The swarm above the pit thrashed violently, hundreds of bees pounding at the opening, trying to force themselves in.
They didn't understand that the narrowness would limit them; instinct drove them forward regardless. From their perspective, the strange two-legged predator below was already weakened, cornered, and soon to be destroyed. The Ascendant Bee led them, its stinger twitching ominously—ready to fire at the slightest opening.
Inside the pit, Ren's daggers swung upward as the first bee approached.
Slice!
Ren sliced through the bee's compound eyes. The creature shrieked, its legs flailing as it collapsed. Another bee lunged in immediately behind it. Ren spun and threw his left dagger.
Putchie!
It pierced the next attacker cleanly through the abdomen. Fluids sprayed across the narrow walls.
[Feral Creature Frenzy Beast Slain]
[No Beast Memory Gained]
[Consume to Gain Ascension Point]
Ren jumped toward the falling carcass and grabbed the dagger handle. He flung it, dislodging the body, and at the same time slashed another approaching bee cleanly into two halves. Landing, Ren pivoted his feet and dodged a stinger fired from the pit opening by the Aberrant Bee.
That was close. Just one hit and I would be down, Ren thought as he slashed through another bee.
Buzz! Slice!
Slash! Slice!
Dodge! Buzz!
He could hear his own heartbeat over the buzzing. Each strike, each slash, each kill sent a jolt through him, but the adrenaline sharpened his senses.
"Dozens down… hundreds to go," he muttered under his breath and slashed another bee.
Ding!
[Primitive Creature Frenzy Beast Slain]
[Beast Memory Gained]
[Consume to Gain Ascension Point]
Ren continued his killing spree while checking the Beast Memory he had been bestowed.
[Primitive Frenzy Bee Perfume]
[Details: A perfume that disguises the user as a primitive frenzy bee]
Beast Memories came in different forms and types, ranging from inanimate to animate things. But they all shared a common trait—they were consumables.
The perfect Beast Memory for this situation, but first the Aberrant Bee must be defeated, Ren thought, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips as a plan formed in his mind.
Ren spun and caught the falling carcass of a bee and activated the system function Consume. The carcass vanished.
[10 Primitive Points Gained]
Another bee was cut down, and the same thing followed.
[8 Primitive Points Gained]
Another.
[6 Primitive Points Gained]
Ren continued slaughtering and consuming only the primitive carcasses, and by the time he stopped gaining points, the Aberrant Bee was thoroughly enraged. It screeched in fury as a shudder ran throughout the swarm.
Immediately, the swarm intensified their assault, throwing themselves against the small opening and widening it further.
The Aberrant Bee aimed its backside at Ren and began firing its stingers. Ren dodged the first by jumping toward an approaching bee.
Slash!
The bee fell.
Another stinger whipped through the air. Ren's eyes tracked it mid-flight. This time, instead of dodging, he unsummoned his daggers and caught the stinger with his left hand. The impact rattled his wrist, but he spun and threw it back.
The stinger flew out of the pit, piercing through two bees before reaching the Aberrant Bee.
Ting!
It bounced off the creature's body, leaving only a faint white scratch.
The Aberrant Bee screeched even louder as the hive above descended into chaos. Its stinger had been turned against it—and its own kind—by a puny two-legged creature.
Impossible. Unacceptable.
Angered and tired of watching the two-legged creature slaughter its brethren, the Aberrant Bee screeched at the others. Immediately, the swarm parted into two, making way for it to pass.
Perfect, Ren thought, firming his stance as he prepared for what was to come. He checked his energy bar.
[Energy: 14/36]
I have to give it my all if I want to survive this, Ren thought as he activated his other class.
[Second Copied Class Activated]
Class: Transformer
Name: Earthmancer
Ability: Stone Skin
Ren's skin beneath the Phoenix Carapace began hardening, transforming him into a stone man.
The Aberrant Bee finally squeezed through, its bulk pressing the tunnel walls apart. Its mandibles snapped as it hovered inside the tunnel and screeched.
Opening its mouth, it spat a green liquid at the approaching Ren. He slid across the ground, dodging the attack. That was not anything good, Ren thought as he continued his charge.
The Aberrant Bee fired another stinger. At this speed and distance, Ren couldn't fully dodge—only shift slightly. The stinger grazed the armor on the left side of his belly. Thanks to Stone Skin, he wasn't injured.
