---
Chapter 137: The Venom Lord's Wrath
The battlefield was drenched in the blood of beasts.
But the true enemy had finally arrived.
The Venom Lord.
It stepped out from the portal —
a towering figure, almost 5 meters tall,
its body armored in chitin plates,
six arms ending in poisoned blades,
a hideous crown of acid horns atop its head.
Its scream shattered the air,
sending shockwaves that knocked back even the Abyss Drones.
---
> System Alert:
[Boss Battle Triggered!]
[Venom Lord – Tier D – Elite]
[Skills: Acid Spit, Poison Nova, Hive Command, Rapid Mutation]
---
Ray narrowed his eyes.
His heart pounded...
not from fear —
but from pure, raw excitement.
> "Finally. A worthy challenge."
He cracked his neck and raised his hand.
Black mist burst from his palm as he summoned his undead minions again.
The ground split open, and a new horde of undead beasts clawed their way out.
10 Plague Bears
15 Bone Stalkers
30 Razorfang Zombies
His army was now over 100 strong.
---
Salvea, standing beside him in her humanoid form, her silver hair flowing, her tight armor gleaming under the blood-red moon,
grinned fiercely.
"Master. Shall I soften it for you?"
Ray smirked.
> "No. This one is mine."
---
Battle Start!
Ray sprinted forward —
his body enhanced by multiple passive skills from his loot and core upgrades.
He weaved through acid blasts and poison strikes, every step clean, every movement smooth.
The Venom Lord lunged,
blades flashing.
But Ray was faster.
He ducked under the first swing,
sidestepped the second,
and slammed his dagger straight into the beast's underbelly.
Green blood exploded out.
The Venom Lord shrieked in rage, acid spilling everywhere.
---
> System Alert:
[Critical Hit!]
[Weak Point Detected: Abdomen Plates -10% Defense]
---
Ray didn't stop.
He commanded his Plague Hounds to tear into the enemy's legs.
The Bone Stalkers jumped onto the Venom Lord's back, stabbing at its joints.
Salvea unleashed her hive magic, binding the Venom Lord's movement for a moment with sticky threads of energy.
"Now!" she shouted.
Ray summoned his [Soul Blade] — a dark energy weapon made from pure Necromantic mana.
He dashed up the beast's back in three quick steps and plunged the blade into the monster's skull.
A boom echoed across the battlefield.
The Venom Lord collapsed.
---
> System Alert:
[Boss Defeated: Venom Lord (D-Tier)]
[Loot Acquired:]
– Venom Lord's Core (D-Tier)
– Acid Crown Fragment (Artifact Material)
– Hive Mutation Seed (Rare Item)
– Skill Crystal: Poison Nova (Absorbable)
– 2000 Experience Points!
---
The army roared in victory.
Ray stood atop the corpse, his cloak fluttering, eyes burning.
Another step.
Another victory.
Another evolution.
---
He looked at Salvea, who bowed elegantly.
> "Master. The Hive awaits your next command."
Ray smiled grimly.
> "We're just getting started. This world will soon remember my name."
---
[End of Chapter 137]
---
---
Chapter 138: The Rise of the Hive King
The battlefield had fallen silent.
Only the ragged breathing of soldiers — and the smoldering remains of the Venom Lord — remained.
Ray stood there,
hands soaked in blood,
his eyes fixed on the shimmering notifications before him.
---
> System Alert:
[You have obtained the Venom Lord's Core.]
[You have obtained the Hive Mutation Seed.]
[You have obtained Skill Crystal: Poison Nova.]
Would you like to absorb now?
[Yes] / [No]
---
Ray didn't hesitate.
> "Yes."
The core floated into the air, glowing green, then shattered into thousands of fragments —
slamming into Ray's chest.
His body convulsed.
Acidic mana and necrotic energy surged through his veins.
It felt like being drowned in poison and reborn at the same time.
[Venom Lord's Core absorbed!]
---
> Stats Increased:
+50 Strength
+70 Agility
+120 Vitality
+300 Mana
+Acquired Passive Skill: Acid Resistance (Tier D)
+Acquired Title: Venom Slayer (Poison Damage -50%)
---
Ray gasped — feeling his body grow tougher, lighter, faster.
