Elsewhere, Esca and the Surge gripped the weapons they had picked up from the shop.

They stood on the outskirts of the town, where a vast forest stretched before them.

In Illume's hand, he held a centipede chainblade, a weapon crafted from the segmented body of a giant centipede. It could seamlessly shift between a long, flexible whip and a deadly blade. Its edges were sharpened to lethal points along each segment, and with a simple flick of the wrist, the weapon would extend into a whip, utilizing its natural flexibility to strike from a distance. With another snap, the segments could lock back into place, creating a solid, razor-sharp blade ready to cut through enemies with deadly accuracy.

Flicking the whip around, Illume sliced through a grouping of massive trees, cutting them clean in two. He watched with satisfaction as they tipped and crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. "Such a fantastic idea! Wow, one thing I've learned quickly here in Insectla, is that centipedes are quite the resourceful creatures. This was a remarkable purchase, money well spent." He admired the chainblade, running his fingers along its segmented length. "I very much look forward to seeing how this blade performs against live prey. Hah, well anyway, how is everyone else enjoying themselves? Are your new weapons to your liking?"

Jecc stood nearby, clenching the bolt he smoked between his teeth. "Mine is pretty remarkable too. Whoever the blacksmiths are here deserve the highest of praise. They're skilled." In his hands was a massive tarantula warhammer, its head forged from the fangs and reinforced exoskeleton of a giant tarantula. Every swing promised not just crushing power but a venomous explosion, leaving behind a toxic sludge that lingered long after the impact. "It reminds me a little bit of the storm blades, just a hell of a lot weaker. But the fact that humans were able to forge these with the kind of technology I observed around this place is one hell of a feat. All of this sludge that spews out should be the perfect thing to infuse with lightning if we run into some sort of big group."

"Yes, yes, they're all impressive works of art. Aren't they?" Esca remarked, twirling a spider venom-infused dagger between her fingers. "Personally, it's been a while since I've had the need to use standard weaponry like this. It's been a little over a decade since I first gained my mist ability, and it's able to blast apart or even more precisely kill most entities, depending on what the need is. Plus, it can even create weaponry itself if the need arises. Observe my friends, but please, I'm a humble moose. So I ask that you hold any applause."

With a focused thought, Esca conjured a spear from her mist and launched it telepathically deep into the forest, the weapon vanishing into the trees with deadly accuracy. She followed up by creating a massive blade, not lifting a finger as it slashed upward through the air. A tremendous split carved through the forest, cleaving a wide path down its center, extending far into the distance.

Illume crossed his arms, voice filled with admiration. "What a wonderful display of strength, Esca! You may have requested for us to hold our praises, but I am sorry, I cannot agree to your wish. I am impressed with your magnificence! I don't think there was any need for you to have picked up any weapons from the town. I'd prefer to see this powerful mist of yours in action against some grande beasts! Care to indulge me?"

She dispersed the mist blade. "I suppose I can, so long as you agree to be the ones to skin the things. I'd also like you to construct us a breathtaking patio and pristine little hut to enjoy our splendid feast in, and then stay the night. You guys seem to be the type capable of building structures at impossible speeds. Did I guess right??"

"Oh Esca, you have a keen eye don't you? You most certainly did guess correctly my friend. Years ago, before I inherited my role as the wielder of the Lightning Storm Blade, swiftly creating structures was a skill that proved itself to be invaluable during my many travels. There were countless occasions where I'd find myself in the middle of nowhere with a need for shelter, so naturally I felt it necessary to learn how to construct all sorts of structures that would be of use. We shall have this gorgeous sanctuary you dream of prepared and built completely in no more than mere moments following the conclusion of our hunt. Rest assured."

"Rest assured I shall then. Since you're so cooperative with my demands, I say we head straight to the slaughter of these damn beasts! Illume, you may lead the—" Esca's words were abruptly cut short as the ground gradually began to rumble beneath them. From the forest, a massive swarm of giant bugs burst forth, charging wildly in response to the destruction she'd unleashed with her earlier strike. "Huh...? Even their forest is filled with just bugs??! And they're fucking huge!!"

