[Chaosgraphy Lv. 17]

Beyond her, the ants kept moving. Mandibles scraped against shields, legs tapped through the water, and green poison icons bloomed over the unaffiliated players one by one.

Party Nineteen’s cleansing lights answered only on Night Espresso’s side, falling over allies with quiet precision while the trapped players struggled in the mist.

The level gains are huge. I can easily summon Kumoe and let her level up along with me. Even if something bad happens to her, she should gain plenty before it happens.

A small white pup with three heads appeared in front of Chaosgraphy, her paws sinking into the cold water. All her fur spiked up, and Kumoe slammed her little paws against the surface.

Chaos smiled at the adorable little white cloud. "You’re on your own, Kumoe. Follow me, buff the others, bite something important, whatever your three little hearts desire. Just don’t die, or I’ll be very sad."

San Kumoe’s three heads barked.

"Martin can’t summon Angel yet. He’s saving her for the egg spot. You can get ahead of her in levels and win some snacks from him," Chaos added.

At the mention of snacks, all three heads arched back and howled, excitement shining in their eyes. The pup then took her first steps forward, only to slip onto her side.

"...maybe you need to sit on Angel’s shell instead," Chaos sighed.

You’re like me, then, Kumoe. Except I’m going to push harder until Martin has no choice but to put a leash on me.

As those words came naturally to her, Chaos’ cheeks reddened. Her heart skipped a beat, and she plunged into the battlefield with even more passion than she had expected.

Some distance from Chaosgraphy, Kill Clause looked over at the minimap. "Just like you said, she’s going wild."

Crimson Halo watched the same shifting markers while her fingers moved across the edge of her Gospel Tome. Silver light flowed from the moonlit pages and settled over Party Seventeen’s shields before slipping toward Party Eighteen’s archers like a quiet promise.

"Of course she is. Alex has always liked doing things her way. And because this expansion matters so much to Martin, she has even more reason to test how far he can keep up with her."

Crimson Halo’s eyes followed another marker as it appeared near the egg cluster. "Did you notice? Kuro A hasn’t spoken to us at all since Martin seized control."

"I noticed," Kill Clause said with a nod.

Crimson Halo turned a page, and another layer of silver light settled over the lane. "Which means Alex will receive plenty of scolding if she ends up as one of the main reasons something goes utterly wrong. About time, I swear. She has been getting too cheeky these last few years."

Kill Clause smiled.

Are you using Martin to scold your younger sister, or do you want him to scold her for another reason?

While Kill Clause and Crimson Halo watched the minimap, NukEncore and the other mages pushed slightly ahead. They didn’t have as much range as the ranger classes, and the mist forced most of them to rely on fast, single-target skills.

NukEncore had it easiest. She could compress her fireballs into lightning-like bolts and fire them through the narrow gaps Martin’s formation created.

At almost the same time, Chaosgraphy proved Crimson Halo’s point.

She slipped past the edge of Martin’s last marker by only three steps. Most players wouldn’t even call that a mistake, but in a flooded cave filled with ants, mist, and cracked egg mounds, three steps were enough to change the battlefield.

An unaffiliated duelist with a dagger, pinned between Party Eighteen’s arrows and the ant swarm behind him, saw Chaosgraphy coming through the mist.

Instead of retreating toward the sealed lane where Martin’s shield line waited, he twisted away from Night Espresso and cut toward the eggs, dragging his bleeding arm through the shallow water.

Chaosgraphy’s smile sharpened. "Kumoe, left."

San Kumoe barked from behind her and split into motion. One head snapped at the duelist’s ankle while another released a faint white glow over Chaosgraphy’s blades.

The duelist panicked and slashed low with his dagger, aiming for the water at her feet rather than her chest. A black thread of skill cut through the surface, turning the flooded stone beneath Chaosgraphy’s boot slick and glassy.

Her first step held, but her second slid, and for one brief heartbeat, even she looked offended.

The duelist used that opening to ram his shoulder into her and send both of them crashing toward the cracked mound beside the eggs.

Chaosgraphy twisted in midair and stabbed one sword into the stone to keep herself from hitting the eggs directly. The impact still dragged her along the mound’s outer shell.

Pale cracks spread beneath her blade, thin and ugly, and something inside the cluster answered with a wet, clicking tremor.

The next instant, the water exploded as a Dark Aquatic Ant burst from beneath the surface and slammed its mandibles into Chaosgraphy’s side. Her HP dropped in a brutal chunk.

NukEncore’s eyes snapped to the minimap as Chaosgraphy’s marker flashed near the egg mound.

That was not supposed to happen. Everything had been going so well, but a second later, Martin’s marker moved toward Chaos.

No way! Chaos made a mistake, not me?! I am finally not the troublemaker?! Mhm. This is a victory I will flaunt to everyone once we finish this mission!

The duelist’s relieved laugh cut off as Martin’s shield came through the mist like a wall being dragged across the battlefield. Martin angled across the water, slammed his shield into the duelist first, and used the man’s body to block the ant’s second bite. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"What the hell are you doing?!" the duelist shouted.

"Using you," Martin said.

The ant’s mandibles closed on the duelist’s shoulder instead of Chaosgraphy’s waist. Martin hooked his shield behind Chaosgraphy’s back and shoved her away from the mound with enough force to send her sliding across the flooded stone.

San Kumoe yelped, all three heads barking at once as she scrambled after her.

Chaosgraphy caught herself on one knee, one hand pressed to her wounded side. Her smile remained, but the curve had turned tight.

Martin didn’t look back at her. His eyes had already moved to the egg mound, where the cracks continued to spread.

One by one, pale shapes stirred behind the shell. The water around the eggs darkened, and a low vibration crawled through the stone beneath everyone’s feet.

NukEncore’s smile froze. Eh? What’s going on?

[Warning: West Nest Egg Cluster has been destabilized.]

[Mini-boss awakening sequence has begun.]

[Emperoar: Fall back! The mini-boss has been triggered! Secure the exit route and don’t let anyone slip away!]

NukEncore stared ahead as a frantic procession of thoughts rushed through her mind. The mini-boss has awakened. That means the eggs will hatch. That means a monster wave is coming straight at us.

Her eyes widened, and a grin slowly spread across her face. And that means this is my stage. You were great, Martin, but this is where I shine now!

Something huge moved beneath the water, and the mist split apart as a massive presence emerged from a hidden tunnel deep inside the west nest. Water rolled off its black shell in sheets.

Its legs struck the stone one by one, each step heavy enough to send ripples across the flooded ground and strip the mist from the nest.

NukEncore raised her eyes and stared straight into the mini-boss’ face.

[The Dark Aquatic Ant Queen Lv. 50]

For one beautiful second, her dramatic soul understood that she had been chosen by fate.

Then the ant queen opened its mandibles.

[NukEncore: Martinnnnnnnnnnnnnn!]