Renji's consciousness slowly returned, but his surroundings were shrouded in an overwhelming darkness. An eerie, suffocating silence hung in the air, thick with an unnatural stillness.
What is this? Am I alive? No… that's impossible, Renji thought, a growing sense of confusion and panic flooding his mind.
He tried to move, stretching out his hand, but as he did, a faint cracking sound echoed through the silence. A sliver of light pierced through the darkness, casting an eerie glow on the surface that enclosed him.
His curiosity overcame the growing fear within him. He pressed against the barrier, and with a forceful push, it shattered. The moment it broke, a rush of warm, golden light flooded in, washing over him.
As he emerged from the shattered confines, Renji's eyes widened at the sight before him. He was surrounded by countless eggs, each one cracking open to reveal strange insectoid creatures. The air was filled with the sounds of chirping and the rapid scuttling of newly hatched life.
Wait… are they mantises? Renji thought, stunned by the sight.
Before him stood a towering mantis, its regal presence commanding the space. Its eyes, sharp and unblinking, seemed to hold ancient knowledge—an eerie, silent wisdom.
Renji blinked, still dazed, and glanced down at his own hands. His fingers had transformed into razor-sharp, segmented limbs, each one glistening in the golden light.
Wait… have I been reincarnated as a mantis?
A mix of disbelief and frustration boiled inside him. What the hell is going on? Seriously?
He glanced back at the towering mantis in front of him, anxiety creeping in. "What's with this giant mantis?" he muttered, unable to make sense of the scene.
Suddenly, the voice in his head, spoke up.
"Notice, this is the Mantis Queen, the queen of all mantises who dwells in the dungeon."
Renji's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Wait, so are saying it's my mom or something?"
Voice… "Exactly."
Renji's mind reeled. Seriously? Am I really a mantis now?
As his gaze swept over the area, he noticed that all the eggs had hatched, and the other mantises were gathering. His initial shock gave way to rising alarm.
"Wait, what are they gathering for? What's going on? Is something about to happen?"
Before he could react, one of the mantises lunged forward, using its spiked forelegs to slice off the head of another mantis. The air was soon filled with the frantic cries of mantises. The giant mantis let out a deafening screech, and the others began attacking each other, severing limbs and heads in a frenzy of violence.
Renji's heart raced as he attempted to flee. But the mantises were relentless. They turned on him, forcing him to dodge and weave between their deadly strikes.
"What's going on?" Renji cried out in desperation, his voice filled with panic.
Voice echoed coolly in his mind.
"Notice, in this world when mantises are hatched, they are tasked to kill each other off until the last one stands. The last one standing becomes the chosen mantis of the mantises. The chosen mantis then evolve"
Renji's horror morphed into stubborn resolve. "Wait, chosen mantis? What do you mean, chosen mantis? I don't want to be some kind of chosen mantis, that's… that's freaky!"
As he tried to find an escape, a memory sparked in his mind—the powers he had gained when he was dying.
"Hey, AI voice thingy!" he called out.
Voice answered calmly, "Um I'm not AI voice thingy, you can call me SOL."
Renji gritted his teeth. "Okay, SOL, how do I use my abilities? How do I get out of this mess?"
"Notice, since you were thinking so smartly before, saying stuff, pretending not to know you gain abilities just by thinking about them, your abilities have been locked. Now, you must battle to unlock them. Your abilities will remain sealed until you prove yourself in battle."
Renji's determination turned to frustration. "What do you mean, locked away? So, I have to fight to unlock my abilities?"
"Notice, yes. If you don't fight, then no abilities. Running away will only result in your death."
Renji took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Seriously? Then I have no choice but to fight."
With a fierce determination burning in his chest, Renji charged into the battle, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Renji's eyes widened as he gazed out at the swarm of mantises, their powerful wings beating rapidly as they clashed mid-air. The battle before him was chaos incarnate, mantises darting through the air with deadly precision. Renji, on the other hand, still had his wings folded against his back, soft and underdeveloped.
A wave of intimidation washed over him. He felt small in comparison to the fierce fighters. His instinct told him to stay out of the fray, but there was no hiding from the reality of the situation. His mind raced, searching for a plan.
In the midst of the turmoil, Renji spotted a small crevice between two large rocks, hidden just enough to offer a potential refuge. Without hesitation, he scurried towards it, his legs moving faster than he ever imagined they could.
As he nestled into his hiding spot, SOL's voice rang in his mind. "Wait, aren't you going to join the battle? Why are you hiding?"
Renji smirked, though there was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Seriously? You're supposed to be the intelligent one, right? Let me break this down for you. In a battle royale, the last one standing will be exhausted, barely able to defend themselves. A weak person can sneak up and strike when they're at their most vulnerable. It's strategy, SOL—survival of the fittest."
SOL's voice faltered, unsure. "Um… I'm not really following you."
Renji exhaled slowly, his gaze never leaving the scene in front of him. "Let me explain it clearly. I'll wait until the battle is over. When only one mantis is left, they'll be worn out, and I'll just… well, I'll take my chance then. Is that so hard to understand?"
For a long moment, SOL remained silent, then finally spoke up,
"Hm. I can't tell if you're being smart or just being a coward. But okay, I guess we'll wait and see."
Renji relaxed slightly, though he couldn't let his guard down entirely. This battle was far from over.
