As soon as Jared spoke, he let loose a terrifying aura that unnerved the members of Mapleton in the


    vicinity and forced them to scurry further backward.


    “Jared seems to have gained a substantial increase in power,” remarked Weston in awe and terror.


    We’d fought Jared back in Jadeborough once before. I don’t recall him being this powerful!


    Poison King doubled the intensity of his own aura before letting it loose at Jared’s. The shockwave


    caused by the collision of both auras uprooted trees in a radius around them like a violent hurricane.


    “The beetle’s exoskeletons have been enhanced to be tougher than steel, Jared,” Lyanna cried out. “And


    their wings are literally razor des. Be careful!”


    Jared soon found out that the beetles did not only form armor. When they pped their wings, they


    turned Poison King into some sort of a grotesque and deadly porcupine. Covered in a hide of razor


    des from every conceivable direction, any adversary who got too close would find themselves


    shredded to pieces.


    “I’ll deal with you after killing Jared, traitor!” Poison King red at Lyanna before swinging a fist at


    Jared’s face.


    The momentum of his arm which was already formidable on its own was enhanced to superhuman


    proportions by the frantic pping of millions of beetles as they worked together to propel a meteoric fist


    toward Jared’s cheek.


    Almost blinded by the metallic wings glinting malevolently under the moonlight, Jared threw a punch


    wildly to parry Poison King’s iing one. Although the gust of supersonic wind caused by the velocity


    of his fist reduced many beetles to dust, a portion of them managed to pass through his defenses and


    cut his skin.


    As he had given his shirt to Lyanna, Jared’s sunburnt, copper skin was defenseless against the sharp


    wings of the beetles. The brief contact with the beetles had left his body covered in tiny cuts. Although


    microscopic, every inch of his exposed skin was simrly ravaged.


    Poison King was ted at the sight of Jared’s blood. “Hah! It seems that I’ve overestimated the


    toughness of your body.”


    Keen to press his advantage, Poison King leaped up with his arms raised to deliver


    another attack. The formidable gust of wind conjured by his momentum sank the battlefield by several


    inches. The members of Mapleton scurried further back still.


    As if swept up by the gust, the beetles on Poison King’s body suddenly left him as they made a beeline


    for Jared.


    Boom!


    Lost underneath the cacophony of murderous buzzing, the spot where Jared stood seconds ago caved


    as it copsed under the collective weight of the metallic swarm.


    Dust and debris permeated the air as a thunderous sound reverberated through the night sky with a


    sense of awful finality.


    “Jared!” Lyanna screamed.


    Poison King smiled triumphantly. Even if Jared hasn’t been ttened by my strike, he would most


    definitely be squished from thebined weight of my beetles.


    “Drag this traitor back. I will be teaching her a lesson she will never forget.” Poison King red at Lyanna


    before issuing themand.


    The five leaders nodded and started toward Lyanna.


    “I’m going to avenge my parents one way or another,” she threatened him. “Even if you kill me tonight, I


    will haunt you for as long as you live.”


    Without warning, Lyanna lunged toward a rocky ledge with the intention of smashing her head against it.


    I would rather kill myself than allow Poison King to contaminate me.


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    Watching this, Weston grabbed hold of her in midair and foiled her n.


    Lyanna struggled fiercely to no avail. “Let go of me! I’d rather die than go back there!”


    Just when the five leaders were prepared to present her to Poison King, a cold voice rang out.


    “Let go of her, and I might spare your lives.”


    As the members of Mapleton exchanged nervous nces, a silhouette emerged from the crater.


    The five leaders gaped in shock. “How are you still alive?”


    “Jared!” cried Lyanna with tears of joy streaming down her face, giddy with relief.


    A faint yellowish glow emitted from Jared’s body. Beneath his feet, the beetles spilled clumsily out of the


    crater by the millions. Not a single one of them was still in possession of its wings.


    “You have so much potential to be cadaver king,”mented Poison King after a moment of silence.


    “What a waste.”