The beetle stood motionless in the clearing, his antennae still twitching from the magical probe Eldrin had cast. The faint green glow from absorbing the spider's essence had faded, but the new strength humming through his exoskeleton made him feel just a little more confident.
Garrick Ironfist crouched lower, his scarred face level with the beetle's compound eyes. The big warrior's voice was surprisingly gentle for someone who looked like he could wrestle an ogre.
"Got a name, little guy?"
The rhino-stag beetle tilted his head. He still didn't have one. The system panel stubbornly listed him as "nameless." He tapped the ground twice with his central horn — tap… tap — hoping they would understand it as "not yet."
Lira Swiftarrow's eyes sparkled with excitement. The young archer knelt beside Garrick, her short bow resting across her knees. "He doesn't have a name? That's kind of sad. We can't just keep calling him 'the bug' or 'the beetle.' He's way too smart for that."
Eldrin Starweaver adjusted his spectacles, still scribbling notes on his parchment. The mage's voice trembled with barely contained scholarly glee. "Indeed. A sapient insect with a personal status system is unprecedented. In all my studies of monster lore, I've never encountered anything like this. If we can communicate properly, this could rewrite entire chapters of the Academy's bestiaries."
The beetle clicked his mandibles softly. He appreciated their curiosity, but the weight of their stares made his chitin feel tight. These three adventurers — Garrick the sturdy warrior, Lira the nimble archer, and Eldrin the curious mage — were the only humans he had met since waking up in this world. Running away felt wrong now. Maybe traveling with them could help him learn more about where he was… and how to survive.
He tapped the ground three times in quick succession — tap-tap-tap — then took a few deliberate steps toward the east, in the direction the party had originally come from.
Garrick raised an eyebrow. "You want to come with us?"
The beetle nodded — a slow, clear motion of his upper body.
Lira clapped her hands once. "He said yes! This is amazing!"
Eldrin smiled warmly. "Then it's settled. Welcome to the Emerald Blades, my chitinous friend. Temporarily, at least. We were heading back toward the Kingdom's border after dealing with that spider nest. The forest path should be safer now thanks to you."
Garrick stood up, stretching his broad shoulders. "Alright. Stay close. The Verdant Depths aren't kind to anything that wanders alone — even strong bugs like you."
As the small group began moving eastward through the trees, the beetle scurried alongside them on his six powerful legs. His limited flight allowed short bursts to keep pace when the undergrowth grew thick. The forest around them slowly revealed its true nature.
This was the Verdant Depths — the western edge of the great continent's middle lands. Towering ancient trees stretched toward the sky, their trunks wider than Garrick was tall. Thick vines hung like ropes, and colorful fungi glowed softly on fallen logs even in daylight. The air smelled rich with earth, moss, and something wilder — the faint metallic tang of monster territory.
Lira walked ahead, occasionally glancing back at the beetle with a grin. "You know, most people think the Verdant Depths are just normal woods. But they're actually the border zone. East of here is the Human Kingdom — big, rich, full of cities, farms, and trade routes. That's where we're from. To the west… well, that's the Unhuman Half. Monsters rule there. Goblins, orcs, giant spiders like the one you smashed, bug-type creatures of all shapes and sizes, animal monsters, and worse."
The beetle's antennae perked up. He listened carefully, storing every detail.
Eldrin continued the explanation as they walked, his staff tapping lightly against roots. "The continent is split roughly in two. The eastern half belongs mostly to civilized races — humans, elves, demi-humans, and beast folk. The Human Kingdom sits right in the center-east, strong and prosperous. Right beside it to the northeast is the Elf Kingdom. They've had close alliances for centuries — trade, magic knowledge, mutual defense. To the northwest of the Human Kingdom lie the beast folk and demi-human territories. They keep mostly to themselves but trade with us."
He paused to point westward through a gap in the trees. "But once you cross the great river and push deep into the west… that's the monster domain. All kinds of creatures live there. Bug monsters like you — though most aren't nearly as intelligent or large. Goblins form tribes, orcs build crude strongholds, ogres roam the hills. Deeper still, in the darkest mountains and swamps, you'll find the lizard kin — wyrms, drakes, and even true dragons. They rarely come this far east, but when they do, entire villages disappear."
