The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

The cavern shook violently, the ground trembling beneath Mikhailis's boots as the Crystalgloom Serpent completed its transformation. Its mana core pulsed, a radiant heart of light casting brilliant hues across the mist-filled cavern. Each pulse seemed to echo in the very air, a steady thrum that sent chills racing down Mikhailis's spine. The crystalline scales adorning its massive body shimmered like polished diamonds, but they were no longer just armor—they exuded an aura of raw power, smoother yet denser, humming with untapped potential.

From its sides, new appendages unfurled like grotesque flowers blooming in fast motion. Long, spiked tendrils bristled with crystalline shards, swaying with unnerving precision as if testing their range. The serpent's tail, already a weapon of destruction, was now tipped with a jagged spear-like protrusion that glowed faintly, the light dancing along its edges like liquid fire. Its head tilted slightly, the massive maw parting to reveal rows of razor-sharp crystalline teeth that glinted like shards of glass.

Rodion's voice cut through the oppressive atmosphere, calm but carrying an edge of urgency.

<Skill Augmentation: The entity now possesses a "Crystal Barrage" ability, capable of unleashing a widespread rain of sharpened shards with significant lethality. Enhanced Speed: The additional appendages provide increased fluidity and maneuverability. Mana Shielding: A secondary outer layer of crystalline energy now deflects weaker attacks, significantly reducing effective damage from non-focused strikes. Threat level elevated to S-rank difficulty.>

Mikhailis stared, his chest heaving with the effort to steady his breath. The beast's movements were hypnotic, a terrifying blend of grace and menace. How do you even fight something like that? The serpent's glowing eyes fixed on him, full of malice and purpose, as if recognizing him as its greatest threat. Or perhaps just its next meal.

He forced a smirk, though it felt hollow. "Great. Now it's a sparkling death machine with tentacles. Exactly what I needed."

<Focus, Mikhailis. Flippancy will not alter the current probability of survival.>

Yeah, thanks for the pep talk, he thought bitterly, tightening his grip on the halberd. His fingers ached, blood dripping from shallow cuts across his knuckles, but he ignored the pain. He couldn't afford distraction.

The serpent's mana core pulsed brighter, and then it moved.

The transition from stillness to action was almost imperceptible. One moment, it loomed like a mountain of crystal; the next, it surged forward with terrifying speed, its tendrils lashing out in all directions. Mikhailis's instincts screamed, and he dove to the side just as a crystalline shard embedded itself into the ground where he'd stood. The shockwave of its impact sent him sprawling, his halberd clattering to the ground.

<Incoming attack, left flank.>

He twisted sharply, barely avoiding another tendril that swept past, carving a jagged path through the rock wall. Dust and debris filled the air, and Mikhailis coughed, trying to find his footing as the serpent's head reared back, preparing to strike. The glow from its core intensified, and the mist around it seemed to solidify, forming razor-sharp fragments that hovered ominously.

"You think?" he muttered, adrenaline surging as he pushed off the ground, sprinting toward a cluster of jagged rocks. The serpent's head snapped downward, unleashing the barrage. Shards of crystal rained down like a deadly storm, each one piercing into the ground with devastating force. Mikhailis vaulted over a boulder, the enhanced speed from the Frog Variant boots propelling him just out of reach. Shards struck all around him, their sharp edges slicing through stone and leaving jagged craters in their wake.

He hit the ground running, weaving through the chaos with desperate precision. But the serpent was relentless, its massive body coiling with unnerving speed as it pursued him. Another tendril lashed out, and he barely managed to duck under it, the sharp wind of its passage brushing his hair.

<Mikhailis, sustained evasion is not a viable long-term strategy.>

"Tell me something I don't know," he snapped, his tone sharp despite the burning in his lungs. His boots skidded slightly on the uneven ground as he turned sharply, eyes darting for any opening. But the serpent wasn't giving him one.

