Chapter 242: The Hive, III

"So, this is how you train?"

After a minute or so of awkward silence, Ned started.

Roy's method took Ned by surprise. To think that Ned would fall for that trick. It wasn't wondering since Roy mentioned his Master. Even just the name of his Master put Ned's emotion in turmoil. So, using it to lure his emotions was a success not just to Roy but to Ned as well.

Although most of his facial features were burned, his lips arched a smile. Eventually, it fell to dumbstruck.

"What's wrong?" Ned asked. Sensing that the air around Roy changed.

"Did you feel the change?" Roy asked.

He and Ned went to rest with their backs against the cold wall of the chamber.

As they talk, Ned sensed something out of Roy. It was a genuine hostility, and it was an Intent.

Ned shook his head. Unsure how to answer Roy.

"Correct," Roy said. "Nothing changed but the fact that you have mastered the Vanishing Stance and Intent. I'm not sure if I should be proud, or jealous. I think envy is the word."

Ned's thin brows wrinkled.

"What mastered?"

After their spar, Ned's energy decreased especially since he used Overclock. Mana was trickling down since his spells use a lot of mana.

"You are correct to say that Vanishing Stance needs mana to perform well." Roy spotted Ned's eagerness so he continued. "But what you did was not just the Fourth Form. It was the Seventh, and it was perfectly executed. I never thought to see someone use its Seventh Form."

"Eh?"

Ned's eyes twitched with the revelation. The last thing he remembered was that he was filled with rage that he used both of his mana and energy to perform attacks by following Roy's guidance.

Truth be told, Ned was able to perform the complex form of the stance since he has been using energy to fuel his innate skills with Overclock.

Ned never thought that using energy just like from Overclock would fuel his rage and became his Intent. Added with his mana, he formed the extension of his broken Butterfly.

ICE? You there?

[I am Ned. Yes.]

I forgot what I did there. With emotions at play, I'm losing focus.

[It was all captured. You can always review the event in detail later on.]

[Although.]

Although?

[Some parts were missing.]

[It was as if something or someone has tampered with my system.]

Hmm. Ned might have an idea who did it. But it seemed that ICE wasn't aware of things happening within him.

"Kid?"

Ned refocused his mind on Roy.

"You can do it again, right?"

Ned was in complete silence. All he could remember was at the end where he saw Roy putting on a good show with a smile. How did it start? How did Ned manifest his Intent? He might have a lot of things to do later on.

"I get it," Roy said after Ned didn't respond. "Forming Intent is exhausting. So I'll call this a day. We will resume training tomorrow. It was all good since I have things to do myself."

The two left the training chamber.

After doing his daily routine inside the Hive Ned decided to call it a day as well and rest.

There were nine levels in the Hive. The first one, which was nearer to the surface composed of beasts that guard the Hive against outsiders. There were dozens of secret entrances that even Ned, till now, wasn't allowed to learn where they were. Ned didn't mind this at all, since he was there to train. Some could say that he was being selfish because of his goal. But it must be done for his master.

Ned wished for peace and freedom and he was able to attain it only to be taken away by the Knight that visited their island. With the unknown Gate opened in O'rriadt, and his master trapped in time. Ned was forced to do what was necessary to attain peace and freedom together with his father figure, again.

The second part of the Hive was the economics of the beast. It was where they perform trades just like humans. Slowly, they evolved to accommodate the passing of time. Now, like humans, they perform both on economics, and understanding of their place.

From third down to the ninth level were the chambers where the beasts lived. These chambers were like branches of a tree, only much wider and abundant. Each chamber was composed of a different beast. One could say that Queen Sas Koron was preparing for war with their number.

As for the Queen, she always stayed in her throne room which was on the fifth level. At the fifth level were the chambers of their commander and humans, as well as Ned's chamber.

Ned and Roy's training chamber was located at the bottom of the Hive. This part of the Hive, just like the first level, was heavily guarded against the underground beasts, Kruthik.

And this was also the level of the Gate where Ned was deciphering.

