Chapter 184: Invade

Ch. 184 – Invade

A long line of red ants are returning to the nest. Each one of them is carrying a centipede dumpling in its mouth.

Success. It succeeded!

“Pefu, pefu!”

The ball rabbit is jubilant over the matter, but I can’t share the same sentiment. Seeing my current state, the ball rabbit drops its ears and looks up at me uneasily.

Although I was wondering what would happen if it failed, now that it has succeeded, I don’t really know if that was okay. I wonder if there was another card I could have played. There is undoubtedly the red ant I saved from the antlion larva mixed among that row. It must have been praised as a hero among its friends after finding that mountain of centipede dumplings.

Undoubtedly, right…. ?

“You did it, well done!”

“What, this? No, this was just something I happened upon when Mr. Dragon took me! Just a coincidence, really!”

That was probably quite the conversation. The figure of the giddy red ant floats in my mind.

Thinking about it is only making me feel bad, so I shake my head to erase the thought.

There was a red ant in the back not carrying anything in its mouth. It seems that the number of red ants exceeded the amount of dumplings. Considering that the red ants had split to defend the nest while the others headed out of the nest, the number of red ants is roughly 200, I guess.

After that, I watch the red ants’ nest for a while. The number of red ants coming and going from the nest gradually decreases. At first it was only occasionally, but halfway through, the amount drastically decreased.

Are the centipede dumpling’s effects starting to show? If they die due to the poison then the experience points may not be attributed to me. The purpose of the centipede dumplings is to severely weaken the red ants down to their last breath. Should I quietly check out the situation?

I approach the red ants’ nest. The ball rabbit and Adofu follow along behind me.

I peer into the large, bright-red hole while focusing on using [[Presence Sense]]. Two red ants come out from inside.

“Ku, kucha. ” “Kuchaa!”

The red ants raise their voices when they find me. One of them comes towards me, while the other runs back to the nest. The guard and report staff?

However, they are moving slower than last time. Besides, it doesn’t really feel like they’re into it.

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Race: Red Ogre Ant

State: Poison, Paralysis (small)

Lv: 25/55

HP: 127/230

MP: 64/71

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Race: Red Ogre Ant

State: Poison (small)

Lv: 27/55

HP: 199/239

MP: 49/75

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It’s the poison. The poison is beginning to show its effects. One of them even has paralysis. Is it due to [[Poison Claw]]? But it’s not as much damage as I expected…?

This is bad, I don’t like this situation. It’s likely that the red ants which didn’t receive much damage will take the initiative and go hunting. What’s more, the two in front of me have pretty good stats. Not only that, the one facing me is the one without paralysis.

Though their HP might be on the safe side, their physical abilities have been considerably weakened. I’m still a little uneasy, but now is a great opportunity to attack.

I will greet the approaching red ant with [[Kamaitachi]]. Although I didn’t use a feint, the red ant wasn’t able to avoid it. I unleash a blade of wind and score a direct hit, and before its [[Self-Regeneration]] kicks in, I move in.

Can they not avoid the attacks? I don’t need to use my MP anymore, if that’s the case. I fold my wings and lower my posture, taking up a stance to ready for hand-to-hand combat.

It comes into range, so I jump at it. The red ant extends its neck and readies its pincers.

“Ku-Kucha…”

I lightly jump and fly over the red ant before falling and smashing the red ant’s head against the ground. Body fluid splashes around, and the red ant stops moving shortly after.

As I thought, its abilities have considerably weakened.

[388 experience points obtained. ] [Title Skill [[Walking Egg: Lv–]], activated, 388 bonus points gained. ] [Level of [[Evil Plague Dragon]] has increased from Lv 62 to 63. ]

Eh? Has the amount of experience points decreased? Just as I thought, since they’ve already been weakened by poison outside of battle, the amount of points has been reduced?

It’s somewhere between 20 or 30. The error margin, that is.

This sucks, I can’t afford that much of a drop this time. Should I just plunge into the red ants’ nest like this?

I’m Lv 63 now, and the max for an evil plague dragon is Lv 75, so I still need 12 levels till evolution? That’s probably about 20 red ants. I’ll jump into the nest and rampage, then withdraw as soon as I reach max level.

If I were to evolve inside, I could be temporarily weakened due to the change in level. And, there is still the possibility that I will have to get used to my new body. Also, if I happen to grow, I might not be able to fit in the passageway, and I’ll have no other choice but to live there. If it’s that Voice of God, I don’t doubt that there will be a trap like that.

I lower my head to the now dead red ant smashed into the ground, then turn and face the entrance to the red ants’ nest.

Well, ball rabbit and Adofu, will you be doing the usual house-sitting?

“Guou. ”

I turn to the ball rabbit and bark, and the ball rabbit shakes its head.

“Pefu!”

[No! Team!]

No, isn’t it a bit too dangerous…

[Dark there. Hard to see. ]

Well, sure it is, but I’ll manage somehow with [[Presence Sense]] one way or another…

[Save Nina! So can’t die!]

…If you go that far, then I guess it can’t be helped. Alright, let’s do this, shall we? The ball rabbit’s [[Light]] should be useful in navigating the red ants’ nest.

“Actually, let me join in as well. ”

Adofu pulls out the large sword from its sheath and stabs it into the ground. It seems that the ball rabbit’s [[Telepathy]] also reached Adofu.

Adofu… Frankly, your strength isn’t that much different from the red ants… I wonder if you will even be able to handle two red ants. He’s smaller than me, though, so it’ll be easier for him to move around in the narrow passage…

[Adofu, useless…]

Hey, hey, hey! Just a minute! Don’t say such false words! No, no, I never said he was useless! But, really! It’ll be pretty dangerous if three red ants attack Adofu at the same time!