Chapter 25: Ant King

Chapter 25: Ant KingAs Jiang Ping slowly awakened from his slumber, he couldn't help but gasp at the news: the world he once knew had undergone an unfathomable metamorphosis. With a mixture of disbelief and awe, Jiang Ping focused his gaze on the Genesis screen before him. The sight that unfolded left him momentarily speechless. The documentation captured the extraordinary scene of the newly anointed ant king's birthBertha, the revered queen of ants, had met her demise at the hands of her own offspring. This event was unprecedented, surpassing even the legendary divine tree Rahil's wildest expectations. Despite his growling hunger, Jiang Ping found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the screen. Could this newly crowned ant king truly possess such immense power? The Empress Queen ant had indeed delivered an astonishing surprise. Meanwhile, ceaseless wars raged on in the altered landscape of the world, and the continents mourned their tragic fate. Swarms of ravenous ants from all corners of the globe flocked under the natural dominion of the ant king, further escalating the chaos. "A super soldier, born from the very essence of our progenitor! This surpasses all expectationssuch power defies conventional wisdom!" trembled a visiting queen ant, her body shaking with reverence. In a swift, imperceptible motion, the ant king Beiou decapitated the queen who could have challenged his rule. With a flick of his right hand, a torrent of the queen's blood showered forth, leaving the trembling soldiers in terror. "Tens of billions of devouring ants prostrated themselves in unison, their voices resounding in fervent devotion, 'Hail to the king!'" Who granted you the right to speak? Who gave you the audacity to assess this sovereign?" roared the ant king, asserting his absolute control over the entire ant clan. The colossal mobilization of devouring ants did not escape the notice of humanity. Ancient records had long warned of the peril they posed, emphasized by vivid crimson that plastered the ground. They were the universal enemy, a blight upon all races, and a calamity upon the world. The ancient era had crumbled under the combined forces of countless races battling against this voracious menace. The formidable champions of humanity had initially anticipated the birth of another great ant queen, only to be blindsided by the emergence of this dread-inspiring king! Through the highest alchemical communicator, a report was transmitted by the indomitable Fengshenlong, the divine dragon whose unwavering gaze fell upon the fallen ant king. Countless ant colonies, like obedient subjects, knelt in reverence before their sovereign ruler. Such was the brilliance emanating from the ant king that even the majestic Fengshenlong, soaring loftily at an altitude of 10,000 meters, dared not risk a direct encounter. In that fateful moment when their eyes locked, a cataclysmic twist of destiny unfolded, sealing the fate of both creatures. The formidable Fengshenlong, once invincible, met its demise, leaving behind its final message, painstakingly transmitted through the alchemical communicator, before succumbing to the inevitable. "A mournful cry pierced the air, as if uttered by an ancient monarch, reverberating through the depths of eternity. 'Even the Godlike, benevolence being himself met his bitter end!'" Amidst the call to action issued by the paramount kingdom on the ancestral heartland, the human race and a multitude of allied races refused to languish in idleness. An exalted union was forged, as if a sacred alliance, mobilizing their forces with unwavering resolve to embark upon the ant continent, the sovereign abode of the ant king. Aflame with determination, a vast armada of vessels surged forth, navigating treacherous currents with unfurled sails, painting a breathtaking tableau upon the waters. At the forefront of this formidable fleet, mighty warships, under the command of seasoned tacticians, cleaved through the waves with an awe-inspiring presence, as if parting the very seas themselves. Throughout the voyage, majestic sea beasts, akin to vigilant sentinels, occasionally emerged from the depths, assuming the mantle of guardians to the armada, guiding their course with uncanny prowess. This conflict, spanning beyond the realm of humanity, summoned forth formidable combatants from diverse races, evoking memories of an epoch long past, as ancient as time itself. "The last cataclysm rent the supercontinent asunder, rending the heavens and the earth. The world fractured, no longer a unified entity. Alas, it appears this impending calamity shall eclipse all that came before," sighed a venerable monarch hailing from the illustrious Tianma tribe. The expedition progressed with remarkable fluidity, bolstered by placid seas and fortuitous winds propelling them swiftly forward. The fortnight-long sojourn, once deemed an arduous passage, was miraculously halved in duration, buoying the spirits of the valiant champions from diverse races, who declared in unison, "Even the very world bestows its benefaction. This time, the ravenous ants shall meet their inexorable demise." Upon the warships, soldiers brimmed with elation, their hearts pulsating with eager anticipation for the imminent clash. Yet, only the most battle-hardened among them harbored a subtle, lingering disquietude, a faint premonition amidst the prevailing exultation. Even with the world seemingly conspiring in their favor, what manner of dread awaited them this time, in the form of their adversary? War loomed ominously on the horizon. Prior to the arrival of the warriors from the ten thousand races, scouting parties near the sea diligently scoured for intelligence. The devouring ants had also expanded their dominion into the seas, breeding an army of aquatic ants and swiftly eradicating any groups dwelling near the ant continent. Both factions discarded all pretense of diplomacy, plunging headlong into an unyielding conflict, with the most powerful among them unleashing their full might from the outset. Cracks resounded through the air! Cracks resounded through the air!... The thunderous reverberations of bombardment rent the sky, veiling the continent in a shroud of smoke. Tens of thousands of formidable warships encircled the landmass, unleashing a relentless barrage of artillery fire. Every manner of alchemical explosive, akin to fleeting riches, was hurled forth with wanton abandon. The resolute heroes, representing diverse races, lamented the unimaginable opulence of the human species, while