Chapter 51 First Hidden Quest...
*SCREECCCCCHHHH!!!!!*
All the centipedes bard out their fangs all at the same time.
Their Screeching was in unsynchronized harmony as their hundreds of legs flared wildly in the air.
Lenny frowned.
Even without the friendly advice of the system, he knew his limits.
*Surveyor*
<Name> Unfriendly Centipede (Soldier)
<Race> Chimera ant
<Level=6
<Rank=Nil>
<Strength=200>
<Agility=50>
<HP 200/200>
<Exp: Birthed Habits>
<Ability= Poisoned Fangs
Crusher
Chameleon>
"Shit!!!"
Lenny cursed as he immediately pushed against the wall and jumped down.
He couldn't even be bothered by the Praying Mantis as he ran for his life.
Even the first one he had stabbed rushed after him.
It was like an earthquake. Or even better, it was a small Avalanche of giant Crawling bugs chasing after him.
He ran as fast as he could. Luckily, his Agility had significantly improved and so did his stamina.
He did not know where he was going. All he did was make turn after turn in the Cave.
At different times, the Centipedes will reach or nearly reach him, and their Fangs would make Terrible swipes for his head and back.
A cut here and there was the encouragement that ensured his legs did not stop running.
After another Turn, he managed to see a red moss at the end of the passage way.
He increased his speed in his determination to survive.
The Centipedes also saw the safe zone ahead and increased the momentum of their pursuit.
A few steps to it, and the Centipede he had injured Earlier dived for him.
Lenny immediately jumped.
As he did, he turned about in mid-air, and used the piecers to defend.
*CLANK!*
The Centipede hit him hard, which acted as a forward momentum for him into the safe zone.
Lenny gave a tumble before he hit his head on a rock and passed out.
He did not wake up until a few hours later.
When he did, the first thing he saw on his face was the Centipede Screeching at him
Instinctively, he backed away.
Lenny swallowed hard. He had only barely made it into the cave entrance. An inch less and the Centipede would have been able to pull him and devour his flesh even before he woke up.
All the other Centipedes had left except that particular one he had stabbed.
However, just to be sure, he concentrated on his Perception Ability.
He relaxed when he saw that it was true.
<Side Quest: Defeat the Vengeful>
Lenny heard the Alert from the system.
then again, was that not the initial plan?
However, even he knew that fighting this thing would not be so easy.
This Centipede was a far worse opponent to deal with compared to the Praying Mantis.
He proceeded to step out of the Cave.
the Centipede saw this and was about to rush forward in its excitement. However, Lenny suddenly paused.
"What the fuck I'm I doing?"
He stepped back.
Here he was about to face an opponent he was not so sure he would defeat and he was rushing for the kill.
Lenny might have been crazy, but he was still an Assassin.
He gave himself a self depreciating laugh.
Apparently, the few days he had had as a gladiator had rubbed some of their rashness on him.
Who ever said that he needed to face the opponent head on.
Lenny took several steps back, and then he sat on the ground in a lotus position.
This frustrated the Centipede and it screeched continually in its anger and annoyance. Even going as far as to hit the walls continually to show its displease.
However, Lenny remained still. he was not moved by the display of anger by the creature. All that did not move him even a tiny bit.
After about an hour, Lenny eventually stood up and walked deeper into the safe Zone.
As he did, he whistled a particular song from his former life.
After a while, he came out with two cotton worms.
He threw the first one at the centipede. Naturally, the Centipede ignored it and continued its Angry screeching.
"Hmmm!" Lenny raised a brow.
Afterwards, he used the piercers and opened up a Hole on the body of the Cotton worm. As the beast bleed, he threw it at the Centipede.
However, the Centipede still did nothing.
Lenny frowned.
Then he went inside again. All the while whistling in comfort.
The Next time he came out, he held some balls of different colours in his hands.
The moment he held them, the Centipede Screeched in anger.
