KEKEKEKEKEKE
Name: Red Worker Ant (F)Talent: Subservient (E)Lvl: 15HP: 2100/2100 | MP: 200/200Strength: C | Intelligence: E | Agility: CRace: Insect
The shrill cries increased as more and more ants poured in. These gigantic bugs' heads stood at over 1.5 meters tall, with their larger rears at 1.8. The workers each had a body nearly four meters long. And each one weighed nearly a ton.
Huge.
As Elian had never even tried to fight these things, he never understood just how intimidating these monstrous insects were. Their mandibles looked like scissors made of giant swords. In a moment of weakness, Elian's eyes unconsciously searched for his master. Only she was no longer present.
Elian began to shake. While his body had changed, this was still the first time he encountered such a situation. However, true to Bianca's words, no one cared what Elian wanted.
KREEEE!!!!
The lead red ant charged forward, oblivious to its opponent's crisis. Its body catapulted ahead as its powerful mandibles prepared to bite Elian in two. Seeing this, Elian was about to panic until he heard a message in his mind.
[Talent: Adamant – activated. Elian Reed is now immune to fear and psychological effects so long as Adamant remains active.]
Immediately, as if the boy had been doused with cold water, his fear disappeared. Whatever hesitation he had lifted like fog under the sun. Elian's brain, paralyzed earlier, began to operate in overdrive.
The fastest way to break a pair of scissors is to break the fulcrum!
Seeing the danger coming for his life, Elian ran forward, meeting the ant head-on.
"GAHHHH!!!"
Within seconds, his advance caused the ant's mandibles to overshoot. But the boy, due to his lack of experience, forgot about the rest of the monster's body—its head collided with his torso.
A powerful crash echoed. Yet contrary to what most would expect, Elian didn't move. Rather, the red, car-sized ant slumped.
KREEEE!!!!
Dumbfounded, the ant tried to close its mandibles. But the boy moved faster, his fighting spirit ablaze.
I WILL SURVIVE!
[Talent: Driven – activated. Elian Reed will never lose consciousness in the presence of any enemy.]
Elian threw his right fist into the red ant's head. It contained all his anger, fury, and desperation. And then—
BANG!
With a loud explosion, the ant's head violently erupted. Blood and bug ichor splattered everywhere. The boy, surprised at the outcome, froze in place. He expected the bug to stagger or maybe even fly. But it just died.
What the hell?
[You have leveled up! You are now Level 5!]
Five levels? Isn't that a little too fast? Is it because of my talents or master?
As the ant's body slid to the ground, Elian looked at his fist. It was no longer flesh but metallic. There was no sheen, but many would mistake it for heavy armor.
KEKEKEKEKEKE
The ants who remained began to chatter. Earlier they had moved quite imposingly. Now they slowly began to back away—one leg at a time—as if they were afraid. Elian, seeing the wariness in the monsters, couldn't help but smile.
Then laughter erupted from him, raw and full of adrenaline.
"HAHAHAHAAHA!"
KREEEE!!!!
His enemies, startled, all reared up on their hind legs. It was the classic ant behavior of threat posturing. Seeing this, pleasure and joy flooded his system.
I am no longer the prey, but the hunter.
Without another word, Elian moved. Dauntless, he charged at the closest red ant.
He leapt mid-sprint and drove his foot into the ant's abdomen and completely penetrated up to his thigh. The ant screamed and then clamped its mandibles over Elian's face.
However, its jaws only made a light tink and couldn't penetrate his metallic skin.
Red ants are said to have mandibles strong enough to tear apart reinforced armor.
Unamused by the counterattack, Elian grabbed the ant's mandibles and tried to force them open. He applied too much force—and ripped them apart instead.
KREEE!!!!
The ant screamed as foul-smelling fluid sprayed from the sides of its face. Elian, unable to dodge, was doused.
[You have leveled up! You are now Level 7!]
Hmm, from five levels to just two. The experience is decreasing.
Yet rather than amazement or joy, all Elian felt was annoyance.
"Ugh. Why are you all so brittle?"
The boy braced his core and flicked his foot like someone brushing off an insect. His simple action caused the ant's abdomen to tear in two, silencing it forever.
KREEEE!!!! KREEEE!!!! KREEEE!!!!
"Huh?"
The three remaining ants all began to scream. Two suddenly charged forward in reckless abandon. The last turned and darted back into the tunnel in retreat.
Elian dodged the ants' charges. With a quick jab, Elian tried to control his strength and sent one of them flying.
[You have leveled up! You are now Level 8!]
It's just one level, but at least I didn't get sprayed.
The other one slammed into the wall, which caused the small cave to quake. When it recovered, the ant scurried left. Its mandibles opened and closed with a shriek.
Elian ignored the posturing. Instead, he noticed its path.
If he allowed it to run, it would trample over the "throne" in the small room. His master's remains—still in pieces—would be destroyed.
Over my dead body.
Gritting his teeth, Elian jumped and threw himself on the ant.
KREEE!!!!
Elian's body crashed onto the ant, forcing it to the ground. He extended his fingers and stabbed them straight down into the insect's head. Without so much as an inch of resistance, Elian's knife-hand skewered its skull until his elbow was buried in it.
"Ugh. Yuck. More bug juice. And no level up at that."
Disappointed, he pulled his hand out and flicked away the putrid-smelling liquid. Then he noticed some scraps of cloth nearby—they were his clothes.
With sure steps, Elian took one of the largest pieces and wiped his right arm. Next, he found what looked like his pants and made a makeshift bag. Afterwards, the boy quickly approached the remains of his master.
Seeing the once-beautiful person in such a heartbreaking state, Elian made a silent prayer before spreading out the bag he made. Then, with the utmost care, he began to retrieve and store each fragment of Bianca's corpse—
Along with the magic bag, her clothes, and what looked like a staff. He also saw a glowing golden sphere. He gingerly brushed the dust off and wiped it clean.
"This looks important."
When he finally had everything in a neat pile, Elian looked around and waited. He felt like a child wanting to brag about his achievement to his parents.
And yet his master didn't appear.
As the minutes flew by, Elian grew more disheartened.
"Master, you can come out now. I killed all the ants! I am no longer weak."
Still, there was no answer. A stifling pressure began to brew in the boy's chest.
I want to feel something. But I can't. Not even sadness. Is this what Adamant does?
It was a confusing feeling—like the air you breathe had turned bad.
"Master. Where are you? Didn't you say I was yours? Why are you not here?"
Elian should be celebrating. He finally got a talent! Three at that! Yet for some reason, despite being able to finally gain what he wanted, he felt… empty.
His eyes desperately searched for the beautiful and arrogant queen that gave him this second chance. Somehow only when he could see her cold expression would his joy come forth.
"Master…"
A few more minutes passed. And still nothing.
Annoyed, Elian faced Bianca's skull and began to shout.
"You are so cruel, you stupid stuck-up master! I suffered so much to be of use, and you just abandoned me! Why go through all that 'I own you' crap if you weren't going to stick around anyway?"
Despite his angry rant, the remains gave no comfort.
Only silence.
But at that moment, Elian felt a sudden drop in temperature.
The cold that once grew comforting had vanished—and he only noticed it when it returned.
"I see you have little to no respect for me, Elian. I couldn't answer, as I was too busy taking down the ant you allowed to run away. You may no longer be useless but you are still far from ready."
Elian felt a savage chill run up his spine. He grew terrified of even turning his head. His entire body—despite no longer having any flesh—trembled in fright.
"M-Master?"
"Yes, Elian. It is I, the stupid master who gave you all that 'I own you' crap."