The clang of mandibles echoed across the fortress.
Nyra stepped into the advancing grasshoppers. Dozens surrounded her, each wielding mandibles in all four hands.
Their weapons came from every direction.
Nyra ducked beneath the first strike. Her mandible swept across his chest.
"Gaahhh!"
He staggered backward as blood sprayed across the stone. Nyra spun, deflecting two blades before striking another opponent across the torso.
She darted between the attackers. Grasshoppers stumbled as their weapons clattered to the ground.
Screams echoed through the fortress.
Blood splashed across Nyra's cheek.
Her expression remained blank.
More enemies charged.
Nyra moved.
Arlena and Leon fought back-to-back.
Leon weaved between the grasshoppers' strikes. He ducked beneath a mandible, twisted aside from another, and slashed upward. His blade struck the grasshopper's exoskeleton with a sharp crack.
Beside him, Arlena clashed with a grasshopper.
Their mandibles collided repeatedly. Arlena shifted her grip, caught his weapon against hers, and drove her blade through his upper limbs. His mandible slipped from his hand.
She kicked him squarely in the chest.
He crashed into the stone floor.
Ivan strode toward Arlena and Leon.
A grasshopper charged him, raising its mandibles.
Ivan swung his cleaver-like weapon.
Shink!
The grasshopper was knocked off its feet, its body tumbling across the stone floor.
Ivan followed with another swing.
Three grasshoppers raised their mandibles to block the attack.
The impact shattered their weapons. The force sent all three flying backward into the fortress wall.
Dust scattered across in the air.
Ivan rested his mandible on his shoulder. His gaze shifted toward the remaining grasshoppers.
"To think your kind have the warlord ruling this region. Don't make me laugh. Compared to locusts, you're nothing."
"Who the hell are these monsters?!"
A grasshopper stumbled backward, his mandibles clutched tightly in his hands.
No way! How are they taking us down this easily?!
The corner of Ivan's mouth curled upward.
"Name's Ivan. General of Queen Helena's colony."
The grasshoppers froze.
"A General?!"
"Isn't there anyone in this fortress strong enough to give me a decent fight?!" Ivan said.
Heavy footsteps shook the fortress floor.
A giant grasshopper pushed through the ranks, towering over the others.
"Look! It's Behemoth!"
The grasshoppers erupted into cheers.
Ivan tilted his head upward.
"I'll crush you!" Behemoth roared. His voice echoed through the stone halls. "Your blood will paint this place!"
Ivan's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Well, aren't you a big, strong fella?"
Arlena's brow furrowed.
"Are you sure you can take him, Ivan?"
Nyra stepped forward, blood streaking her mandibles.
"Allow me."
She lowered her stance, gripping her weapon.
Ivan placed a hand on her shoulder.
"There's no need."
Nyra blinked.
"Are you sure?"
Ivan's hand slipped from her shoulder.
"It's time I showed you what holding the highest rank really means."
He sheathed his mandible and clenched his fist.
Behemoth narrowed his eyes. The muscles beneath his green carapace flexed.
"Why'd you sheath your weapon? You think I'll show you mercy?"
Ivan smirked.
"I won't be needing it."
Behemoth hurled himself forward. His four massive mandibles came crashing down toward Ivan, cutting through the air with a deafening whoosh.
CRASH!!
The weapons struck the ground. Dust burst outward, spreading across the fortress floor.
He's strong!
Leon gritted his teeth.
Arlena's hands trembled.
"Ivan..."
"Looks like he crushed him," a grasshopper said.
"I'm glad that cocky bastard's dead. Now, let's deal with the others—"
The dust began to clear.
The grasshopper's voice cut off.
Ivan stood in the center of the crater, his feet buried in the stone. One hand was raised above his head.
All four of Behemoth's mandibles were caught in his grip.
Ivan hadn't moved.
"Well now..."
Ivan tightened his grip on Behemoth's mandibles.
CRACK! CRACK!
Fractures spread across the weapons beneath his fingers.
"For a big fella, you've got quite a bit of strength. You really did a number on my arm."
"No way..." a grasshopper muttered. "He blocked Behemoth's attack with one hand..."
