[The fire bug queen has been slain. From now on, all bugs in the forest will attack climbers, regardless of time.]0

[Survive the bugs swarming throughout the forest. Time remaining: 2 hours 10 minutes.]0

Now that the fire bug queen had died, the swarm’s intensified assault only strengthened my belief that my theory was correct. 0

While the increased aggression could be interpreted as the simple rage that resulted from losing their leader, something about the situation felt more calculated. It was almost as if the system itself was designed to prevent anyone from taking down another queen.0

I must be about halfway there.0

Unlike my brisk pace from earlier, I was now sprinting full force through the thick forest, retracing my steps through the dense foliage. Breaking free from the closely packed trees, familiar sights greeted me once again: towering trees, sprawling branches, and swarms of bugs filling the air. 0

However, there was a stark difference—the bugs no longer ambled about peacefully.0

As I bolted through the trees, a swarm of ice bugs, once circling aimlessly, locked onto me.0

“Kieek!”0

Letting out a sharp, shrill cry, the swarm’s leader signaled the others. Within moments, the entire group swerved toward me.0

I braced myself before summoning a focused arc of lightning ahead of me, while also...0