Lyerin leaned against the cold, rough wall of a random building, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. His chest heaved with the exertion, the muscles in his legs burning from the sudden sprint he had just made to escape the swarm.


    His hands were still trembling slightly from the adrenaline, and he wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm his racing heart.


    His breath came in ragged gasps, each inhale feeling like it burned his lungs.


    "Should I go back and kill it?" Lyerin muttered to himself, the words barely audible as he panted heavily, and one could hear his voice were tinged with a mix of frustration and exhaustion.


    The thought gnawed at him, persistent and insistent.


    The Mother Queen—there was something about her, something that he needed. He knew it deep down, a gut feeling that he couldn''t shake off, although she was young, she could feel that she already made it. But then, he shook his head, dismissing the idea as quickly as it hade.


    Killing her would certainly make things easier in the short term. He could use the mall as he had nned, and the threat of the swarm would be gone. But for what? He was on a mission, a grueling, relentless mission to kill 2,400 Eldritch Fleshers to ascend to a Ninth Stage Second Cycle Eldren Warrior.


    His current kill count was at 467. If he killed the Mother Queen, Lyerin would have to start from zero because the mission required him to kill only eldritch fleshers, resetting the mission.


    The thought of having to start all over again was unbearable. It would set him back, but he knew his body won''t be able to make it if he did.


    That''s why he hadn''t killed the Tentatorn creatures earlier. He needed every single kill to count, and wasting them on something that wouldn''t help him level up was pointless. He needed to stay focused, stay on mission. But still, the idea of just walking away from the Mother Queen without getting what he needed didn''t sit right with him.


    After a few more moments of catching his breath, Lyerin pushed himself off the wall, standing up straight as he mentally reviewed his options.


    He had to think of a way to get what he needed from the Mother Queen without resetting his kill count.


    Suddenly, his eyes widened as an idea struck him, a n forming in his mind that was both cunning and risky.


    "I know what to do," Lyerin murmured, a determined glint in his eyes as he started to move, his previous exhaustion momentarily forgotten. He made his way back toward the mall, but this time he kept his distance from the area where the Mother Queen resided. His goal wasn''t to confront her directly—not yet, at least. He needed supplies first.


    Moving quickly and silently, Lyerin entered the nearest store, scanning the shelves for what he needed. It didn''t take him long to find ropes and rolls of duct tape, which he grabbed with seemed practiced efficiency. He stuffed them into his pack and made his way out of the store, carefully avoiding any unnecessary noise that might attract unwanted attention.


    As he stepped back outside, Lyerin''s sharp eyes spotted a group of Eldritch Fleshers not far from him.


    These were the typical kind—fast, aggressive, like running zombies with a singr hunger for flesh.


    They noticed him almost immediately and charged at him with a feral, animalistic savagery.


    But Lyerin was ready. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a few stones hurtling through the air with pinpoint uracy, each one striking a different flesher.


    The stones didn''t kill them; instead, they dismembered their limbs with surgical precision, sending them sprawling to the ground, their severed limbs twitching uselessly.


    Kabang!


    Kabang!


    The creaturesy there, growling and snarling in frustration, but they were no longer a threat to him.


    Without hesitation, Lyerin set to work. He used the ropes and duct tape to tie up the dismembered fleshers, making sure each one was securely bound.


    Their eyes were wide with terror, a faint, glimmering shred of humanity still present in their monstrous forms. But Lyerin paid them no mind. His focus was on the task at hand. He tied them properly, ensuring that they wouldn''t be able to break free, no matter how much they struggled.


    When he was done, he had at least eighteen of them tied up in a line, each one swaying uncontrobly as they struggled against their bonds.


    Satisfied with his work, Lyerin grabbed the end of the rope and began dragging them back toward the mall.


    The creatures made pitiful noises as they were pulled along, but Lyerin ignored them, his mind already on the next phase of his n.


    Once inside the mall, Lyerin made his way toward a different part of the building, far from where the Mother Queen resided. He found a sturdy metal beam and tied the end of the rope to it, making sure the fleshers were positioned in a line, each one tied far enough apart that they couldn''t interfere with each other, but still close enough that they were all part of the same chain.