It struck again, its massive tail whipping around with a speed that defied its size. Mikhailis raised the halberd instinctively, bracing himself, but the impact was bone-rattling. The force sent him flying, his back slamming into the cavern wall with a sickening crack. Pain exploded through his body, and he crumpled to the ground, gasping for air.

"Yeah… just give me a second," he groaned, dragging himself to his knees. Blood trickled down his temple, and his vision swam. The serpent loomed in the distance, its glowing core pulsing steadily as it prepared for another strike.

Is this it? he wondered, gripping the halberd with trembling hands. Am I really about to die in some godforsaken cavern, fighting a glittery overgrown snake?

Just then, he felt it—a strange weight in his hand. His fingers brushed against something smooth and thin, and he glanced down to see several glowing talismans clutched tightly in his grip. They radiated a faint warmth, their runes pulsing softly with an energy that felt both alien and familiar.

<Use them, Mikhailis. Now.>

Rodion's voice was sharper than he'd ever heard, almost frantic. Mikhailis blinked, momentarily startled. Did… did Rodion just sound worried? That wasn't supposed to be possible. He'd programmed the AI to be pragmatic, efficient. Detached. There wasn't room for… whatever this was.

"Rodion, are you—"
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<Mikhailis, this is not the time for questions. Use the talismans immediately.>

Another hiss from the serpent snapped him back to reality. Its head reared back, tendrils flaring as it prepared to strike. The cavern filled with the hum of building energy, and Mikhailis realized he had seconds to act.

One chance. One shot.

"Alright then," he muttered, forcing himself to his feet. He tightened his grip on the talismans, the runes glowing brighter as if responding to his resolve. "Let's see what you can do."

He raised his voice, shouting with every ounce of strength he had left.

"[Equip!]"

The response was immediate. The talismans ignited in a burst of light, their energy surging through his body like a tidal wave. For a moment, the pain vanished, replaced by a sensation of overwhelming power. His vision blurred as the Chimera Ant variants materialized around him, their forms dissolving into streams of light that coiled around his limbs, his torso, his head.

First change he felt is the Frog Variant that was fused seamlessly with his legs, transforming into sleek, powerful boots that radiated an energy of agility and precision. The moment they settled, he felt an almost supernatural connection to the ground, every step brimming with controlled explosive strength. But that wasn't all. As the transformation continued, a surge of energy coiled up his arms, forming gauntlets that glowed with a mesmerizing duality of fiery heat and icy frost. The sensation was intense—a perfect balance of searing power and chilling control, as if his very hands could command both destruction and stillness.

His chest tightened as a semi-liquid form slithered across his torso, hardening into a chitinous armor that flexed and shifted with his every movement. It felt alive, adapting to him as though it were a second skin. On his back, a swirling shadow coalesced into an elegant cape, its edges flickering with an otherworldly glow. Each movement sent subtle ripples through its fabric-like form, exuding a sense of regal menace. Above his head, an ethereal crown materialized, its delicate spires hovering without weight, pulsating faintly in rhythm with his heartbeat. And then there was the weapon—a sleek dagger that seemed to hum with necromantic energy, its sharp edges emanating a faint, ominous light as it rested naturally in his grip.

The transformation culminated in a sudden burst of power, and Mikhailis felt himself lift slightly off the ground. He gasped as storm-blue wings unfolded from his back, their span both majestic and terrifying. Each feather shimmered like polished crystal, radiating an aura of control and ferocity. For a moment, he hovered there, suspended in the cavern's still air, his reflection cast in the serpent's gleaming eyes.

His voice broke into a wry laugh, his chest rising and falling with exhilaration.

"What… what the hell is this?" he murmured, though his grin widened as his fingers flexed in the gauntlets, the alternating heat and frost responding instantly to his thoughts.

"Looks like I've got a little more fight left in me after all."

The transformation completed with a burst of light, and Mikhailis staggered slightly, his breath catching as he took in his new form. Wings extended from his back, their storm-blue hues shimmering as they caught the faint light of the cavern. He glanced down at his hands, the gauntlets radiating alternating heat and cold, and couldn't help but grin.

"Oh, hell yes. What the hell is this..."