Chapter 90: Hatching


    "Look over there!" Han Ming used his water-element magic to enhance his vision, spotting a massive sinkhole collapsing in the distance. The sinkhole was expanding rapidly, spreading toward them at an alarming speed.


    "Damn it! It''s a sand pit! Run!" someone shouted, and the group immediately turned and fled.


    Han Ming''s heart raced. The infamous sand pits of the desert had finally appeared.


    But could they outrun it? Han Ming doubted it. The sinkhole was spreading too fast, and its scale was terrifying. It seemed as if it could swallow the entire desert. Where was its limit? None of them, as outsiders, had any knowledge of the Savage Desert''s dangers.


    Wait—the worms! Those worms had lived in the desert for who knew how long. They must know how to avoid the sinkhole. Following them was their best chance!


    "Follow the worms! Quick, keep up with them!" Han Ming shouted, not caring if the others listened. He took off after the fleeing worms.


    The others quickly realized the logic and, with renewed energy, sprinted after the swarm.


    The scene in the endless desert was surreal. A massive sinkhole had opened up, its depths pitch black, like the gaping maw of a demon devouring everything in its path. The sinkhole was expanding at an astonishing rate, already swallowing a tenth of the desert. It was horrifying.


    Han Ming and the others ran for their lives, but the sinkhole was gaining on them.


    In less time than it took to eat a meal, the sinkhole was only a hundred meters behind them.


    "Damn it! Why is it speeding up!?" the wood-element warrior screamed in panic.


    He was the slowest runner, and as the sinkhole closed in, he was the first to be swallowed.


    He reached out his hands, his eyes filled with despair as he called for help. But no one turned back to save him.


    "Help... help..." His voice was drowned out by the endless sand.


    "We''re done for! It''s going to catch us!"


    Han Ming, running at the front of the group, glanced back and saw the wood-element warrior disappear into the sinkhole.


    Next, the one-armed water-element warrior beside Chuck fell in.


    Then the wood-element warrior.


    Just as everyone was losing hope, the sinkhole suddenly slowed its expansion. After a moment, it began to recede, the sand rushing back to fill the void.


    The sinkhole retreated rapidly, and Han Ming and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief. They stood gasping for air, watching as the sinkhole disappeared into the distance.


    Now, only Han Ming, Chuck, and two others—an earth-element warrior and a fire-element warrior—remained.


    Behind them, the desert was flat and undisturbed, as if the sinkhole had never existed.


    "Where are we?"


    The earth-element warrior looked into the distance and saw something dark looming on the horizon.


    "That''s... the Savage Ancient Forest! We''ve reached the edge of the Savage Desert!"


    Chuck examined the scene and, along with the two warriors, cheered in relief.


    Han Ming, however, was skeptical. The sinkhole had been terrifying, and they had only narrowly escaped by standing at its very edge. But was the Savage Desert really this small? Had they already reached the Savage Ancient Forest?


    Despite his doubts, the dark forest was undeniably in sight.


    "Let''s go check it out," Han Ming said.


    The other three nodded eagerly, and they began moving toward the forest.


    But then something strange happened.


    No matter how far they walked, the forest never seemed to get any closer.


    Han Ming''s heart sank. *A mirage?*


    As he suspected, after ten days of walking, the dark forest remained just as distant as before.


    By now, the other three had run out of water.


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    "What''s going on? Why can''t we reach the forest?" the earth-element warrior asked, his voice trembling.


    *Rustle... rustle...*


    The eerie sound returned.


    Were the worms back?


    Han Ming turned to look and was horrified to see countless black dots flying toward them in the distance.


    "Damn it! This time they have wings!" Chuck exclaimed.


    What could they do? Not only were the worms back, but now they could fly.


    "Defend yourselves! Defend!" Chuck shouted in panic.


    The swarm of flying worms grew closer.


    "Kill them!"


    As the worms descended, the group attacked with everything they had.


    Han Ming discarded his staff and drew the Qinghong Sword, slashing at the swarm.


    But the sword, without its usual power, felt like an ordinary blade. It seemed only human blood could unleash its true strength.


    Han Ming fought desperately, but the worms were endless. He realized they couldn''t keep this up. Once their stamina ran out, they were doomed.


    If even one worm got inside them, it would lay eggs, and death would be inevitable.


    "Ah!"


    The earth-element warrior screamed.


    Han Ming glanced back and saw the warrior''s combat energy had run out. A flying worm was burrowing into his neck.


    The warrior frantically pulled the worm out and crushed it, but the momentary distraction allowed more worms to swarm him.


    The warrior rolled on the ground, his body quickly covered in worms until not an inch of skin was visible.


    "Damn it! These worms are endless!" the fire-element warrior shouted.


    "Chuck, work with me! Now!" Han Ming yelled.


    With one less fighter, the remaining three were overwhelmed. Han Ming no longer cared about conserving magic. He raised his hand, conjuring a massive block of ice, then slammed his hands together, shattering it into countless shards.


