The Antventure Begins

73. Establishing the Network

I manage to pass a fairly profitable day in this manner.

During the quiet moments, I constructed a third pitfall trap and added it to my expanding network, Excavating another tunnel to connect it all together and gaining another Level of Excavation as my reward.

My crude traps have proven surprisingly capable, netting a consistent flow of prey I’ve been able to finish off and conceal within my tunnels in short order, feeding the majority of the Biomass to Tiny and taking a little for myself.

Over the last day I managed to take four Biomass for myself, which I’ve stockpiled for the time being. I’m close to taking two upgrades to the Pheromone Gland, but I don’t particularly see the need. It isn’t as if I’m cooperating with the colony right now, so the pheromones won’t help achieve anything.

I did start to feel a little guilty about leaving the colony to its own devices for this long. After digging out the third trap, it seemed beneficial to connect the ends. And thus began the arduous process of connecting my small network of pitfall traps to the main nest by way of a rather long underground tunnel.

This particular project will take a long time to actually complete. Especially considering the need to return to the traps to check on the situation every now and again, as well as making frequent, ever longer trips to transport the dirt and rock I’ve dug back to the surface.

Trying to discreetly dispose of all this dirt is proving more and more difficult. I’ve had to travel ever farther away from my pitfalls to find a good space and the area around my traps is starting to look a little odd, with small piles of dirt and stone popping up everywhere.

Thankfully, whenever monsters stomp through the area, they tend to scatter the dirt and pound it into the ground, concealing my work to some extent.

The biggest change over the last day has been Tiny. My loafing ape friend has been living the perfect life of luxury, waking up in time to feast and immediately sleeping. Every time he wakes up, he’s grown a little larger. After repeating this process four times, he’s shown significant growth, basically equalling me in size.

Your springtime of youth is finally here, Tiny! Entering the growth phase is an important time for any monster. Perhaps Tiny is now in his teenage years. All he wants to do is sleep and eat. I’m half expecting to find him in the tunnel scratching crude graffiti on the walls and listening to punk music.

Joke aside, the little guy is no longer that little. If I can continue to feed him at this pace, he’ll be able to display some strength in combat sooner rather than later. I can already see his arms starting to thicken up!

After killing a few more monsters I’ve gained the experience, but I haven’t managed to get that crucial Level ten. Every time I finish off a monster now, I await the pronouncement of Gandalf with all of my soul. He refuses to give me those sweet, sweet words.

I know patience is required but it’s so hard when the goal is so damned close!

I should just dig some more, let the feeling of ant-Zen wash over me and take away my worldly desires.

I return to digging out my tunnel, eager to connect my small network of traps to the colony. Gradually I lose my sense of time as I work, it’s just so satisfying.

There are no needs, no desires, or wants. There is only the soil and rock in my mandibles, and the peace of—

CRASH!

Prey! Get ’em!

Dropping the hunk of rock I’d been carrying, I sprint towards my traps, eager to reach my next victim in moments.

Furiously scrabbling at the walls of the pit and tearing apart the branches that have fallen around it is a rather large, agitated rabbit.

Rather than the smaller rabbit I encountered during the brawl next to the ant hill, this one is larger and more brutish, its fur thinner and patchy, almost as if the creature were sick. The thickly muscled limbs testify to its brute power, which only makes it appear even sillier with the small bunny ears emerging proudly from the top of its head.

As it thrashes, I manage to get a decent look at the face of my prey. A more beastly and hideous face I haven’t seen yet. A fetid, diseased pallor, fluid leaking from each eye and missing teeth are the first impressions I get, and further glimpses don’t improve my opinion at all.

This rabbit looks absolutely disgusting. The stench of death seems to ooze from every pore of the monster’s body, filling the air and washing into the tunnel. I almost feel as if my whole body is in pain just by looking at the beast.

Wait a second…

Quickly checking my HP, I learn that I am in pain! I’m losing Health just by being near this thing.

How is it damaging me just by being nearby? I’ve never seen anything like this. The longer I delay, the more Health I’m going to lose. Stop slacking about, Anthony, get in there!

POW! POW!

Reaching the opening of the tunnel, I present the back-zone, eyeball it over my shoulder and unleash two blasts of the Restrictive Acid, catching the monster across the chest and one front paw.

I don’t want to take too many chances with this beastie. I’m concerned I may get poisoned or diseased if I were to be bitten or scratched during the fight, best to slow it down first before I tussle in close quarters.

I’d happily wait and give it a few more bursts before fighting, but my HP is ticking down every second and I can’t wait for too long. This thing needs to be finished as fast as possible.

As the beastly rabbit roars and groans, its patchy fur proving little protection from the burning liquid that covers it, I hear a surprising sound.

Before I can dash forward and apply the righteous fury of mandibles to this rotting rabbit, from behind me, screeching in fury, comes Tiny. His bat face is twisted in rage as he hurtles forward using his knuckles and hind legs to propel him.

I can’t even react before my ape friend has thrown himself on the much larger rabbit, punching and biting in a frenzy.

What the hell. Suddenly you want to fight? Why now, you slacking ape!

Hurriedly I charged after him, not wanting to see any harm come to my friend and investment after all this time.

The rabbit reacts aggressively to Tiny’s assault, yowling in a high piercing wail that drills straight into my ears, seeming to attack my mind. Not enough though! Shaking off the distraction, I charge up my Infused Mandibles.

You’re not going to last long, you damned rabbit! You and your death aura are not long for this world.

I use my Crushing Bite at the same time, maximising my damage and ripping straight into the nearest limb, the front leg on the rabbit’s left side. As my mandibles crunch home, something feels off. The flesh of the creature feels thin and weak. Ghastly juices and ichor pour out, all over my face.

Oh. My. Gandalf.

What the heck is this disgusting stuff? Ugh! Kalla frazzle, it’s in my eye!

As soon as the liquid hits me, a burning pain resonates through my head. Is this acid! Has this stupid monster got acid blood or something?

My HP is dropping even faster now. If this stuff eats through my carapace and into my head, I’ll be done for. Activate Regeneration!