Whether it was in my old world or this new one, mosquitoes were still one of the most loathsome creatures imaginable.
I straddled the tree branch, trying hard to steady myself, eyes locked on the mosquito hovering just under three meters away. Sweat streamed down my forehead, stinging my eyes, but I didn't dare blink. Its wings buzzed with a sharp, nerve-grating whine that set my teeth on edge.
Then—
Whoosh!
A dark blur shot toward me at terrifying speed. I jerked my head to the side on instinct. Its proboscis—thicker than a ballpoint pen—sliced past the edge of my ear. The gust it stirred up made every hair on my body stand on end. In that fleeting moment, I saw it clearly: twin compound eyes the size of fists, packed with hexagonal lenses, each one reflecting my terrified face. Its
