"Vivian, right? Are you really the Crawler I was supposed to summon?"
"That is indeed correct, master. I am your servant. I will also be your guide."
Benny nodded and then coughed, erasing his excited smile. It was his first time that someone was giving him so much respect by calling him 'master.' He thought he should act more gracefully in front of Vivian, his servant bug.
That's right, Benny named his first bug after the fairy Vivian who appeared in Arthurian legend. He was always a fan of fairies as they also have bugs like wings and are closest beings to insects.
"You said you will be my guide, right? Can Miss Vivian please tell me about yourself first?"
"Master, I am your servant, someone below you, so please don't address me with formalities. Just order me."
"That would be hard. I am someone 'give and take respect' guy. Anyway, then explain your stat and your move set."
"Very well.
First, start with my race. I am 'Ladybug of rebirth,' meaning that I represent after-life, transformation, and fate subjects of the mystical realm. I am of the highest grade, a 5☆ crawler, our next topic. Every Crawler you will summon will be based on rarity in stars. The rarity starts from 1☆ to 5☆. There might be a higher rarity, but I am unfamiliar with it.
Now, every Crawler will have three basic evolutions with base stat increasing by 40% when it comes to evolution. As you can see, my default evolution is Stage two, or I would have been summoned as a larva. My base stat used to be 600, but with my second Stage, I have a base stat of 840.
As the master can see about my parameters, I am relatively balanced except for my agility, meaning that my move sets will be offensive and supportive.
My first skill, [Ladybug's Luck], is my natural ability to attract good fortune for my master. This also symbolizes the ladybug as worshipped by humans all the time.
My active skill, [Kinetic Repeller], is both offensive and defensive skill. I can absorb the physical attack on my wing cover, store it as kinetic energy, and then repel the enemy with equal force.
My other skill, [Star Healing], is semi-passive and active; I can recover health and mana faster than anyone. I can also heal others in the party, so it is close to the area of effect (AOE) move."
After Vivian explained the basic structure of her stats, Benny asked, "So you are the one who was healing me? Thanks for that."
"That is correct, master. Your life is my, no, every Crawler's utmost importance even to our own lives."
"Pff, hehe! Don't belittle yourself now." Benny chuckled and patted the giant ladybug's head.
"E-eh? Ah, hmm…"
Did the bug actually just blush?
"Anyway, what's this about the 'Use' thing?"
"Why don't I demonstrate you live?"
Vivian's words were directed towards the upcoming wave of Cifers that had been spawned and were coming towards Benny.
Benny also noticed three Mors running, bolting towards him and Vivian.
Without saying a word, Vivian flew on Benny's left arm, removed the broken armor he had wrapped before fighting Cifers, and wrapped her legs around it.
Now the ladybug was like a shield on Benny's left arm.
[You have equipped Crawler: Vivian as a weapon.]
"Weapon? What the…" Benny was stunned as it was kind of weird, using a servant like this.
"No, time to explain, master! Use me as a shield and block them!"
Just when Vivian warned him, Benny immediately shielded himself from Vivian. A Cifer, who was in most front, dashed and collapsed with Benny, but the shock was absorbed by the shield on his left arm. Benny didn't even feel like a full-grown Mors just attacked with extreme force.
However, two other Cifers, which were behind the first one, didn't stop and one of them also attacked with a headbutt which Benny also stopped with his shield. Third Cifer jumped behind the second Cifer, pointing its two pointy arms at Benny, but the Entomancer blocked the slashing attack with ease.
Benny felt like he was having a pillow fight with weird-looking creatures. Their attack was so low that Benny didn't even put force on his feet when taking those attacks head-on. He couldn't believe he was struggling to take or dodge them.
Vivian also felt very light even though Benny knew she was heavy. He could swing the shield easily like a particular patriotic hero in a blue suit.
However…
[HP: 40/41, MP: 56/56]
"Vivian, you are losing HP!"
"Worry not, master. Look again."
