The carriage rolled along the winding mountain road, surrounded by vibrant forests that seemed to stretch on forever. The view was nothing short of stunning.
Cael stared out the window, his mind drifting. The scenery here was far more beautiful than the towering buildings he was used to. Just as he was losing himself in the beauty of nature, a massive shadow suddenly appeared in the sky.
" It's... it's the exotic beasts!" Lilith, sitting across from him, also spotted the shadow and screamed.
Exotic beasts? Cael's heart skipped a beat. He narrowed his eyes, fixating on the dark shape.
The shadow was massive and suffocating. As Cael looked closer, he realized it was a swarm of insects!
The sheer number of them was terrifying, dense like a black cloud, rushing straight toward the carriage.
"It's the Boltstinger!"
Vesper suddenly sprang to his feet, his body tensing as he leaned out the window.
"It's the Boltstinger! And there are so many! We're finished!"
Rowan, sitting next to Cael, turned to the window, his voice filled with panic.
"I've never seen so many Boltstingers!" Lilith's voice was tinged with fear.
"Why are we running into Boltstingers here? What do we do now?!" Rowan's panic was growing, his voice growing more frantic.
"Calm down!"
Vesper snapped back into his seat, took a deep breath, and then quickly turned toward the coachman outside:
"Maxwell! Speed up! Activate Static Shield and protect yourself and the horses!"
"Understood!" came the quick response from the coachman.
The Boltstinger, resembles a giant bee, but it is much larger. About the size of a child's fist, its body is covered in a tough exoskeleton that gleams with a metallic sheen, ranging from dark gray to black, with occasional flashes of blue electrical sparks.
Its most dangerous part is its long stinger. It looks like a bee's barb but is longer, sharper, and composed of a solid electric-conducting material. The tip crackles with bright blue electricity.
When it attacks, the stinger releases a powerful surge of electricity, capable of piercing through shields and causing severe burns and nerve paralysis.
Boltstingers were commonly seen around Voltwood Village, making them one of the more familiar exotic beasts.
Normally, they were solitary creatures, occasionally appearing in small groups of three or five. But a massive swarm—like the one before them—was unheard of.
The atmosphere inside the carriage grew heavy with tension.
Yet, the carriage continued at a steady pace, moving smoothly forward. Fortunately, the coachman remained calm under pressure.
Cael turned back to the window, his heart pounding. The Boltstingers were getting closer. He could see them clearly now—he saw their transparent blue wings like membranes, and their deep blue eyes.
As they drew closer, Cael was stunned to see virtual screens appear beside them, displaying their system information:
[Name: Boltstinger]
[Beast Lineage: Thunderbeastis]
[Elemental Species: Skyvolt Stingers]
The "Energy Value" for each one varied—some had around 10 VT, while others reached up to 100 VT.
It was unbelievable—these exotic beasts had system data just like humans!
Not only did they belong to an elemental species, but they even had energy values!
This was Cael's first time coming face-to-face with these beasts, and his nerves were more on edge than when he'd sparred with Sebastian in the village hall.
He had known about the existence of such creatures in this world, but seeing them up close was another matter entirely. Fear welled up from the depths of his soul—raw, instinctive, and impossible to suppress.
He felt utterly powerless against the overwhelming fear.
When he first arrived in this world and discovered he had a system—a "cheat" that could change everything—he had believed himself to be the protagonist. He thought he was invincible, certain that no challenge would be too great for him to handle.
But when faced with real danger, Cael quickly realized that reality was far more complicated than he had imagined.
Confronted with these terrifying creatures—exotic beasts that didn't exist in his world—he could only feel pure fear. His mind went completely blank.
It wasn't just Cael. Both Rowan and Lilith seemed utterly frozen. They sat frozen, panic written all over their faces, unable to move or even think clearly.
Thankfully, Vesper managed to take control of the situation. He swiftly pulled down the curtain on the window, then turned to issue a command to the coachman outside:
"Maxwell! Steer clear of the Boltstingers' path!"
"Mr. Vesper, we don't have a choice! They're heading straight for us!" The coachman's panicked shout came from outside the carriage.
Vesper's brows furrowed deeply, but he didn't hesitate.
He quickly bent down, grabbing a package from the leather bag on the carriage floor. With practiced ease, he unwrapped it and handed the weapon to Lilith, his voice steady and commanding:
"Miss, take your weapon! Protect yourself!"
Just then, Cael saw that what he was holding was a golden whip, and next to the whip, the system information was displayed:
[Name: Voltwhip]
[Elemental Affinity: Lightning]
[Energy Level: Basic Weapon - Rare - Level 5]
Even the weapon has system information?! Cael was astonished.
But in that moment, Cael had no time to process the information. His mind was entirely focused on the imminent danger.
"You two! Prepare for battle! Use everything you've got!" Vesper commanded, his voice steady and forceful.
Before he could finish, Cael suddenly felt the carriage shudder violently, as if it had been slammed by a massive beast.
"They're here!" The coachman yelled from outside.
"Bang—"
The carriage was struck again, shaking violently with the impact.
Through the fluttering curtains, Cael's heart skipped a beat as he saw what was outside.
Outside the carriage, countless exotic beasts were swarming, their bodies crackling with blue lightning and a metallic sheen. They were attacking in perfect formation, charging all at once—like a pack of wild beasts slamming into the carriage!
At that moment, two or three Boltstingers flew through the gap in the curtains, startling everyone inside the carriage!
A flash of lightning streaked through the air, hitting the Boltstingers. Their bodies were instantly knocked down by the electrical surge, and the air filled with the scent of burning as wisps of smoke rose from their scorched forms.
