Ethan stared at his forelegs.
Then at the floor.
Then back at his forelegs.
"..."
He moved one.
The limb responded instantly.
He moved the other.
Same thing.
He slowly flexed his mandibles.
Click.
A strange pressure traveled through his body.
Not painful.
Not uncomfortable.
Just...
Different.
Everything felt different.
His body felt heavier.
Stronger.
More responsive.
Even the air felt different against his carapace.
Ethan slowly looked toward the crimson king.
The king was staring at him.
Not speaking.
Not moving.
Just staring.
"..."
"...I don't like that look."
Iris remained silent.
Ethan frowned.
"Iris?"
[Yes.]
"You've been unusually quiet."
[I was observing.]
"Observing what?"
A pause.
[You.]
"...That's ominous."
[You have changed.]
Ethan looked down at himself again.
"Yeah."
He hadn't needed her to tell him that.
He was almost twice the size he had been when he first hatched.
His body was no longer the awkward little frame he had grown accustomed to.
The smooth black carapace had thickened.
Thin crystalline patterns ran across it, almost like veins beneath glass.
His mandibles were longer.
Sharper.
And the strangest part...
His remaining antenna felt incredibly sensitive.
He could feel the movement of air.
The vibrations in the stone.
The faint chemical traces of hundreds of ants surrounding him.
And something else.
Something he couldn't describe.
Power.
Not overwhelming power.
Not enough to make him feel invincible.
But enough to make him realize...
He wasn't the same ant who had run from a Level 18 spider.
At least...
Not completely.
A sudden burst of emotion crashed into him.
Relief.
Joy.
Excitement.
The worker ant.
Ethan turned.
She was staring at him.
Her body was battered.
One leg hung awkwardly.
Her shell was cracked.
Yet she was trying to stand.
"Hey."
Ethan approached.
She immediately touched his new carapace with her antenna.
A wave of warmth passed through Ant Instinct.
Alive.
Safe.
Changed.
Ethan smiled.
"Yeah."
"I'm still here."
Her antenna moved again.
Then she hit him.
Lightly.
Tap.
Ethan froze.
"...Did you just hit me?"
Another tap.
"Hey!"
She tapped him again.
"I was trying to save you!"
Another tap.
"Okay!"
Ethan backed away.
"I understand!"
Pip stared.
"..."
The mole slowly turned toward the squirrel.
"Is she..."
"...scolding him?"
The squirrel chirped.
Pip nodded solemnly.
"I thought so."
Ethan pointed at them.
"I can hear you!"
The two immediately looked away.
Traitors.
A blue screen appeared.
Species: Tier II Crystal Carpenter Ant
Level: 5
Evolution Points: 0/100
HP: 31
Strength: 8
Agility: 12
Defense: 10
Mind: 14
Instinct: 8
Passive Trait: Crystal Carapace
New Active Skill: Crystal Burst Lv.1
Ethan stared.
"...Wait."
He looked at the numbers again.
"That's it?"
[Would you prefer weaker statistics?]
"No!"
"Obviously not!"
"I'm just saying..."
He examined his new body.
"...I expected more."
[You have been alive for approximately several days.]
"..."
[Your expectations are unreasonable.]
"That's fair."
Ethan paused.
"...Wait."
He looked at the screen again.
"Evolution Points are zero?"
[Correct.]
"Why?"
[Evolution consumed the accumulated points.]
"...That hurts."
[You were informed that evolution requires resources.]
"I know."
"It still hurts."
Ethan slowly walked toward the king.
The crimson ant watched him approach.
No fear.
No hesitation.
But Ethan noticed something.
The king had changed his stance.
Before...
He had stood casually.
Almost lazily.
Now his body was lowered.
Mandibles ready.
Every muscle prepared.
Ethan's instincts immediately recognized it.
The king considered him dangerous now.
Not equal.
Not yet.
But dangerous.
That realization sent a strange chill through Ethan.
"..."
The king finally spoke.
"What are you?"
Ethan stopped.
"...An ant?"
The king's eye narrowed.
"Do not insult me."