"But…"
[HP: 41/41, MP: 56/56]
"Oh, right. The healing thing."
Benny forgot that Vivian had a healing skill in her passives where she could heal herself to the point of regeneration. He was perturbed about his bug pet servant because he loves bugs, and as someone who has protected insects in his whole life, Benny's heart aches when he sees them getting hurt.
"Master, I am from a beetle family, and beetles generally have high defence. I can even take on F to E ranked Mors' attacks easily. So please worry not, master."
"If you say so."
"Now, master, it is time to show my real skill. Punch them with me!"
Benny smirked, raised his shield, and smacked the three upcoming Cifers. The middle one, which received the direct impact, exploded into tiny pieces, whereas the other two were blown away, trashing the side walls of the cave.
With just one punch, he dealt with three Cifers simultaneously.
"Holy shhh…"
"How do you like my skill, master?"
"It was awesome!!" Benny exclaimed with a big smile but realized he was leaving his 'master' character, "Cough. Let's finish them off!"
"Right!"
Benny jumped and smashed the head of one Cifer, still stunned from the shockwave, while he cut the other one with his sword.
Just then, Benny saw another prompt.
[You have leveled up!]
[You have gained 6 additional SPs.]
[You have learned a new active spell with default levelling!]
"So I can level up by killing Mors…?! Let's see what new spell I have learned…."
And thus, he opened his [Status] screen.
=[[Status]]=
Name: Benny Olbion
Race: Heteromorphic Human
Job: Entomancer (Origin Crawler)
Level: 4 -> 5
Coins: 0
---
Strength: 4 -> 5
Mana: 6 -> 7
Vitality: 5 -> 6
Agility: 3 ->4
Additional SPs: 0 -> 6
---
HP: 17/17
MP: 34/34
---
---
Passives:
[Entomorph Body]
Active Skill and Spells:
[Play Dead- Rank 1]
[Play Dead- Rank 1
Cost: 0 MP
It is the most well-known skill of insects to deceive predators. Your heart will stop, and so will your breath, yet you will be alive. It is a skill, but it acts like a magic spell.]
===
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…Um...!"
"Seriously though, am I supposed to start with a meme spell?"
Benny expected a super flashy move where he could destroy all enemies in a single attack, yet his expectations were pulled down into a meme.
"Aa… Umm, master, I know it must be an embarrassing spell, but this can also be a turning point in a match." Vivian spoke, cheering up her master."
"Well, thanks, Vivian, for the encouragement. Let's deal with the other three Cifers first." Benny sighed but then decided to frown after dealing with the remaining three Cifers.
It was the second 'Room' of the Hell Gate and spawned 6 Cifers. He killed 3 who entered the cave to come after him, so all he had to do was to kill the remaining Cifers.
However, this time, he didn't intend to fight them in packed places like this cave. This time, he wanted to be the predator.
Benny bolted out of the cave with a katana in his right hand and a magical bug shield in his left.
"Whoah!"
He didn't realize that his new body and changes in stats had ignited his body to the next level. His individual limb reflexes might not be fast enough to react, but his sprinting speed was high. Just with one step, he covered almost five meters.
"Master, even if agility is a sore part of your parameters, it doesn't matter since your body naturally gives you high jumping skills!" Vivian explained.
"Neet!"
With a smirk, Benny ran towards the closest Cifer in the middle and slammed it with his shield, sending the poor Mors flying a few meters away.
!!!
The other two Cifers got alerted and dashed towards the human.
Benny could have dodged their assault, but he wanted to test how much Vivian could endure storing kinetic energy.
Bam! Bam!
The two Cifers tried everything in their arsenal to somehow attack Benny, but Benny had already memorized their moves and had no problem blocking the bombardment.
The other Cifer that Benny had previously kicked off also joined the fray to attack benny with several cracks on its body. Its movements were so slow that Benny barely noticed the poor thing. It was like a broken toy.