valiant warriors bemoaned the extravagant magnates who, this time, emptied their coffers to an unprecedented extent. The onslaught rained down upon the devouring ants, inflicting heavy casualties and reducing countless ant colonies to mere fragments in a matter of minutes. The entire continent, once teeming with life, now lay devastated, flattened by a staggering 30 meters, its landscape adorned with the lifeless remains of ant civilizations. The besieged Central Ant King found himself encircled amidst a frenzy of attacks. Naval fleet cannons relentlessly bombarded from the sea, while Aeolian dragons soared through the skies, dropping thousands of explosive payloads, including specially devised armor-piercing bombs tailored to slay superpowered beings. Half an hour of ceaseless bombing shrouded the sea in a dense fog, and the continent underwent a transformation of utter desolation. As the smoke dissipated, observers noticed that the ant colonies were scarce on the mainland, yet they continued to emerge relentlessly from the depths of the earth. Amidst the attention of multitudes, a figure draped in darkness stood defiantly like a deity or a demon, unscathed and unyielding. Simultaneously, within the imperial palace situated in a faraway land, numerous formidable individuals descended into a stupefaction. How could this relentless barrage of artillery leave him unscathed? "Advance with relentless determination! Engage the enemy's vanguard and seize control of the kingdom!" rallied the elite assault unit, led by the most formidable saint-level powerhouse. With unwavering resolve, they cleaved through the chaotic battlefield, steadily pushing forward towards the central ant king. Meanwhile, beyond the tumult of combat, Jiang Ping leisurely indulged in a recently acquired pancake fruit, relishing its exquisite flavor as he savored his steaming soy milk. Lounging comfortably on a sofa, he observed the unfolding conflict with detached interest. "Ah, the disparity is truly insurmountable," Jiang Ping murmured, shaking his head. The outcome of this battle had already been predetermined, its conclusion unmistakable. Within a single day, the Holy Primordial Alliance Expeditionary Army, under humanity's leadership, met its demise. Not a solitary saint-level powerhouse survived from the ranks of those who had led the ill-fated charge. Deep within the oceanic base camp, the mighty representatives of humanity gazed upon the transmitted message with chilling horror. In this battle, the Ant King himself rarely intervened, yet with each strike, he unleashed unparalleled destruction. In a devastating blow, he obliterated the flagship of the commanding fleet, reducing it to ruins. With a swift and lethal motion, he dispatched a saint-level powerhouse. "This... Is this truly a living entity? It possesses godlike combat prowess!" uttered a venerable scholar, trembling in disbelief. The others fell into an oppressive silence, each burdened by the Ant King's overwhelming might. Their countenances grew pallid, for although they individually possessed the potential to reshape the world, they now found themselves engulfed in a sense of impending darkness, a profound despair gnawing at their hearts. "Should we surrender? Will the devouring ants grant us the chance to survive? No matter how severe and brutal their conditions may be, I shall embrace them if it means our collective survival!" After a protracted silence, a voice broke through the desolation. The grand maester spoke with bitterness etched into every word: "The devouring ants are bloodthirsty, relentless annihilators, offering no quarter to other creatures. Were it not for the ancient era and the current alliance among all races, such an entity would have long since claimed dominion over our world!" The faces of all those present turned ashen, their formidable reputations rendered inconsequential within the confines of this room. Each individual possessed the capacity to cause seismic ripples with a mere step, but in this moment, they faced a future cloaked in darkness, their deepest hopes drowned in a sea of despair. Gradually, the room resounded with the somber sound of sobbing, intensifying until even the guards stationed outside stood in dumbfounded silence, perplexed by the sight of these powerful men succumbing to overwhelming grief. "In the face of such a bloodthirsty horde, such a terrifying Ant King, why have the gods not unleashed divine retribution upon them?" a royal doctor exclaimed in desperation. In the face of utter despair, humanity found solace in a single fragile strand of hope, grasping onto it with unwavering determination and placing their deepest aspirations in the hands of the divine. Unexpectedly, these words ignited a spark of inspiration within the heart of the grand maester. Raising his head abruptly, he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and declared with determination, "Hope still resides within us! The Ant King's unmatched might is rivaled only by his impenetrable defenses. If a weapon capable of piercing through exists in this world, it is the legendary Spear of Destiny!" A glimmer of hope illuminated the eyes of those gathered, for though the Spear of Destiny had long since vanished, it remained a symbol of true possibility. Moreover, with the amassed knowledge of countless generations, particularly the posthumous work of the legendary King Lu Fei of One Piece, the whereabouts of the Spear of Destiny had been painstakingly narrowed down. In that moment, a king adorned in regal dragon robes rose from his seat. King Jingshan, ruler of the Sunset Empire, the mightiest presence within the central ancestral lands and the leader of the Holy Primordial Alliance, stood tall. While his personal combat prowess might not have ranked highest among the world's inhabitants, his position as the preeminent figure bestowed upon him unparalleled authority. "Dispatch messages to all major kingdoms and ethnic groups! Utilize every available means to gather intelligence on the Spear of Destiny. Mobilize all civilian vessels urgently for the salvage operation targeting the sunken vessel at the ocean's depths!" he commanded, pausing briefly before continuing with resolute determination, "Simultaneously, locate the enigmatic Gai Feng, the most formidable human who has long been absent. Summon him to my presence! He represents our sole glimmer of hope!" --- END OF THE CHAPTER --- [Join Our Discord for regular updates and have fun with other community members: /invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ]