More than two months had passed since the day Liam began his new routine in the forest.
Day after day was filled with the same repetitive activities. Exercise, eat, sleep. Exercise, eat, sleep. Exercise, eat, sleep. The pattern was so consistent it felt like a line of code programmed directly into his mind. There was no room for surprises, no pause for pleasure. Yet despite its monotony, that rhythm was slowly transforming Liam's body into something different from before.
With the system designed by the Lawyer, Liam no longer relied entirely on his voice to activate the system, which could sometimes be dangerous if heard by outsiders. Instead, the system responds to subtle codes from his body; a simple movement such as spreading his palms or even just a quick blink is enough to bring up the system window in front of him, as if the blue screen was always waiting for a small signal to be called.
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AVATAR PROFILE
*hologram's body (items can be remove for preview)
[Name: Liam] [Race: Human] [Class: ?] [Level: 4] [Status:Normal] [Ages: 13] [Height: 148] [Weight: 38]
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RESOURCE STATISTIC
[Hit Points: |_____2/2|]
[Mana Points: |_____6/6|]
[Stamina Points: |_____5/5|]
[Experien Points: |___32/50|]
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ATTRIBUTE STATISTICS
[Strength: |_____5/5|]
[Dexterity: |_____2/2|]
[Intelligence: |_____7/7|]
[Constitution: |_____3/3|]
[Strength: (+) or (-) = 5]
[Dexterity: (+) or (-) = 2]
[Intelligence: (+) or (-) = 7]
[Constitution: (+) or (-) = 3]
[Attribute Points: 0]
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—⟩
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SKILLS ACQUIRED
-PASSIVE SKILL-
[Farmer Ability LV 1]
[Language Ability LV 1]
-ACTIVE SKILL-
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Compared to the time when he was confined to the village for years, the development of his body is now much more noticeable and explosive. For the first time in thirteen years of his life, the muscles in his body began to form; not as big as a knight's body, but noticeable enough to indicate that his body was undergoing renovation. His once-fragile arms were now stronger, his once-frail legs now steadier as they supported his steps, and his rippling stomach made his coordination more accurate.
That day was the same as the days before. Liam woke up early, then continued his routine of digging for tubers and worms, and smoking dead tree trunks to harvest ants. His movements were agile, the result of repeated practice. The sun began to creep into the sky, although its rays had not yet fully penetrated the thick trees; the forest was still relatively cool and dark, the air felt humid and wet, and the scent of the earth filled their senses without them being able to resist it.
But in the silence of that morning, something was different. From a distance, a low rumbling sound could be heard, at first almost inaudible, as if it were just the wind blowing through the trees; but slowly, the sound became clearer until it turned into a long, layered hum. Soon after, a terrifying sight began to appear.
A sea of insects appeared, engulfing every inch of the forest floor. There were so many of them, moving in dense waves, that the sound of their footsteps and fluttering wings merged into a single harmony of noise. From a distance, it was clear how the swarm swept away everything in their path. The insects did not simply pass by; they destroyed everything they invaded, eating all the leaves, stripping the tree trunks, and even mercilessly preying on their fellow insects. Wherever they passed, all that remained were traces of colonialism with scattered remnants of life. If it had to be summed up, brutal was the only word that could describe the scene.
The types of insects that appear are diverse, although most still bear a resemblance to species known on Earth. Just as the steroidal wild boars have grown, their shapes and sizes are clearly abnormal. They average a body length equivalent to three to five human fingers, making them appear much larger and more terrifying than their normal counterparts; in addition to their size, many of them have undergone strange mutations that make their existence abnormal. Cockroaches are no longer just small insects that scurry quickly across the floor. Their bodies have enlarged exoskeletons that are harder and shinier than thin steel; some have wings longer than their own bodies, allowing them to fly while emitting the foul odor characteristic of their species. Centipedes with segmented bodies are now twice as long and thicker with serrations on several points on their undersides; their numerous legs move quickly to grab anything they touch, and their bites are strong enough to tear through human flesh.
Praying mantises have jaws and sickles that are many times sharper, enabling them to crush large branches with almost no effort; their bodies are pale green mixed with dark black, allowing them to camouflage themselves among the leaves before jumping several meters with the incredible strength of their hind legs. Dragonflies, usually known for their beautiful wings and agile movements, now have many large, prominent, layered eyes that give them a wider field of vision. The flies that appear are not just small pests; their bodies are almost as big as a fist, with mouthparts that extend like needles. Mosquitoes are not much different; their wings are thicker, their bodies are slimmer but longer, and their sucking proboscis appears strong enough to pierce the thick skin of large animals.
A grasshopper flew through the air at an almost unbelievable speed, moving so fast that it resembled a projectile fired from a firearm; its sharp front legs almost tore Liam's head off if he hadn't reacted a split second faster. Liam moved away, his body jumping in a reflexive motion, while the insect flew past just a few centimeters away, leaving a sharp whistling sound that made his ears ring.
Earlier... At the same time, Liam was busy trying to make a smoke torch to hunt ants. Startled, he struck the cinder stone harder than usual; however, the blow produced a larger spark than expected. In an instant, the falling embers set the dry leaves around him on fire. A small flame appeared, then spread quickly, creeping along the thin branches, and within seconds the fire began to grow, licking the surrounding area as if it were a true maniac.
This phenomenon felt too strange to them. During their two months living in the forest, they had become accustomed to sudden changes in weather and temperature; rain could fall without warning, fog could appear in an instant, the wind could change direction quickly, and even acid rain would sometimes fall at certain times (of course, on a scale that was not too dangerous).
BuzzZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!
The sound echoed loudly, filling the entire space around him. The wave of insects grew thicker and denser, until Liam's escape route was completely blocked. They bounced around like small machines thirsty for blood, moving in chaotic patterns.
Their terrifying appearance was one thing, but their aggressiveness could kill a person in a matter of hours. Some were attacked by biting, others slashed with sharp legs, and still others stabbed with mutated body parts. They moved quickly, jumping or flying, and every movement ended in painful contact for Liam.
His calves were the first target, and within seconds he felt an excruciating pain. His unprotected hands were also not spared from attack; in an instant, small wounds appeared, each no bigger than a scratch but so numerous that the pain blended into one. It felt like being swarmed by small blades attacking him relentlessly.
On the other hand, the fire had already consumed most of the land. The flames seemed to have a life of their own, rippling and twisting, rushing in all directions like maniacs who found pleasure in destruction. Some groups of insects that flew too close were burned, but their numbers were too great for the fire to handle.
Liam lowered his head and crouched down, covering his face with his hands as he tried to endure; bites on his legs or hands could still be tolerated, but attacks on his eyes or neck could mean instant death.
"Am I going to die this stupidly?" he thought bitterly, "Without even being able to kill one of those bastards?"