Crouching Roaches, Hidden Spiders
A notice popped up in Luna's consciousness.
Along with the currency, the Guild bank also received countless pairs of Itak Tagalogs and a few Skill books.
"It seems the skill books are becoming more and more rare these days. It's a good thing we stockpiled on them in advance. Who knows how rare the current rare ones will be later on. It's possible they won't even drop anymore at all." Luna pondered for a bit. Then he looked towards the remaining guards. "We're moving out. If you wish to join the Sovereign Nation, then I'll allow you to. But try anything funny, and you'll end up like him." Pointing towards Ferdinand, the guards started shaking no matter how much they tried to stop it.
"Yes, Lord Luna!" They went down on their knees. It seems that this guy could be reasoned with, but should they try to even attempt to cross him once. He would end them brutally, to set an example.
They walked out of Ferdinand's residence and made their way up to the walls when one of the guards spotted a speeding wheelchair on the main road.
"That's Grandma Melchora! Look! That's Sora with her!" Sora and her family had quite the good reputation in this area even before the new world.
"You know them?" Luna asked.
"Yes, Lord Luna! Melchora Aquino, she's one of the most charitable people we know! She has a nickname, 'Tandang Sora*,'' that's where her daughter got the name 'Sora' for her granddaughter. Please, Lord Luna! They are good people. If you can save them, then not only myself, all of our people will serve you loyally!"
"I'll hold you to your word." Luna nodded. He was going to save them regardless. He quite admired that she wouldn't just leave her grandmother when it was obvious that it would only be a death wish. "All of you, go ahead and get in the spatial gate."
***
"We're almost there, grandma!"
Just then, a huge explosion could be heard from the Eastern and Western walls, shaking the ground, tilting the speeding Wheelchair knocking it to the side.
"Hold on grandma!" Sora extended her foot to the side the wheelchair was falling, and prevented it from toppling over. The Mutant Beasts to the East were rampaging towards the center where they were, and the Rat tide was coming from the West as well.
"Sora, leave me! We're not going to make it in time!" Her grandmother was begging her.
"I can't! If you die, I die!" Sora's eyes were flooded with tears, to the point where it even blurred her vision. Her grandmother was the only person holding her together.
As if fate was playing with their lives, the Wheelchair indicated the the battery was empty. The solar panels on it weren't enough to keep it going!
"DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!" Sora thought about just lifting her grandmother, but with her current state, that would aggravate her injuries even further. The wheelchair was their optimal choice, due to it's built in shock absorbers.
She hugged her grandmother, as they were being surrounded from all sides.
BOOM!!!!
She felt something land behind her. A second later, she felt the temperature rise.
They both looked up, only to see that in front of them was a man wielding a fiery Guandao, with the blade in front resembling that of much thicker Itak Tagalog. It was quite the sight to see. He was spinning it, and as it spun, fire would follow it's path, like a whip. They were now in a circle of fire, which the mutant beasts tried to avoid.
"That's all my Mana." The man said. "Today is not the day you die."
"Please be gentle with my grandmother, her organs are not functioning correctly anymore." Sora knew it was asking too much when Luna was already saving them, but her concern overpowered her shame. Much to her disbelief, the annoyed expression she expected didn't show.
Instead, Luna smiled at her. "Your grandmother is quite lucky to have you. You don't have to worry, the
"Thank you! THANK YOU!" Sora fell on her knees, tears still falling down from her eyes. It felt as if she was sinking into the abyss, and then Luna came and pulled her out of it.
"Max, pick us up."
Melchora and Sora looked up as a Angry Bakunawa descended from above, curling itself around their proximity, just within the circle of fire. He opened his mouth and revealed the spatial gate.
"Go in, quick! The fire won't last much longer!"
Luna carried Melchora as Sora lead the way.
***
Meanwhile, on the Eastern walls of the Sovereign Nation. Elder Aran was giving out his lessons as he was stationed here to guard just in case.
"Elder Aran, we've detected strands of silk attached to our northeastern walls!"
Knitting his eyebrows, the Elder responded. "Strands of silk? Take me there! Swiftly!"
When they got there, strands of silk were indeed attached to the walls. They were barely visible, they were incredibly tough as well, and it took quite a bit for others to reach down and continuously chop them off. Even then, they would just keep swaying in mid-air, and eventually they would reattach themselves again. It was as if no matter how many times they were cut off, they'd grow longer again.
Although, when some of them were cut, they would fall into the water, as if something was weighing them down.
***
Municipality of Medellin.
The spiders were still expanding. They were either devouring their kin to further evolve or hunting down zombies. The ETZs were easy pickings for them, they would just blanket them with silk, wrap them up, inject their venom, and devour their prey.
The EHZs however were another story. If they were caught, they'd be easy pickings as well, but when they caught the spiders by surprise, it only took one claw attack to rip them to shreds. It was a stalemate between the two. This was what prevented the spiders from converging onto Bohol.
They were however trying to use a certain technique, along the coast, spiders had their rear ends pointing outwards towards the sea, releasing silk. Some of them would be snatched up by the sea creatures, something that they quickly countered by laying down web traps. These strands of silk would float about, extending gradually, until they feel it attach itself onto something.
This was how they were able to join the fight in Bohol after Luna left. The Negros island was quite far, so while the spiders were crawling on their webs, as fast as they did, they would fall into the water, becoming food for the sea life.
***
Southern Cebu, Moalboal Municipality.
The Cockroaches were breeding nonstop. They were relatively weak despite their larger size. The largest one of them being almost half the size of a mini-cooper. Unlike the spiders, the roaches didn't have as much tools to fend off predators. What they relied on were sheer numbers. With increased size, meant that their choice of prey also increased.
They constantly multiplied at a rate far surpassing the spiders. Their legs were filled with spikes, capable of piercing even an ETZ, albeit, it was too shallow to actually kill. On the eastern perimeter of their territory, some ETZs were running rampant and devouring them. They had a lot of life force, and were easy pickings, which made them the ideal prey.
The leader of the cockroaches watched as it's head tilted to the side, shaking uncontrollably, his wings were flickering a bit as well. Slowly, he actually stood up.
It was a frightening scene. Imagine seeing a cockroach as big as you, and it suddenly stood up on both legs. It wasn't even the sight of it's brethren being slaughtered, it was livid that this zombie would disturb it's meal.
Right below him was a man holding a modified Itak Tagalog with a much longer handle, it was customized to be more of a piercing weapon than a slashing weapon. He was still barely alive, clinging to his spear. Right beside him were his friends, their minds were already broken from fear and from the sight of him getting eaten alive. It was inevitable that they would be next on the menu.
The cockroach leader gave his weapon a peculiar look, then it bit his arm off. He screamed his last then his face was stomped down on, crushing his head.
The leader picked up his spear, awkwardly holding it with four of it's six legs before it finally was somewhat able to hold it steady. It crouched down and crawled slowly towards the ETZs.
As soon as it was a few meters from it, it dug in it's two hind legs onto the ground, bent it's 'knees' and launched itself toward the ETZ, with spear in hand, intending to pierce the ETZ. Unfortunately, it's awkward grip failed it, as soon as it made contact, the spear was actually flung off of it's legs as the zombie grabbed it's head and chomped down on it.