Behemoth stumbled backward.
"How...?"
Ivan stepped out of the small craters. He took a slow step forward. The sound of his feet striking the stone made Behemoth flinch.
"What's the matter? Are you afraid?"
"Die!!"
Behemoth lunged, swinging his massive mandibles. The air screeched with each strike. Cracks spread across the floor beneath his feet.
Ivan advanced, deflecting every blow with his fists.
"Why won't you turn into a pile of flesh?!"
Behemoth swung again.
Ivan disappeared from his sight.
"Huh?!"
Ivan reappeared in front of him, his arm drawn back. He thrust his fist forward, striking Behemoth directly in the abdomen.
THOOM!!
Behemoth's body contorted from the impact. His feet lifted off the ground as the force sent him crashing into a stone pillar.
The pillar crumbled beneath him. Grasshoppers scattered in every direction, scrambling for cover.
Dust filled the fortress.
Arlena let out a slow breath.
I've seen Ivan fight countless battles since I was a recruit... but this? This is something else.
Nyra watched Ivan in silence.
That battle against Queen Celeste's colony... Did he lose on purpose?
The grasshoppers stood motionless.
One by one, their mandibles slipped from their hands, clattering against the fortress floor.
"Run!!"
The remaining grasshoppers turned and fled toward the fortress entrance.
"Huh?"
Arlena shook her head and sheathed her weapons.
"Look at them run. It's not so nice when the roles are reversed, is it?"
"Bunch of cowards, if you ask me."
Leon exhaled. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, his chest rising and falling.
The grasshoppers continued their retreat.
A figure appeared before them.
The soldiers barely had time to react.
Several silver arcs flashed through the air.
The grasshoppers collapsed in a pool of blood.
Body parts scattered across the ground.
The remaining soldiers froze.
One of them slowly turned around. His knees trembled beneath him.
"G-General Hansel..."
Hansel stood among the fallen grasshoppers. His mandibles glistened with blood.
"Pitiful."
His gaze swept across the bodies scattered.
"So this is what our soldiers have came to..."
Hansel released a slow breath.
"Disgracing Zyroth by fleeing in defeat from only four ants?"
He stepped toward the surviving grasshoppers.
"Have you no pride?"
The soldiers lowered their heads. Several tightened their fists.
"But, General Hansel!" one grasshopper stammered. "They're too strong! They defeated Behemoth without even drawing their mandibles!"
Hansel stopped.
His eyes narrowed.
"Then you should've died with honor."
The grasshopper's body shook.
"How can our race fear theirs? They're nothing but inferior beings."
Hansel raised a hand to his face. His fingers spread across his forehead as he peered at the trembling soldiers through the gaps.
"H-how much lower can you guys get?"
One grasshopper dropped to his knees.
Hansel tilted his head. His gaze shifted toward the ant soldiers standing farther down.
"That's strange..."
His eyes narrowed further.
"I've never seen these ants before."
The corners of his mouth lifted.
Nyra stood motionless.
Her fingers tightened around her mandibles.
I could barely track his movements.
"You bastard!"
Leon stepped forward, pointing his mandibles at Hansel.
"How can you kill your own soldiers so easily?!"
Hansel chuckled.
"Feeling sorry for the enemy? Doesn't surprise me."
He turned toward Leon.
"That's why you ants are so weak to begin with."
Hansel flexed his mandibles. Blood dripped from their edges.
"You were meant to serve us. To be used and discarded like tools."
Leon gritted his teeth. His grip tightened around his weapons as he took another step forward.
Ivan pressed his palm against Leon's chest.
"Calm down."
Leon glanced at him.
"He's only trying to provoke you into attacking," .
Leon's shoulders stiffened. He slowly lowered his mandibles.
Ivan's gaze shifted toward the grasshopper.
His expression hardened.
"This one..."
Ivan's fingers curled against Leon's chest before he withdrew his hand.
"He's one of Zyroth's four generals."
"None of you are from this region, are you? Zyroth conquered all the colonies."
Hansel cracked his knuckles.
"That means you're either from another region... or you've somehow been hiding right under our noses."