"Ha ha ha!! This is perfect Esca! We could not have asked for a better target than this glorious swarm!! Now's the time, show us your might!!" Illume let out a booming laugh, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Before Esca could react, her face frozen in horror, Sligg suddenly stepped forward. His body was bristling with countless weapons strapped to his back and sides—every one of them purchased from Insectla. "Oh my god... this is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping would happen!! Hehe, well shit... which one of these should I put to the test?" He quickly glanced down at the arsenal covering his body, eyes darting between the many choices with an eager grin spreading across his face. "This is the best kinda problem to have, too many caught my eye back there! Damn I love that blacksmith, he really is a genius! But for this group... I think I'm gonna go with—" Sligg's hand shot to his side, grasping a scorpion-tail flail. With a surge of energy, he infused it with lightning, the flail crackling and glowing as arcs of electricity danced along its length. Twirling it around in a display of expert precision, he performed intricate, flashy moves, the sharp, venomous stinger at the end hissing through the air as it sparked with deadly power.

Charging toward him was a horde of colossal insects, their massive bodies thundering across the ground in a terrifying wave.

With one final twirl of his flail, Sligg slammed it into the first insect that reached him, unleashing a violent surge of lightning that crackled across its body. The venom of the scorpion flail was embedded within the lightning, and seeped into the creature, poisoning it as it convulsed from the electrical shock. Without missing a beat, Sligg swung again, his strikes landing with thunderous force. Each blow sent another insect flying, the massive bursts of lightning exploding on impact, electrifying and poisoning anything that dared to come close.

One of the massive insects flew through the air toward Jecc. Without hesitation, he swung his enormous tarantula warhammer, smashing the creature to pieces mid-air. The impact sent gobs of venomous sludge splattering across the battlefield, and with a swift surge of his lightning, Jecc electrified the scattered mess, instantly frying a large cluster of the advancing swarm. He glanced down at the smoking remains, his nose wrinkling in distaste. "No matter how good the food in Insectla apparently is, these corpses still smell disgusting. Their shitty scent isn't very convincing. With how much I've traveled all across the world though, I've learned a thing or two. One important fact being that the right chef can make anything under the sun into a damn delicious culinary masterpiece. So I still have hope."

"As you should, Jecc! I can personally vouch for my own ability to turn these special critters into a feast worth savoring. You mustn't fear!" Illume yelled. Just then, an especially gargantuan hornet buzzed overhead, its shadow passing over Illume before it swooped down in a sudden attack. Illume reacted quickly, swinging his centipede chain blade in an attempt to slice through the insect's tough hide. But the weapon wasn't strong enough to penetrate the even larger bug, and the blade became lodged in its dense exoskeleton. With a sharp twist, Illume released the chain and instead drew his lightning storm blade. The air hummed as the sword crackled to life, arcs of electricity dancing along its length. With a single decisive slash, Illume unleashed a burst of lightning so intense that it momentarily lit up the entire sky. The hornet was cleaved cleanly in two, split vertically by the blinding strike.

The two halves of the massive insect crashed to the ground on either side of Illume. He stood tall between them, his confident smile radiating triumph. "Ha ha. Honestly, nothing could ever hope to compare to our glorious storm blades. But it was a fun little experiment nonetheless." He turned to face Esca, his tone shifting to one of firm encouragement.

"Esca! If you allow the things you dislike to disrupt your ability to take positive action, then you will either never move forward, or worse... you will degrade into a sniveling coward. We cannot allow that to happen."

Illume raised his blade slightly, pointing it towards the encroaching swarm. "So come now, let us see! Bring forth this mist power and blast away these critters you find so distasteful! No longer for the purpose of showcasing your physical might... but now to display your mental strength, and your refusal to allow this path to consume you!!"

Back with Verlena and Teres, the two sat with Valtana and Centi-Ren in an elegantly decorated back room, its walls adorned with intricate designs and shimmering accents. As they waited, a server arrived, placing dishes of finely prepared delicacies on the table—exotic beetle-crusted tarts, roasted larvae skewers glazed in honey, and a rich stew made from tender, slow-cooked roach meat. Verlena and Teres kept their eyes fixed on Valtana, the aroma of the feast filling the room.

Valtana leaned back in her chair, a smile playing at her lips. "Ahh.. nothing like a splendid, delectable meal to accompany a special meeting filled with important reveals and crucial information. Wouldn't you all agree?" she said, her voice smooth as she delicately tapped her fingers on the edge of her glass.

Teres popped a beetle-crusted tart into his mouth. "Meal's never a bad thing, no matter what you're doin'. Since it's all here for us though ready to be enjoyed, why don't ya go ahead and throw it at us. The hell's goin' on..?"

Valtana's smile widened ever so slightly. "No beating around the bush then I see? Well that's fine, we'll have more than enough personal time together during this upcoming contract." She leaned forward, fingers still tapping lightly on the edge of her glass. "Let's get started then. I'll explain everything I know, friends..."