BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM-Chapter 1282: The bugs (8)
Amber regained her mana and felt progressively better, but the clones never left her side. She felt better, but she was far from being in top shape.
[She can use her brain crystal power at least.]
<Yeah, the thought of her warping away is a great reassurance.>
The group then crossed a shallow stream, one Erik hadn't crossed before, and that he couldn't see back then given his position and how small it was.
The burble of the stream masked the sounds of their footsteps against the wet stones and soil, giving them some cover for their movement.
However, this same rushing water made it difficult for them to distinguish or hear other noises in the forest, forcing them to rely on their sight. But there was a limit to how much they could see there.
Luckily, Erik's clones were scouting the surroundings in a wide perimeter—some moving ahead to scout the path, others watching their flanks, and a few keeping guard behind the group.
With this, Erik felt confident they weren't being stalked and that the path ahead was clear.
Yet Emily kept her rifle in her hands, looking around with her scope. Mira was doing the same. An arrow was knocked on her bow, which rested in her hand.
June brought up the rear of the cluster of women while shapeshifted into a small bird. Even if he couldn't go that high because of the flying thaids, he could at least see what was happening under the trees' shade.
<Master!>
<Wha—>
A not-so-distant roar made them freeze. Something massive was passing near them to join the massive feast Erik prepared. The sound was strong enough to make the group make assumptions about the thaid's size, and it had to be rather large.
"Keep moving," Erik said. "Stay quiet and watch where you step."
He mentally turned to the biological supercomputer.
<What do you think?>
[Based on that roar, we're looking at something that could give even the flying thaids pause.]
<Do you think the big one will make things worse?>
[Oh, absolutely. A thaid that size won't politely wait its turn at the buffet. It'll charge right in, probably crushing half the bug swarm under its paws before even feeding, and if that isn't enough to satisfy its hunger, or if another thaid tries to stop it, it will devour even them.]
<You sound awfully sure of someone who hadn't even seen the beast.>
[Yes, I didn't see it, but its mana levels are off the chart, and its size shows it is also physically powerful. I'm sure about what I'm saying. Size isn't just about bulk—it's a direct multiplier of strength. The larger the thaid, the more devastating its physical power. ]
<Ok, but the flying thaids are still there. It won't be easy.>
[Even if the flying thaids are weaker, at best they'll either retreat to the sky to mount an attack. Don't forget that flying thaids strong points are their ability to attack outside of most creatures' range, not their power itself. My money's on a fight.]
Erik sighed, wondering if the size difference will be enough to kill as many bugs and flying thaids as possible. The beast would remain, but fewer monsters would roam the area, and the queen's army was going to be weakened.
The chaos he made was about to become even more violent, and he didn't want to be out there when that happened.
The group pressed on, passing through a section of forest where vines draped between trees like massive cobwebs.
The vegetation helped them, making it harder for flying thaids to spot them from above, but it also slowed their progress.
A clone landed on a branch near Erik's head. It made a soft chirping sound that Erik recognized as a warning signal. He raised his hand, bringing the group to a halt.
<Shit… What is it now?>
The others knew the chirp meant danger.
"What is it?" Emily asked before the clone could explain it to Erik.
<Three separate groups of thaids are moving through the area. Not headed directly for us, but they're going to stumble upon us if we don't go around them. The battle agitated them.>
Erik told the others what the clone said.
"How far are we from the hill?" Amber recovered, but trekking around wasn't making her feel better.
"Two kilometers, maybe less," Erik said. "But we need to circle around these groups. If these are packs, we are in trouble."
They altered course, moving parallel to their original path. The forest grew younger here, with more space between trees but also less cover. They moved from shadow to shadow, from tree to tree, freezing at any suspicious sound.
A clone in bird form swooped down with another warning. Erik grabbed Amber's arm, pulling her behind a massive fallen tree. The others followed instantly, pressing themselves into the shadows of the trunk.
Something large moved ahead of them. It was another flying thaid joining the fray.
<Another?>
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<We are with the master. What did you expect with that luck of his?>
Erik didn't reply. If there was something he learned, it was that the goddess of luck really hated him. The creature didn't approach them, but its presence forced them to remain hidden.
Minutes stretched by as they waited. Erik kept his hand on Amber's arm, feeling her pulse gradually slow as the immediate fear passed. June pressed himself flat against the ground, barely breathing.
When the wing beats faded away, they emerged from their hiding spot. The forest had fallen silent—at least in their immediate surroundings. The sounds of the distant battle, though, grew louder. In the distance, explosions lit up the sky, and they could feel powerful surges of mana even from their position.
"Let's resume our march," Erik said.
The group quickened their pace, though the forest made walking as fast as they should an impossible ordeal.
The hill rose before them now, its slope gentle but long. Reaching the top would leave them exposed for a brief time, but they needed the space it would provide while Erik created the shelter, which would then work as a protective measure against thaids' eyes.
Cracking sounds filled the forest at that point, close to their position. Trees snapped under heavy weight, and several large creatures moved nearby, attracted by the fighting, which had now blown out of proportion.
There weren't any more, just sparse thaids in the area, but larger and larger clusters of them. They had come looking for food, but soon they would start hunting for living creatures instead.
In the end, the group reached the hill's top, where Erik almost got caught by the flying thaids when searching for the group. He didn't waste time and started channeling mana.
