The Acid Ant didn't attack; instead, it started bloating at an alarming rate. Not only that, but fumes began rising from its acid-filled sack. Something dangerous was about to happen. [This feels very familiar to a few games you played... don't tell me it's going to blow up?] After hearing this question, Vincent halted his advance. He assertively gazed at the rapidly bloating ant and noticed it was walking towards him. The possibility to explode or shoot large amounts of acid was a forgone conclusion. As for cover against such attack... there was none. The melted tree stumps couldn't provide adequate shelter, Kazumi perceived. He needed to do something quickly. As for what, she racked her brain for a solution. -I know what to do.- Said Vincent with a do or die plan in mind. He stood his ground while waiting for the approaching bloated Acid Ant. Kazumi was worried and wanted to ask, but the confidence in Vincent's eyes put her mind to rest. Step by step, the danger increased, yet Vincent remained glaring with a cold and unfazed expression. He believed in his plan with unwavering conviction. The Acid Ant became angry that the human in front of it didn't become afraid by its ultimate attack. The ant increased its pace while leaving a trail of acid sizzling on the ground. It became apparent that the Acid Ant was melting itself from the inside out to erupt into a fountain of acid. [I hope you know what you are... quick! It's leaping at you!] The Acid Ant lept after reaching about two meters distance between them. The ant's body suddenly expanded and cracked. Acid leaked from the crack in the carapace and shortly poped like a ballon from overexpanding to the body's limits. *Pop!* [1x Broken Adult Freshwater Mudcrab Carapace (Rare Quality) summoned. x0 remaining.] Vincent courageously smirked at the acid flying towards him. A large boulder-sized green light materialized in front of him. Vincent swiftly ducked behind the Adult Mudcrab Shell, placing his back inside the large hole in the shell. He raised his arms to protect his head from the flying acid as he couldn't enter further inside the mudcrab shell. The Acid Ant exploded in mid-air, covering the mudcrab shell with acid. A few droplets fell of his blood gauntlets and three small drops on his thigh. *Tsss* Vincent frowned at the burning pain on his thigh. The intense pain was as if three burning knives stabbed his thigh, piercing deeper by the second. [Vincent, ohh no! Your skin is melting!] -It's ugh... bearable.- [Don't get used to pain, you hear!] [But I must say, your plan worked almost perfectly. I didn't consider the shell for protection since it provided about the same cover as the tree stump.] Kazumi became worried about both Vincent's physical and mental condition. She thought that getting hurt and resisting the pain because you can heal afterward wasn't the best idea. Fortunately, the sizzling sound on his thigh stopped. Vincent was still contorting his face, but the pain started to fade quickly from the food buff. "It stopped hurting a lot, but... I think I have three holes in my leg..." Vincent took a peek at his injury and couldn't see the end. He stopped examining the injury and thought, 'I hope I can move without healing.' [You still have seven minutes until Overheat ends. Do you want to heal now?] Vincent felt tempted but decided against using heal. He could heal twenty times or ten times for non-retainers, but he didn't know what the future held for them. Vincent placed his hand on the mudcrab shell and pulled himself. As his trembling legs lifted his body, he felt like he could walk while enduring the pain. 'As I thought, the mudcrab shell is tough like my gauntlets. Only a few millimeters of the shell got melted, unlike my leg ugh... .' Vincent observed how strong of a shell mudcrabs possess. The healing from Soul Power was a precious commodity. However, to use it tactfully was also important. Something Vincent didn't consider when the condition of the others was currently unknown. Female scream, "AHHHHH!" Vincent heard a female scream. He swiftly turned his gaze in the sound's direction, but his visibility was low because he ran away from the others to aggro the ants. Vincent's heart raced from the anxiety from the plethora of thoughts passing through his mind. His hand soon landed on the shell. It shortly turned into mana particles and entered his palm. [1x Broken Adult Freshwater Mudcrab Carapace (Rare Quality) gained.] "Why did I have to run this far? Girls, please be safe! " Vincent exclaimed. The adrenaline to protect Ester and Lupa dampened the pain. He increased his walking pace until sprinting toward their direction as fast as he could. Fighting few meters away from the others hindered his sight. *Three minutes before - Koss fight* "Wild Blow. " Koss uttered, activating one of his warrior class ability. A layer of force starting from his forearm rushed to cover his hand. The layer of power soon completely covered his forearm, hand, and sword in a second. It felt similar to Overheat but in reverse. Koss gripped the sword with a firm grip and... *Slash* The sword swung down at the Soldier Ant's head, cutting it