"Everyone, get ready! Don’t let a single bug climb over the wall!"

Seeing the countless venomous insects surging toward the Shelter, Vikram’s expression immediately turned solemn.

The insect tide moved like a living ocean, spreading across the ground and rushing straight toward the perimeter wall.

In the next second, the first wave of insects reached the wall.

The insects at the bottom desperately gnawed at the stone, while countless others climbed over their bodies, using them as stepping stones to scale the towering wall.

Within only a few breaths, the entire perimeter wall was covered with a writhing mass of venomous insects.

The constant scraping of countless claws against the wall produced an ear-piercing sound that sent chills down everyone’s spine.

Although there were no flying insects yet, the terrifying climbing ability of these crawling insects alone was enough to make everyone’s scalp tingle.

Watching wave after wave of insects rapidly climbing the perimeter wall, Vikram’s expression became increasingly grim.

"They’re climbing much faster than I expected."

"If this continues, it won’t be long before they reach the top of the wall."

Without another word, Vikram immediately climbed down from the Sentry Tower, preparing his next line of defense.

"Fiery, Watery, Earthy, Healy, come here!"

As soon as his voice fell, four figures rushed over from different directions.

The Fire Mage, Water Mage, Earth Mage, and Healer Treekin quickly arrived before Vikram.

"Vik, what do you need us to do?" Fiery asked, while the other three also looked at him, waiting for his orders.

At the same time, all the members inside the Shelter also gathered one after another.

Including Ron, Percy, the original members, and the newly joined members from Green Wind Shelter, nearly fifty people had already assembled before Vikram.

Everyone tightly gripped their weapons, their eyes fixed on the endless insect tide climbing the perimeter wall.

"Yes, Boss! Tell us what we should do!"

The crowd shouted in unison.

The voices of the newly joined Green Wind Shelter members were especially loud. Having personally witnessed Vikram’s strength and experienced the treatment inside the Territory, they no longer had any intention of retreating.

As long as Vikram gave the order, they were ready to fight to the death.

Vikram looked at the endless insect tide before shifting his gaze toward the members gathered behind him.

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

If he truly wanted to end this insect plague as quickly as possible, there was actually no need for everyone to fight.

With Fiery alone, he was confident he could burn the entire insect swarm outside the Shelter to ashes.

But after a brief moment of thought, Vikram abandoned the idea.

The insect plague was dangerous, but it was also the perfect opportunity to temper his people.

No amount of daily sparring could compare to a real battle where their lives were on the line.

Especially Divya. Although her strength had increased tremendously, she still lacked experience in dealing with overwhelming numbers of enemies.

Taking a deep breath, Vikram immediately began issuing orders. "Watery!"

The Water Mage immediately stepped forward.

"Vik."

"Create a water barrier around half of Territory 3. Don’t let the insects spread deeper into the Territory."

Watery nodded without hesitation. "Leave it to me."

With a wave of his hand, streams of water surged from the ground, rapidly forming a circular barrier that surrounded half of Territory 3.

"Earthy!"

The Earth Mage also stepped forward.

"Keep your eyes on everyone."

"If anyone is in danger, immediately raise an earth wall to block the attack. Your first priority is protecting our people."

Earthy patted her chest confidently. "Understood."

Then Vikram looked toward Fiery. A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Fiery."

The Fire Mage grinned excitedly. "Finally my turn?"

Vikram nodded. "Wait until the insects break through Watery’s barrier. The moment they enter, burn every single one of them."

Fiery’s eyes immediately lit up. "Hehe... leave them to me."

Vikram then shifted his gaze. "Healy."

A handsome young man immediately stepped forward. "I’m here, Vik."

"If anyone gets injured, your first priority is healing them."

Healy nodded confidently. "Leave it to me."

Finally, Vikram looked toward Divya and the rest of the Shelter members.

"This battle belongs to all of you."

"Use everything you’ve learned."

"Divya, focus on controlling your Water Blades. Treat these insects as moving targets."

"Everyone else, cooperate with each other. Don’t panic, and don’t fight alone."

"If anyone encounters danger, Earthy will support you."

"Today, this insect plague is your training ground."

Hearing Vikram’s arrangements, everyone’s nervousness gradually disappeared, replaced by determination.

"Yes, Boss!"

Nearly fifty voices echoed throughout the Territory as everyone fixed their eyes on the endless black tide outside the territory.

The poisonous insects continued crashing against Watery’s flowing barrier without pause.

Splash! Splash!

The powerful current swept away countless insects before they could even approach the perimeter wall.

Even so, the swarm refused to retreat. They continued rushing forward wave after wave, as if they knew nothing except advancing.

Vikram remained calm.

"Begin!"

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The first volley of gunfire erupted. Dozens of rifles roared simultaneously, their bullets tearing through the densely packed insect swarm. Every burst cut down dozens of venomous insects.

Broken shells, severed limbs, and sticky green blood splattered everywhere. Yet the swarm behind immediately filled every gap. The pressure never lessened.

Divya also made her move. With a wave of her hand, over twenty Water Blades condensed around her.

"Go."

Swoosh!

The transparent blades streaked across the battlefield. Each blade sliced through several insects before dissipating. Without stopping, Divya condensed another batch.

Again. And again.

Gradually, her control became smoother, and every Water Blade struck with greater precision.

Meanwhile, the territory members fought with perfect coordination.

"Reload!" "Left side!" "Watch your ammunition!"

Ron continuously directed everyone from the center. The experienced members immediately covered those who were reloading, preventing the insects from advancing even a single step. Whenever one side faced greater pressure, nearby members shifted their firepower to support them.

Although it was their first time facing an insect plague of this scale, no one panicked.

