[ Chapter XVI (16): "ANT SYNERGY IN FULL EFFECT" ]
[ ANT TEAM SYNERGY IS NOW IN EFFECT ]
[ +ANT-TYPE UNDEAD SUMMONS SENSES ARE ENHANCE ]
[ +25% MORE DAMAGE FOR ANT-TYPE UNDEAD SUMMONS ]
[ +10% MORE FASTER FOR ANT-TYPE UNDEAD SUMMONS ]
[ "Huh?" ] Alastor's smile contorts to one of confusion, before then accepting it as he smiles even more. Reading this he realized that he and his Undeads have just gotten a buff for no apparent reason at all, which made him have a shit-eating grin.
What stood in front of Alastor at the moment are 5 Undead Ants. Ants No. 1-5, the only indication that he is using at the moment to distinguish who is who, is through the levels that they have.
The oldest is at the Lvl. 10, followed by 9, then 6, then 5, then the newest killed and also being the newest to the family, a Lvl. 2 Ant.
In using Alastor's ability on it, he didn't just acquire a new bodyguard, a good boy/girl, friend. No, instead he also acquired a Synergy and found out what the hell the Synergy function is all about. Even though he is now Lvl. 13 nearing 14, he still hasn't found out what Synergy is no matter what he does; only now finding out about it.
And he has to say, that is one damn fine synergy. Enhancing their senses which is already much more efficient than when they were but a normal Formica Musco, more damage, much faster. What else could a freeloader like Alastor could ask?
[ "Okay-okay, wonderful job Undeads. Now, f-find me another Formica Musco, just one more." ]
With the increase in his Undead Storage, from the normal 3 to 6. A double by just leveling up to Lvl. 10. He since upgrading abused this fact and tried finding any and all Formica Musco that he could, finding one in about 15 minutes each...
Which is funny because he could have sworn encountering and dying against hundreds of those minutes ago, now that he is searching for them, they don't appear... How ironic.
Still, it doesn't dissatisfy Alastor because at the moment. He isn't doing jack shit, he doesn't have any proper rights to complain, or even voice out.
His Undeads have been doing all the work, searching for their kin, eating bugs for level-ups, and also ganging up and killing their kin. That is their work, and Alastor has been the one to parasite from this hardworking trait of theirs; about you know, 50/50.
They do 100% of the work, he takes 50% of the profit with 0-1% efforts put in. Which made him feel guilty at first, then not as time goes by...
Perhaps the environment is affecting him, causing him to develop thick skin. He doesn't know, hell, he didn't even question it as the time passed and instead accepted it, giving head pats to his lovely Undead whenever he gets close. [ "Go." ]
At the moment, he wants his Undead to search for another Ant. Or anything close to that, or anything that is classified as an Ant by the System. So that he could find out more about the so-called Synergy, or use its effect much more effectively.
The Undead Ants on the other hand, in receiving their orders scattered away in separate directions wanting to find a Formica Musco, their kin that haven't joined their side yet... And kill it, possibly giving them the grace of serving their master, and also getting head pats.
They, or one of them in doing a good job, would hopefully get a minute long session of head pats; if lucky, then the long anticipated legendary belly rubs. One that all Undead Ants yearns.
Ant No. 1 the biggest, strongest, and also the oldest out of them all due to technicality could be seen sniffing the air. The toxins and miasma in the air not affect its smell at all, as it then found a pack of birds nearby wanting to squabble up.
Ant No. 2 the cutest of them all used it's eyes which could perfectly see the surroundings now due to the new upgrade caused by the Synergy, it looked and looked, but couldn't see anything other than a sole Ridens Viridis Lupus sleeping nearby, under the shades of a tree, forming a cave-like environment.
Ant No. 3-4 used their innate senses for tracking any good smell they could find. Splitting up somewhere midway as their senses both picked up something different. 3 found a group of Honey Larvae under the trees nearby, eating them. 4 found a lone Formica Musco, then jumping on the thing with glee; killing it.
Ant No. 5 on the other hand could be seen encountering a group of Formica Musco before then smiling to itself. Jumping the group and getting itself killed in the process; about 90+ Ants were there, the notification of its death alerted Alastor out of them all.
[ "Who the fuck?" ]
[ UNDEAD SUMMON HAS BEEN KILLED ]
[ 900 SECONDS UNTIL RESPAWN ]
[ ANT SYNERGY IS NOW NO LONGER IN EFFECT ]
Oblivious to what happened to one of his Undead, or how it died. Alastor could be seen scratching his head trying to crane his neck and find his Undeads. That of course was not effective, but it was worth a shot. The killing of one of his Undead Ants cancelled out the Ant Synergy.
Meaning for a Synergy, or in this case the Ant Synergy to happen there has to be 5 Undead Ant-Type Summon on the field. No matter where they are, no matter what they are doing, as long as they are active and alive-alive it doesn't matter. The Synergy would still be in effect.