in half as if it was nothing but a piece of paper. This warrior class ability allowed Koss to attack regardless of the ant's tough exterior. Koss slammed his foot and shield bashed a Soldier Ant leaping at him. Shortly, he felt killing intent approaching from his side after knocking the second ant on the ground. The third Soldier Ant was in mid-air filled with killing intent. Its target was Koss's head. However, Koss was an expert when it involved tracking malicious intent. He dodged the leap by jumping backward and quickly counter-attacked. As the blade accurately drew closer to the gap of the ant's neck... Koss "Argh damn ants!" The fourth Soldier Ant, viciously bit Koss's leg with enough force to pierce the armor protecting his leg. The pain forced Koss to change the swing's direction. The third ant escaped its death but lost three limbs from the powerful counter-attack. Koss contorted his face in pain. He lowered his gaze and swung his blade in the neck gap of its tough carapace, separating the ant's head from its body in a blink of an eye. Koss tried removing the ant's head from his leg, but the more he tried, the more blood gushed out. The ant's pincers penetrated enough that he needed to worsen the wound. Only by taking his time could he remove the head carefully. *Culo and Hara fight* On the other side, Culo and Hara weren't faring very well. They were overwhelmed by the three Soldier Ants attacking them. One ant attacked them from the front while the third one attacked randomly without a pattern. The two new recruits started despairing the longer the fight lasted. *Skree...* After hearing an ant screeching, the two humans and three Soldier Ants turned their heads and took a quick glance. Their eyes soon noticed a Soldier Ant lying on the ground with three missing limbs. The three Soldier Ants halted their assault for a second. Their anger for Koss burned fiercely when staring at their ally in pain and two ants slain by his blade. The two new recruits took this opportunity to swing their sword as hard as possible with their adrenaline pumping from the food buff. Culo and Hara's fear momentarily disappeared when the Soldier Ants stood before them with their attention all on Koss. Culo swung his sword at the Soldier Ant in front of him. He managed to cut one of its limbs. However, the ant retaliated by lunging at Culo in anger and bit his leg. Hara only managed to cut one of the antennas of the ant in front of him. The Soldier Ant started wobbling after losing one of its antennas. It started moving sideways while almost falling most of the time. It seemed antennas were the ant's weakness. Culo fell down from the pain. His contorted face display all the despair he felt. He felt as if he was about to die. "Stay away! Let my leg go! " Culo said while furiously slashing the ant's head in desperation. However, he wasn't strong enough to cut through the thick carapace leaving the ant to continue biting his leg. Hara kicked the wobbling ant. It fell on the ground after losing its balance, and no matter how much it tired, the ant couldn't get up from feeling the world spinning. When Hara was about to help Culo, the third Soldier Ant lunged at him, interfering with the assistance Culo desperately needed. Hara managed to raise the shield before the ant crashed against his shield and knocked him down. The Soldier Ant lept at Hara. Its pincers drew closer to his head, intending to bite his head off. Hara couldn't guard himself in time as his body felt heavy from the imminent death approaching him. He closed his eyes and waited for death. *Skree...* "Huh? " Asked Hara. He opened his eyes, but the Soldier Ant wasn't attacking him. He lifted his gaze and noticed Koss, his sword dripping fresh blood, two ants dead near his feet, and a Soldier Ant with a missing antenna held by its throat. "Help Culo with his injury while I deal with this. " Koss said. He turned his gaze at the ant he was lifting and used the technique he showed Vincent. The CQC art called Force Shock. *Skree!* *Splat* The Soldier Ant's head exploded. Koss shook his hand to remove the ant's blood from him. Three Soldier Ants died by his hands, as well as the other four that he previously fought. Seven ants were killed by Koss, while six by Vincent. Seven Ants remained, of which two were Acid Ants and five Soldier Ants. Hara helped Culo remove the ant's head and wrapped a piece of cloth around his wound. Both soon noticed Koss hastily removing an ant's head from his leg. "Let us help you, sir." Culo and Hara offered. Koss nodded and turned his gaze where his daughter, Ester, Lupa, and Tulip should be. Female scream, "AHHHHH!" Koss's face turned sour by what his eyes witnessed when he looked at the four girls. He rushed towards them while ignoring the thumping pain and blood seeping from his wound. Culo and Hara managed to wrap a piece of cloth with a loosened knot on Koss's leg before he ran away. *Three minutes before - Ester, Lupa, Tula, and Tulip fight* Three Soldier Ants and one Acid Ant rushed towards Ester and Lupa, while the fourth Soldier Ants suddenly changed its course and headed towards the fear-stricken little Tula.