Chương 61: The Winged Guards

As the armed flying ants descended, Tereza loosened an arrow that split midair into dozens of small green projectiles, raining down over the incoming swarm, and not a moment later, she nocked another arrow, which shone silver and effortlessly headshot one of the furthest ants. The healer stabbed her staff into the ground and raised a large six-meter radius of light that pulsed softly, increasing the defenses and healing of anyone standing within it.

Maximus stood still with staff in hand and activated Dread Hollow, sprouting thorny tendrils all around him and then pouring spirit into them to expand their size through his Grow skill, a trick he had figured out in his prior fight. He left the tendrils to attack automatically while Sprout sank into the ground and began commanding them with quiet precision.

Silex and Vesper shot down any ants descending towards Maximus while Lennox crouched, emerald light gathering around his lower body as he exploded into the air and spun with his massive greatsword in hand, and as he spun, steel chains erupted from his blade, enveloping the incoming ants and pulling them into his strike mid-spin. The ants tried to stab and parry his attacks, but he was too strong for them, and their madness left little room for coordinated movement or strategy.

Maximus stood still while launching Wind Spears and assisting Tereza with precise sniping, while Sprout pulled down and crushed any unlucky remaining ants, squeezing the life from them as the battlefield steadily cleared. You have defeated: [Bronze Scourge Slasher Ant Lv. 29] x 13 Talent Points gained: +2 Battle Tokens earned: 230 Lennox descended and exhaled as the last ant fell.

"Truly a druid," he said as he observed Maximus's domain of thorny bramble tendrils.

"Reminds me of the Bramble Zone in the Wildlands," he added.

"You passed there as well?" Maximus questioned.

"No, we did not," Jane cut in.

"I just heard about it," Lennox muttered.

"Say, Red, we work great together; that ability of yours covers me nicely while I heal. How about you join us permanently? You can even join my family's guild once we are done with the trials," Jane said cheerfully.

"Apologies, but I'm not looking for a guild for now," Maximus said, but added, "Though having friends is never bothersome. Right?" He smiled gently at the woman, making her blush slightly.

"Look at you, Red, real smooth talker," she laughed.

"I don't mind having strong friends either." She winked back. Lennox furrowed his brow and stepped in.

"Alright, enough of chitchat. This was the outer defense squad. We should be ready for the guards and the queen."

"Indeed, Queen Ants usually do have guards protecting the queen; heavens know how strong these will be," Maximus nodded.

"Haha, look at him talk like an old man.

'Heavens know,'" Jane chuckled, while Tereza smiled in amusement as well. Maximus slightly frowned. I should remember to talk more simply. Silly Maximus, he thought, then laughed.

"Just something I've picked up."

"Let's go. We don't need to be friends to work together," Lennox responded coldly and moved toward the large tunnel leading into the next chamber. Meanwhile, Sprout used the remaining tendrils to gather the surrounding cores for Maximus.

"Thanks, buddy. He has no idea what he is talking about," Maximus smiled and patted Sprout on the head.

"He is usually easier to talk to. I have no idea why he is all moody now." Jane waited for Maximus and started complaining, while Tereza ran toward Vesper and summoned a small roasted chicken she had obviously just bought.

"Boss, is it fine if I eat this?" Vesper asked.

"Certainly. She seems to like you," Maximus smiled.

"Hey, where is my chicken? Max, you bastard, feed me!" Silex roared. Maximus sighed and bought two chickens for Silex.

"Here, you get two since you are a big baby," Maximus chuckled while Silex devoured them without even saying thank you.

"That croc is cute, but it seems to be overly aggressive. Always growling," Jane whispered to Maximus.

"He is just spoiled. Don't mind him," Maximus shook his head in amusement. They slowly moved into the bigger chamber, this time fighting another swarm of ants, a mix of flying armed ones and heavily armored workers. Maximus released Lunar Flare, following it with Javelins, while Vesper and Silex dove into the ground forces, Vesper summoning his pack to assist.

