Isaac scanned the battlefield, his grip still tight on his axe. The sun had dipped lower, casting long shadows over the bloodied ground. The bodies of the Howlers lay scattered, motionless.
His eyes moved to the refugees. Some were sitting on the ground, clutching their wounds. Others leaned against trees, breathing heavily. Their clothes were torn, their faces covered in dirt and sweat.
But they were alive.
Isaac let out a breath of relief. No one had died.
However, many were injured, some had deep cuts, others were bleeding from scratches and bruises. They needed treatment. Fast.
His gaze shifted to his system panel, where the new ability was still displayed…. Swarm Heal.
Isaac turned to Hopper who was perched on his shoulder.
'I'm going to use Swarm Heal,' Isaac said.
Hopper twitched his antennae. 'You can, but you need to be careful.'
Isaac frowned. 'What do you mean?'
'As long as you have enough energy, you can heal them,' Hopper explained. 'But keep an eye on your energy level. Each command drains you. If your energy reaches zero, you'll black out.'
Isaac's jaw tightened. He hadn't considered that.
Losing consciousness now would put them all at risk.
His fingers flexed around the axe handle as he weighed his options. He needed to be smart about this.
Isaac exhaled, already feeling the exhaustion creeping in. His body was heavier than before, his breathing uneven. He had been using Swarm Authority and fighting nonstop, and now the strain was catching up to him.
'Just how much energy do I have left?'
He narrowed his eyes and focused.
"Open Energy Status."
A system notification appeared before him.
[Warning Energy Level: 21%]
Isaac's jaw tightened.
Lower than I thought.
He clenched his fists, glancing back at the injured. Some were losing blood fast. If he didn't act now, their condition would worsen.
'21%… Is that enough?'
He had no choice but to try.
Isaac straightened his back and took a deep breath.
'I'll heal them,' he said.
Hopper bobbed his head. 'But keep track of your energy. If it drops too low, stop immediately.'
Isaac nodded. Then, without wasting another second, he exhaled, focusing on the wounded refugees.
"Swarm Heal."
The system responded.
[Activate Swarm Heal? Y/N]
"Yes."
The locusts responded at once. From the trees and bloodied forest floor, they swarmed toward the wounded.
But instead of relief, panic spread among the refugees.
Cries of fear erupted as they scrambled back, thinking the insects would attack. Some raised their weapons, ready to fight.
"STOP!" Isaac's voice cut through the chaos. "Calm down! They're here to help."
The refugees hesitated, confusion flickering in their eyes.
Isaac took a step forward. "Trust me."
For a moment, no one moved. Then, slowly, the swarm landed on the injured.
The refugees flinched but didn't resist.
Aiah, standing at the side, watched the scene unfold. Her chest rose and fell as she caught her breath. She had seen many things in her life, but never this.
'This isn't normal…'
She looked at Isaac, her fingers tightening around her knife.
'Who is he? What is he?'
Then, something incredible happened.
The swarm worked together, their tiny legs moving like delicate needles. They crawled over open wounds, their movements swift and precise.
Cuts sealed as if invisible threads were stitching them together. Blood clotted instantly, preventing further loss. The deep gashes slowly closed, leaving behind only faint scars.
Gasps of shock filled the air.
A man with a nasty slash on his arm watched in disbelief as the wound knitted itself shut. His breathing was heavy, his eyes wide.
A woman, whose leg had been bleeding moments ago, flexed her foot in awe.
"They… they're healing us," she whispered.
Another man, gripping his once-injured shoulder, looked up at Isaac. "What… what kind of power is this?"
Isaac stayed silent, his gaze steady as he observed the results.
Aiah, still watching from the side, felt her heart pound.
'Healing locusts? I had never heard of anything like this.'
She clenched her fists. 'This wasn't magic. Thiswasn't something any normal person could do.'
Her eyes flickered back to Isaac.
—------
Meanwhile, Isaac kept his eyes on the refugees as the locusts worked. The swarm moved like tiny surgeons, stitching cuts and sealing wounds. The shocked refugees flinched at first, but as the pain faded, their panic turned to awe.
The system notification still lingers in his vision.
[Warning Energy Level: 19%]
His brow furrowed. He had lost 2% already. If he wasn't careful, he'd collapse.