It was Vesper who had unleashed the "Spark Bolt"!
He turned to Cael and Lilith, sitting by the window, and gave a low command: "Hold the curtains! Don't let them in!"
Without hesitation, Cael and Lilith grabbed the edges of the curtains, straining to seal the window shut.
But the flimsy curtains were utterly useless!
The Boltstingers kept crashing into the carriage, shaking it violently. They could barely hold their ground. Worse still, the thin, paper-like curtains couldn't stop the creatures' relentless assault!
It seemed the Boltstingers had spotted the carriage's weakness. One after another, they slammed into the curtains. In no time, the fabric tore open!
The curtains were quickly shredded, the tear widening with each hit, more and more cracks appearing.
In the blink of an eye, several Boltstingers flew into the carriage!
"Ah—!"
"Ouch!"
Both Rowan and Cael were stung by the Boltstingers' sharp tail spikes.
Cael felt a sharp pain and numbness spreading from the sting, the electric current racing through his body, sending waves of pain.
Almost at the same moment, Vesper quickly raised a Static Shield, enveloping himself and Lilith inside.
"Get over here!" he shouted.
Without a second thought, Cael and Rowan rushed into the shield, the surface crackling with electrical energy.
Through the shield, Cael saw the Boltstingers continue to slam against the barrier. Each impact sent sparks of electricity flashing across the shield.
"Crack—Crack—Crack—"
The constant crackle of electricity echoed in their ears. The energy of the barrier was visibly draining with each strike. The once-bright flashes of lightning began to dim, and it felt like the shield could collapse at any second.
A few Boltstingers slammed into the shield and dropped to the ground, lifeless.
Vesper acted fast, unleashing another Static Shield in an instant.
At the same time, Lilith whipped her weapon toward one of the Boltstingers. The lash hit its tough metallic shell with a sharp crack, causing the creature to lose its balance and fall to the ground.
Lilith continued to lash her whip, knocking down several more Boltstingers with quick, fluid movements.
But just then, the impacts from outside grew more intense! Each hit felt like it could flip the entire carriage over!
With a sudden, violent jolt, the carriage tilted dangerously! One side of the vehicle lifted off the ground, the wheels scraping along the dirt and leaving deep ruts behind.
"Mr. Vesper! The outside can't hold much longer! I need help!" the coachman yelled from outside.
Vesper paused for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. Then, in a calm voice, he turned to Cael: "You! Go outside and help!"
"But... how do I get out?" Cael's voice was tinged with confusion. He knew the carriage had been attacked too badly to open safely.
With his right hand still raised in a shield-casting gesture, Vesper suddenly bent his left arm and slammed his elbow hard into the side of the carriage!
The wooden side of the carriage groaned under the impact, and with a loud crack, a big hole was torn through it!
Cael peered through the gap and saw the coachman outside urgently raising his Static Shield while skillfully steering the horses.
There was no time to think. Cael scrambled through the hole, his mind going blank. Faced with life or death, nothing registered—only the raw, instinctive will to survive remained.
As the carriage rocked violently, Cael barely managed to squeeze out.
He quickly took a seat beside the coachman, gripping the nearby railing with both hands. His body was tossed around with each bump, his heart pounding wildly.
"What should I do?" Cael turned to the coachman and asked.
It was then that he truly saw the coachman for the first time.
The young man had black hair, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a solid, muscular build.
Alongside the sudden appearance of the system information, Cael read:
[Name: Maxwell Swiftstream]
[Elemental Clan: Elemental-Hybrid]
[Energy Level: 7,845 VT]
Elemental-Hybrid!
Elemental-Hybrid...?
7,845 VT!
7,845 VT...?
Cael took a quick glance at his system screen and was immediately stunned. A surge of questions flooded his mind.
But with the situation growing more urgent by the second, there was no time for him to dwell on it.
Without the safety of the carriage cabin, their situation was becoming even more perilous!
"Listen to me!" Maxwell shouted, his hands steady on the reins as he continuously summoned shields to block the relentless attacks:
"You need to find their Queen Stinger!"
"There are too many of them! We can't keep up with the Static Shields! If this goes on, we'll be exhausted, and then we're finished!"
He paused for a moment, his gaze sharp:
"With so many Boltstingers, there has to be a Queen Stinger! It's their leader! You need to find it!"
"How do I find it?" Cael asked quickly, his nerves making his voice shaky and rushed.
"Observe! The Queen Stinger looks just like the others, but there should be some differences! Though, I've never encountered this before, so I have no idea what it actually looks like!" Maxwell said urgently, his voice filled with anxiety.
Observe? In a situation like this? We're not in a lab!
Cael froze, his mind going blank as he struggled to grasp the task at hand.
He refocused on the swarm of Boltstingers.
The more he looked, the more he noticed that they all seemed identical—each moving with perfect coordination, no deviation in their movements. There didn't appear to be any that stood out from the rest.
How could he find the Queen Stinger?
Wait! The system!
A sudden idea flashed in Cael's mind, and his eyes lit up.
The Queen Stinger must have the highest energy value! If he could check their energy values through the system, he would be able to pinpoint the leader.
He felt a brief surge of excitement at his idea, but then his brow furrowed.
The problem was that the system's virtual screen didn't stay on all the time!
From his previous experiences, he knew it only appeared when he first encountered a target, or when there was a significant fluctuation in a target's energy value.
"Come on, come on! System! Show me!" Cael urgently tried to communicate with the system through his thoughts.
"System! Please help me!"