Ned was filled with anticipation If he could decipher all the symbols. Even for him, that saw different kinds of unnatural events and beasts, he still ester to study the unknown.

Even at the fifth level of the Hive. Ned could feel the trembles that were happening at the bottom of the Hive.

The following day.

Ned and Roy went to train only to discover that Ned couldn't perform the Seventh Form of the Vanishing Stance.

Even with ICE's help. Ned couldn't perform the final form.

During his training. He lacked the needed emotions to manifest Intent.

Without much emotion to follow up on what he did. Ned decided to quit midway through the training and focused his training more on his body. He needed the resolve but Roy's tricks won't work anymore.

Ned stayed inside the training chamber. It has been days since he started but he could still smell the wet soil. The calm flow of the stream nearby, and some chittering behind the thick wall. It so happened that the training chamber they were in was close to the exit.

In this exit was a constant fight between the Queen's men and the mindless beast Hive, the Kruthiks.

The exits were not built but instead, dug by the relentless Kruthiks. Every day, from arachnes to goblins, even gnolls were doing patrol to check the walls for cracks that could make the Kruthiks pass through.

Ned was already known to the Hive as the new human to join their rank.

Well, whatever, Ned thought. If that's how they interpret things. Then let them be. But I didn't join them. I'm only here due to unforeseen circumstances.

[How long are you planning to stay?]

Ned paused on his tracks. He couldn't answer ICE.

The typical chambers had a diameter of at least ten-meter high and almost fifteen to twenty meters wide. But once out, without the mana stones on the walls, it would be total darkness as far as the eyes could see. Even above. Even with Ned's kin eyesight, he couldn't see past through the vast darkness.

The pathway, which was burned mud was laid in the middle acting like roads. On both sides was gloominess of mud in brown sometimes in orange. Ned knew he was near an exit since a wind blew past him. Leaving a trail of sweat and smoke.

Behind him were the beasts guards on duty with their spear held as if it was their dear life.

Some were still throwing a contempt gaze at Ned. But others accepted him especially the female arachnes. He learned later on that Queen Sas Koron's massive beastian abdomen wasn't just for show. It was actually where her arachnes were brought to life from eggs. So what Ned was seeing now were the other versions of Queen Sas Koron. And Ned wasn't far off from them since he was also born in a not so usual method.

Ned's understanding of their language was becoming flourished as he could understand even the beasts that tried to talk behind his back.

But, he does not care.

For now, what he cared about was to manifest Intent. Ned yearned to become stronger and he will add everything in his arsenal to make it happen. Ned couldn't perform additional element spells due to the Prime Evolution. Ned couldn't just use both his fire spell for so long. Especially the fireball. For Egnious, it was powerful indeed but the backfire it causes to Ned's body was also severely disadvantageous to him. So he will only use it if necessary like the Overclock.

So he went outside, check what's the guards were up to around one of the exits and hoped to learn something new.

And there, he met the anxious beasts. Goblins rarely talked to him. But still, he could squeeze out information from other beasts. Like the one standing beside him in a regal manner.

She was a female arachne, too young to be called adult but held a spear. The spear was wrapped with silk, and her body closely resembled that of a human with a thin exoskeleton, and almost non-existent horns. The only horns Ned could see were the horns under her ears that run to her pointed jaw down to her pointed chin. Her eyes were round and pupils were slanted vertically. It was rather yellow and inviting.

Her body has the figure of a human teen. Her exoskeleton was thin that lined her curves. She got yellow skin that covers her body, from her ample chest to her waist and long legs.

Ned nodded as the female arachne nodded first.

In her tribe, she was called Katolin Sak Kalakr'k. They were third to respond after a massive Kruthik appeared and tried to enter the Hive.

They were waiting for their higher-ranked arachnid's command and charge at the battle that was happening outside the Hive.

Inside the long tunnel, Ned could hear metals clashing and shouts echoing.

And so Ned decided, he would like to join and observe how the beasts of the Hive fight in a closer look.