was her right arm. Her left was leaking green blood, the limbs behind her back were twitching in agony.

The beast crawled backward, trying to pull the spear out of its eye. It was having a hard time pulling the spear due to her overly massive spikes.

It spun, and turned, and jerked its body, trying to resolve its right eye.

Ned took this time to appear near Katolin and helped her getting up only to be surprised by the beast's charging toward them.

Although the spear was still stuck between its right eye, its left eye was completely functioning. The beast charges toward Ned.

Dilemma struck Ned. He can choose to escape, but that would leave Katolin to die. And time wasn't on his side to carry Katolin. He can choose to become a hero and meet the charging beast, with all his arsenal came into play and let luck play its hand.

Or—

"Fireball!" He cried.

His attack wasn't aimed at the massive Kruthik but behind him, to the wall. A wall cracked from the beast's charge from before where the bar of lights was seeping through.