"I wasn't."
"You evolved."
"Yes."
"Into what?"
Ethan glanced at the notification still hovering before him.
Tier II Crystal Carpenter Ant.
"...Apparently, a Crystal Carpenter Ant."
The king's mandibles tightened.
"I have never heard of such a creature."
Ethan's expression changed.
"...What?"
The king stared at him.
"There are dozens of carpenter ant colonies within this forest."
"None possess crystal."
Ethan's antenna twitched.
"Really?"
"No."
The king stepped forward.
"You are an anomaly."
The word hung in the air.
Ethan didn't like it.
Not one bit.
Iris remained silent.
Too silent.
Ethan mentally called her.
Iris.
[Yes.]
Is he right?
A pause.
[Your species classification is valid.]
That's not what I asked.
[...]
Ethan narrowed his eyes.
Is my evolution unusual?
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then—
[Information restricted.]
Ethan's stomach dropped.
"...Again?"
The king's eye narrowed.
"You speak to something."
Ethan froze.
"...What?"
"You have done so since entering my colony."
The king tilted his head.
"At first I assumed you were speaking to yourself."
"But now..."
His gaze became sharper.
"...I am not so certain."
Ethan's mind raced.
Could he see Iris?
No.
That was impossible.
Wasn't it?
[He cannot perceive me directly.]
Then what does he know?
[He is observing your behavior.]
Great.
[You are not subtle.]
I'm being hunted by a giant talking ant!
[That does not explain your habit of arguing with empty air.]
You're supposed to support me.
[I support your survival.]
Emotionally.
[That is outside my current functions.]
Ethan stared at the king.
"...You're really annoying."
The king blinked.
"Who?"
Ethan immediately realized his mistake.
"...Nobody."
The king's mandibles slowly opened.
Then closed.
A strange expression crossed his face.
Almost amusement.
"You truly are strange."
"Thank you."
"It wasn't a compliment."
"I've received worse."
Suddenly—
The entire colony trembled.
BOOM!
A shockwave passed through the tunnels.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Workers scattered.
Soldiers immediately rushed toward the entrances.
The king's head snapped toward the sound.
"What was that?"
Ethan's Stone Sense activated.
His remaining antenna rose.
He felt it.
Something outside.
Heavy.
Massive.
And moving.
Fast.
Another impact.
BOOM!
The colony shook harder.
Pip grabbed the ground.
"What is happening?!"
Ethan stared toward the tunnel entrance.
"I..."
Another vibration.
This one was different.
Not footsteps.
A roar.
Something enormous had struck the surface.
The king's expression changed.
For the first time since Ethan had met him...
He looked genuinely concerned.
"...No."
Ethan looked at him.
"What?"
The king didn't answer.
Instead, he turned toward his soldiers.
"Seal the outer chambers."
"My King?"
"NOW!"
The soldiers scattered.
Panic spread through the colony.
Ethan stared.
A Level 10 king.
A creature who had just dominated him effortlessly.
A creature who hadn't shown fear even when Ethan's companions attacked him.
Was afraid.
Ethan's stomach tightened.
"...Iris."
[Yes.]
"What is outside?"
For once...
Iris didn't answer immediately.
Then—
[Appraisal unavailable.]
Ethan's eyes widened.
"Because it's too strong?"
[Correct.]
"...How strong?"
Silence.
"Iris."
[...]
"Iris?"
Finally—
[I cannot determine its level.]
Ethan stared toward the entrance.
"..."
"...That's not good."
The king suddenly turned toward him.
Their eyes met.
For one brief moment...
Neither was an enemy.
Neither was prey.
They were simply two creatures listening to something enormous approaching their home.
Then the ground shook again.
A shadow passed over the entrance.
The entire colony went silent.
And Ethan heard it.
A sound from above.
Not a roar.
Not a growl.
A voice.
Low.
Ancient.
And impossibly far away...
Yet somehow clear enough to make every ant in the colony freeze.
"Found you."
Ethan's blood ran cold.
The king's expression went completely blank.
"..."
Then he whispered one word.
"Impossible."