The first shape that stepped into view was the same monstrous ant Rohan had come face to face with before.

Its ember-like eyes blazed with an intense fury. The jagged black-red plating coating its body looked even darker now, like it had rolled through soot and magma on the way back. Its mandibles clicked once, making some sort of communication, and that single sound echoed through the widened chamber like the bell tolls of death.

That alone was enough to make every Awakened present feel their throats tighten into knots.

But then the second shape appeared...

It was somehow worse.

It stepped in right behind the first, and unlike the boss they’d already seen before, this one had a broader body and a much more imposing frame. It stood slightly taller, with a thicker neck and a far more heavily armoured thorax. Its forelimbs were longer too, the serrated edges on them gleaming wickedly under the daylight filtering into the crevice.

The pressure Rohan felt was overwhelming.

The first Elite’s aura had already felt like being buried beneath a mountain, yet the second one felt even worse.

Rudith’s face drained of all colour as the horrifying sight before her settled into her mind.

"...There were two?"

Joe, sprawled out in a heap with Rohan, Elane and Rudith after being blasted off their feet by the roar, could only stare at the entrance in complete disbelief. His hand holding onto his sword went limp from shock.

"Sarah never mentioned the second one!??" Joe shouted, his voice cracking halfway through.

Rudith whipped her head around to glare at him, but for once she didn’t have an answer, nor any smart retorts.

This had blindsided her too.

No one in her group had ever found signs of a second Elite, let alone a second E rank Elite!

All they’d ever known since discovering this beast nest was the terrifying E rank beast guarding the Lava Hellebore like its life depended on it.

For a second one to stroll into the nest alongside the original E rank boss...

Rohan pushed himself up first, shoving Joe off from the top of him, taking the chance to twist Joe’s neck a full 180 degrees around, sending him to join the rest of Rudith’s group in the outside universe.

He didn’t bother trying to rise all the way to his feet straight away. There wasn’t much point. If those two Elites rushed at them right now, the extra second it took to stand up wouldn’t amount to much.

More importantly, his mind was racing too hard to think about small things like that.

Male, female, queen...

He didn’t know enough about ant-type beasts to confidently say what they were looking at, but one thing was obvious — the one he recognised had clearly gone outside the nest to find this second one.

And now the two of them had returned to find human Awakened fighting right inside its front door, and its most prized possession, the Lava Hellebore, sitting dormant a few metres away from the battle.

Whatever hatred and fury the huge beast bore, it was clearly personal now.

The original E rank Elite let out a deep, grinding hiss when it saw the flower sitting on the ground behind Rohan.

There was no confusion or amusement in the beast’s eyes. Not anymore.

Yet they still hadn’t acted.

Elane was next to rise after Rohan, but her face was especially pale. Her hands were visibly shaking while holding her Spike Beast bow.

"I’m dead..." Rudith muttered to herself.

Rohan found it funny that even now, she still only thought about herself, even after all five of her teammates had already beaten her to the punch.

He wanted to give her the same treatment he’d just dished to Joe, but she’d already put some separation between them, and he didn’t want to act against her right now as it might be seen as an act of aggression to the two E rank Elites.

Rohan already tested his luck by taking Joe out while the dust was still settling, but now that the two sides were staring each other down, that chance had slipped by for Rudith.

However, he did silently tip toe over to Elane’s side. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"Pass me your two disposables." He quickly ushered her.

The two E ranks could strike at any moment, so he wanted to be as quick as he possibly could with his actions.

Elane did as asked without question or hesitation — still barely getting over the fact that their worst nightmare had just shown up right as they were about to taste freedom once more.

Once they were in his grasp, Rohan absorbed the two Genetic Armaments. He then retrieved his spear back into his status after unsummoning it, and replaced it with the other lengthy Poison Rocksnake Pike.

Elane didn’t flinch at his actions, as she understood that Rohan planned to act first before the beasts could after hearing his request, but Rudith on the other hand flinched in fear when she saw another one of those terrifying weapons appear.

She would have bolted out of there already if it weren’t for the two beasts blocking the only exit.

But Rudith wasn’t Rohan’s target this time.

’These beasts might be able to react in time to the pike once thrown, so I have to be way more accurate and on point when I strike, especially since we don’t have another one...’

Rohan immediately regretted using his first Poison Rocksnake Pike on the likes of Rudith and her group. If he kept it, then this situation wouldn’t be so dire! There was one pike for each beast after all — so all he and Elane would have to do is make sure to hit their shots.

Unfortunately that plan was off the table before they even had a chance.

’Damn it! Why couldn’t they have just shown up a few minutes earlier!’

Not only was he down a trump card, but all but one of his enemies had already been killed, so it wasn’t like he could use any of them as distractions anymore.

’Huuuu... Fuck it. Here goes nothing!’

For the second time in history, another Elite Poison Rocksnake Pike was let loose.