Now close, Ren summoned his daggers back. Gripping them tightly, he slashed at the bee.
Metal scraped against chitin as Ren's daggers carved into the Aberrant Bee's thorax. Sparks flew where stone-hardened arms met reinforced exoskeleton.
Screeeee!
The Aberrant Bee reeled back, wings thrashing wildly inside the cramped tunnel. Cracks spread across its shell, but the damage was shallow—far from fatal.
Too hard… Ren realized instantly.
The bee retaliated.
Its mandibles snapped shut with terrifying speed. Ren twisted his torso just in time, the jaws clamping down where his head had been a moment earlier. The impact sent a shockwave through the tunnel walls.
Ren drove his knee upward.
Bang!
His right knee slammed into the bee's underside, forcing it back. He didn't let up. Using the narrow walls, Ren kicked off sideways and spun midair, slashing downward with both daggers.
Slash!
Crack!
A wing tore loose.
The Aberrant Bee shrieked in agony, green ichor spraying across the pit. Its flight faltered, smashing into the wall and gouging deep grooves into the stone.
Ren landed hard, skidding across the ground. His energy bar flickered.
[Energy: 7/36]
Damn… two classes at the same time really is a hassle.
The bee didn't give him time to recover.
Its abdomen pulsed violently.
Ren's eyes widened. Another stinger—no, more than one!
The air screamed.
Three stingers fired at once, filling the narrow tunnel. Ren crossed his arms instinctively.
Thunk!
Thunk!
Crack!
Two stingers bounced off his stone-coated forearms. The third punched into his shoulder armor, lodging deep enough to hurt—but not pierce.
Pain flared.
Ren gritted his teeth and grabbed the embedded stinger, ripping it free and throwing it right back at the Aberrant Bee in one motion.
The Aberrant Bee dodged the stinger and surged forward, rage overriding pain. Its mandibles snapped again, wings buzzing violently as it tried to crush Ren against the tunnel wall.
Bad move.
Ren stepped forward and drove his shoulder ahead.
Boom!
The impact echoed like a hammer strike. The bee slammed into the wall behind it, stunned. Cracks spiderwebbed across its head.
Ren didn't hesitate.
He leapt up the wall, kicked off, and plunged downward—both daggers aimed at the same spot he had already weakened.
Putchie!
Crunch!
The blades pierced through.
The Aberrant Bee convulsed violently, screeching as its body spasmed. Green ichor poured out, flooding the pit floor.
Ren ripped the daggers free and jumped back just as the massive body collapsed.
Thud.
Silence followed.
Then—
Ding!
[Aberrant Creature Frenzy Beast Slain]
[Beast Memory Gained]
[Consume to Gain Ascension Points]
Ren stood there, chest heaving, his armor and transformation fading as he deactivated both classes.
[Energy: 3/36]
"…That was way too close," he muttered.
Crumble!
"Huh?" At least it held, Ren thought as the daggers crumbled into dust.
Above him, the swarm hesitated.
Without their leader, confusion rippled through the hive. The buzzing lost its fury, turning erratic and uncertain.
Ren looked up at the opening… then at the massive carcass at his feet.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Now," he said quietly, raising his hand, "let's see what you left me."
Summoning the class interface, a screen appeared with a dinging sound.
Ding!
[Aberrant Frenzy Bee Boots]
Details: Grants the user a second step per boot. Can be used only three times.
Ren's eyes widened slightly. This will definitely come in handy, he thought.
Inspecting his surroundings, Ren found that he was in a kind of tunnel. Due to the rush of battle, he hadn't had time to fully inspect it.
Well, tunnel or not, it doesn't concern me, he thought as he squatted beside the corpse and placed his palm against the Aberrant Bee's body.
"Consume."
The massive carcass shuddered once… then vanished.
Ding!
[10 Aberrant Points Gained]
"Hm?"
Immediately, he spun and faced the inner recess of the tunnel.
I thought I heard—
Thud! Thud!
Yes… I definitely heard it.
I haven't fully recovered and now this? Gritting his teeth, Ren prepared to activate the Phoenix Carapace.
"Huh?"
A figure stepped out from the tunnel, carrying a woman over his shoulder. Before Ren could react, the figure vanished—and reappeared at his side.
Gripping Ren's arm, the figure yanked him forward, pulling him out of the pit.