Chapter 83

Today there are two updates~ The next chapter will be out in about 10 minutes~

………………………………………………………………………………

This is truly peculiar. The smaller ones actually shield the larger ones from attacks? When Rin was in the sea, she only saw such cooperative combat among a few creatures.

To say that cooperation among single-celled organisms is common, but cooperation among multicellular organisms is quite rare. Most multicellular organisms rarely meet outside of breeding periods. But she didn’t expect that there would be such cooperative creatures on land, and the Spire Forest might be their creation.

A race that can plant and fight cooperatively...

This made Rin think of... herself.

Rin decided to name them 'Aztec Bugs.'

Hmm? It seems she unconsciously came up with a rather peculiar name, as if it has some special significance.

The smaller bugs are now crawling on the larger ones. Even when illuminated by Rin’s lantern, they don’t run away. This way, the smaller ones become guards, while the larger Aztec Bugs use their powerful jaws to crush Rin’s Stingers into pieces.

When Leviathan’s explosive projectiles are fired, the smaller ones immediately jump up to block them. The Aztec Bugs have no eyes, so it seems they have a very strong other sensory ability.

However, Leviathan’s artillery is not just that. It has another attack method called 'shotgun.'

It compresses the air it inhales and prepares a large number of small explosive projectiles. Before the large bug crushes the next Stinger, Leviathan suddenly opens its cannon, letting the explosive projectiles pour out!

Hundreds of explosive projectiles filled with dissolving liquid shoot towards the large bug. A small bug immediately jumps up to shield the large head.

However, it only blocks a few, and most of the explosive projectiles hit the large bug. Rin can now hear the special hissing sound of the dissolving liquid breaking down the armor.

Under the light of the lantern, Rin can see many small holes appearing on the large bug’s black carapace, all dissolved by the explosive projectiles.

Because seawater contains many corrosive components, marine creatures’ carapaces generally have anti-corrosion effects, but terrestrial creatures clearly do not.

‘Roar...’ The large bug let out a heavy roar, continuously retreating. Rin noticed that the small bugs on its body had somehow brought moss, which they applied to the large bug’s wounds.

Isn’t that moss toxic? Perhaps it’s not toxic to them, but it can actually heal? What a peculiar creature.

Although she says this, Rin didn’t show any mercy. Another round of shotgun fire hit the large bug, knocking off all the small bugs healing it. When the large bug’s heavily wounded body was exposed, Rin sent the Stingers forward again.

The Stingers’ spikes can be shot out, and the tips of these spikes are hollow, filled with venom.

The Stingers aimed at the large bug’s wounds and shot out the venomous spikes. By calculating the surrounding wind direction, Rin could achieve a 100% hit rate.

The large bug’s wounds were hit by the venomous spikes, and it could no longer stand, collapsing to the ground with a loud thud.

Did she win?

The small bugs let out sharp cries, circling the fallen large bug, unwilling to leave, but showing no signs of attacking.

What are they doing?

Rin became increasingly curious about these creatures’ behavior. Social creatures are indeed different from solitary ones, exhibiting many fascinating actions.

‘Buzz...’

With the small bugs’ cries, a strange sound echoed in the sky, as if... many creatures were flying in the air.

Are they dragonflies? No... that is...

When Leviathan shone the lantern into the sky, Rin saw an incredible sight. Many small flying insects, about ten centimeters in size, had somehow filled the sky above Leviathan. They were in large numbers, but the most peculiar thing was that they looked exactly like the Aztec Bugs, except with two wings similar to dragonflies on their backs.

Are these flying creatures also Aztec Bugs?!

Division of labor... Rin had never seen this in multicellular organisms outside of single-celled ones. Generally, multicellular organisms only have male and female distinctions, but the differences between males and females are not significant, only in the reproductive cells they release.

But these 'Aztec Bugs' have already appeared in three forms. Although they look similar, their sizes and behaviors are completely different, and most importantly, they can cooperate in combat.

These creatures are indeed very similar to Rin!

