Antvance into the Unknown

134. Sudden War

I knew the Colony would make a move to conquer a portion of the third stratum, it’s practically a requirement for us to grow enough that we will be able to survive, but I didn’t think it was going to start this soon!

Holy moly, they must have worked themselves half to death up there. Smoke is rising from inside the city, and I can only imagine that the fighting has begun.

[We need to get up there, squad!] I holler at the others. [We need to hustle up the pillar!]

I begin an all-out sprint in the hopes of joining the Colony in their fight as soon as possible. If they’re going to take down a demon as powerful as Grokus, they’re going to need the tier six firepower that my pets and I bring!

[Perhaps it might be time that I offer my assistance?] Al breaks in, appearing beside me even as I sprint. [There is a faster way to reach the city. We can fly.]

[YOU might be able to fly,] I grate out, [but some of us aren’t multi-dimensional beings of almost pure energy! I’m an ant who turned down wings when I evolved. Multiple times! I for one definitely cannot fly!]

The giant eye flickers.

[Ants can fly? Fascinating.]

[Not all of us and not all the time, but yes, there are ants that fly and IS THIS REALLY THE TIME?]

[Ah. It is not. I do not mean that you need to fly, but that I can create a force platform to carry us. I will likely need your pet demon to assist me to carry your combined weight, but I believe it will be possible.]

[The demon’s name is Invidia,] I point out. [He’s not just a pet.]

[As you say.]

I direct my attention to my green-eyed friend.

[Invidia, Al is going to make a force platform, or something, and he says you need to help him out. Make it happen so we can get to the city and support the Colony, alright?]

[It shallll be donessss.]

I screech to a halt and the eyeballs confer silently. Then a shimmering disc of Mana solidifies in the air before us. Scanning it with my senses, I can tell a tremendous amount of energy has gone into its construction.

[Wow! You can manipulate this thing with your mind?]

[I can,] Al confirms. [Although shifting it with so much mass upon it will strain me greatly. With the assistance of… Invidia, I will be able to manage.]

[Alright then. On we go, Tiny!]

The big ape and I move swiftly and jump onto the platform which sinks a little under our weight. I shouldn’t be surprised, the two of us combined must be well above ten tons. In fact, I don’t want to know how much I weigh, I feel like it would be hard for me, a former human, to accept that my body is now so massive an elephant would run in fear if it saw me on the scales.

Not only am I huge by any standard of earth animal, I’m also significantly denser, due to the System allowing monsters to pack their muscle fibres closer together than would normally be possible. If I ever reset my musculature, I can only imagine how tightly packed it’ll all become. The weight to performance ratio will be insane. Well, even more insane.

Honestly, the physics and biology of how an insect the size of me could possibly be running around isn’t something I remotely pretend to understand, such things were completely impossible on earth, so I’ll just keep handwaving it away and saying Mana is responsible.

Since it probably is.

With Invidia lending his considerable brainpower to managing the disc, Al is able to lift us bulky monsters, and the disc rises into the sky. Slowly at first, but with growing momentum, we float upward to the city above. It’s a strange sensation and not a little unnerving. I can partially see through the disc, which doesn’t help things. Luckily, if I tilt my head back a little, I can barely see what’s going on at my feet zone, so I can distract myself and avoid thinking about the ground which is steadily vanishing beneath us.

It’s a long ride up, even though our speed continues to rise. The closer we get, the more I can detect the acrid tang of a formic barrage in the air. Smells like the Colony has subjected the city to a massive bombardment of acid to soften it up for the full invasion. What’s more, the number of ants within range of the Vestibule climbs the closer we get. The energy of thousands, tens of thousands, pours into me, washing away my fatigue, clarifying my mind, and easing the ache in my tired muscles.

With this much power flowing through me, I’m unbeatable!

Or at least, it feels that way.

[Tiny, Crinis, Invidia. When we get up there, we have only one objective: help the Colony conquer the city as quickly as possible. That means going after the heavy hitters, of which we have two main targets. Grokus and Mongi… guy. Let’s call him Mongo. Both are tier seven, which is higher than us, if I need to remind you. When facing either of them, we need to proceed with extreme caution. Gang up on them. Kick them from behind. Strike from the shadows. I don’t care what sort of nasty tricks we need to use, we use them and get the job done fast!]

[I believe I may be of some help in this,] the detached voice of Al breaks into my mental communication.

[Oh?] I eye the big eye. [You really want to get involved? I thought this was exactly what you didn’t want to get involved in.]

[On the contrary, this conflict could result in an outcome, the only outcome, that will allow me to remain here in peace. Grokus dethroned and replaced by not Mongu’nin. For this, I will lend my support against Mongu’nin, though I cannot defeat him alone. Against Grokus, my strengths will not be as effective, I will be of little use there.]

[How so?] I find that a little confusing.

[He is highly resistant to Mana. Most spells will simply wash off his bulk.]

[That… is inconvenient. In that case, I’ll send Invidia to team up with you. Tiny and Crinis can come with me. Divide and conquer.]

We wait out the rest of the ride in silence, the city growing larger each second. When we crest the edge, a scene of complete chaos is laid bare before my eyes. A deluge of acid has poured across the streets, causing steam to rise from every building as it’s chewed away. From the four massive cables the Colony has embedded in the rock, an endless swarm of ants leap into the city, forming a boundless wave of gnashing mandibles and hardened chitin.

Filled with the vibrant call of their spirit, I leap onto the acid-covered stone, my body overflowing with the Will of the Colony.

“FOR THE COLONY!” I cry, spreading the call of my pheromones far and wide.

I can scent the war cry echoed throughout Roklu as tens of thousands of individuals take up the call, soaking the rock in the indomitable will of ant-kind.