[ Chapter XII (12): "GO UNDEAD ANTS, USE TACKLE!" ]
[ "I-I'm screwed...!" ]
The right path did in fact, go wrong.
As at the moment, in front of Alastor and his Undead Ants are giant stone rocks spanning hundreds if not thousands of feet tall with no end in sight...
He looked on and noticed that this seems to be a what, a mountain... With no choice moving forward, he could only try and squeeze himself on the small gaps in-between the trees on his left, and on his right... Something tells him that isn't a good option.
Or go back, find another path wherein there is about a 99% chance of encountering a huge amount of big ants— Formica Musco... Deadly, threatening, and hungry.
That doesn't sound great.
[ "I-we need to fight." ]
Alastor looked solemnly at his Undead, then at his sword and shield, before then raising it up wanting to fight the incoming tides of ants, about to fight back as best as he could.
He could hear the shrieking of the ants, and the noise their steps are making... Seems to be less than before, but to him that is still plenty at the point he doesn't know if he'll survive...
Hopefully in the middle of killing, his Necromancy powers would work, you know, his one and only skill at the moment— the Reanimation.
Through that, he hopes to be able to create more Undead and slowly swallow the incoming tide of mossy ants... It's just that, he doesn't know to what extent his powers do work, or not work.
He looked beside him and noticed his Undead Ants covering his front, prepared and ready to fight... He dearly hopes these 2 don't die, if they do, then hopefully he gets the ability to get them back.
He did after all, got attached... For better or for worse.
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 4 ]
[ HOSTILE ]
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 3 ]
[ HOSTILE ]
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 2 ]
[ HOSTILE ]
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 3 ]
[ HOSTILE ]
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 2 ]
[ HOSTILE ]
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 1 ]
[ HOSTILE ]
[ ... ]
Steadying himself, he hid behind his shield, sword drawn in a stabbing motion as he watched the crowd of ants filter in the narrow path in front... If not for the narrow path due to the trees, then he and his Undead would have been swarmed...
But thanks to the narrow path, a blessing in disguise, he still has a chance to fight back... And not die a pig's death.
Straining his neck, he tried to look past the smog and could see dozens of ants fitting themselves and running after him... Only stopping when they noticed their target stopping, and is now on the defense instead of running...
Widening his eyes, he could at the very least notice 50+ or so ants, if his calculation isn't wrong... This is a problem for him, sure, he did murder about 4 of them, fought 6 at a time... But he also did get injured in the process, his finger bitten off...
What could x10 do? Perhaps all his fingers would get bitten off, that doesn't sound great to Alastor who loves his fingers... He much rather that does not happen.
[ "D-don't charge, wait for them to come..." ]
He muttered to himself, loud enough for his Undead to hear. To what extent they could understand is unknown to Alastor, but hopefully they do... And it seems they do, as they unlike the normal behavior of these ants, don't charge and instead stand guard beside him..
Something that 3 of the enemy Formica Musco doesn't seem to understand, as they then rush to where Alastor is standing on... Too tempted by the delicious aroma they smell, than for reason and strategy to persevere.
[ "Why the hell are they rushing at me so much?!" ] He thought to himself, still having no idea why they much rather eat a 30 kilograms slim him than the 5 green-wolves before which probably amounts to more than x20 his body weight.
More fat, less bones... He completely doesn't understand how this thing's thought... Are they out for revenge because he killed some of them? Do they just really hate him? Who knows!
[ "Damn it!" ]
He cut down one of the nearest ants in a stabbing motion, which was then finished off by his Undead... Before then focusing on another hostile ant.
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 3 KILLED BY UNDEAD SUMMON ]
[ +10 EXPERIENCE TO UNDEAD SUMMON ]
[ +12 EXPERIENCE TO PLAYER ]
Blocking another using his shield, Alastor tried his best not to get swamped before he then tried stabbing the thing in the abdomen... Not enough to kill it, but enough to damage it.
Seeing the dead ant in his peripheral, he wanted to use his Reanimation skill... So he was about to do the standard procedure and yell out to the System, but thankfully it seems to have heard his pleas inside his mind;
Without him even uttering a single syllable, the choice for using his skill appeared right in front of him... Gritting his teeth, he then chose yes in hope that it tips the tide to his advantage.
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 3 (UNDEAD SUMMON) ]
[ FRIENDLY ]
He noticed the once dead and still bleeding ant on the side, now rising up... The wounds it suffered gets plugged by thick shadows that characterize the Undead on his side...
Still looking mostly the same as the other ants, but is now considered not dead, not living also... This ant's allegiance is now shifted from the group of ants, to Alastor's small group...
It didn't bother with anything else, as it then instantly bites the nearest monster on its vision... The wounded ant that Alastor did a damage on, tackling it before finally taking a huge bite of the monster's squirming body... Before then killing it.
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 3 KILLED BY UNDEAD SUMMON ]
[ +13 EXPERIENCE TO UNDEAD SUMMON ]
[ +9 EXPERIENCE TO PLAYER ]
Moving away from the fight, Alastor noticed that due to the terrain that they are in. Wherein they are slightly elevated, and due to the narrow pathway... The swarm of ants couldn't do a thing, but file, and tried to fight against his group...