Lennox observed Maximus and his party as he cleaved through the enemies forcefully, each swing heavy and decisive, while any damage he received, Jane healed promptly, layering in slowing debuffs onto the ants. Like that, they cleared the other room easily. You have defeated: [Bronze Scourge Slasher Ant Lv. 29] x 10 You have defeated: [Bronze Scourge Armored Ant Lv. 29] x 16 Talent Points gained: +2 Battle Tokens earned: 520"Just how many skills do you have?" Lennox walked up to Maximus, clearly intrigued.

"A couple. Not as strong as yours, though," Maximus smiled. He barely uses any skills; he mostly buffs his body. Each swing of that blade is as strong as my Solar Pyre head-on, Maximus thought, quietly scanning Lennox.

"Simple strengthening skills. Nothing fancy like calling down fire from the skies," Lennox shrugged.

"Well then, let's recover our resources before we move on," he added.

"Indeed, I sense six strong ants in the other room, probably the guards," Maximus noted as he scanned the next chamber with focus.

"More important to be on our best footing then!" Lennox nodded and took out a blue potion, chugging it in one go. Maximus swallowed a few seeds before taking out parts of the centipede and feeding Vesper and Silex.

"What is that?" Jane asked, eyeing the meat skeptically.

"Centipede meat. Want to try?" Maximus offered casually. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"Ewww, disgusting. No, thank you!" She gagged and sat next to Tereza, taking out a small sandwich instead.

"Boss, we are close to my revenge; I can smell it!" Vesper growled as he ate.

"Just be calm; nothing good will come from fighting in rage. Keep your focus, and we will end this plague." Maximus patted his head reassuringly.

"Silex, you as well. No rushing headfirst. You are sturdy, but who knows what can happen. Stay on guard!"

"Don't worry, Max; I've been burned enough times already. Silex is a careful croc from now on!" Silex muttered, though his tone still held some pride. The two separate groups rested for half an hour or so before entering the next room, fully on guard.

Before the ragtag group stood six humanoid ants, with wings like cloaks draping down their backs. Their limbs were sharply clawed, their exoskeleton more copper than bronze, making them look as if the years had rusted them. On their heads, large antennae swayed while their mandibles looked more like cruel pincers, snapping violently at the sight of the group. Maximus shifted into a crimson werewolf form, to Jane's surprise, while Tereza snuck closer to him and started petting his arm, smiling softly.

Maximus gave her a confused look before he summoned Embi.

"This is my fire spirit; don't attack it. He will give us his blessings!" Maximus warned as Embi increased everyone's overall power by ten percent and enchanted their weapons with fire. He pulled out Sprout's Devourer puppet, which he instantly fully merged with, becoming one as thick, heavy vines sprouted from its trunk. Lennox observed the druid and frowned before his body lit up with emerald runes, his arms growing more muscular as he exploded forward like a raging beast.

The ants rose into the air, three descending over Lennox while the other three split between Maximus and the ladies.

"Vesper, Silex, protect the healer!" Maximus ordered as he cast Cyclone Shell over Lennox and enhanced Barkskin over his red fur. As soon as he noticed the barrier of winds rise around him, Lennox smiled for a brief moment before sending a horizontal slash into the ants. Their armored bodies took the attack head-on before slashing into the barrier, which held for a few seconds before they burrowed through and clawed across Lennox's armored chest.

Sprout bound the incoming ant swiftly and effectively while Maximus lunged, raising an earthen wall before Lennox and releasing Spore Cloud, pulling him backward and leaving Sprout and Vesper's clone to deal with the single ant at the rear.

"Don't breathe in those spores," Maximus warned before summoning down Solar Pyre. The beam of scorching light descended over the wall and struck the three momentarily pinned ants. The insects held strong, their exoskeletons seeming resistant to the flames, but their wings crumbled under the heat.

"They've taken some damage, and they cannot fly any longer. Let us move in!" Maximus commanded, summoning his falchion and layering Static Strike and Lesser Wind Enhancement over the fire while pouring his spirit into it. The blade shone, generating an energy edge that elongated its reach and power as Maximus burst forward, vaulting over the stone wall.

"Aura Blade?" Lennox muttered before following closely behind.

