Chapter 77: Power of Mother Mantis 3
A dangerous thought slowly surfaced inside Clayne’s mind.
Originally, his plan had been simple.
If he could not kill the Mother Mantis directly, then he would create another creature capable of fighting it.
He would use one monster to exhaust another monster.
He would let them weaken each other.
Then he would clean up the survivor afterward.
At least, that had been his original plan.
Unfortunately, the more he observed the Mother Mantis, the less confident he became in that idea.
The giant crimson insect was simply too abnormal.
Every movement it made radiated danger.
Every reaction it displayed challenged common sense.
Every battle it participated in ended the same way.
Complete domination. Complete victory. Complete slaughter.
Yet despite all those concerns, Clayne still decided to continue.
Because regardless of how dangerous the Mother Mantis might be, he needed information.
Information was valuable.
Information could save lives.
Information could reveal weaknesses.
Information could expose flaws.
Without understanding his enemy, victory would be impossible.
Therefore, after staring at the remaining dried mango fruit for a long while, Clayne carefully cut off another small piece.
The piece was tiny.
Ridiculously tiny.
Compared to the remaining dried mango fruit, it looked insignificant.
Yet Clayne knew better than anyone how terrifying that little piece actually was.
This thing had absorbed enormous amounts of spiritual energy.
This thing had survived heavenly tribulation.
This thing had attracted entire cultivation sects.
This thing had transformed insects into monsters.
Calling it food would be absurd.
Calling it treasure would be more appropriate.
Without hesitation, Clayne flicked the fragment far away. Not too far. Not too close.
Far enough that the Mother Mantis would not immediately interfere.
Close enough that whatever emerged would eventually notice the giant crimson guardian.
The fragment landed several streets away.
Immediately, the surrounding area erupted into chaos.
The reaction was even faster than before.
Mutated rats emerged from sewers.
Mutated insects crawled out from cracks.
Mutated dogs sprinted from ruined buildings.
Even strange creatures that Clayne could not immediately identify appeared from hidden corners.
Everything rushed toward the dried mango fragment.
The slaughter began almost instantly.
A giant rat bit through the throat of another rat.
Several insects immediately swarmed the corpse.
A dog-like creature charged into the swarm and crushed half of them beneath its claws.
Moments later, a larger insect descended and ripped open the dog’s abdomen.
Blood splattered everywhere.
Screams echoed continuously.
Growls mixed with shrieks.
The battlefield rapidly transformed into a mountain of corpses.
Clayne watched attentively from above.
His eyes followed every movement.
His mind analyzed every development.
This was precisely what he wanted.
The weak would die.
The strong would survive.
Then the strong would kill each other.
Then the strongest would emerge.
The process continued relentlessly.
The number of participants gradually decreased.
Hundreds became dozens.
Dozens became ten.
Ten became five.
Five became two.
Then eventually...
Only one remained.
Clayne narrowed his eyes.
The victor was not what he expected.
A gigantic worm slowly rose from the pile of corpses.
Its body was enormous.
Its flesh was covered with crimson scales.
Its mouth resembled a giant grinder filled with rotating rows of razor-sharp teeth.
The creature’s body continuously pulsed.
As though something inside it was alive.
As though something inside it was constantly moving.
The sight alone was enough to make ordinary people lose sleep.
The giant worm slowly raised its upper body.
Then its eyes locked onto the Mother Mantis.
A deafening scream erupted from its mouth.
The sound echoed throughout the ruined streets.
The Mother Mantis immediately reacted.
Its forelimbs rose.
Its wings spread slightly.
A low hiss escaped its mouth.
The atmosphere immediately became tense.
Even from a distance, the hostility between the two creatures could be felt.
The giant worm stared at the Mother Mantis.
The Mother Mantis stared back.
Neither side moved.
Neither side attacked.
For several moments, the city seemed frozen.
Then Clayne suddenly smiled.
A different idea had appeared.
Rather than letting the two monsters fight naturally, he could test something first.
Without hesitation, he raised his hand.
A spiritually reinforced fragment shot forward.
The projectile struck the giant worm directly.
A loud explosion erupted.
The worm screamed.
Its scales cracked.
Its enormous body trembled.
Yet it did not die.
Clayne’s eyes immediately brightened.
Interesting.
"Very interesting.
"This thing was durable.
"Far more durable than ordinary creatures."
Without wasting time, Clayne attacked again.
Another fragment shot forward. Then another. Then another.
Each attack exploded against the worm’s body.
Chunks of scales flew away.
Blood splashed onto the streets.
Flesh was torn apart.
Yet the worm continued enduring.
The creature writhed violently.
Its screams became increasingly miserable.
Its massive body smashed against ruined buildings.
The surrounding streets trembled beneath its movements.
Still, Clayne continued attacking.
He wanted answers.
He wanted to know whether this creature possessed some hidden ability.
Whether it had some terrifying mutation.
Whether it could rival the Mother Mantis.
