The air hummed with a frequency that set Kain's teeth on edge—a sound that brought a flicker of disturbing recognition. He raised his hand, halting Lyra mid-step as the buzzing intensified, vibrating through his bones like an ominous warning.

  "What is that?" Lyra whispered, her knuckles whitening around her crude knife.

  Kain's jaw tightened. "Mosquitos," he answered, the word carrying a weight of knowledge that didn't belong in this era.

  In his timeline, they were called Blood Harvesters; the System had given them this name. Kain knew their original name was mosquitos, so he dubbed them this to benefit Lyra's understanding.

  His mind flashed to dusty archives in the citadel—brittle texts chronicling the earliest days of the Integration.

  The giant mosquitos had been a temporary evolutionary branch, their massive size rendering them effective predators during the initial chaos but ultimately leading to their extinction within two decades. They had grown too visible, too cumbersome to maintain their essential stealth, becoming easy targets for both humans and competing insect species.

  The buzzing separated into distinct frequencies, approaching from multiple vectors.

  Kain sent out his spiritual sense, confirming his suspicions, locating three approaching targets vibrating at a high frequency.

  His Lightning Dao responded instinctively, electric current beginning to dance between his fingertips as he calculated approach vectors and attack patterns.

  "They're coming from different directions," he warned Lyra, his voice dropping to a tactical murmur. "Stay close to me."

  The first mosquito burst through the canopy above them—a grotesque monstrosity the size of a beach ball. Its transparent wings beat with such furious intensity that they created visible distortions in the air. Compound eyes gleamed with predatory intelligence, reflecting the fading light in fractured, alien patterns. Most disturbing was its proboscis—a rigid, needle-like appendage extending nearly a foot from its head, designed to pierce flesh and extract blood with horrific efficiency.

  The System notification appeared above all of the approaching mosquitoes' heads, labeling them Blood Harvesters: two level 2s and one level 3.

  "God..." Lyra breathed, her voice barely audible over the creature's deafening buzz.

  Kain's combat-trained mind processed the threat with cold precision. Three targets. One Level 3, two Level 2s. Isolate and eliminate individually.

  "On my signal, roll left," he instructed Lyra, already charging his [Lethal Voltage] ability. Lightning crackled visibly along his arms, illuminating the gathering dusk with pulses of blue-white energy. The mosquito adjusted its trajectory, compound eyes fixating on the electrical display with momentary hesitation.

  Perfect. I've got its attention.

  "Now!" Kain shouted, and Lyra immediately dove sideways as the mosquito plunged toward them, its proboscis extended like a lance.

  Kain activated [Lightning Dash], his body transforming into a streak of electrical energy that carried him in the opposite direction from Lyra. The mosquito, locked onto the electrical signature, veered sharply to follow him—exactly as he'd planned.

  He landed in a defensive crouch, thirty meters from their previous position, drawing the creature away from Lyra. The mosquito recalibrated its approach, wings adjusting with unsettling precision as it prepared for another diving attack.

  These insects shouldn't be this intelligent, Kain thought with grim realization. The System is accelerating their evolution far beyond what happened in my timeline.

  The mosquito's dive was blindingly fast—a blur of chitin and membrane that would have skewered a lesser opponent. But Kain was no ordinary prey. He channeled his Lightning Dao into his legs, electricity surging through his muscle fibers and neural pathways to grant him preternatural speed. He sidestepped at the last possible moment, the creature's proboscis missing him by millimeters.

  As the mosquito shot past him, Kain struck. His lightning-charged hand slashed outward, catching one of the creature's wings. The effect was immediate and devastating—electricity was conducted throughout the mosquito's body, and its chitinous exoskeleton proved to be an excellent electrical conductor. The creature convulsed midair, its flight pattern deteriorating into an erratic spiral.

  They're clearly susceptible to electricity. Surely this must be part of the reason the Elemental Hunters with Lightning affinity were hunted to extinction?