Garrick grunted, hacking away a low-hanging vine with his sword. "And there are lords among the monsters. Powerful ones. Some say there are actual Monster Lords ruling territories the size of small countries. We humans don't go there unless we have a death wish or a very big quest. This forest — the Verdant Depths — is the buffer zone. Monsters occasionally wander east, adventurers like us go west to hunt or gather rare herbs and materials. It's dangerous, but the rewards are good."
The beetle processed all of this while navigating the forest floor. His compound eyes made the lush greens and browns look mosaic-like, but his antennae painted a rich 3D picture of smells, vibrations, and distances. He could sense small creatures scurrying away from the party's footsteps. A distant roar echoed far to the west — something large, but not close enough to worry about yet.
As they continued, the group fell into a comfortable rhythm. Lira occasionally pointed out useful plants or harmless critters. "See that blue flower? It's Moonlace. Great for potions that restore mana. Eldrin loves it." The mage nodded proudly.
Garrick kept watch, his eyes scanning the trees. "Stay alert. Even in the buffer zone, we get ambushes. Last week a pack of thorn wolves nearly got us. If you spot anything dangerous, give us a signal — maybe tap your horns or something."
The beetle clicked his mandibles in acknowledgment and raised one stag horn briefly.
They walked for nearly an hour, the forest growing denser. Sunlight struggled to reach the ground in places, creating pools of shadow where glowing mushrooms provided soft light. The beetle noticed how the party moved with practiced ease — Garrick in front clearing the path, Lira scouting slightly ahead with her bow ready, Eldrin in the middle murmuring detection spells every few minutes.
At one point they stopped beside a small stream for a short rest. The beetle approached the water's edge and used his antennae to taste the air and water. Clean. Safe. He dipped his mandibles and drank, feeling refreshed.
Lira sat on a rock, munching on a piece of dried fruit. She looked at the beetle curiously. "So… you really were fighting that spider all by yourself? No pack, no master? That's impressive for any monster — I mean, creature."
The beetle nodded again, then used his front legs to draw a simple shape in the soft mud: a rough circle with three lines sticking out — his best attempt at drawing his own horns.
Eldrin leaned in, fascinated. "Is that… you? You're trying to tell us about yourself?"
The beetle tapped once — yes.
Garrick chuckled deeply. "Smart little guy. Keep that up and we might actually be able to talk properly one day."
As they resumed their journey, the conversation turned lighter. Lira told stories about previous quests — chasing goblin raiders near the border, gathering rare crystals in glowing caves, even once escorting a merchant caravan that got attacked by giant centipedes. "You would've been useful against those centipedes," she laughed. "Your horns look perfect for cracking shells."
Eldrin shared bits of lore about bug-type monsters. "Most insect monsters in the Unhuman Half are simple — driven by instinct. But every few generations, a variant appears with higher intelligence or unique abilities. You're clearly one of those rare variants. The fact that you have a visible status system is… well, almost unheard of outside of summoned familiars or ancient guardian spirits."
The beetle felt a strange warmth at the praise. Even if he was still adjusting to six legs and pixelated vision, being recognized as special felt good.
The forest began to thin slightly as they moved further east. The distant roar from the west had faded, replaced by birdsong and the rustle of leaves. Garrick estimated they were only a few hours from the safer roads leading toward the Human Kingdom's outer villages.
But the Verdant Depths weren't done with them yet.
A low vibration traveled through the ground — something heavy moving nearby. The beetle's antennae shot up. He froze, then rapidly tapped his horns against a root: tap-tap-tap-tap — danger!
Garrick instantly drew his sword. "Positions! The bug senses something!"
Lira nocked an arrow. Eldrin raised his staff, blue light gathering at the tip.
From the underbrush to their left burst a large, shaggy creature — a Forest Boar, easily twice the size of a normal pig, with razor-sharp tusks and glowing red eyes. It snorted angrily, clearly territorial.
[Appraisal Activated]Target: Enraged Forest Boar (Tier E)HP: 180/180Skills: Charge, Thick Hide
The beetle lowered his three horns into a fighting stance, excitement and nervousness mixing inside him. His Tackle was still on cooldown, but his natural strength and new stats from Absorb Essence made him ready.
Garrick grinned fiercely. "Looks like we've got company. Bug — if you want to show us what you can do, now's the time!"
Lira drew her bowstring. "We've got your back!"
The boar pawed the ground, preparing to charge.
The beetle planted his six legs firmly. This was his first real fight alongside humans — his new temporary companions in this vast, divided world.
He clicked his mandibles once, loudly.
Let's do this.