His skin shimmered faintly under the moonlight — resistant to minor toxins now.
Salvea watched proudly, her arms crossed under her chest.
"Master is evolving again," she whispered.
---
The Hive Mutation Seed floated next.
It cracked open like an egg, releasing pure hive energy.
The mist rolled into Ray's Domain mark on his palm.
> Hive Mutation: Success!
[Domain Evolution Triggered!]
New Feature Unlocked: Hive Breeding Grounds!
Ray could now breed his own unique hybrid beasts by fusing two species inside his domain.
Success chance based on mana, material, and beast compatibility.
---
Loot Window Opened:
> Choose 1 Artifact Crafting Option:
1. Venom Crown (Artifact Helmet: Boosts Acid & Poison Spells)
2. Acid Reaver Blades (Dual Dagger Artifact: +15% Attack Speed)
3. Hive Commander's Ring (Ring Artifact: Control +1 Additional Beast Type)
Ray smirked.
He picked Option 3.
[Hive Commander's Ring created!]
A black-metal ring embedded with green crystals formed and floated into his hand.
He slipped it onto his finger — instantly feeling his connection to his army grow stronger.
---
Finally, the Skill Crystal hovered in front of him.
He crushed it.
> Skill Acquired: Poison Nova (Tier D)
[Unleash a poisonous explosion in a 20-meter radius. Cooldown: 3 minutes.]
---
System Update!
Ray's current status:
---
Ray opened his arms wide.
His surviving army —
15 Bone Wolves,
30 Razorfang Ghouls,
10 Bloodthorn Bears,
and Queen Salvea's new offspring —
kneeled in front of him.
He had truly become a King now.
A King of Death.
A King of the Hive.
---
Salvea stepped forward.
Her beautiful face flushed with excitement.
"Master," she said, bowing,
"Allow me to birth the first batch of Hiveborn Beasts for you."
Ray nodded.
> "Breed. Expand the army. This world isn't ready for what's coming."
The Hive Grounds inside his domain activated —
glowing with ominous light as eggs and cocoons began to form.
A new army was being born.
A nightmare army.
---
Chapter 139: The Awakening of Hiveborn Legion
The Domain pulsed.
Beneath the blackened soil, hundreds of glowing cocoons shivered —
each one filled with monstrous life.
Ray stood in the center of the Hive Grounds,
his mana flooding the earth like a river.
System Alerts flickered rapidly:
> Hive Breeding Grounds Activated!
[First Generation: Hiveborn Species - Mutation Level: High]
Estimated Spawn Time: 24 Hours (accelerated with Mana Infusion)
---
Ray clenched his fists.
"I can't wait 24 hours. This world won't wait either."
He closed his eyes and channeled [Mana Infusion] —
pumping 5000 mana directly into the breeding grounds.
The air trembled.
The cocoons cracked open,
spilling steaming mist and writhing figures.
New Units Born:
---
Ray smiled darkly.
His army had quadrupled overnight.
Salvea knelt beside him, her face flushed from overexertion but smiling proudly.
"Master... your Hive... it's beautiful..."
Ray placed a hand gently on her silky silver hair.
"And it's just the beginning."
---
System Notification:
> New Summon Mechanic Unlocked:
[Summon Hiveborn Legion]
Instantly summon all Hiveborn Units within Domain range (Cost: 100 mana per summon)
Units outside Domain can still be summoned temporarily (Limited to 5 minutes outside Domain per summon)
---
Ray's Summoning Options now:
Undead Army: (Traditional necromancer summons: skeletons, zombies, wights)
Hiveborn Army: (Insect-beast hybrids, more physical/venom-based fighters)
And with his Hive Commander's Ring, he could now command up to 5 different beast species simultaneously without mind strain!
He was evolving into a true Army Commander.
---
Ray's New Army Strength:
Total: 434 battle units under his direct command!
---
Narration Shift:
At the edge of the forest — beyond the cracked mountains — a new threat stirred.
The Spider Queen of Abyss Hollow opened her thousand eyes.
She had sensed the death of the Venom Lord.
Her domain was threatened.
And she would not forgive it.
Darkness was gathering.
The next enemy would not be simple.
It would be an all-out war.
---
Ray stood atop a small cliff,
his hair dancing in the cold wind.
