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"I'm not special yet. But I have the potential to become something greater than any of them."
"If my place in this world wasn't given to me, I had to carve it out with my own strength. I had to consume, grow, and evolve beyond everything standing in my way."
Kai knew he couldn't just walk into the Ant Kingdom. If he wanted to survive, he needed information.
Staying hidden in the shadows, he carefully observed how the colony functioned.
Workers carried massive loads, tirelessly moving supplies between chambers.
Soldier ants patrolled the walls, their mandibles sharp enough to tear through flesh in seconds.
Higher-ranking ants, identified by their glowing pheromone trails and gears, gave commands in silent authority.
Every movement, every pattern, Kai studied it all. If he wanted to thrive, he needed to understand how this kingdom worked.
If he wanted to grow, he needed to find a way to enter without drawing suspicion. And if he wanted to become something truly powerful… He needed to devour.
As if sensing his determination, the system suddenly flashed a new notification.
[Ding! New Mission Unlocked: Infiltrate the Ant Kingdom.
Objective: Gain entry into the Ant Kingdom and establish your place within its ranks.
Bonus Reward: Unknown.]
Kai's mandibles clicked in amusement.
"Looks like the system knows exactly what I need to do."
Kai's path forward was clear now. He wasn't going to fight the Ant Kingdom. He wasn't going to run from it. He was going to become part of it. And then, when the time was right—He would rise above them all.
Kai had spent hours watching the grand entrance of the Ant Kingdom from the shadows, studying every movement, every interaction. The gates, made of hardened silk and reinforced resin, towered above him like an immovable wall. Unlike the chaotic world he had fought through, this place was different—structured, disciplined, absolute.
Now, it was time to act. Taking a deep breath, Kai stepped out of the shadows and approached the kingdom's gate. Immediately, two massive soldier ants turned toward him.
Their dark, polished exoskeletons gleamed under the filtered light, their eyes focused and unyielding. They moved in perfect unison, their sheer presence radiating authority.
One of them stepped forward. "Halt. Identify yourself."
Kai straightened his stance. "I am a wandering ant, seeking a place within the colony."
The guards exchanged a brief glance, their antennae twitching in silent communication. Then, the larger one turned and motioned for him to follow.
"You will register at the gate. Any ant entering must be marked."
Kai hesitated. "Marked?"
The soldier did not elaborate. Instead, he led Kai through a winding tunnel that opened into a registration chamber carved into the base of the gate itself.
The registration chamber was smaller than Kai expected, but efficiently organized. Worker ants scuttled about, recording entries, checking documents, and guiding newcomers into the colony. A faint hum of activity filled the space, and the air was thick with the scent of pheromones directing the workflow.
At the center of the chamber stood a raised stone platform. Above it, a mechanical device hung from the ceiling, pulsating with a faint golden light.
A scribe ant, smaller and wiry compared to the soldiers, scurried over to Kai. "Step onto the platform and lower your head. The Queen's Mark will be applied."
Kai's instincts screamed at him to refuse. He had fought so hard to be free, yet now he was expected to submit to the queen's rule?
"Stay calm. Play along." Kai advised himself.
Reluctantly, Kai stepped onto the platform and lowered his head.
The device above clicked, and—
Sssst!
A sharp, burning sensation seared across his head. His vision blurred for a moment as his exoskeleton absorbed the energy.
[Ding! System Notification: Entry Stamp Applied of host body.
Mark of Allegiance: Active.]
Kai jerked his head up, shaking off the lingering heat. His mandibles clicked in irritation.
"What was that?!"
The scribe barely spared him a glance. "You are now a servant of the queen. The mark binds you to her will, you will be assigned to a work soon. Welcome to the Ant Kingdom."
Before Kai could fully process what had happened, the system's voice echoed coldly in his mind.
[Ding! Host has received the Queen's Mark.
This mark signifies your servitude to the Ant Queen. While active, you are considered a registered subject of the colony. You can't disobey any orders from the queen.]
Kai froze.
"Servitude? Follow all orders?"
"System! Remove this mark!"
[System Warning: Removal of Queen's Mark is currently impossible. If the system removes this mark, the queen will notice it. Then the host will be in danger.]
His mandibles tightened in frustration. "What do you mean 'impossible'?! I never agreed to this!"
The system's response was unforgiving.
[The only way to remove the Queen's Mark is to reach Level 30. Until then, you are bound to the colony's order.]
Kai stiffened.
"Level 30?! I'm only Level 10!"
He had spent his entire second life fighting for freedom, only to find himself shackled again, not by an enemy, but by the very kingdom he was trying to infiltrate.
For a moment, rage flared in his chest. His legs tensed, ready to fight his way out. But he stopped himself.
"This wasn't the time to resist." He forced himself to take a slow breath. "Fine. If I have to play their game to break free, so be it."
With a deep, controlled exhale, Kai calmed his rage. He needed information, power, and allies. If reaching Level 30 was the price to pay for his independence, for now he would endure it.
As Kai stepped through the gate, the full scale of the Ant Kingdom finally revealed itself.
The plaza stretched out before him, a massive open space where ants of every rank moved with mechanical precision. Some hauled massive supplies, others reinforced tunnels, while patrol units marched in sync. The sheer magnitude of the colony was overwhelming.
He had thought himself strong after surviving the graveyard. But here?