    Chuck understood Han Ming''s plan and summoned a gust of wind to blow the worms away. He then directed a larger wind current to propel the ice shards into the swarm.


    The shards shot through the air, killing countless worms.


    "Again!"


    Han Ming layered three ice shields around himself, conjured another block of ice, and shattered it.


    Chuck repeated the process, and another wave of worms fell.


    But Han Ming''s ice shields were now covered in worms, gnawing at the magic. He abandoned the outermost shield, rolled away, and instantly conjured another.


    He continued to create ice blocks, but the massive magic consumption was taking its toll.


    He pulled out four or five magic crystals, frantically absorbing their energy to replenish himself.


    Chuck was equally exhausted, struggling to blow away the worms while coordinating with Han Ming. Though he also held a magic crystal, he couldn''t absorb energy as quickly as Han Ming.


    Just as they were about to run out of magic, Han Ming noticed something strange.


    As he absorbed energy, a portion of it was being drawn into the energy vortex of his core. Some went to his core, some to his body, and some... to the cloth pouch at his waist.


    Inside the pouch was the egg of the Destruction Butterfly, the one he had separated earlier.


    Unbeknownst to Han Ming, the egg was beginning to crack.


    Tiny fissures spread across its surface as life energy poured into it, fueling its growth.


    The egg''s cracks would pause when Han Ming stopped absorbing energy, only to resume when he started again.


    *Crack...*


    A faint sound, drowned out by the buzzing of the worms and the shouts of the fighters.


    *Crack... crack... crack...*


    The repeated sounds finally caught Han Ming''s attention.


    "What!? The egg is hatching?"


    Han Ming was overjoyed. Despite their dire situation, the hatching of the Destruction Butterfly egg filled him with hope.


    But in that moment of distraction, his ice shield was overrun with worms.


    "Damn it, will this ever end!?"


    Han Ming roared in frustration, rolling away to replace his shield. He pulled out five more magic crystals, holding a total of ten in his hands.


    The influx of magic energy was overwhelming, causing Han Ming''s head to pound, but he couldn''t stop.


    Only the Destruction Butterfly could save them now.


    If the egg didn''t hatch soon, they would all die here.


    The life energy flowing into the egg intensified as Han Ming absorbed more magic.


    Finally, with a loud *crack*, the egg split open.


    The moment the egg hatched, the worms stopped their attack, freezing in place.


    "It worked!" Han Ming cheered inwardly. But his body, overwhelmed by the energy absorption, collapsed to the ground.


    "What''s happening? Why did the worms stop?" Chuck asked, barely standing. He had exhausted his last bit of magic, and the crystal''s energy wasn''t enough to sustain him.


    Just as he had resigned himself to death, the bizarre scene unfolded before him.


    "What''s going on?" the fire-element warrior asked, equally confused.


    Han Ming lay on the ground, laughing weakly.


    The swarm of flying worms, as if terrified, suddenly scattered and fled.


    The three survivors stood in stunned silence, unable to comprehend what had just happened.


    "Thank goodness..."


    Chuck and the fire-element warrior collapsed to the ground, utterly spent.


    Whatever had happened, at least the immediate danger was over. That was all that mattered.


    Facing the swarm, the three of them had no strength left to fight.


    If even one worm had gotten inside them, it would have meant certain death.


    The intense focus and combat had drained their mental and physical energy.


    Han Ming, lying on the ground, quietly reached for the cloth pouch at his waist.


    He hesitated, staring at the tied opening.


    Should he open it?


    What if the creature inside didn''t recognize him? In his current state, he couldn''t run if things went wrong.


    If it decided to land on him, he would be done for.


    Just then, the ring on his finger—the one housing Catherine''s spirit—flashed.


    A woman''s voice echoed in his mind.


    "The butterfly egg was hatched by you, so it will naturally see you as its parent. But that''s not enough. You must quickly drip your blood on it to form a blood contract. Its consciousness hasn''t fully formed yet. If you wait too long, it will develop its own will, and it will be too late. None of you will survive."


    Han Ming recognized Catherine''s voice.


    *Where were you when we were in danger?* he thought bitterly. But he didn''t dare say it out loud. Right now, forming the blood contract was his top priority.


    With the Destruction Butterfly by his side, his strength would increase dramatically.


    "Damn it! It''s now or never!"


    Han Ming gritted his teeth, determined. He untied the pouch with trembling hands.


    Inside, instead of the single-colored butterfly he had expected, was a small red larva.


    Han Ming slapped his forehead. *Of course! Butterflies come from caterpillars. It wouldn''t be a butterfly right away.*


    The tiny larva wriggled slightly in the pouch.


    Han Ming didn''t waste time. He bit his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the larva.


    The larva glowed faintly red upon contact with the blood, and Han Ming felt a mental connection form between them.


    "Did it work?" Han Ming wondered.


    Was it really that simple?