While Leon was busy preparing with Nedra and making plans on how to take the unruly millipedes on the surface with a storm, an entirely different conversation was going on in an entirely different and distant place…
Firm steps echoed through an expansive hall as the metal boots of a man made contact with the hard, marble floors of the hall. The man’s sharp features were framed with locks of gunmetal gray hair that reached down to his collarbones, and his sharp green eyes glinted in the light that shone through the hall from the High Grade Monster Cores that had been configured to act as light bulbs in the hall.
The man gave off an aura that screamed of unprecedented power, and even the very atmosphere around him seemed to bend and scream as he walked past. The very laws of the universe were nearly unraveled in his presence, and only his conscious effort to keep them together was what prevented them from unraveling.
When he finally arrived at the end of the hall, this mysterious being suddenly went down on one knee and bowed his head in subservience.
“My King, I have returned.” His deep, rich voice reverberated through the hall.
“Ah, Michael. Welcome back, how was your mission?” Not too far from where the mysterious and powerful man, Michael, had knelt, a raised golden throne was fixed by the wall. On that elaborate throne sat another man. He had a head full of bright red hair, and his pupils shone with a golden luster.
“My mission was successful, My King. The boy’s soul has arrived in this world.” Michael replied.
“Good, keep an eye on him. He will be useful in the coming times. You may leave, I will reach out to you when I am in need of your assistance again.” The red haired king said and waved Michael away.
Michael nodded and stood up to leave. A snippet of a memory passed through his mind, and a small smile graced his sharp face. In that memory, he remembered how shocked the boy was before he was cleared by the silver truck.
‘Perhaps I should have done it in a less painful way.’ He thought to himself, but shrugged at last. What was done, was done. There was no going back. At the very least, the way he died before getting transported to this world had influenced his new body.
‘Leon, Leon.’ Michael mused as his sharp, bottle green eyes flashed. A scene came into view before him through a transparent screen. It showed a skeleton holding a sword while speaking to a small, white, one foot long millipede. The skeleton was pitch black, and had two sharp bones protruding vertically from its shoulders. The bones were about half a foot long, but were still prominent enough to draw attention.
‘Your growth shall remain unhindered as long as you remain in the wild. That said, how long will you seclude yourself in the wild? You are our first. I look forward to seeing what you can do.’ The screen blinked away and Michael carried on with his march through the marble halls.
.
.
Oblivious to the powerful beings that were paying attention to him, Leon was busy climbing up the deep pit that he had fallen down through with the help of Nedra. The little millipede queen busied herself by digging deep enough handholds that Leon could use to climb, with her incredibly sharp and sturdy legs. Leon followed closely behind her, and after almost an hour of climbing, they had finally reached the top.
When the two of them emerged from the pit, they noted that the entire area was devoid of any millipedes. Only the glow of High Grade Mana Crystals was present in the spacious cavern.
‘Good, there is nothing here. We should keep on moving. I am sure the Royal Millipedes will be working on breeding in the breeding chamber. We must wipe them out.’ Nedra quickly spoke as her antennae flicked around. She turned to the tunnel that Leon had been forced through some time ago before taking off with Leon right behind her. She made sure to be careful and make sure there were no ambushes waiting for them.
After making their way through a winding labyrinth of tunnels, they finally came upon their first millipede.
“Hup!” Leon stepped forward and cleaved off its head in one smooth motion.
[Level 14 Ghost Millipede Soldier killed. You have leveled up.]
Nedra did not even pause for a beat upon witnessing the death of one of her children. She knew what needed to be done and held no sentimentality towards the very ones who had plotted for her demise. She was especially waiting to end the lives of the Royal Millipedes that had pushed vehemently for her dethroning.
The pair soon came upon another pair of Millipede Soldiers, along with four smaller ones that quickly moved to attack the unfamiliar beings that were rushing through the tunnels.
Nedra pounced forward and impaled the two soldiers with her sharp legs, instantly killing one, while leaving the other on the verge of death. Leon quickly finished it by loping off its head before quickly wiping out the smaller millipedes. Their cooperation was on point.
This was how they continued until they finally reached an area that was just before the breeding chamber. A swarm of Ghost Millipedes crawled about within the room, waiting for the intruders. Even more of them poured in through smaller tunnels on the walls and ceiling of the room.
The millipedes had been alerted earlier by a particularly larger group of millipedes that Leon and Nedra had encountered earlier. One of the smaller millipedes managed to escape long enough to alert the others before Leon could kill it. This had led to a mass mobilization of the millipede forces, which now congregated outside the breeding chamber.
Leon could clearly spy more than just a few Royal Millipedes mixed in among the swarm of legs before him.
p Screeeee!
The millipedes screeched angrily the moment they set their eyes on Leon and Nedra, before rushing forward like a wave of legs.