One died, so it no longer became effective. Alastor now needs to wait for about 15 minutes to activate the Synergy again, or use his ability and fill in the last slot of his Undead Storage and create another Undead Ant in the process...
The latter sounds like the best option of them all, but the problem is he doesn't have any Ant to Reanimate. You see, it took his Ants about 15 minutes to find another Ant— Formica Musco.
How in the Seven Hells would he be able to find another one in such a short time? Perhaps he needs to wait for about 10 minutes for them to even find one, thus activating the Syner- nope nevermind.
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 2 KILLED BY UNDEAD SUMMON ]
[ +10 EXPERIENCE TO PLAYER ]
[ +16 EXPERIENCE TO UNDEAD SUMMON ]
He looked to his right and noticed the notification window alerting him about the exact problem he wants answered. Now answered.
He waited for quite some time and bit-by-bit the Ants returned. Carried with them either carcasses that they find, one holding a green-wolf which confused Alastor... [ "Huh?" ] He looked down at this k-9, one that is for him to take down could be seen dead murdered by a single Ant.
The Ant on the other hand looked slightly proud, but not that proud as it wasn't able to find any Ants as per orders. Still prideful though as it looked up expectantly at Alastor's hands. If not belly rubs, then can it get a head pat?
[ "Great job." ] Contrary to expectations, he didn't just give a head pat, but also a belly rub which made the other Undead look at the scene in envy. They might not know this, but to Alastor he likes giving head pats and belly rubs, so he does this freely.
One of the Undead didn't carry back with them anything and could just be seen licking its mouths which is covered by golden honey blood. From the notifications that flashed by, Alastor knew what this done did... It farmed experience.
It also of course also received head pats then belly rubs. Then at the Ant that bought with it a dead bird, nearly the size of it as it looks up at him. This of course warrants a reward. Then finally at the last Ant that bought with it a dead Formica Musco in-between its pinchers... Held high-up like a trophy.
After a few minutes the head pats and belly rubs finally stopped as he looked down at the carcasses present. He ignored the bird, it is quite small and would be useless for him at the moment; and there'll be no Synergy if he Reanimates it.
Then at the green-wolf which could be seen having it's tongue sticking out, panting or some sorts, it's just that the animal is now dead murdered on it's sleep by Alastor's Undead. Though this thing looks formidable, because it is.
He also ruled it out, because Reanimating it also would be useless. No Synergy would be in effect. Yes, wolves are strong, especially this variant of wolves. But compared to an Ant that hunted down hundreds of Honey Larvae and has a Synergy.
It is no competition. Finally he looked at the last carcass on the grass. At the Formica Musco that has it's body parts beaten black and blue. Bitten in some parts, Alastor who's seeing this couldn't help but pity it; before then finally using his Reanimation ability.
[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 2 (UNDEAD SUMMON) ]
[ FRIENDLY ]
The beaten up Ant woke up and immediately went and scanned around in excitement, this earned it a belly rubs and head pats in turn which it absolutely love instinctively. Alastor watches in amusement in how the Ant react, and also happy because the Synergy is now back in effect. [ "Okay-okay, great. Go hunt down Honey Larvae." ]
Seeing that he now have 5 Undead, 6 if you count the current dead-dead Undead. He then commanded them to continue hunting down Honey Larvae, especially because in the near vicinity almost all of the Honey Larvae spots have been killed... Dugged out, with holes all-around as proof.
At the moment his Ants have murdered about 735 exactly. To reach 1,000 they would need to kill about 265 more. And in doing that Alastor would receive a new Title and the needed currency to use the System's Shop...
For food. Now especially because his stomach is growling and his lips are drying, he dearly needs food and because he can't eat the local wildlife here.
First he doesn't know how to cook, or make fire. Second is because he doesn't want to eat their bodies filled with poison, poison that could paralyze him in mere seconds. Lastly because, his pallet doesn't allign with the Ants that could be seen eating anything organic related... In that aspect he envies them.
...
[ QUEST "GOLD HUNT!" COMPLETED! ]
[ REWARD: +550 SYSTEM CREDITS, BUG WRIGGLER TITLE ]
After finally what felt like hours, Alastor with the help of his Undead was finally able to finish the Quest given by the System. Him doing none of the work at all, except for the encouragement part, his Undead doing all the other works.
Nonetheless it seems to be all good, as even though the Quest have been completed. Some of them could still be seen eating and hunting down Honey Larvae to the point of extinction.
Not that Alastor worries though, those are free experience, who would deny free experience? Definitely not him. He focused on his goals and opened up the System's Shop, buying whatever the hell cheap but tasty sounding food he wants.
Now that he has money, nothing would be able to stop him from doing what he wants to do... And that is to eat something, [ "Buy!" ]
[ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ]
[ 05/11/2025 ]
[ 05/12/2025 ]