Erik observed the group searching for him. He was hiding in the small crevice of a building, shielded by concrete fragments—mere pebbles for a human, but colossal boulders for an insect like himself.
That prevented the soldiers from seeing him, and thanks to that, for the Veritas Lenses to unmask his shapeshifting, but it wasn't a place where he could hide forever.
<There are around one to two thousand soldiers in the area…>
Unbeknownst to the enemy, Erik was using his Instability brain crystal power to manipulate their emotions. It was the fastest and best way to deal with these guys without having to risk his life.
If he succeeded, he might be able not only to create chaos among the ranks and kill a good number of soldiers, but also get a huge amount of mana, or better experience.
This would for sure make him level up, replenishing his reserves once more.