The smaller scorpions arrived at the scene, surrounding the desiccated husk of their fallen kin.

But the killer was nowhere to be seen.

High above, Alex hovered in silence, completely concealed by [Void Shroud]—an ability that bent light and mana around his form, rendering him invisible to the senses of these creatures.

Below, one of the scorpions cautiously prodded the drained carcass, while another jabbed it violently, releasing a shrill hiss of frustration.

From his vantage point, Alex understood the reason for their agitation. There was nothing left to consume.

The scorpion he had killed had already been feeding on another before Alex interrupted, which led him to a grim realization—these creatures were cannibalistic. And now, with the body drained of all Essence, they weren't mourning—they were starving. Their frenzy was not grief, but hunger amplified by frustration.

One of them suddenly twitched, its antennae flicking sharply as it caught a scent, then bolted toward a mangled corpse further down the tunnel—the same one the larger scorpion had been feeding on earlier. The others followed in a skittering swarm, their legs clacking wildly against the stone floor as they chased after whatever scraps remained.

Alex saw his opening.

Extending a hand, he activated [Spectral Barrage].

Ethereal blades shimmered into existence around him, humming faintly with unstable energy. With a subtle motion, he directed them downward, targeting the exposed backs of the scorpions—the only vulnerable spot he had identified during his earlier fight.

SHIK!

SHIK!

SHIK!

The blades pierced chitin with surgical precision and detonated seconds later in sharp, controlled bursts.

The swarm shrieked in unison, unleashing a deafening, metallic screech that echoed painfully through the tunnel. Alex flinched midair, shielding his ears just as he descended, landing lightly on the cave floor with trained ease.

Several scorpions lay twitching, legs spasming, bodies broken but not yet dead. Alex didn't hesitate. He moved among them with the precision of a reaper, delivering clean, efficient strikes to end what remained of their lives.

One by one, he absorbed their residual Emi.

Their carapaces dulled and cracked as the energy drained from them, some disintegrating entirely into gray dust.

Alex could feel the raw power entering his body, tightening his muscles, heightening his senses. He still had no system interface to confirm exactly what was changing, but instinct told him the transformation was real—something deep and foundational was shifting.

Without pause, he pressed deeper into the labyrinth.

The tunnel twisted and narrowed, branches splitting unpredictably with every few steps. It felt less like a cave and more like a maze constructed with malicious intent. Several times, he hit dead ends and was forced to backtrack through tight, angular corridors.

Yet he kept going.

Every few minutes, new scorpions emerged—sometimes in pairs, sometimes alone. But now that he understood their physiology, they posed little threat. A few swift strikes to their joints or soft underbellies, followed by a well-placed blast, ended most fights before they truly began.

No more surprises.

Eventually, the passage opened into a cavernous chamber. The air grew heavier, thick with sulfur and the stench of rotting meat. Dim bioluminescent fungi clung to the walls, casting a sickly glow over the scene.

Bones were strewn across the floor—hundreds of them.

But what caught Alex's attention weren't the corpses.

It was the eggs.

Dozens—maybe hundreds—of pale, pulsing sacs lined the chamber walls, embedded into the rock like parasitic tumors. They twitched faintly, as if reacting to his presence.

Then he saw it.

A massive silhouette shifted through the mist at the far end of the cavern.

A scorpion, far larger than any he had faced so far, loomed over the corpse of some unfortunate beast. Its prey—a massive, bird-like creature with shredded wings and a gouged chest—lay lifeless beneath it. The scorpion hunched low, mandibles clicking as it fed methodically.

Alex froze.

His instincts screamed louder than before.

This one wasn't just bigger. It was smarter. More dangerous.

He activated [Void Shroud] again, creeping closer in absolute silence. But the moment he crossed what must have been a territorial boundary, the creature's head snapped toward him.

Its eyes—deep black, emotionless voids—locked onto his position. Its bloodied mandibles clicked once, slowly.

Then it moved.

Without warning, it reared back and fired a bolt of sizzling acid.

The projectile tore through the air with the force of a cannon shot. Alex rolled to the side just in time, the acid splattering against the stone wall where he had stood moments before. It hissed violently, dissolving the rock in seconds.

His stealth shattered instantly.

Reacting quickly, Alex fired off another [Spectral Barrage], aiming directly for the creature's face.

But the scorpion darted sideways in a blur, faster than it had any right to move.

What the hell...?

It moved like it had a speed enhancement—no warning, no build-up, just raw, reflexive agility.

Then it lunged, stinger stabbing toward him with terrifying precision.

Alex flipped backward, activating [Godeyes] midair. Time slowed slightly. Motion became clearer. Predictable. He tracked the next strike and vaulted upward, narrowly evading it.

From the air, he tried what had worked before.

With a sharp motion, he teleported an explosive disk onto the scorpion's back—right where the weak spot had been on the others.

But this time, there was no soft seam.

Its back was seamless, armored like obsidian forged in hellfire.

Still, he snapped his fingers.

BOOM!

Fire engulfed the beast.

Alex hovered, waiting for signs of damage.

The smoke cleared—and the scorpion stood, entirely unharmed. Not a scratch.

"Seriously?" he muttered.

The beast shrieked and fired a series of acid bolts in rapid succession. Alex dodged, weaving between them, but the cramped airspace limited his movement. One bolt grazed his cloak, eating through it like paper.

He dove toward the ground.

The instant he landed, the creature charged—but this time, Alex was ready.

He slammed his foot into the ground and activated [World Breaker].

A shockwave rippled outward, cracking the floor. Plates of stone rose and shattered, the force lifting even the massive scorpion into the air.

It flailed briefly, legs thrashing—then began to fall.

Alex expected it to crash awkwardly.

Instead, it twisted midair, landed cleanly on all fours, and lunged again—faster than before.

No delay. No hesitation.

Just pure, deadly instinct.

Alex didn't wait. He activated [Terraphase] and sank into the earth just as the stinger struck.

Submerged in stone, he moved like a swimmer through water, the muffled sound of the scorpion's shriek echoing from above.

While underground, Alex analyzed the situation.

Brute force wouldn't work. Not against armor like that.

But what if he didn't need to find a weak spot?

What if he made one?

He concentrated, channeling the \\[World Breaker] energy again—this time down, not up—aiming to collapse the ground beneath the scorpion.

Cracks spread beneath it like veins of lightning.

Then, with one sharp pulse—

CRACK!

BOOM!

The cavern floor gave out.

The massive creature plunged into the pit, chunks of rock falling with it.

Alex resurfaced at the crater's edge.

The scorpion scrambled, trying to climb out.

He raised both hands.

Dozens of \\[Spectral Blades] formed in the air above him, and more followed—until the ceiling seemed filled with shimmering death.

With a single thought, he sent them all crashing down.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The blades struck like meteorites, each one exploding on impact. The cavern shook with every hit, and flames licked at the edge of the pit. The scorpion shrieked—once, twice—then fell silent.

Still, Alex didn't stop.

Wave after wave of blades rained down, each stronger than the last. Chitin cracked. Stone burned. Smoke curled thickly into the air.

Then, finally, he paused.

Only silence remained.

He stepped to the edge and peered into the crater.

The scorpion boss was dead.

Or so he thought.

Because from deep within the smoke...