Chapter 144: The Great Escape

Ch. 144 The Great Escape

The tension rises all around.

The surrounding red ants slowly close in. This is becoming more of a disadvantage.

If my aim was to win then I wouldn’t allow this type of situation, but right now I’m not worried about my life.

It actually makes it convenient for me if you move that slowly while coming closer.

“kuchaa!”

Looks like the red ants couldn’t stand the tension. I hear the sound of ants kicking the ground behind me.

“Guruuooooooo!”

I roar as I swing my arm around. I was able to land an attack on the two ants that jumped, although they didn’t die they did fly pretty far.

Both of their bodies are lying on their backs curled. I wonder if they will recover with [[Self Regeneration]].

“kucha!” “kucha, kucha!”

The red ants who had been hardly moving were inspired by their comrades and began making noise. It feels like they are all ready to jump in as well. Even though it’s lucky that they aren’t that strong, I won’t be able to handle them if they come in droves.

“kuchaaa!”

The biggest red ant loudly cried out.

Inspiration was not its purpose, more like provocation and restraint. It wasn’t looking towards me but towards the ceiling. The anxious ants immediately stopped in their tracks. Is this the red ants temporary boss? Its acting like their captain. It’s probably ranked higher as well, like around B rank.

The surrounding red ants regained their composure and slowly closed in again. The enemy doesn’t want to increase their loses it seems. Our feelings are mutual, as I also want the ball rabbit to escape. Mutual destruction is also not part of the plan.

I focused my sense towards the back of me. Not just to see just how many ants there were, but because I was worried about the ball rabbit being able to escape.

“pefupefu!”

Hey, why haven’t you run away! You don’t even look like you have any intention of running.

What are you doing!? What’s the point in me buying time! Wheres Nina!?

「…. . that’s despicable」

The ball rabbit turns its head to the floor and lets out a hoarse statement using [[Telepathy]].

…. . Hey, hey, if things continue like this then we’ll all be annihilated!

Dammit!, I gotta think of something!

“kucha!”

That moment, a red ant went towards the ball rabbit.

The leader of the red ants turns towards it and lets out a “kuchha”. The red ant leader probably didn’t want me to act until it had me completely surrounded. However the red ant did not stop.

The ball rabbit throws a fireball but the red ant didn’t try to avoid it. The fireball disappears shortly after hitting the ant’s body but there is no burn mark.

The ball rabbit is in danger.

I inhale and fill my lungs. The red ants reacted and stopped their approach. I spew out [[Plague Breath]] all around me and a stagnating miasma envelops the area.

“Kucha!?”

I aim at the gap while the red ants are confused and whip my tail around. I then push through the red ants and run towards the ball rabbit.

Just when the red ant launched towards the ball rabbit with its mouth wide open I bite its back.

“gucha!?”

While driving my fangs into its back, I lift it and throw it against the wall. The red ant hits its shoulder against the wall and falls to the floor, but it quickly revives with [[Self Regeneration]] and comes at me. The rest of the red ant hoard also come running at me.

With only two ants they are careful with attacking as they don’t want to miss time their strikes, but if you’re not alone then nothing scares you.

I swat down the red ants that jumped at me and put the ball rabbit in my mouth, then escape in the opposite direction from the hoard chasing after me. I know that it’s a dead because there’s a huge centipede blocking the entrance, but I can’t stop now.

I may as well raise the skill level of [[Plague Breath]]. Its both advantageous and disadvantageous but I will regret it if we were stopped here.

“Gijijijijijijijijijijijijijijijijii!!”

Sure enough, the entrance is still blocked because of the huge centipedes foolishness. Though it was already useless, it started trying to retreat at a tremendous speed. It looked like he gave up after it thought that it was stuck, but it got riled up after seeing the large horde of red ants.

This is good I guess. I may be able to escape the moment the huge centipede got out. I’m saved, I’ll actually survive. I was seriously prepared for death.

…. Although that’s a weird way to retreat. To me it looks like it’s rowing its legs like an oar, it probably doesn’t retreat all that often.

Besides, it actually looks quite sad…. Well anyway, for now there will be a temporary ceasefire.

I roll up my body with [[Roll]] and chase after the huge centipede whose backing up at a tremendous speed. Its of course slower than it usually is, but it’s still backing up at an incredible rate.

Did I mistake its butt for its head before?

No that doesn’t seem right.

Just the fact that it has eaten many other humans before, I would hate it so much more if it was able to shoot a beam from its ass.

“Gijijijijijijijijijijijijijii!”

The huge centipede completely escapes from the hole. I get out and move to the right running away. I felt relieved for a moment before I saw a terrible sight.

Nearly thirty red ants are clinging to the huge centipedes tail. Apparently the red ants who were roaming outside gathered and tried to pull out the huge centipede by its tail to unplug their hole to the nest.

I run away straight at full speed. When I looked back the red ants who were chasing after me also started battling the huge centipede.

“Gijijijijijijijijijijijijijii!”

The huge centipede tries to rampage but the red ants hold its tail down. The red ants divided to the left and right to escape from the centipedes bite and start beating it down. Meanwhile the others are concentrating on cutting off its legs.

Whoa, red ants are scary.

The huge centipede is bothered by its tail but it curls up and doesn’t try to peel off the red ants. Its decrease in speed is probably due to the large amount of red ants on its tail weighing it down.

The huge centipede started gathering red light in its mouth to get ready for [[Heat Ray]], but the red light made a small explosion in its mouth and it disappeared. I guess it used up all of its MP. You can’t use something as over the top as [[Heat Ray]] without the appropriate amount of MP.

Dear ruler of the desert, are you having a hard time with ants you could usually step on?

“Gijijijijijijijijijijijijijijijijijijijijiii!!”

The huge centipede loudly screeches. My resentment towards it has calmed, as it kind of seems sad.

I wanted to watch how the fight turned out, but it would be bad if they targeted me next. So I raised the speed of [[Roll]] and never looked back.

See you later huge centipede.

I know I vowed to one day take you down, but you don’t really have to survive until then.

I won’t let you die until I kill you myself, I had no such feelings. I may have a grudge but we don’t have that kind of relationship.

Rather, it would be good if you met your end here.

I will forever remember your death as a stupid monster who got its head stuck in an ant hole.