"Here! I hope you don't mind. But I bet this should be your cousins," as he talked, he juggled two of them.
And then he threw it at the Centipede. "Hey, Catch!"
Surprisingly, The Centipede dodged it.
The Egg splattered on the ground.
A strong pungent smell came out of it.
The moment it did, Lenny could feel the cave vibrate a little.
He knew that this meant that company was on its way.
he smiled as he threw the eggs at the Centipede.
Some of the eggs, the centipede dodged in time. While others, it couldn't because of its very large body.
Lenny went in, took some more eggs and threw at it again and again.
The rumbling Notices continued.
Immediately, Lenny hid behind a rock.
And there it was.
the very big Praying Mantis he had seen earlier when he first came to this place.
It was as Huge as ever, and unlike the other smaller ones, the Carapace on its skin was not bright green, but Very Dark Red.
It approached from one end of the Cave.
And then another came from another direction.
The moment they showed up, they screeched at the Centipede and it too at them.
However, there's were louder.
Lenny could tell that they were angry at the Centipede.
Immediately, The Praying Mantises rushed for it.
Lenny watched from his hiding point as they used their sharp Piecers for its carapace. Tearing it like it was wet paper against scissors.
Without a doubt, it was done for.
It screeched in pain, and tried to defend itself.
Its sharp mandibles pierced into one of the Praying mantis, but it barely left any significant injury.
In this manner, they torn it into pieces. After which, they left.
Lenny waited for another hour before came out of his hiding place.
By the Time he came out, There was already a bunch of Broom like worms cleaning up the place.
<Congratulations Side Quest passed>
<+10 Exp>
<+ 5 Sta>
The Energizing alert came with the sweet feeling of becoming stronger.
Lenny smiled.
It was true. He had almost forgotten that there were better and smarter ways to things.
What he had done earlier was just a simple experiment. An answere to a question that had been bothering him.
He had always wanted to know why the other insects could not come into the safe zone, and now, he had his answer.
It was apparently because of the eggs. Then again it made some sense to him.
If The other insects entered this place, they could crush the eggs with their size alone.
And so when the Praying mantis insects arrived, they concluded that the Centipede had gone rogue and entered the Safe zone.
And that was why they attacked it.
Lenny was starting to get a better sense of this place.
It was apparent that both the Preying Mantis and the Centipede acted as soldiers within the colony.
But they also checked themselves.
Just like how some governments in his former life did.
Judiciary checking the Legislature and vice versa.
This understanding made Lenny smile.
It formed an Easy bridge on acquiring power in his mind.
Also, he noticed that working with his head and not his hands to a certain goal gave him a lot for Exp and also stamina.
Now, all he needed to know was a way to maximize increasing his Agility and strength.
But that would be for another time.
for now, He needed to harvest the corpse of this creature before the Broom like worms destroyed what was left of it.
Lenny first went to the Mandibles. These things were even able to pierce into the carapace of the Preying Mantis. Although it did not do much, it was far stronger than the piecers he had on.
He used the piecers and dug them out of the disgusting mouth of the creature.
After which, he removed some of the beast's hard shell.
In this place, having Armor was not at all a bad idea.
After which, he used his perception ability to sense where the heart was within the beast.
This was not easy to dig out.
However, he managed to do it.
He went back into the Safe zone cave with his loot.
"Not bad for a day's work." Lenny thought to himself.
He got a corner to relax and watch the Cotton Worms go about their business.
And then he brought the Heart to his face.
It looked just like the other one. However the moment he sank his teeth into it, he discovered that it wasn't.
It was still sweet but this one had more of a wine taste to it.
And then something unexpected happened.
<Hidden quest Unlocked: Mental Fortitude>
This alert was strange and it was the first time he had ever gotten it.
However, he suddenly felt his throat a bit dry and then, he felt His blood boil like acid in his veins and then came the most massive erection he had ever gotten shoot up in his pants...