"Oh, and one more thing,"
SOL added, almost as an afterthought. "Now that you're reborn as a new being, you don't have a name anymore."
Renji blinked, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean I don't have a name?"
"Monsters don't have names in this world," SOL explained with the same calm tone. "You've crossed into a new world, and now you must be named anew. You'll need a name if you wanna survive this dungeon."
Renji's heart skipped a beat. "A dungeon?"
The reality of his situation settled in deeper. He wasn't just in a strange world—he was trapped in a dungeon. He hadn't even begun to figure out how to get out of this place, and now he had to find a new identity? His mind raced, but there was little time to think.
Just then, Renji peeked out from his hiding spot, his eyes scanning the battle below. The mantises were slowing down, their movements more sluggish. Finally, the last one standing—one of the larger, more vicious mantises—let out a triumphant screech. It was over.
Renji's eyes narrowed, a spark of determination flaring in his chest. He couldn't afford to waste this opportunity. The survivor was exhausted, barely holding it together. This is my chance.
"I wouldn't lose this for the world," Renji muttered to himself, his resolve hardening. His next move was critical, and he knew exactly what he had to do.
As Renji crept towards the last mantis standing, he realized, "Wait... I can't fly." The towering creature loomed before him, its immense size and ferocity sending a chill through his body.
Renji glanced down at his forelegs, now transformed into sharp, scythe-like appendages.
"Wait these things aren't exactly hands so I can't call em that, they're more like 'scythes', well I guess I'll name em that then."
Though he couldn't shake the feeling that they were insufficient. "This is my only weapon," he thought. "But is it enough to bring that down?"
The mantis, a massive beast compared to Renji's small form, stood like a mountain of sharp edges. Renji's mind raced, his thoughts clouded with doubt. "Why is it that all the other mantises were born so strong, and yet here I am, so weak? Aren't I supposed to be lucky or something, so why was I born this Weak?"
His gaze shifted to the lifeless bodies of the others—each one different, yet all belonging to the same terrifying species. "Wait... how can one mantis give birth to so many different species of mantis? This doesn't make sense."
Renji's thoughts spiraled as he turned back to face the final mantis. His helymph pounded, and a tight knot formed in his stomach. "Wait... SOL, did any of my abilities remained after they were locked?"
Helymph=mantis heart (fictional word) can say heart anytime.
The mantis shifted again, its eyes fixed on Renji like a predator stalking its prey. A wave of panic washed over him. How could I possibly defeat this?
That's when it hit him—adrenaline. A surge of energy surged through his veins, and his thoughts sharpened. "No. I can't give up. I've come this far. I can do this." His helymph beat faster, every muscle primed for action. The fear and doubt faded into the background as his body readied itself for the fight.
Just then, SOL's voice echoed in his mind, sharp and steady, cutting through the panic. "Your scythes... they're your best shot. The only thing that remains is your ability to cut through anything. But it's not as powerful in your weak state right now."
Renji's breath caught, the adrenaline making him feel lightheaded. "Really? But... how can I even tell if I can cut through it?"
SOL's voice, unwavering, answered him. "If you can touch it, I can analyze whether you can cut through it. But you need to survive long enough for me to finish analyzing it."
Renji steadied himself, adrenaline coursing through him. His pulse quickened, but his mind was clear. Slowly, carefully, he inched forward, each step a calculated risk. His scythes, now raised in a defensive position, glinted in the light as he reached out to touch the mantis's hard exoskeleton.
The moment his scythes made contact, the mantis snapped into action, its forelegs flashing toward Renji's head like a deadly strike of lightning. Adrenaline surged again, and Renji's instincts took over. He ducked, just barely avoiding the razor-sharp limbs that threatened to decapitate him.
Heart racing, Renji bolted, desperate to escape the mantis's lethal pursuit. Each step felt like a struggle, his mind and body reacting purely on adrenaline. But the mantis was faster—its speed was almost impossible to keep up with.
Then, out of nowhere, SOL's calm voice cut through the chaos. "If you strike right between its neck and body, you might be able to take it down."
Renji's helymph pounded in his chest, but adrenaline made his thoughts sharp. "How? It's too fast! I can't even keep up!"
"Trust yourself," SOL replied, his voice a steady anchor amidst the storm of emotions. "Focus. When it comes at you, turn. Raise your scythes, and strike on the count of three."
Renji closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, drawing in a shaky breath. The adrenaline felt like fire in his hemolymph. I can do this. I have to.
Hemolymph=mantis blood.
The mantis lunged again, its forelegs aimed directly for his head. The beast was almost upon him, but Renji was ready.
"Three."
His scythes tensed.
"Two."
Renji's scythes rose, his body honed by adrenaline and focus.
"Now!"
With everything he had, Renji swung his scythes, aiming for the spot between the mantis's neck and body. His attack was fueled by a flash of clarity, the rush of adrenaline making him feel faster, sharper, stronger. The scythes sliced through the mantis's thick exoskeleton with ease, severing its head in one clean strike.
Renji stood there, gasping for air, his mantis body trembling from the exertion, but his heart still raced, the pulse of adrenaline echoing in his veins(through his wings). The mantis's massive form crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
He stared down at the fallen beast, emotions swirling within him—victory, relief, and something else. Did I really just do that? The adrenaline was starting to fade, and the weight of what had just happened began to settle in. He had won.
CHAPTER ENDS.