System's POV

"Please, you can do anything to me, but spare my son!" Miriam pleaded and begged for her son's life. "Please, I beg you!"

"As much as I want to agree to your request, I could not," the middle-aged man replied. "Our Sect Master's decree states that not even dogs shall be left alive in the Jade Tiger Clan. In your next life, make sure to not marry a clan that hunts Demonic Cultivators."

Without even batting an eye, he threw two throwing knives at the lady, who immediately used her body to shield her son from getting killed.

"Ugh…" Miriam groaned as the two knives pierced her back.

"Mother, why are you crying?" Xylen asked. "Are you hurt?"

Miriam didn't answer and simply hugged her son tighter. Her tears fell like rain, knowing that she and, perhaps, her son would die soon.

A moment later, two more throwing knives hit the lady's back, her face turning paler from pain and loss of blood.

The middle-aged man was purposely not aiming for her vital spots, as if to torture her for a longer time.

The other Demonic Cultivators were also enjoying the scene, thinking of it as some form of entertainment.

They had plenty of time to spare, so they slowly watched as this pitiful sight unfolded before their eyes.

"Mother, what's wrong?!" Xylen hugged his mother, who had already collapsed on the ground, blood soaking her clothes.

[Xylen, if you want to save your mother, listen to me and listen well.]

"Wuwuwuwu!" The boy felt too sad, too hurt, and too confused to reply to Thirteen as he hugged his mother.

[Call for help. The insects and bugs are your friends. Ask them to help you and save your mother! Do it quickly, or she might die!]

Hearing his System's orders, Xylen cried louder.

His pained wail spread inside the forest like wildfire, making the tiny creatures living in it pause in whatever they were doing and glance in his direction.

A moment later, swarms of insects, both poisonous and not, flew in the direction of the boy, who was feeling so hurt and was in the midst of despair.

Although Xylen didn't say anything, his raw emotions were enough to reach the insects of the forest, making them feel angry in his stead.

"Do you hear something buzzing?" one of the Demonic Cultivators asked the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man, who was about to throw another throwing knife at the lady, paused and listened to his surroundings.

At first, they could only hear a faint buzz.

But it suddenly grew in intensity.

A moment later, the entire forest seemed to be buzzing, making the Demonic Cultivator raise their guard.

But how could they possibly guard themselves against countless insects that had descended on them like a swarm of locusts?

Even though their cultivation was high, they weren't immune to poison.

The poisonous insects bit their exposed skin, making the Cultivators feel pain.

"Kill those two, and let's leave this place!"

The middle-aged man shouted.

No longer wanting to play with the dying lady and her son, the four all lunged at her with swords drawn.

However, a second later, they saw the world around them spin.

The middle-aged man looked in disbelief at the severed head of his comrade, who was also looking at him in surprise.

It was at that moment that he realized what had happened.

Amidst the buzzing of the insects, the faint sound of five bodies collapsing on the ground reached their ears.

The middle-aged man then felt himself being lifted, face to face with a giant mantis that opened its mandibles to bite his head.

Then… there was no then.

Several other powerful insect monsters, who had high cultivation, appeared one by one, encircling the crying child who was hugging his mother tightly.

The Mantis made a chirping sound, and dozens of Aetherwing Moths the size of a person's thumb flew around the two humans, sprinkling them with moth dust.

The injuries that the lady had received slowly closed, regenerating at a rapid pace.

Her complexion was still pale, but her life was no longer in danger.

The mantis chirped a second time, and two bees that were both two meters long picked up the two humans and carried them deeper in the forest.

As for the dead Demonic Cultivators, the insects feasted on their bodies, tearing their flesh and blood, leaving only bones behind.

This was their revenge for hurting their Sovereign, and even in their deaths, they weren't spared from having their bodies desecrated.

Several years later…

Xylen was now sixteen years old, about to leave the forest for the first time in years.

His mother had returned to her family and was now in good hands. Unfortunately, Xylen didn't want to stay with her as it would only endanger her life.

While he was the same innocent boy back then, his body was now covered with a potent poison.

It might not be able to kill a human, but it would make them feel extreme pain, making them wish that they had died instead.

So after a tearful reunion, Xylen parted ways with his mother, telling her she shouldn't worry about him because he now had friends who would protect him.

"Thirteen, sometimes I wish I could become an insect," Xylen said. "Maybe by then, I don't have to worry about human affairs."

[Being an insect is harder than being a human. You have to constantly run away from predators while trying to eat others as well.]

"Is that so?" Xylen asked. "Then what should I do? I don't want to get eaten by others."

[It's really simple, you know? Become the Sovereign of Insects. You must become their Lord, Master, their King. As long as you command them, you don't have to worry about getting hurt or eaten by others.]

"A king seems too much," Xylen replied. "I don't think I can do that."

[Then, how about a Prince?]

"Good! Let's go with that."

Thirteen neglected to mention that a Prince could still become a King when the right time comes. But since he only wanted Xylen to live a happy, fruitful life, he decided to hold his tongue back for the time being.

"Well, then. We're off to an adventure!" Xylen chuckled. "Let's see the world, you and I, Thirteen."

[I have already seen the world and beyond. But I don't mind accompanying a friend on his journey.]

Xylen's smile widened as he took his first step outside of the forest, soon to venture into a wider world filled with challenges that would make him wish he had never left the forest and stayed there for the rest of his life.