He looked over his newly hatched army —
thousands of glowing eyes staring up at him.
Salvea stood loyally beside him, clad in a black battle dress stitched from her own silk.
Ray whispered softly.
> "Prepare. We march soon. And this time—
we're not defending. We are hunting."
The Hiveborn Legion roared.
The undead howled.
The Queen bowed.
And the world trembled.
---
[End of Chapter 139]
-
---
Chapter 140: The First Hunt of the Hiveborn Legion
The moon hung low and crimson.
A dark omen for the bloodshed that was about to come.
At the head of the Hiveborn Legion, Ray stood tall, wearing his newly reforged black armor — bones, silk, and insect shells blended into a terrifying second skin.
Salvea stood on his left, her black whip-like spear in hand, eyes glowing violet.
On his right, his sister Lia walked in lightweight battle robes, her expression sharp and excited.
Behind them, the 434 beasts of Ray's army awaited in perfect silence —
undead, wolves, mantises, beetles, wasps — a monstrous orchestra of death.
The air crackled with tension.
---
System Alert:
> New Mission: March of the Hiveborn
Objective: Destroy all enemy nests in the Southern Wilds.
Reward: Random Summoning Artifact Chest × 2, 5000 EXP, 3 Hive Core Fragments.
---
Ray raised his right hand.
The Hiveborn immediately stirred — clicking, howling, buzzing.
His voice was cold, commanding:
> "March. Hunt everything that crawls. Burn every nest. Leave no survivors."
The army moved like a living wave.
Trees bent. The earth cracked. The forest howled.
The hunt had begun.
---
First Target: The Crimson Thorn Nest
Ten kilometers south —
A massive lair of mutated thorn beasts had been growing for months, devouring everything in sight.
As Ray's army approached, dozens of massive, blood-red vines shot out of the ground.
The Crimson Thorn Beasts roared — twisted bear-like monsters covered in thorny roots and acid sacs.
BOSS: Thorned Alpha (B-Rank) appeared,
leading a pack of 200 twisted creatures.
---
Ray didn't hesitate.
Bone Wolves: Frontline assault.
Frostfang Wolves: Flank and harass.
Blood Swarm Wasps: Aerial harassment and poison.
Boneback Mantises: Silent assassination from shadows.
Shadow Beetle Tanks: Shield wall formation to block acid blasts.
Undead Army: Support and absorb initial attacks.
He moved his pieces like a cold grandmaster.
---
The battle exploded.
Blood Swarm Wasps rained venom down from the sky.
Frostfang Wolves shredded vines with chilling bites.
Boneback Mantises reaped enemies faster than the eye could follow.
The Thorned Alpha charged like a berserk bull —
only to be caught mid-charge by five Shadow Beetle Tanks,
each beetle digging into the ground and forming an unbreakable wall.
Salvea leapt forward,
spinning mid-air, her spear becoming a whip of death,
cutting three Thorn Beasts into bloody pieces with a single strike.
Ray summoned his Death Flames.
He pointed forward.
"Soul Incineration!"
A beam of black fire pierced the Thorned Alpha straight through its heart.
The beast roared, writhed... and fell.
The Thorn Nest burned behind it.
---
System Notification:
> [Mission Progress 1/5 Nests Destroyed]
Loot Acquired:
Bloodthorn Core ×1
Rare Grade Artifact: "Vinebound Gauntlets"
Beast Cores × 100
> EXP Gained: +2700
---
Ray wiped blood off his armor.
He glanced at the burning nest, feeling no mercy.
"One down."
He turned to his army.
"Four to go."
The Hiveborn Legion roared again — hungry for more.
Their march resumed.
---
(Meanwhile, Unknown to Ray...)
Deep underground,
the Spider Queen observed through hundreds of spiderlings.
Her multi-faceted eyes narrowed in cold rage.
She spun a new web —
a trap large enough to swallow an entire army.
> "Come, little king... Bring your Hive to me.
I will devour every last one of you."
---
[End of Chapter 140]
---
Quick Recap:
First target destroyed: Thorn Beast Nest!
Full army coordination shown: Ray as true Commander!
Loot System active (like System POV — artifacts, cores drop!)
Spider Queen preparing a massive ambush
Bol — start kare Chap