As we ventured deeper into the tunnel, we were not expecting a new type of enemy. It all started by chance, just as Aka-32 returned to us, a dull "click" was heard, and in the next moment, a loud hissing sound was heard from the side passages.
The ground beneath our feet trembled, and a whole wave of mutated acid ants poured out from the darkness.
But these were different. Their carapaces shimmered crimson along with green, and behind each one, the burned wings of a bat's membrane glinted.
I didn't even have time to curse before the first ant soared upward, leaving a trail of dripping acid in its wake.
—Are you kidding me?! They have wings.
Fritte recoiled as something resembling a glob of bubbling sludge erupted from the ant's rear, striking the rock with a forceful impact. It hissed, leaving a smoking hole in its wake.
Aka-32 quickly drew his shield, and the sizzling droplet collided with the barrier, splattering into a sparkling foam. The air was immediately filled with a pungent smell, as if someone had mixed lemon, rust, and rotten meat.
—Well, these aren't just flowers anymore... These are damned field weapons of mass destruction!
—They spit it out of their asses?! What kind of fauna is this?
One of the ants hovered directly above us, making a disgusting chirping sound, and turned its tail towards us as if to mock us. In the next moment, more droplets fell, each of them burning through the stone.
[ A new enemy has been detected]
[ Demonic Winged Ant]
[ Level: 17
These critters appear when a colony of acid ants reaches maturity. Individuals are selected from the larvae, which grow dense leathery wings covered with black veins and a long tail that stabilizes flight. Their goal is to expand the colony: They fly long distances to establish new nests.
— It's clear, we need to hit them on the wings before they decide to spray us from above as well.
I said with cold determination, raising [ Scarlet Budding]. The real meat grinder began, the flashes of aura, the hissing of acid, the flapping of wings, and the curses of Fritte and Ak-32 merged into a chaotic noise. But despite the absurdity of the situation, a spark of excitement flashed in my eyes.
[ "Acid Ant" killed – gained experience: +50 ]
[ "Demonic Winged Ant" killed – gained experience: +70 ]
[ Received: Green Salt Crystal ×4 ]
—Watch your step! These bastards explode even after death!
Aka-32 shouted, pushing me aside. Droplets of acid burned into the stone, leaving claw-like marks.
—Yes, this is no longer a walk. Welcome to the first floor of the anthill, girls... the real hunt has begun.
With each passing second, the air in the tunnel grew heavier, and the vibrations from hundreds of tiny legs could be felt even through my boots. The ants were marching in waves, and their eyes were glowing with a murky green light.
Aka-32 looked strange, and she was looking nervously at Menche and Fritte, as if she was trying to hide something.
—Hey, why are they aggroing you?
Aka-32 cleared her throat, looked away.
—Well… uh… maybe I'm a little bit to blame.
—A little bit? How much on the scale from 'again, I went the wrong way' to 'I started an ant war'?
Fritte raised an eyebrow, a slight light flaring up. Aka-32 let out a heavy sigh and waved her hand:
_When I went through another tunnel… you know, just to level up… I came across a huge ant. I thought it was an elite mob and…
—And you pierced its belly?
—Um… yes.
After these words, there was a moment of deathly silence, and only the distant hum of the tunnel reminded that no one was safe here.
[ System notification: Behavioral flag changed - The ant colony is in a state of rage! ]
[ Attention: Aggression radius increased ×3 ]
— Great, now the entire first floor hates us.
—Hey, don't start! Better help if you don't want to get eaten!
Aka-32 raised her sword and shield, catching her breath. The buzzing intensified, and more ants emerged from the side cracks, larger, faster, and with burned-out rat wings. Tiny patterns glimmered on their backs, as if scorched by acid.
Fritte jumped back to the rear, raised his wand, and channeled energy into a gust of wind that began to spin, creating a protective dome.
[ Skill activated: "Companion Protection - Vortex Dome" ]
[ Effect: Reflects up to 40% of physical attacks within a close range ]
—Good! I'll take five on my own, and you can handle the rest, Aka-32!
—As you wish!
The ants attacked in groups, each wave moving as a single organism. One of them jumped right at little Fritte, who threw a ball of light that burned through him.
I slipped under the other's body, thrusting [Scarlet Budding] directly into the acid sac. There was a splash and a sharp, bitter smell, but she managed to jump back a step.
[ Killed: Demonic Winged Ant×1 ]
[ Experience gained: +270 ]
[ Passive effect "Poison Resistance": +2% ]
Meanwhile, Aka-32 spun on her heels, cutting down two enemies at once, but she didn't have enough time to react to the third one, and an acid stream slashed across her armor, leaving a sizzling mark.
—Ugh, damn chemistry! I hate ants!
Fritte, trying to cover his rear, held a wind shield as dozens of acid bodies stirred behind him.
—Girls, I don't want to scare you, but we still have at least a dozen signals behind us.
—Then it's time to show them.
[ System notification: Group quest "Siege of the Ant Colony" has been initiated ]
[ Condition: Survive and eliminate all enemies in Sector 1-B ]
The ground beneath their feet shook, and the air filled with a heavy, rattling sound, as if thousands of blades were scraping against a metal dome.
Demonic Winged Ants emerged from the distant tunnels, their chitin gleaming like charred obsidian, and dark green smoke seeping from the cracks in their backs.
They hated Ak-32. Molten fury burned in their tiny pupils.
—Great, we're having trouble continuing.
[ System Notification: The colony of Demon Winged Ants has activated the "Vow of Revenge" ]
[ Effect: The entire party within a 20-meter radius is marked as a "Devour Enemy" target ]
But the hell didn't end there. A low hissing sound echoed from another tunnel, and a moment later, a stream of boiling acid splattered onto the stone floor.
—Oh no... They've called for help!
The wall was breached, and Acid Ants, larger ants with swollen abdomens, emerged from the darkness, emitting a poison that burned the air.
[ Attention: Mass Aggression Activated, the Acid Ant Colony has joined the battle! ]
[ Number of Enemies: 28 ]
Aka-32 took a slow step forward, brushed a lock of hair from her face, and gripped her battle-cracked shield.
—Well, if you want war… you'll get it.
She closed her eyes and spoke quickly, almost without breath, a short couplet that sounded like an ancient incantation:
"From the flesh, from the dust, the Amazon calls for freedom.
Rise, brothers, burned in pain."
The shield in her hands glowed with a dark, almost charcoal-like light, and then it split open. A whirlwind of black sand and ash erupted from the cracks, like a portal.
The air vibrated, and three enormous ants, covered in steaming chitin, emerged from the clouds of darkness. Their eyes glowed with crimson veins, and each of their paws left a trail where the stone cracked from the heat.
[ Skill activated: "Amazon Summon" ]
[ Creatures summoned: 3 × Shadow Ant Guardian ]
[ Effect: All allies within 10 meters gain +8% poison resistance and +15% physical defense ]
Fritte blinked in a daze.
—You... you just... summoned demonic ants to fight their own kind?!
Aka-32 smiled, her eyes shining.
—Isn't that symbolic? Let them pay with their own strength.
I stepped forward, feeling the tension build.
—Then I'll take the left flank. Fritte, cover the air. Aka-32, command your new "friends"
—Accepted, it's time to show who's the real queen here!
The pack roared, and in an instant, the space was filled with chaos, acid spitting, auras flashing, blades screeching, and wings buzzing. The black ants summoned by Aka-32 charged into battle, piercing their enemies and leaving trails of smoke in their wake.
The ground beneath their feet trembled, and the cave's ceiling crumbled into fine dust.