    He made sure they were standing, even though they swayed uncontrobly, with their movements erratic and unsettling.


    Lyerin took a step back and nodded to himself, admiring his handiwork. "Perfect," he muttered, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. He allowed himself a brief moment of self-congrattion, a small boost to his ego after all the careful nning and execution.


    However, there was no time to dwell on it. He had to move fast before the Mother Queen and her swarm became aware of his presence again.


    With the fleshers secured, Lyerin turned his attention back to what he needed to do. He made his way through the mall, carefully avoiding any insects as he approached the area where the Mother Queen resided.


    As he neared her, he slowed his pace, moving as quietly as possible to avoid drawing attention to himself.


    When he finally reached the area where the Mother Queen was, he could see her bloated form once again.


    The sight was just as repulsive as before, but he forced himself to focus.


    There were fewer insects around her now, likely drawn away by the disturbance he had caused earlier.


    This was his chance.


    Lyerin stepped forward, his voice low and mocking as he taunted the grotesque creature. "I''ll help you," he called out, knowing full well that she would hear him.


    The Mother Queen stirred at his words, her blind eyes turning in his direction as if she could sense his presence.


    The insects around her buzzed more intensely, their wings beating with a frenzied energy. But Lyerin didn''t wait for them to react.


    As soon as he saw them begin to move toward him, he turned and ran, sprinting through the mall with the sound of buzzing wings growing louder behind him.


    He pushed himself to his limits, his feet pounding against the floor as he raced back toward the tied-up fleshers.


    Just as he reached them, his feet began to transform, his human toes elongating and hardening into the hooves of an eldritch creature.


    With a powerful kick, heunched himself forward, the transformation giving him an incredible burst of speed.


    "Swoosh!"


    Lyerin shot past the line of fleshers, barely slowing down as he moved.


    Behind him, he could hear the sound of the insects tearing into the bound creatures, the horrible noises of flesh ripping and bones snapping filling the air. But Lyerin kept going, ignoring the carnage that was unfolding behind him. He had a mission toplete, and he wasn''t about to let anything stop him.


    He didn''t exit the mall as he had nned earlier.


    Instead, he circled around the building, his movements swift and silent as he made his way back toward the Mother Queen.


    When he reached her again, he could see that the number of insects around her had decreased significantly.


    Most of them had been drawn away by the feast he had provided, leaving her vulnerable.


    Without wasting a second, Lyerin flicked a few stones toward the remaining insects, each one hitting its mark and killing them instantly.


    Immediately, the air suddenly became quiet, now, the buzzing of wings of the ce were reced by an eerie silence.


    Lyerin approached the Mother Queen, her grotesque form now even more disturbing up close. Her bloated body twitched as he climbed onto her back, his movements quick and efficient.


    The creature seemed to sense his presence, her blind eyes turning toward him as she spoke in that pitiful, broken voice once again.


    "Are you going to save me, mister?" she asked, her voice filled with a childlike hope that was as heartbreaking as it was horrifying.


    Lyerin nodded, though there was no kindness in the gesture. "Yes," he replied, his voice steady as he lied to the mutated girl. "But I need you to rx."


    "Okay," the Mother Queen whispered, her bloated body going still as she trusted him.


    Lyerin''s hand began to transform, his fingers elongating into sharp, w-like appendages.


    Without hesitation, he drove his w hand into the base of her neck, feeling the sickening quelch as his hands dug deep into her body. The mother Queen let out a soft, pitiful moan as he rummage through her flesh, searching for what he needed.


    Finally, he felt it—a small hard object burrier within her grotesque form.


    Swiftly, he grabbed it and pulled, the objecting free with a wet, sucking sound.


    "Swack!"


    "How does it feel?" Lyerin asked with a cold voice as he looked down at the mother queen.


    "I… I feel better now," she replied weakly, a sad, relieved smile spreading across her distorted face. "Thank you."