He turned to Hopper. 'Do I always need to open the system notification to use my skills?'
Hopper twitched his antennae once more. 'Right now, yes. The system requires confirmation.'
Isaac frowned. 'And later?'
Hopper's wings flicked. 'When your Swarm Authority reaches Advanced Level, the system will allow direct command-based activation. You'll be able to trigger abilities instantly, no notifications.'
Isaac's grip on his axe tightened. 'That would be a huge advantage. No more delays. No more wasted seconds in battle.'
—------
As the last of the wounds were sealed, the locusts began to disperse. One by one, they vanished into thin air, retreating back into the unseen depths of Isaac's command.
The refugees stared in stunned silence. Though their injuries weren't completely healed, the bleeding had stopped, and their wounds were closed. The pain had faded to a dull ache, nothing life-threatening.
Isaac let out a slow breath.
[Warning: Energy Level : 17%]
He clenched his jaw. Another drop. If he wasn't careful, he'd burn himself out before the night was over.
Whispers spread through the group. Awe, gratitude, but also doubt.
Some looked at Isaac with admiration, their eyes filled with newfound respect. Others, however, exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to make of him.
Aiah was one of them.
Without a word, she turned and made her way toward Elder Peter.
The old man stood beside a tree, observing everything with his usual calm gaze.
Aiah hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Elder… you trust him?"
Peter glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Isaac?"
She nodded. "He's strong. Too strong. And those locusts… that's not magic, is it?"
Peter chuckled softly. "No, it isn't."
Aiah frowned. "Then what is it? Who is he?"
The elder didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked toward Isaac, who was seated and leaning against a tree.
Peter smiled.
"What matters is that we're alive. And I believe, sooner or later, we'll find out everything we need to know about him."
He patted her shoulder before walking away, leaving Aiah standing there, her thoughts in turmoil.
—------
Leaning against a tree, Isaac exhaled, shaking off his exhaustion as the refugees settled down. He turned his attention to Hopper, who perched casually on his shoulder.
'So… aside from strengthening my Swarm Authority, what else do I gain when I use Swarm Devour?'
Hopper's antennae twitched. 'Oh, right. It also gives you energy points and strengthens you.'
Isaac blinked. "What?"
Hopper tilted his head. 'Yeah. Swarm Devour replenishes your energy. The more corpses consumed, the more energy you regain.'
A long pause.
Isaac's eye twitched. 'Are you kidding me?'
Hopper chittered innocently.
Isaac sighed, rubbing his temple. 'I could've used Swarm Devour first, restored my energy, and then used Swarm Heal without worrying about running out.'
Hopper's wings buzzed lightly. 'Well… yeah.'
Isaac sighed again. 'You're lucky you're useful.'
Hopper chittered in amusement.
Shaking his head, Isaac turned toward the scattered howler corpses.
This was the perfect opportunity to test his ability.
His body felt weak, but he had no choice.
"Swarm Devour."
[Activate Swarm Devour? Y/N]
"Yes."
The locusts shivered in excitement. It was as if they had been waiting for this moment.
Then, they surged.
They poured over the howler corpses, chittering wildly. Flesh ripped. Bones cracked. The sound of endless clicking and tearing filled the air.
Then…
A strange pull. A connection.
Darkness swallowed his vision.
His eyes turned completely black.
A sudden memory flooded his mind, a memory not his own.
He saw a battlefield. Corpses piled like mountains. Rivers of blood stretching across the land. The locusts were there… but different.
Bigger. More monstrous.
Their wings spread like shadows. Their teeth tore through flesh, devouring everything. Humans, beasts, even demons.
Screams filled the air.
But the swarm did not stop.
Above, golden warriors floated in the sky, their radiant weapons glowing. But even they looked... afraid.
One of them shouted.
"This is madness! If we don't stop him now…"
Isaac gasped.
His mind snapped back.
His breath came in ragged pants. His hands trembled.
'What… was that?'
Then, a system notification appeared.
[Swarm Devour Effect… 100% Absorption.]
[Swarm Authority Level: 21% Points.]
[Skill Progression: Swarm Authority has leveled up to Intermediate Level.]
[Energy Level: 55%]