  Kain's thought process confirmed what centuries of human warfare against the insect swarms had proven—their physiology was particularly vulnerable to electrical attacks. The knowledge had been fundamental to the colony's defensive strategies in Kain's previous life, electrical barriers forming the first line of defense against chittering hordes.

  Kain didn't waste the advantage. He leapt forward, channeling maximum charge into his next [Lightning Dash]. His body became a living lightning bolt, striking the mosquito with devastating precision. The creature's exoskeleton blackened and cracked as electrical current surged through its system, overloading neural pathways and cooking internal organs. It dropped from the air, twitching spasmodically before going still.

  The momentary satisfaction of the kill vanished as twin buzzing sounds intensified—the remaining two mosquitoes had located them. Through the gathering shadows, Kain spotted Lyra backing away from one of the monstrosities as it circled her with predatory intent.

  "Keep moving!" he shouted to her. "Don't let it line up a strike!"

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Kain's Lightning Dao pulsed with renewed urgency as he assessed the situation. His pathways burned from the rapid succession of electrical attacks—a warning that he couldn't maintain this pace indefinitely. Each dash, each charged strike drained his reserves, requiring careful tactical consideration.

  He focused on the mosquito approaching him, noting its slightly erratic flight pattern. Unlike the Level 3, this creature was less coordinated, its movements betraying inexperience that he could exploit.

  Kain shifted his stance, allowing electricity to flow more freely through his limbs rather than concentrating it for a dash. The strategic adjustment created an electrical aura around his entire body—less powerful than a focused strike but more sustainable over time.

  I need to draw both of them away from Lyra, he calculated, the tactical instincts of an S-Rank Hunter guiding his decisions. Her Blade Dao is still dormant, and that knife is practically useless against their exoskeletons.

  Kain deliberately intensified his electrical output, creating a beacon that no blood-seeking insect could ignore.

  The response was immediate—both mosquitoes oriented toward him, their buzzing harmonizing into a single predatory drone as they abandoned Lyra to pursue the more enticing target.

  "That's right," Kain muttered, backing toward a dense cluster of trees. "Follow me."

  The mosquitoes accelerated toward him with synchronized purpose, their massive forms darkening the air above. Kain waited until the last possible moment before activating [Lethal Voltage] in his legs and disappearing in a flash of blue energy only to reappear between two massive tree trunks—a space too narrow for both insects to navigate simultaneously.

  Just as he'd calculated, the mosquitoes attempted to follow, their enormous bodies colliding as they fought to enter the restricted space. The collision disrupted their flight patterns, sending one careening sideways into a tree trunk while the other pushed through, still fixated on Kain.

  Perfect. Isolated.

  The first mosquito recovered quickly, reorienting itself to continue the pursuit. Kain stood his ground, channeling electricity through his arms in pulsing waves. As the creature dived, he clapped his hands together with lightning-enhanced speed, creating a thunderclap of compressed air that momentarily disrupted the mosquito's sensitive flight mechanisms.

  The insect faltered, its trajectory destabilized just long enough for Kain to execute his counter-attack. He channeled his Lightning Dao in a new pattern, electricity flowing from his core down through his right arm and into his fingertips in a concentrated stream.

  When he jabbed forward, the electricity extended beyond his physical reach, forming a crude but effective lightning spear that pierced the mosquito's thorax.

  The effect was catastrophic for the creature. Its internal systems, already sensitive to electrical disruption, overloaded instantly. Smoke poured from junction points in its exoskeleton as it dropped from the air, dead before it hit the ground.

  Kain barely had time to register what happened before a scream cut through the forest—Lyra's voice, tight with panic.

  "Kain!"

  He spun around, spotting her through the trees. The final mosquito had circled back, abandoning its pursuit of Kain to target the seemingly easier prey. It had slammed into Lyra with its considerable mass, knocking her flat onto her back. Now it hovered above her, proboscis poised to strike, wings beating furiously as it prepared to feed.