The flying bugs circled in the air. They didn’t attack, but instead sprayed some liquid from their tails. When this liquid dripped onto Leviathan’s carapace, Rin could see a thin wisp of smoke.

Dissolving liquid...

It was a type of dissolving liquid that Rin hadn’t seen before. Anti-corrosion coatings are designed for specific types of dissolving liquids, and since the structure is also a type of chitin, it can be ineffective against unfamiliar dissolving liquids.

‘Bang’

Leviathan fired a large number of shotgun projectiles into the sky. These bugs were too small, and being hit by one or two was enough to be fatal. Many flying bugs fell, but soon more filled their positions.

There were too many of them, and the sound of their wings filled the air. Unlike the quiet dragonflies, these flying bugs were particularly noisy. With just the lantern, Rin could only see a small part of them.

Dissolving liquid kept raining down from the sky, but the damage it caused was minimal. Rin could create a new anti-corrosion chitin layer before it dissolved through Leviathan’s armor.

But at that moment, Rin heard those heavy footsteps again...

More large bugs? And... there are two of them?

She needs to retreat.

When Rin’s lantern illuminated the two large bugs approaching from different directions, she could only make this decision. The large bugs rely on sheer strength and biting power, and Rin had little confidence in resisting them.

Leviathan began to turn and retreat, and the remaining Stingers scattered and ran. Rin noticed that the two large bugs were chasing Leviathan, while the small bugs and flying bugs split up to pursue each escaping target.

The large bugs were slightly slower than Leviathan, probably due to their heavy bodies. Since this was the case...

Leviathan aimed its rear cannon at the large bugs and fired a large number of shotgun projectiles, but the situation was different this time.

Countless flying bugs rushed to the front of the large bugs. Because of their large numbers, they almost perfectly intercepted every projectile, rendering Rin’s attack completely ineffective.

At that moment, Rin almost felt as if she was fighting herself. How did these peculiar creatures evolve?

Now isn’t the time to think about that.

The flying bugs shot out a large amount of dissolving liquid, and Leviathan’s outer carapace was corroded into a pitted mess. But Rin had already created a new anti-corrosion chitin layer inside, and she was confident that this layer could resist the flying bugs’ corrosive attacks.

The large bugs couldn’t catch up to Leviathan, so it was only a matter of time before she escaped. Then she would create a more powerful force to decide the battle.

Ahead, a row of neatly arranged spires appeared in the light of Rin’s lantern. That was the exit of the Spire Forest, and further ahead was the rocky land before the coastal cliff.

Now, she could only run there. Compared to heading into the waterless desert, Rin preferred to take a chance and see if the seawater had returned to its normal temperature.

Leviathan charged out of the wall of spires and reached the open rocky land.

Fish bones were scattered everywhere, their flesh long since eaten by scorpions or other creatures. Leviathan crashed through a few fleshy fish skeletons and charged straight towards the cliff.

The Aztec Bug swarm also followed closely, unlike the first night when they gave up after a while, they pursued relentlessly.

When the pursuit reached the middle of the rocky land, the ground began to rumble, as if some massive creature was about to emerge from underground, causing the entire rocky land to tremble.

It’s the Mist Worm...

At that moment, a loud 'boom' came from the side. Leviathan shone the lantern in that direction and saw a huge worm break through the ground, opening its mouth filled with backward-facing teeth and dragging a large Aztec Bug back into the ground.

For a moment, Rin thought the worm was part of the Aztec Bug group, but it wasn’t.

But Rin didn’t feel relieved for long. The ground in front of Leviathan suddenly burst open, and a huge worm shot out, opening its mouth and lunging at Leviathan from the front.

Oh no! There’s no way to avoid this!

In the emergency, Rin suddenly came up with a plan. Instead of stopping or dodging, she made Leviathan charge straight into the worm’s mouth!

………………………………………………………………………………

Thank you to ~Shentong Zhen Di Tian Shu~ for the 2476!

Thank you to ~godmorgan~ for the donation!

Page flip AD starts

Page flip AD ends