The Shapeshifter - Chapter 63 Once Again, I

Thousands of Squires were currently assembled at the west gate of the City of Vera. These Squires were listening to the words being said to them by a female Knight who was wearing a full clad armor with a blue comb.

They were being briefed of the event that occurred earlier. As mutant beasts would pose as a threat for humanity, they were tasked for its subjugation.

If it were to become a threat in the future, then why does the 13th infantry division the only one getting sent out instead of having all the divisions?

Most of the manpower were tasked to keep the city safe. As not long ago, villages on the City of Azta’s territory were destroyed by a rampaging Void Beast.

The higher ups placed the cities on high alert to prevent the beasts from attacking the last three bastions of Terra.

Due to the invasion of the Demons and the betrayal of the Beasts, the population continued to dwindle down. They still have limited number of people and cannot provide help for expansions.

When the population reduced, it created tougher and stronger warriors. They were able to cultivate people of higher aptitudes and intelligence.

Despite being on his thirthies, Micah was able to attain his current rank with the help of a huge amount of resources. Some even say that he would become the youngest King in a mere decade, therefore bolstering the power of humanity once more.

With the help of Archmage Micah and a dozen of Knights, they are more than enough to tie down a mutated Void Beast and wait for further reinforcement from Geoffrey.

Every single one of the Squires wore chainmails inside their breastplates as another form of protection. Fully equipping the Squires would’ve costed so much money, yet the City of Vera didn’t care for such expenses.

After the female Knight was done speaking. She led the other Knights to the front and climbed their war horses. The Squires did the same and awaited for orders.

“Onwards!”, the female Knight hollered.

…

(Not recommended during mealtime 😛 Hehe)

Back outside the Poda Village, where the swarm of insects and Poda tribesmen are battling.

The bloody fight has yet to conclude. The humans have already been exhausted by the numerous weak insects. Although a human could kill on the average of about 50 insects, they were just too many of them.

Their kill count now exceeded what their abilities and strengths were supposed to show.

Now, the insects took the chance and are slowly gaining their ground.

“I’m too exhausted, I can no longer keep up.”, said a man who is holding a stick as a weapon.

“L-let’s just hold on. Incapacitate them, remove their limbs or something.” said another man fighting against a cricket.

“How can I even remove a limb with a stick, Jonathan? Haha.”

“Oh not you Lagos, I’m talking to the others.”

This little conversation made the surrounding tribesmen chuckle. But the insects only need a small opening to destroy the frontline and invade the formation. So they needed this small happiness to calm their strained nerves.

Just as the others were laughing amongst themselves, a sneaky scythe-like limb emerged out of nowhere and removed the arm of Lagos.

It was too fast, even with the level of a Squire, he was unable to react and clearly see what has happened.

If he was able to react, then his trusty stick, made from unknown materials, would’ve blocked the scythe.

“Ahhhhh!”, Lagos screamed.

Although screams like this are quite common inside the battlefield it still made the others look towards the source of the voice.

“Lagos!” Everyone shouted. Since they are of the same tribe and of the same team, they naturally are quite close with each other.

As the one who is nearer to Lagos, Jonathan immediately attacked the cricket heavily to push it backwards.

The others also did the same, but only inched closer towards each other in order to not break the formation.

After Jonathan did a sweep, he turned around and ran towards his injured ally.

“Hold on Lagos!”

Lagos’ arm was already bleeding heavily, he kept on swinging the stick to fend off his enemy.

After he swung the stick, Lagos looked at Jonathan who was sprinting towards him. Just in time to see a one armed praying mantis stalking behind his friend.

“Jonathan, behind you!”

Lagos’ voice attracted the team once more.

While Jonathan had a questioning face, he looked behind him, but he wasn’t even able to fully turn when a bloody scythe found its mark on his heart.

“No, Jonathan!”, they screamed.

The one armed praying mantis held Jonathan’s body, while it’s bloody maw was already munching on his brains. It was slowly retreating backwards whilst eating its prey.

‘Crunch! Crunch!’

“Ahhhhhh!!!”

Lagos screamed and scrambled towards the Praying Mantis, only to find himself bumping face to face with the cricket that Jonathan was holding off earlier.

“Lagos, get back now!”

Lagos was already blinded by rage and he kept on beating the cricket with his trusty stick. The rate at which the stick was hitting its target, became faster and faster.