Because they all knew... They were not fighting alone. Behind them stood their Boss.

Whenever someone’s rifle jammed or they accidentally exposed themselves for too long, Earthy instantly reacted.

Rumble!

A thick earth wall suddenly rose from the ground, blocking the charging insects and giving the member enough time to recover.

"Thank you, Earthy!"

The rescued member quickly changed magazines before rejoining the battle.

On the other side, one of the newly joined Green Wind Shelter members accidentally had his arm scratched by the sharp leg of a poisonous beetle while leaning too far over the wall. Before he could react, Healy had already arrived.

A soft green light blossomed from his palm. The bleeding wound closed at a speed visible to the naked eye. The stinging pain disappeared almost instantly.

Healy smiled gently. "Be more careful."

The man looked at his completely healed arm with disbelief before excitedly nodding. "Thank you!"

He immediately picked up his rifle and continued firing.

Seeing this scene, the morale of the entire territory rose even higher. No one feared getting injured anymore. Because they knew... as long as they weren’t killed instantly, Healy would heal them.

Time slowly passed. The battlefield became covered with countless insect corpses. The flowing Water Barrier remained as stable as ever. No matter how many insects charged toward it, they were either swept away by the current or riddled with bullets before they could get any closer.

Not a single poisonous insect managed to enter the territory.

Even Fiery, who had been waiting quietly from the beginning, never needed to make a move. He simply grinned.

"Hehe... Looks like they don’t need my help at all."

Vikram folded his arms as he watched the orderly battlefield. The nervous expressions from the beginning had long disappeared. Instead, every member fought with increasing confidence. Their movements became more coordinated. Their marksmanship became steadier. Even the newly joined members gradually adapted to this large-scale battle.

A satisfied smile appeared on Vikram’s face.

This was exactly the result he wanted.

If Fiery had attacked from the very beginning, the insect plague would have ended almost instantly. But then... his members would never gain the experience needed to survive future disasters.

Only battles fought with their own strength could truly forge capable warriors.

---

As the battle continued, Divya’s breathing gradually became heavier. She didn’t stop for even a second. Wave after wave of Water Blades shot across the battlefield, harvesting countless venomous insects.

The more she fought, the smoother her control became. The Water Blades no longer needed conscious direction, it was as if they had become an extension of her own arms.

At that moment, a familiar mechanical voice suddenly echoed inside her mind.

[Ding! Congratulations! Through continuous combat and comprehension, your Special Ability has successfully evolved.]

[Special Ability: Tsunami Wave has advanced from Lv0 to Lv1.]

[Mental Power consumption has been reduced. Power increased. Control increased. Attack range increased.]

Divya’s beautiful eyes widened. "My... ability leveled up?"

She could clearly feel it. The sluggish feeling from repeatedly using her ability instantly became much lighter. Even the surrounding water elements seemed far more obedient than before.

A bright smile unconsciously appeared on her face. "So this is... Level 1."

Without hesitation, she stretched both hands toward the battlefield. The countless Water Blades surrounding her suddenly stopped. Instead of attacking individually, they rapidly gathered together.

One blade... Ten blades... Hundreds of blades...

They merged into an enormous torrent that floated above the battlefield like a roaring river.

Everyone subconsciously raised their heads.

"So... so much water..."

Ron stared blankly. Even the newly joined Green Wind Shelter members forgot to pull their triggers for a moment.

Divya’s long hair fluttered in the cold wind. Her eyes shone brightly.

"Tsunami Wave!"

BOOOOOOOOOOM!!

The suspended river instantly crashed downward. Like a true tsunami, the overwhelming torrent swept across the battlefield. The terrifying current surged through the insect swarm. Every poisonous insect caught within dozens of meters was instantly crushed beneath the immense force.

The water carried countless insect corpses as it rolled forward, flattening everything in its path. Wherever the torrent passed... not a single living insect remained.

The battlefield fell silent for a brief moment. Everyone stared at the scene in shock. Even Divya herself looked at her own hands in disbelief.

"I... actually did this?"

Behind her, Anjali pouted, her cheeks puffed up in dissatisfaction.

"Hmph! So unfair!"

She crossed her arms and looked at Divya with obvious envy. "Stinky Vikram! When will I get a supernatural ability too? I’ve been watching Sister Divya showing off her powers every day. I want an ability like that too!"

Sophia smiled helplessly and nodded in agreement. "I have to admit... I’m a little envious as well. It would be nice if I could fight alongside everyone using a special ability."

Luna remained as calm as ever, but her gaze also fell on Vikram for a brief moment before returning to the battlefield.

Vikram chuckled after hearing their complaints. "Don’t worry. I’ve already promised all of you. As long as I find more Legendary Orbs with suitable abilities, I’ll let each of you choose one. These things can’t be rushed, they’re simply too rare. But I’ll do my best to find them."

Hearing his promise, Anjali’s eyes immediately brightened again. "Hehe... I’ll remember those words, Stinky Vikram. When you find one later, don’t you dare forget about me."

Vikram smiled and rubbed her head. "I won’t."

Meanwhile... The remaining poisonous insects finally seemed to realize they had encountered an enemy they couldn’t overcome.

The endless swarm began to retreat.

Large waves of insects turned around and fled into the darkness, no longer daring to approach the Territory.

Seeing this, the Shelter members immediately burst into cheers.

"They’re retreating!"

"We won!"

"Hahaha! They finally ran away!"

However, Vikram slowly shook his head. His calm gaze fell upon Fiery, who had been quietly waiting throughout the battle.

"Fiery. Don’t let a single one escape. Burn them all."

Fiery’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement. "As you wish, Vik."