  Kain charged his [Lightning Dash], but knew with sinking certainty that he wouldn't reach her in time. His body surged forward in a streak of electricity, covering half the distance in an instant—but the mosquito was already plunging its proboscis toward Lyra's exposed neck.

  What happened next stunned even Kain.

  In a fluid motion born of desperate instinct, Lyra twisted sideways, her crude knife slashing upward. A faint blue glow suddenly emanated from the blade—the first visible manifestation of her awakening Blade Dao.

  "Precise Cut," she gasped, the system-granted skill name tearing from her lips as the knife connected with the mosquito's extended proboscis.

  The blade sliced through the hardened appendage with impossible precision, severing it completely. Dark ichor sprayed from the wound as the mosquito reeled backward, its primary feeding mechanism destroyed.

  The notification flickered in Kain's vision as he completed his dash, arriving at Lyra's side just as she scrambled to her feet. The mosquito, disoriented by the loss of its proboscis, circled erratically above them.

  "You did it," Kain breathed, genuine admiration coloring his tone. "Your Dao awakened."

  Lyra stared at her knife with wide-eyed disbelief, the faint blue glow already fading. "I... I don't know how—"

  "Later," Kain interrupted, electricity gathering around his fist as the wounded mosquito began to recover its bearings. "Let's finish this first."

  He channeled his remaining electrical energy in a calculated burst, feeling his Lightning Dao respond with eager intensity. The mosquito, drawn to the electrical signature despite its injury, dived toward them with reckless abandon.

  Kain met its charge head-on, his lightning-wrapped fist connecting with the center of its mass. Electricity coursed through the creature's body, exploiting the perfect conductivity of its exoskeleton to deliver maximum damage. The mosquito's compound eyes dulled instantly as every system in its body short-circuited simultaneously.

  [Level Up! You have reached Level 5]

  [Combo Skill Recognized: Synchronized Strike - Allied skills enhancing effectiveness]

  The Level 5 notification barely registered compared to the final line—a system recognition he hadn't seen before. Synchronized Strike? The System recognized our coordination as a combinable skill?

  Before Kain even had a chance to speak with Lyra, the forest around them seemed to freeze. Sound dampened to an eerie silence. The ambient light dimmed as though filtered through smoky glass. In his vision, the System interface materialized:

  [CONGRATULATIONS: HUNTER ADVANCEMENT MILESTONE]

  [New Skill Selection Available]

  Three shimmering paths appeared before him, each represented by a distinct manifestation of his Lightning Dao. The options hung suspended in the air, pulsing with potential energy that called to his awakened power:

  [Chain Lightning]

  Unleash arcs of lightning that leap between multiple targets with devastating efficiency. Each discharge seeks the path of least resistance, allowing for the tactical elimination of multiple enemies in a single activation. Area-of-effect capability extends with mastery level.

  - Initial Range: 15 meters

  - Maximum Targets: 3 (increases with proficiency)

  - Energy Consumption: High

  [Lightning Barrier]

  Create a defensive field of electrical energy that deflects incoming attacks and damages enemies upon contact. The barrier's strength scales with both lightning affinity and energy investment, providing tactical advantages in enclosed spaces and defensive scenarios.

  - Duration: 8 seconds

  - Damage Reflection: 40% (increases with proficiency)

  - Energy Consumption: Moderate

  [Lightning Sensory]

  Attune your perception to electromagnetic frequencies, allowing the detection of life forms, energy signatures, and hidden threats. Enhanced sensory capabilities provide tactical awareness beyond normal human limitations, revealing weaknesses and opportunities invisible to others.

  - Detection Range: 50 meters

  - Detail Resolution: Medium (increases with proficiency)

  - Energy Consumption: Low

  Kain's mind raced, analyzing each option with the tactical precision honed through years of S-Rank hunting.

  What will I choose?