Solar Blood Masters

"Kyaaa! Please spare us! We yield! We YIELD!"

This pitiful cry for mercy was met with amusement, and a hint of disgust as a menacing voice countered, "Master desires your points. And as such, I'm afraid… I cannot do that!"

The speaker wasn't only a hulking beast, nor a creature with razor sharp fangs or claws dripping venom. It was worse.

A curvaceous figure with long black scales hovered above three trembling, brown creatures with intricate structures on their backs, it was Bat General Melissa. She observed her prey with a cool detachment as her tail swayed back and forth.

"How… How can you be so… cruel!?" One of the Temple Crickets, whose delicate antennae twitched nervously, dared to utter this condemnation.

They had sought refuge in this section, hoping to survive the first day by simply hiding amidst these jagged ice formations. Their tactic seemed foolproof until her scent, that perfume of hers and the buzzing had their dreams shattered. She found them.

"You're at the peak of the Saint Ruler stage. A powerhouse! You're even capable of facing early Calamities and yet… You choose to terrorize us? How despicable!"

This Temple Cricket, a little bolder than its brethren, chirped in protest. It took a hesitant step towards her and continued. "Why? Surely… you can easily amass points by slaying those of a greater cultivation?"

He ended with a whimper. This truth was undeniable: those who crawled should bow to those who flew. There was a pecking order, an unspoken rule that they'd been told from birth. However, Melissa's reaction solidified those very rules in a harsh manner.

"Perhaps, you have a point," she chuckled with a coquettish tilt of her head and that pink monocle that had always brought chaos. "However, efficiency trumps logic in a race for points. My duty to Master is paramount, and I cannot be bothered to waste time chasing after stronger opponents. Besides… those that run in terror at my beauty are already at an advantage, you see. For this Trial is truly about exploiting opportunities, wouldn't you agree?"

She casually flicked her whip towards a nearby cricket. Its chitinous shell cracked, and it fell with its legs twitching. Its cries fueled Melissa's mirth!

"You dare scold me! I was about to give over my points willingly! My goodness… what a bitch!" It coughed blood. This was its final insult to this snake lady before its form dissolved into light particles.

Hearing those words of judgement, she sighed dramatically. "Foolish little thing. You dare question my judgment?" She then slithered over the trembling survivors, then with an arrogance befitting her new form, flicked her tail.

"I'm here to amass points, quickly. And I am not at all interested in fairness. If you've a problem with that then you shouldn't have entered the Selection Trials." She giggled darkly, "This isn't about your pride, or your lineage, it's about serving those above, those who have greater ambitions, you're simply…"

"Stepping… stones?" The words slipped out with a shivering resignation.

"That's right, little cricket. Stepping stones!"

And without wasting anymore time…

WHOOSH! SNAP!

Those cries died a swift death as a pink glow engulfed her tail which she then used to snatch their shivering forms with a brutal yet swift move! She coiled and squeezed those fragile shells in her grasp that caused more screams.

They tried to pry her tail apart with their thin limbs. But it was futile! She was too strong, and even as their forms struggled against her crimson veins, she relished in those cries of agony and defeat.

"Please… mercy! Mercy! WE YIELD! Have…"

Melissa interrupted with a cruel twist. "Mercy?" Her tail constricted even tighter. "You'll find NO mercy from ME! Fuhuhu. Your points are now MINE!"

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

Those crunching sounds made a morbid melody before she tossed the bodies aside. They vanished into dust, leaving only a faint scent of herbs and chitin behind and a total of 10 points above Melissa's head.

"Hmmm, not bad." She was about to stretch out luxuriously and savor her dominance, but a prickling sensation across her scales. Something was coming! And it was fast, a blur.

WHOOSH!

With lightning reflexes she ducked! A sharp blade swished overhead, inches from slicing off her head. Adrenaline fueled her thoughts, 'Such speed?! Who dares to attack me!' She quickly recoiled to assess the situation before hissing, "Hmm… such aggression."

She watched as a crimson drop of blood splattered the pearly-white icy ground below, leaving behind an image she wouldn't forget, for this was her blood!

"WHO are YOU?"

Before her, landing with six black legs splayed, was a large ladybug.

Its red shell, adorned with six glistening white dots, had a chilling beauty. It held a rapier, sharp and slender, that glowed as those tiny antennae twitched rapidly. This was Lady Kōhī, she stood defiant.

"You! That whipping technique you just used. Why?! Such unnecessary force on such delicate creatures? Those were babies! Children! Surely there were other less cruel means to attain those paltry points. Shame on you, snake, shame on you. Are you truly this depraved? To be so… so…"

"So what?!" Melissa retorted dismissively.

"What's it to you? And why are you even standing here lecturing me on morals, little bug? You saw my strength. And yet…" she uncoiled her tail menacingly as it slashed and those violet arcs she released had the ice trembling. "You are still here. Don't make me laugh."

"Perhaps… this pathetic insect wants to end up like those crickets. Squashed!" Her tongue flickered.

This time, however, her threats, and that intimidating swagger had no effect. Lady Kōhī wasn't a foolish creature. Those ruby red eyes weren't simply glaring with judgement. There was a primal fury that had the air itself crackling with a potent crimson glow. This tiny creature before her…

It wasn't weak!

Lady Kōhī pointed the tip of her rapier at Melissa, as those little wings upon her shell began to spread, revealing delicate black patterns on their underside that was beautiful but extremely poisonous to those who gazed upon it for too long. It was a deterrent, she'd learnt it the hard way, centuries ago.

"Pick on someone YOUR own SIZE, snake! And leave those poor Temple Crickets to heal from your pathetic display!"

Hearing this, Melissa burst out laughing, "Fuhuhu, you're sso small, ladybug… Are you sssupposed to be my sssize? Hahaha!"

It would appear this insect, was an optimist indeed! For those who have never tasted despair… surely they were blessed by heavens above, or were simply fools, walking a blind path. This, she would teach those tiny wings and sword wielding claws with brutal grace.

But fate… it had another lesson to teach her.

BOOM!

A shockwave erupted from the lady bug! A ruby-red aura blazed, consuming everything around them.

"What the…?!"

She'd underestimated this insect.

This was no simple bug. It was a Calamity.

"This potent Solar Essence…" Those words were choked back into Melissa's throat by the oppressive, scorching energy that now filled the clearing. Her smug smile instantly vanished as that pink eye of hers went wide with terror, for above her head was that undeniable signifier of a Calamity's strength.

Lady Kōhī was a Calamity of the 6th layer.

She'd have to try harder than usual, Melissa concluded as her thoughts turned from amusement and hunger to one of grim acceptance and a new respect.

This was bad. Very, VERY BAD.

"Prepare to meet your downfall, snake! You're about to experience what it feels to be… hopeless! Those tricks of yours won't work now. This time… I, Kōhī the Red Blade of Justice will…"

Melissa didn't give her a chance.

She lashed her tail in a swift, unexpected movement and interrupted her boasting with a crack!

"HA!"

She wasn't a Saint Ruler by fluke. Her skill with the weapons she wielded and the speed she'd mastered from her copied essence, they wouldn't let this insect get any hits. It was time for a dance!

"Bring it ON, ladybug! And those pitiful cries of yours…? Ssssave them for your dying mother!"