"Master, I store kinetic energy based on power so I could block their attacks all day long, but the impact will be the same, and now is the time to use the skill."
"Got it!"
With a nod, Benny jumped backwards to make some distance, but he couldn't do so because a pillar came in his way.
"No way! I can even do that?!"
He didn't expect to stick to the pillar like an insect. Rereading his passive skill, he realized he could crawl on the surface of an angel.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg of your actual potential, master."
"Well, we will see later, but are you ready for the smashing for now?!" Benny smirked as he looked down at Cifers looking at him with helpless faces.
"Yes, master!"
"Here we go!"
And then Benny jumped and slammed the bug shield on the ground.
BOOM!
An invisible force was released from the ladybug's shell, blowing all Cifers into pieces.
The ground where the attack landed also shattered, creating a crater.
"Man, this is some high-level skill…!" Benny sweatdropped with a smile.
Vivian reattached itself, flying towards the carcasses and started eating them.
"Umm…"
"Master, I am sorry for this disgusting display, but Crawlers had to eat dead Mors, especially their Mana Stones, to level up." Saying that Vivian resumed eating and man, did she remain Benny of shounen protagonists? The female bug ate dead Mors in no time. All six dead Mors were wiped out from the surface of the second floor.
Amidst such, Benny saw several notifications.
[Crawler: Vivian has leveled up!]
[Crawler: Vivian has leveled up!]
[Vivian Level: 5 -> 7]
"You crawlers levels up by eating Mors?! Fair enough."
As an aspiring entomologist, Benny wasn't much troubled by such a discovery. He was glad Vivian wasn't eating his EXP points to level up. Though the loss of Mana Stones does sell for money, he could be least bothered by it. If the same material empowers Benny's loyal servants, what is the problem with that?
"Sorry for the wait, master!" Vivian came back flying. Even though she was a ladybug, her wings claps didn't seem to make a loud noise.
"So you crawlers can level up by eating Mors?"
"Magic Stones, to be specific. I ate the rest of the part to convert the matter into magical energy for growth."
"So carcasses don't matter much. Then…" Benny thought about a moment and then took out 12 Magic Stones. Those were the Magic Stones he was collecting during the exploration. "Eat them too."
"Can I really?"
"Well, yes. If one of us can level up faster, what is the losing point here?"
"No, it's just…." Vivian couldn't say, but she thought Benny would be upset if his servants were higher level than him.
Vivian then devoured 10 Magic Stones in no time, leaving 2 for later.
"It is better to leave some for newcomers. I have already developed a resistance to them, so I won't level up even if I ate more of these low-level Mana Stones."
[Crawler: Vivian has leveled up!]
[Crawler: Vivian has leveled up!]
[Vivian Level: 7 -> 9]
[A new skill has been unlocked for Crawler: Vivian.]
=[[Crawlers]]=
-First-
Name: Vivian
Level: 9/35
Race: Ladybug of rebirth
Rarity: 5☆
Evolution: 2nd Stage (3)
---
Strength: 25
Mana: 24
Vitality: 26
Agility: 14
---
HP: 85
MP: 122
---
Skill Set:
Passive: [Ladybug's Luck]
Active: [Kinetic Repeller], [Star Healing], [Kinetic Bolt (NEW)]
---
Uses: Independent, weapon
===
"So it is now a magical attack?"
"As expected from my master. Anyway, what should we do now? Should we leave?"
Hearing Vivian's question, Benny turned grim.
"No. The school will send a hero teacher to retrieve my carcass soon, and before that, we must level up as much as we can."
Even if his life was worthless in the eyes of others, in a world where war with demons and Mors were everywhere, even a useless life of a Nap matters.
"Then we should get going!"
"Yes!"
Benny nodded and started running towards the next floor with Vivian in the air.
'Wendy, just you wait. I will show you the worst possible way I could take revenge. I will not forgive you and your goons. Enjoy while you still can as the insect you tried to kill has survived and is now coming for you.'