Unfortunately, the answer became increasingly obvious.
The worm possessed tremendous durability.
The worm possessed impressive vitality.
The worm possessed frightening resilience.
But that was all.
It could not evade.
It could not predict.
It could not react.
Compared to the Mother Mantis, it seemed clumsy. Which is better!
If it can defeat the Mother Mantis, he can just kill it.
Eventually, after enduring dozens of attacks, the giant worm finally collapsed.
Its enormous body slammed into the ground.
The creature released one final sorrowful cry.
Then everything became silent.
The worm died.
The Mother Mantis watched the entire process.
Even the crimson guardian appeared momentarily surprised.
Meanwhile, Clayne nodded to himself.
This experiment had already produced valuable results.
The creatures born from the dried mango fruit did not all develop identical abilities.
Each one evolved differently.
The Mother Mantis possessed some kind of terrifying predictive capability.
The giant worm possessed overwhelming durability.
That meant future creatures could develop entirely different powers.
His attention soon shifted toward the worm’s corpse.
Inside the remains, a faint glow could be seen.
A crystal.
Another crystal.
Clayne smiled.
He would collect it later.
Right now, his focus remained elsewhere.
Without hesitation, he cut another tiny piece from the dried mango fruit.
Then he flicked it away.
Another battle erupted.
Another massacre unfolded.
Another royal rumble began.
The process repeated itself once more.
Countless creatures killed each other.
Blood flowed like rivers.
Corpses piled up.
The battlefield transformed into a grotesque arena.
Eventually, a winner emerged.
This time, it was a giant spider.
The creature’s body was covered in black armor.
Its eight legs resembled sharpened spears.
Its crimson eyes glowed with murderous intent.
The spider looked powerful.
Very powerful.
Yet Clayne could not help feeling disappointed.
Compared to the Mother Mantis, it simply did not feel special.
Without hesitation, he killed it.
Then he repeated the experiment.
Another fragment.
Another battle.
Another massacre.
Another victor.
Again and again, the process continued.
Some winners possessed poisonous blood.
Some possessed explosive flesh.
Some possessed extraordinary regeneration.
Some possessed hardened armor.
Every new creature revealed another possibility.
Every new creature revealed another mutation.
Yet none of them felt comparable to the Mother Mantis.
None.
Not a single one.
Eventually, Clayne cut another fragment and tossed it away.
The battle began once more.
Creatures slaughtered one another.
The streets became covered in blood.
The screams continued endlessly.
Then finally, a victor emerged.
Clayne blinked.
A giant spider.
Again.
The same species.
The same appearance.
The same type of creature.
For a moment, Clayn’s corner of his mouth curled.
This time, he would not kill it immediately.
Instead, he let it be of use.
The giant spider finished devouring its final opponent.
Then its gaze slowly shifted toward the Mother Mantis.
Almost immediately, hostility appeared.
The Mother Mantis also noticed the spider.
The crimson guardian slowly turned its head.
Its eyes locked onto the newcomer.
Neither side moved.
Neither side attacked.
The tension steadily increased.
The giant spider released a loud screech.
The Mother Mantis responded with a hiss.
The spider screeched again.
The Mother Mantis remained motionless.
Then suddenly, the spider attacked.
Its giant body surged forward.
Its spear-like legs stabbed into the ground.
Its speed was astonishing.
The distance between them rapidly vanished.
Clayne watched carefully.
Very carefully.
He wanted to see how the Mother Mantis would react.
The spider continued charging.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Then suddenly—
A crimson flash appeared.
Just one.
A single movement.
A single strike.
Everything ended.
The giant spider froze in place.
For a brief moment, it continued standing.
Then its body separated cleanly down the middle.
Blood erupted outward.
The upper half fell to one side.
The lower half fell to another.
The battle ended instantly.
No struggle.
No exchange.
No prolonged fight.
Just one strike.
One movement.
One kill.
The Mother Mantis slowly lowered its forelimbs.
Then calmly returned its attention to the mysterious sac.
As though nothing important had happened.
As though killing the giant spider required no effort whatsoever.
Clayne remained silent.
His eyes stayed fixed on the crimson guardian.
The giant spider was not weak.
Far from it.
He had personally watched it slaughter countless opponents.
He had personally watched it survive the royal rumble.
Yet despite all that strength, it had died instantly.
The realization slowly settled into his mind.
The difference between the Mother Mantis and every other creature was enormous.
Terrifyingly enormous.
The gap was so large that it no longer felt like a difference in strength.
It felt like a difference in existence.
As though every other monster was merely prey.
As though the Mother Mantis belonged to an entirely different category of life.
Clayne’s gaze slowly shifted toward the basketball-sized sac resting beneath the Mother Mantis.
Then his gaze returned to the crimson guardian.
Then back to the sac once more.
A chill slowly crawled up his spine.
Because a horrifying possibility had suddenly appeared in his mind.
If the Mother Mantis was already this terrifying...
Then what exactly was growing inside that sac?