His astounding strength was able to defeat the cricket in merely two seconds

“I broke through!”, Lagos said.

His eyes shone brightly. The mana that has already dried up are now constantly supplying him, making his once exhausted body burst with energy.

He was now a 3rd rank Squire and the breakthrough filled his body with confidence and strength.

“Hahaha! Why are you running?! Come here!”

He swatted the body of the Cricket and ran towards the Praying Mantis, who quickly set aside his food and received the attack from Lagos.

Lagos jumped and smashed at the Praying Mantis. His attack was blocked by the young Mantis, but it didn’t bother him.

He just broke through, and time would only tell the demise of this creature.

Although he was really angry, not all of his senses were blinded by rage, yet his brain wasn’t one of them.

He smiled at the Praying Mantis and looked at its face, only to see it smirking.

“What-”

He looked around and saw that he was tightly surrounded by insects.

Insects everywhere!

He was unable to see his teammates who he thought was behind him. His eyes that once shone brightly was now filled with horror.

He didn’t let his emotions (fear) take over him once more.

“So what? I’ll take you with me!”

“Sksksksk.”

The one armed man and the one armed praying mantis fought. Strangely though, the surrounding insects were not interfering in the fight.

Not long after the fight became one sided.

Lagos’ stick was swatted out of his hands and flew deep in the enemy lines. His remaining arm was sliced off of his body.

Blood splurted everywhere as the arm rised and fall. While Lagos kneeled, and looked as if he was only waiting for the grim reaper to take his life.

The praying mantis slowly walked towards the despair filled human. This was what it liked.

Looking at the faces etched with despair of its opponents.

Despite cutting off its opponents arms, it still acted warily. Earlier, it was deceived by a young man and have its arm cleaved. Never again shall it happen.

It wanted to verify that the human was already harmless.

“Sksksksk!”

It stood behind Lagos as its bloody maw landed on top of his head. It nibbled away all the life that was seeping out of Lagos, as his body convulsed while being held down by the Praying Mantis.

‘Crunch! Crunch!’

Lagos was unable to scream, only soft moans, as his skull was being penetrated by the Praying Mantis’ teeth.

His body soon lost all of its strength as soon as his brain was being chowed down by the Praying Mantis.

Although he was already dead and his brain was being nibbled, his body was still convulsing nonstop. This scared the mindless Beasts away, allowing the Fierce Beast, Praying Mantis, to take the body for itself.

Now that Jonathan and Lagos both died from Praying Mantis, the hole that they left behind weren’t quickly patched up and the stalemate between the insects and the humans have been broken.

“Oooooooonnnnggg!”

The Golden Stag Beetle who was constantly eyeing the battle ordered for the insects to charge.

The fight immediately became bloody and noisy. The insects madly dashed towards the humans, disregarding their lives inflicting whatever wound they could to their enemies.

The one armed Praying Mantis who was still eating, was being repeatedly bumped by the mad charge of the insects.

“Sksksksk!!!”

It angrily complained towards the nearby insects, making the others run around it.

When suddenly another insect bumped into it, just as it finished eating the whole head.

“Sksksksk!”

It slashed its insect ally who bumped against it. The insect was sliced to half and this scared the surrounding insects.

The Praying Mantis knew that it shouldn’t kill most of its insect ally. Therefore, it decided to back off and dragged Lagos’ body with its mouth and then took Jonathan’s with its remaining arm.

It retreated far enough that there was just some sounds of fighting and a strangely uncrowded area.

It didn’t really matter for the young Praying Mantis. All it wanted was to feast on these bodies and rejoin the fight.

It took the Praying Mantis quite some time to nibble away the body parts of the two human beings. It wasn’t everyday that it was able to eat humans with the rank of a Squire.

It was quite tasty and nutritious!

The Praying Mantis stood proudly and happily looked around. It was hoping to score another kill and eat it early, so that it could once again eat when the fight was over.

As it was looking around, its eyes stopped at a sitting figure that was holding on to a stick. This figure was also looking at it with an unknown expression on its face.

The staring contest lasted for about five seconds when the Praying Mantis’ eyes lit up and its expression became so happy, that it smiled.

As for the other guy who was holding the stick. Well, it’s your boy, Alex!

Just as he saw the bloody smile of the one armed Mantis, his body shivered.

“Oh sh-!”