Chapter 11: Cicada's Adventure [ 3 ]

In a blur of motion, the Cicada darted toward the cluster of eggs, moving with a speed that seemed almost supernatural.

However, what truly stood out was the eerie silence accompanying its flight. No longer did its wings produce the familiar buzz, signaling a profound change in its nature.

Arriving before the eggs, the transformed cicada began to voraciously consume each one, its body swelling with each egg devoured.

With each gulp, it grew larger and more bloated, its once frail form now expanding with each passing moment.

As the Cicada avatar neared the end of its meal, it's once slender body had expanded dramatically, now almost three times its original size thanks to the nourishment from the eggs. With only a handful left, it showed no signs of slowing down, its hunger driving it forward.

With a final gulp, the last of the eggs vanished into the cicada avatar's gaping maw. Suddenly, a deafening whirring noise pierced the air, emanating from the creature's vibrating wings. The forest fell silent, disturbed by this unnatural sound that seemed to echo through the trees.

Then, as the last of the eggs disappeared into its stomach, the Cicada avatar let out a sudden, loud whirring noise.

It was a chilling sound, unlike anything heard before in the forest. The vibrations from the noise reverberated through the air, sending shivers down the spines of any nearby creatures.

After letting out the unsettling noise for a short while, the Cicada avatar stopped, feeling somewhat satisfied but still craving more.

It flew off swiftly, scouring the forest for another source of food, driven by its persistent hunger and the need to fuel its growing body. ]

"This Cicada... it's become a real menace." Arata commented. "It's stronger than ever before."

"How strong is it now?" he wondered.

"Is it just greedy for more power, or does it crave something else... like more destruction?" The questions lingered in his mind, unaddressed and unsettling.

[ Day 17:

The Cicada avatar diligently searched every nook and cranny of the forest within its territory, but to its bewilderment, it found no sign of any other creatures nearby.

It couldn't comprehend why it hadn't sensed anyone yet, unaware that the unsettling noise it emitted earlier had caused the other creatures to flee and seek refuge in hiding.

Moreover, an ominous aura seemed to emanate from the Cicada avatar, that could make any creatures that dared to come close freeze in fear. ]

[ Day 18

After tirelessly scouring the forest, the Cicada avatar finally stumbled upon a group of creatures, but they weren't just any creatures—it was a pack of five killer wasps, similar to the ones encountered on Day 2 of the simulation. Despite their distance, the cicada's enhanced eyesight allowed it to spot them easily.

Upon noticing the approaching cicada, the killer wasps wasted no time and took flight, attempting to flee from the menacing predator.

However, the cicada, with its newfound speed, swiftly closed the gap between them, gradually catching up with each passing moment.

Realizing that escape was futile, the killer wasps decided to turn and confront their pursuer. They split up, each taking a different direction to surround the cicada avatar, hoping to overwhelm it with their numbers.

As they closed in, one of the killer wasps faltered, slowed by its fear, but it gathered its courage and pressed on.

The five wasps synchronized their movements and launched a coordinated attack, but just as they were about to strike, the cicada unleashed its Sonic Disturbance ability.

Instantly, the killer wasps froze mid-air, their movements halted by the disruptive sonic waves. Helpless, they plummeted to the ground, unconscious one by one, leaving the cicada unscathed.

Seizing the opportunity, the Cicada descended upon the fallen killer wasps. Sucking up their lifeless bodies to fuel its insatiable hunger. Still not satisfied, the Cicada avatar continued on its path. ]

"Did... did the Cicada avatar just take down five killer wasps all by itself?" he exclaimed. "And it did it effortlessly..."

"I mean, seriously, what's the limit of its strength?"

[ Day 19-24:

As the days passed, the Cicada avatar continued its relentless search for sustenance. However, as it encountered no other creatures, frustration began to brew within its core.

Unable to vent its growing anger, the cicada took to destroying parts of tree trunks and branches along its path, unleashing its fury upon the silent forest.

Meanwhile, word of the Cicada avatar's exploits spread throughout the inhabitants of the Shadow Wood Forest. Ceruza, the Giant Bombardier Beetle and one of the forest's five rulers, caught wind of the Cicada's reputation but chose not to intervene, thinking it was just a rumor. ]

"My Cicada avatar has become quite the problematic child." Arata laughed, shaking his body at the thought of the havoc wreaked by the creature.

However, his laughter faded as he pondered Ceruza's lack of action. "But Ceruza's silence... It's concerning." Arata mused, his expression turning serious.

"Even if Ceruza doesn't intervene, it feels like a warning. Like the calm before a storm."

"I just have this gut feeling that my avatar's days are numbered."

[ Day 25:

As the Cicada avatar roamed the forest in search of sustenance, it stumbled upon a large group of cicadas, drawn by the allure of its rumored power.

Excited to serve what they perceived as a potential leader, they attempted to communicate their intentions to the Cicada avatar.

However, the Cicada avatar, driven solely by its primal instincts and devoid of empathy, paid no heed to their attempts at communication.

With ruthless efficiency, it mercilessly slaughtered each cicada in its path, their pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears.

Despite the sheer numbers of the other cicadas, the Cicada avatar's strength and speed proved unmatched. It effortlessly overpowered its brethren, evading their feeble attempts at retaliation and swiftly dispatching any who dared to flee.

In the end, not a single cicada from the group survived the encounter, all meeting their fate within the belly of the relentless predator.

Their cries echoed through the forest, unheard and unanswered, as the Cicada avatar consumed them all without remorse or hesitation. ]

"Well, I guess we know who's not getting invited to the Cicada family reunion." Arata remarked, a forceful smile forming on his lips.

[ Day 26:

As the Cicada avatar continued its rampage through the forest, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, a crucial meeting unfolded among the five rulers of the Shadow Wood Forest.

Gathered together in solemn deliberation, the rulers addressed the pressing matter at hand: the escalating threat posed by the Cicada avatar.

Despite their differing personalities and agendas, there was unanimous agreement on one thing - the Cicada avatar had become too dangerous to ignore.

The rulers resolved to set aside their individual ambitions and join forces to confront the common enemy.

Aware of the avatar's growing strength and the potential danger it posed to their domain, they knew that cooperation was essential if they were to stand any chance of victory.