Dangerous bugs

After the group leaders were decided, Lancy called them over and handed each a small wooden object. It was about the same size as a pen, with a small crystal attached to the top.

"Please keep this on you at all times," Lancy instructed. "If your group encounters danger, blow on the wooden pipe. This is a magic whistle linked to a device I carry. Once the whistle has been blown, I will come to assist you as soon as possible."

There were eight groups, each with eight members. Everyone checked one last time to ensure they had all their gear before stepping into the forest. They had five hours to hunt before returning to meet Lancy at the entrance.

As Ray's group entered the dense woodland, Lancy glanced in his direction.

"Remember," he said, "anything can get you in the forest."

Just before turning away, a slight smile curled on Lancy's lips.

Ray caught the intent behind the words. They weren't a warning—they were a threat.

The group moved deeper into the forest, leaving tracks to mark their path. As first-years, they had been taught how to navigate unfamiliar terrain and avoid getting lost. Each group left a unique marking on the trees to track their progress.

"I hate that Lancy guy," Monk muttered.

Martha reached out and ruffled Monk's hair.

"Don't worry about him too much. We need to focus on the goal. Do you know what they call this place?" she asked.

Monk shook his head.

"It's known as Insect Forest."

"I hate bugs," Kyle groaned, already scratching at his arms as if something was crawling on him.

Dan chuckled.

"Oh, please. As if any insect could hurt us."

Just as Dan finished speaking, a giant ladybug, about the size of a football, emerged from behind a tree.

Sylvia immediately drew her sword.

"Everyone, get ready for battle! Insects might be weak, but they always fight in groups!"

As if responding to her words, twenty more ladybugs crawled out from behind the trees, their glossy shells glistening under the filtered sunlight.

Martha reacted the quickest. She nocked an arrow and released it in one smooth motion. The arrow pierced straight through a ladybug's body, pinning it to a tree.

The rest of the swarm rushed forward.

The team handled them well.

Ian, who had finally chosen the axe club, proved it suited him. He wielded a battle axe in each hand. When a ladybug charged at him, he swung both axes in an X shape, slicing the creature clean in half.

Dan, using his spear, quickly grew frustrated as the ladybugs dodged his thrusts by flying. Annoyed, he resorted to throwing the spear, skewering a ladybug midair.

Monk, however, was nowhere to be seen. He had improved his footwork again. If even Ray couldn't track him, then the ladybugs had no chance.

Kyle, meanwhile, cursed at the insects like a madman as he attacked, as if they could understand him.

"I can't believe your mom gave birth to something as creepy as you!" he shouted, swiping at a ladybug.

Sylvia remained calm and composed, blocking each attack with her shield before countering with precise sword strikes. Every now and then, she glanced at the others to ensure everyone was safe.

But one person stood out—Gary.

Gary was struggling. His movements were sloppy, his strikes mistimed. When he finally defeated a ladybug, he was panting, exhausted.

The others had already finished dealing with their opponents—except for Ray.

Three ladybugs had surrounded him, one on each side. He still hadn't drawn his sword.

"What are you doing, Ray?! Take out your sword!" Sylvia shouted.

Ray ignored her. He wanted to test himself.

As he observed the others, he gathered Ki to his fingertips. His cells hardened until they felt like iron.

One of the ladybugs lunged.

Ray swiped at it with his hand in a claw shape. The ladybug was sliced into five separate pieces.

The other two hesitated. As if sensing their impending doom, they tried to retreat.

Ray didn't let them. In a swift motion, he clawed at both, killing them instantly.

Just then, Monk reappeared from behind a tree, holding a dead ladybug.

"Wow, Ray. Was that Ki? You already know how to use it so well."

Ray smirked. "Looks like I wasn't the only one practicing."

Monk's face turned slightly red.

With the battle over, the group quickly moved to extract the beast crystals. They had agreed beforehand—whoever landed the final blow on a beast had the right to claim its crystal. This rule helped avoid conflicts over spoils.

Ray was lucky—the system had already awarded him two crystals. That meant he only needed to extract one from the ladybugs.

The problem was, he wasn't sure which one still contained a crystal. So he had to carve all three just to be safe. It was better this way—it wouldn't raise suspicion from the group.

The team continued deeper into the forest, encountering more insects—beetles, butterflies, and many more. The only difference was that these creatures were a hundred times bigger than normal.

And, just like before, they attacked in swarms.

But the group handled themselves well.

That was, until they ran into the Red Velvet Ants.

Unlike the previous insects, these ants were much stronger. Their bodies were black with red velvet patterns, and they were significantly harder to kill.

Ray had just finished off three ants when a sudden scream rang out.

"AHHHHHH!"

He spun around.

Gary's arm was being chomped on by an ant.

Blood dripped from the deep puncture wounds as the ant clamped down harder.