Taking advantage of this, he used his shield to hit one hostile occupied ants on the head, sliding the favor to his Undead Ant which then used its clippers to bite at the thing's head off; effectively killing it.
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 2 KILLED BY UNDEAD SUMMON ]
[ +8 EXPERIENCE TO UNDEAD SUMMON ]
[ +8 EXPERIENCE TO PLAYER ]
Seeing the situation steering into their favor, Alastor tried to think of using his Necromancy powers to awaken the deceased ants, and fight for his side...
The window appeared in front of him... That smile plastered to his face turned into an immediate frown as he reads it...
[ PLAYER HAS INSUFFICIENT MANA, REANIMATION (SKILL) UNAVAILABLE ]
[ PLAYER HAS REACH THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF STORAGE FOR UNDEAD SUMMONS, PLEASE INCREASE IN LEVEL TO FURTHER EXPAND ]
[ "T-this shit is rigged!" ]
About to cry on the floor, he held on, as one of the ants on in his front tried biting onto him... Being stopped only by his newly awakened Undead which tackled it to the ground, getting into skirmish and beaten up in the process.
In not feeling any pain, this newly awakened Undead didn't falter in his attack, as the more and more his enemy bit into him... The more and more he gets the reason to continue biting...
About to bite and kill the enemy, this Undead Ant was taken by surprise when his head gets trampled on by another enemy ant that took this opportunity to damage him...
About to fight back, this Undead Ant was then taken advantage of by the other ants as it gets feasted on by the other ants...
Ultimately killing it in turn, shrieking before disappearing into nothingness; notification popping as it happens. [ "No!" ]
[ UNDEAD SUMMON HAS BEEN KILLED ]
[ 900 SECONDS UNTIL RESPAWN ]
[ "Y-yes!" ]
Alastor's frown turned back into a delightful smile as he realizes his newly acquired Undead Companion isn't permanently killed...
Though the bad part is that, his group is -1 against 50 or-so incoming monsters... 3x50 isn't nice odds, especially with him being in the disadvantage.
He turned to the side and noticed his Undead killing another ant, and about to get swarmed... Not worrying about itself, the Undead was about to rush at the enemy... [ "Fall back!" ]
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 3 KILLED BY UNDEAD SUMMON ]
[ +16 EXPERIENCE TO UNDEAD SUMMON ]
[ +7 EXPERIENCE TO PLAYER ]
But, Alastor stopped the reckless ant; [ "G-get close to me." ] If that Undead falls, then in turn he'll fall... He needs to preserve energy and manpower, use his advantage to the fullest...
[ "You too!" ] Screaming amidst the noise of the hungry ants rampaging, Alastor commanded his Undead which quickly followed what he said...
Getting into a much slighter high ground, he without any hesitation stabbed an ant-monster that threatens to pinch his face in the eyes... This partially blinded the poor hungry folk, which caused it to shriek and cry out...
Disturbed, morbid, and should he feel pity for it? Alastor doesn't know. Nonetheless it proved useful, as it felt pain ran around wildly, shoving the ants behind it to the side; wanting to get away...
Seeing this opportunity, Alastor and the rest of the Undead took this chance and regrouped into a much higher altitude... Closer to the mountain with their backs facing it.
Not knowing what to do, he watches in fear as the swarm of ants regain what little sense they have, and slowly moved against Alastor's group that is stuck in-between a rock and a hard place...
Not liking their appearances, Alastor who's x5 taller than a single Formica Musco couldn't help but to be scared in seeing that their is literally a tide of them... About 40 or so in his counting, some hiding behind the green fog, and some unseen...
[ "I-I at least I'm not dy-dying alone." ] He looks beside him, at his loyal Undead Ants and couldn't help but be grateful to them... Because unlike his first death he doesn't have to die alone, afraid, and surrounded by hostiles.
He now only have to die afraid, and surrounded by hostiles... A big plus for him... Though he have slightly given up, something much deeper inside Alastor is telling him to fight back...
He doesn't know if that's him, voice of reason, or brain damage that is talking. But he followed what that thing said, and is ready to fight to the death...
Die trying is a thousandfold better than just dying... [ "Fuck it!" ]
[ NEW QUEST UNLOCKED! ]
[ QUEST: MUST SURVIVE AGAINST THE GREENTIDE! ]
[ DESCRIPTION: THE FORMICA MUSCO COLONY ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR BRUTALITY, MOB MENTALITY, AND TOXICITY. PROTECT YOURSELF BY KILLING ALL OF THEM, OR DIE TRYING. PLAYER'S CHOICE ] [ 4/49 ]
[ REWARD: +100 EXPERIENCE TO PLAYER, x2 SMALL POTION OF HEALTH, ANT EXTERMINATOR TITLE, UNDEAD STORAGE INCREASE, MANA INCREASE ]
[ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ]
[ 05/07/2025 ]
[ 05/08/2025 ]