The dead Crawleroids twitched. Their severed limbs dragged themselves back, bones snapping into place.
Some were still headless, their necks bubbling as new skulls formed. Others had half-grown legs, jerking awkwardly as they tried to stand.
Ben tightened his grip on his bow. His throat felt dry. "They're still coming back…"
"What the hell is this?" Putol muttered. He swallowed hard as a Crawleroid's twisted spine cracked into place.
Belga's laughter echoed through the cavern. He curled his claws, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you," he said mockingly. "They're unkillable, and so am I."
He feigned disappointment. "Such a shame. I was actually impressed for a moment." He sighed dramatically. "Too bad. You all chose death."
One of the regenerating Crawleroids let out a horrible gurgling sound. Its half-formed mouth twitched as if trying to bite, but its jaw wasn't fully attached yet. All of its eyes were missing, the socket pulsing as a new one grew in its place.
Ben cursed under his breath, reaching for an arrow, only to find his quiver nearly empty. He gritted his teeth. "I'm down to two shots."
Nai's breathing grew ragged. His fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white. "We're dead meat."
Putol let out a hollow chuckle. "Nah… worse. We're scraps." His smile faded. "Honestly… it's been an honor fighting with you all."
Ben shook his head fiercely. "No. We find another way."
Putol scoffed, wiping blood from his forehead. "Another way? What, we politely ask them to stay dead?" He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "We need a damn miracle."
"Yeah," Nai muttered. "How do you kill something that refuses to die?"
He stared at the regenerating monsters. "We can't fight forever. We're lucky we're still alive."
Hopelessness showed on their faces.
"Can you guys shut up?!"
Aiah snapped, forcing fire into her palm despite her exhaustion. The flames flickered weakly, her energy nearly drained, but she refused to give up.
But before she could attack, Isaac grabbed her wrist. The fire vanished instantly.
"Save it," he said.
Aiah looked at him, puzzled, as did the others.
Isaac ignored their confusion and stepped forward, his gaze locked on Belga.
Behind them, nearly a hundred Crawleroids were regenerating, their monstrous forms more grotesque than before.
Belga smirked. "That's right. Come to me. I'll prepare the best cocoon sack for you."
Isaac's lips curled into a smirk of his own. A thick, dark smoke seeped from his eyes, giving him a hellish appearance.
He whispered, "Swarm Authority."
The system notification flashed in his vision.
[Summon Swarm? Y/N]
"Yes."
Belga's smirk stayed, but his eyes narrowed. "Huh?"
Then...
A distant buzzing filled the cave.
It grew louder. The walls trembled. The air vibrated with an ominous hum.
Belga's smirk faltered, his brows knitting together as he glanced toward the entrance.
A shadow flickered across his face as a single locust flew in and landed on Isaac's shoulder.
Tiny.
'Sorry, master,' Tiny's voice echoed in Isaac's mind. 'I blacked out earlier. Got dizzy. But I felt the summon and came back.'
Belga stared. Then he burst into laughter.
"Haha! That? That's your big move? A little pest?"
Isaac didn't respond. His smirk widened. The dark smoke in his eyes thickened, making him look even more devilish.
[Command is required.]
Isaac took a breath, then spoke one word.
"Devour."
The buzzing intensified.
The ground rumbled. The darkness beyond the cave entrance shifted.
Then they came.
A tidal wave of locusts flooded in, hundreds of thousands of them.
Their bodies shimmered black under the cavern's dim light, a churning storm of wings and hunger.
Their collective screeches merged into a monstrous roar, shaking the walls as they surged forward."
Belga's smirk disappeared.
The swarm crashed into the Crawleroids like a living avalanche. The monsters screeched, their cries swallowed by the deafening buzz.
The locusts clung to them like living chains, digging into their regenerating flesh, gnawing their way inside. Their bodies swelled and twitched as if something beneath their skin was trying to crawl out.
Even the mutated ones with reinforced exoskeletons were no match for the relentless hunger. In seconds, they were drowning in a sea of wings and teeth.
"Damn… this is way worse than last time," Putol muttered, eyes wide.
Nai, still sitting in a daze, stared at the chaos. "Their entire bodies… they're completely covered."
Crawleroids thrashed, but it was futile. The swarm moved like a single entity, an unstoppable tide of hunger.
Belga took a step back. "Impossible..."
Isaac's voice cut through the chaos. "There's something you don't know, Belga."
Belga's head snapped toward him, fear creeping into his eyes.
"You're not the only one who can command."
As if in response, the swarm pulsed, glowing faintly in synchronization. The locusts moved faster, stronger, more precise.
Belga curled his claws. His perfect plan was crumbling before his eyes.
Isaac turned his head to Ben and Putol. "Get Mira and find the captives."
Ben pushed himself up, gripping his bow, while Putol gave a firm nod. Without hesitation, they moved toward where Mira was hiding.
Seeing them approach, Mira stepped out from behind a rock. Without a word, the three quickly set off to search for the captives.
Then Isaac turned to Aiah and Nai. "Burn all the cocoons," he ordered Aiah. She tightened her fists, flames flickering to life in her palms.
His eyes then met Nai's. "And chop them up."
Nai blinked, then smirked as he tightened his grip on his massive chopping knife.
Isaac smiled.
Nai grinned back.
No more words were needed.
Both nodded and rushed into action.
As Aiah stepped forward, she stole one last glance at Isaac. She still wasn't sure whether what she saw in him was a good sign or a bad one.
But amidst the chaos, she felt something she hadn't before… confidence. A surge of newfound strength coursed through her veins.
The notification system flashed again in Isaac's vision.
[Warning: Energy Level 30%]
It didn't matter.
Isaac took another step forward, his smoking eyes locking onto Belga.
"Now… let's see if you're truly unkillable."