Meanwhile, Tereza ran alongside the chamber's circular wall as she shot arrows at the agile ant, which dodged them effortlessly before spitting poison in retaliation. Her body glowed a deeper green as her speed increased, allowing her to evade the attacks even as she fired another precise volley of arrows. The ant dove low and twisted to dodge, only for the arrows to make a sharp U-turn and follow behind it relentlessly.

The ant sensed danger and turned, only for Tereza to fire a lightning arrow that struck its thorax and shattered its wings. As the insect fell, the homing arrows pierced its chest and pinned it to the ground, screeching and writhing. As she released another set of arrows, Jane screamed in the back as Silex and Vesper fought off the other ant.

Vesper summoned thick, blood-red chains, wrapping around the insect's body and dragging it toward the ground while Silex used Surf to charge into it with the full force of water's might and bit into its thorax. As he bit down, he groaned and released Echo Crunch at point-blank range, following it with Aqua Jet while still clamping onto the ant, which continued to claw wildly at Silex's head. The dual skills at point-blank range cleaved the ant in half, showering all three of them in thick, green, viscous blood.

Jane screamed in disgust as she hurriedly healed Silex's wounds.

"Damn this bug, too tough to chew," Silex complained as bright light descended over him, sealing the slash marks across his head. He turned to Jane and nodded.

"Thanks! Shame I cannot eat you. You look soft and gooey!" Silex muttered as Vesper shook his head and lunged forward to help Sprout and his clone, who were fighting the third ant on their side with Embi's support.

Sprout dragged the ant down, but it kept tearing through the vines, forcing Sprout to waste spirit as he continuously regrew them. Meanwhile, Vesper's clone bit into its leg and pulled violently, trying to rip it off, yet the limb held as if it were fused in place. Embi, on the other hand, maintained three blazing fireballs spinning around him as he fired them one after another like a small burning machine gun.

"Spirits, hang in there!" Vesper shouted as he howled mid-lunge, boosting all his allies in the area while weakening the ants. As he landed, he spat a thick beam of blood-like mana that struck the ant in the chest and drove it into the wall before following up with two large, pulsating globes that slammed into it, head-on, and detonated, shattering its armor and upper body.

In the front, Lennox and Maximus released a flurry of wind-laced slashes that cleaved through the wingless ants with precision and raw power. Maximus noticed that the more he swung, the more his body moved in tune with nature, flowing simply yet powerfully, each motion effortless and refined. His blade, with every strike, seemed to restore a faint sense of equilibrium within the ants' twisted bodies, dulling their madness ever so slightly.

And as their eyes finally lost their frenzied shine, Maximus could have sworn he saw a hint of gratitude. Next to him, however, Lennox roared, his body expanding in size as he cleaved down like a wrathful god.

"Die, monster!" he bellowed as he split both remaining ants in half along with the ground beneath them. As the ants fell apart, the massive weapon slipped from his grip and crashed onto the ground with a heavy thud, while he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"You are pushing yourself too hard!" Maximus warned, stepping forward.

"Leave me be! I know what I'm doing!" the man grunted and dropped to one knee to rest, just as Tereza killed the last screaming ant. Skill Leveled Up: [Barkskin (F) Level 20] You have defeated: [Bronze Scourge Guard Lv. 30] x 6 Talent Points gained: +4 Battle Tokens earned: 1500 Maximus put the skill aside as he cast Rejuvenation: Focused Treatment on the man's broad back. He noticed clearly that the skill's toll had settled heavily into his body.

The green light flowed into Lennox as the pain slowly faded, and he rose.

"Thank you," he said simply. Maximus nodded and shifted back into his human form.

"I'll take three cores; you take three, fair?" Lennox nodded and went to check on Jane. He does seem like an honest type, even heroic, but he is too reckless, Maximus thought.

"Everyone fine?" he asked his spirits and beasts.

"We are good here, boss," Vesper answered, spitting out a skill stone.

"The one Sprout fought dropped this." Maximus nodded and stored the stone for now.

"Silex, what about you?"

"Good… Almost lost a tooth…" the croc complained.

"Alright, crybaby. Let us go recover and make our plans for the big ant mother," he sighed heavily and went to sit with the other group. This time, more than ever, they would have to work together to take down the source of all of this. ‎