…
Aboard the moving tank, Mastermind watched one roadway for a while.
"…huh,"
"Is there something the matter, sir?" Rezzo asked.
"Huh? Oh, naw… it's nothing. Just keep on driving."
"Yes, sir"
Mastermind's mana senses were tingling for a short time. He took a quick glance at the direction where the mana came from, but he saw nobody. "Pretty sure I feel someone's there… oh, well." He dismissed it and continued to search for the lightning elementalist.
After some time, another thunder blast sound shocked the small Imperial forces. This time, it was louder. Mastermind's forces are closing even more to the sound source. Even so, they still have no idea where the sound truly came from.
"Perhaps this is the right time to use it, eh…?" said Mastermind coolly.
…
Meanwhile, the blast of thunder was no other than from Marco himself. He and Aily was fighting against monsters. Marco meticulously shot many fliers while Aily consecutively defending his back. Aily will give him early warning should a monster gets too close to their vicinity. In return, Marco will switch place with Aily and quickly draws his short swords to diminish the threat. He constantly used electricity to empower his steel short swords.
So far, the monsters they fought on the brick roads of Napre weren't tough and would crumble to a fisting smash. Only two scorpion monsters forced Marco to use level 2 lightning: Thunder Spike, twice. He used more mana energy since there were no natural stormy clouds.
"If we go through this way, we'll reach the marketplace. Let's go!" said Marco. "Mm!" Aily nodded and followed him. The two run quickly while trying to locate their friend.
Five minutes later, Marco realized something was off.
"M-Marco? Why did we stop here?" Aily asked curiously. "Aily," he called with a serious face that he rarely shows. "Did you notice it, Aily?"
"What do you mean?" she asked carefully. "It's suddenly quiet around here. But there's a lot of mana energy covering up the area…" Marco explained. "Now that you've said it, it's odd that there's no sign of monsters nearby." Aily felt goosebumps for a moment afterwards.
"There's no dead human bodies, no monsters' corpses… but blood splattered the buildings…" said Marco concerning. "Let's proceed carefully. I have a bad feeling about this…"
"…oh, yeah, before we go, I guess this is the good timing for you to cast defensive spells," said Marco softening his expression as he looked to Aily with smile. Aily responded his smile happily and quickly casted:
"Ironclad!"
Within seconds, Aily and Marco get coated with powerful shielding from the defensive magic spell Aily casted. "Mm! All done, Marco," she said. "Thanks, Aily," Marco replied.
And with that, they proceed to the marketplace which is just up ahead.
Marco's eyes suddenly turned sharp, he sensed a vicious killing intent. He looks around him, but there's still no sign of monsters. It made him felt unsettling. He proceeds slowly with Aily covering his back.
Upon entering the marketplace, the two encountered small group of mantis monsters. Marco quickly shot the monsters in the head, but their front legs are thick enough to stop the bullets from hitting them.
"Damnations, I hate it when my gun doesn't work!" Marco yelled. He switches to his swords, but when he's going to charge at the monsters, a blinding slash surprised him. Seconds later, the monsters lost their head, a sizzling sound of blood fountain coming from their body followed afterwards.
Marco's eyes focused straight, Aily joined shortly, to realize that Scias was the one who killed the monsters. The two quickly cracks into gladness and wanted to approach their friend quickly, knowing that he's still alive!
Scias smiled, but soon cracks as he suddenly sensed dense mana energy approaching fast. "Grk, Marco, Aily, watch out!"
Within seconds, a giant caterpillar monster rammed through the building beside Marco and Aily. Marco reflectively grabbed Aily and jumped off, trying to avoid the monster. The lethal damage done to the structure made it collapse within seconds, causing a heavy dust smoke. Falling debris hit Marco and Aily, causing several injuries, but not fatal.
Behind the dust smoke, Scias yells out loud, trying to call out his two friends. "MARCO! AILY!"
Marco then reaches his gun and pulls the trigger while aiming upwards, releasing a loud shot. Scias saw this as a signal. The two are alive!
"Uuah… dammit all, that monster dropped the damn building on us, grr…" Marco grunted. "You okay, Aily?" he then asked. "My shoulders are messed up… it hurts so bad, grrrgh…" said Aily while keeping her eyes closed.
"Can you move, Aily?"
"U-Uh…" she nodded lightly. "I… guess…" she forcefully tries to stand up. "Gah…" Marco stands up as well. He then checks for his pouch and gives Aily something, "…here, drink this potion. It'll heal your injury, although slightly."
"…heh… thanks," After the two drank the potion, their small injuries were healed and patched up some bigger injuries.
The caterpillar monster unveils itself unmoved from its position as the dust smoke clears. The building's main structure fell directly onto it, squashed it like a piece of cake.
Scias finally able to see his two friends within the ruins, he was seen ready with his sword, ready to engage any possible threat. But his stance soon broke after he saw the monster's dead body and blue blood.
"Marco… Aily…" he then approaches them. "You two alright?" he asked seriously. "Uh… yeah… kind of, moreover, are YOU alright, monsieur?" Marco asked but doesn't share the same tone.
"U-Uh," he simply nodded. "Gimme some potions, M-Marco."
"Wha? Oh, sure, here ya go, mate." Marco then passes one healing potion to Scias. He quickly drinks it and throws the bottle away after he's done.
"Don't lower your guards yet… I don't think we're done here," Scias warned. "I'm with ya, mate," said Marco. "Hewh… what Nina said might've been real, you know…" Marco added with a piqued expression.
"What are you talking about…?" Scias asked curiously.
Amidst of their conversation, the ground suddenly shakes. Their footing stands unevenly, trying to balance between the sudden quakes. "The 'fridges' is going on here?!" Marco yelled in confusion. Scias looked towards the seemingly dead caterpillar monster. His eyes shuddered; he realized where the shockwaves coming from. From beneath its hide, a sharp-black-pointy-thing pierced through, cutting the caterpillar's skin.
Blood gurgles out from the opening hole within the caterpillar. From within, an even stranger monster forced its way out of the caterpillar and firmly takes afoot on the dead monster's body. That monster looked like a red colored moth.
It is a large monster covering up to three meters tall. Its three eyes glimmer in the color of emerald. Most of its body is in red and green covered by a sheet of thorn hide.
"O-Oi… that creature…" Marco and Aily joined Scias' shuddering eyes. Their mana senses tells them that the monster in front of them holds a vast amount of mana energy.
Shortly... a pair of insect antennas grew out of its head. Its fanged mouth then releases a deafening screech.
*ZZZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNG*
Marco, Aily and Scias could hardly withstand with the deadly noise. However, they managed to hold out. Should they not cover their ears quicker, one of them might've been deaf. After the ear-torturing sound, the moth stands still on the caterpillar's body.
…Shortly, large mass of insects swarmed the area, some non-insect monsters also appeared out of nowhere, surrounding the party in circle. Aily's feet began to quaver, Scias' sword handling that once firm now begins to tremble slightly. Marco sweats heavily. He never gets surrounded by monsters like this.
"...krrrkh, so it turns out…
…that you are the infamous ENTOMANCER!"