Alex panicked. In front of him stood a statue… a perfect replica of himself when he was a bat. Carved from obsidian, every detail seemed alive. He would have sworn it was a giant clone of himself.
" And the ant queen… what is this nonsense?! " he shouted. " I should have killed you last time! Aaaah… this will teach you about me and my great mercy! "
The ants seemed lost. Even the queen, watching Alex with unusual attention, did not understand. Her gigantic body trembled slightly, and with an almost human breath she whispered:
" Aaaaa… " and tears began to flow.
Alex sighed, annoyed. " Don't tell me she's crying again so I'll spare her… this time, even if you cry, I won't spare you! "
" Maaaaster… it's you… you've changed… but I recognize your energy! " exclaimed the queen, rushing at him. She grabbed him and shouted: " I missed you! "
Alex jumped back, alarmed. " Don't come near me! Since when can you talk?! "
Around them, the ants murmured among themselves in admiration:
" So it's him… the queen's master. "
Alex raised his hands, imposing silence. After a few minutes, it took almost as long to calm the fervor of the ant-groupies. He sat on an obsidian throne, shaped by the ants in case he came one day.
" So… you, the queen, tell me everything. What the hell is going on? " he asked.
The queen stepped forward and prostrated herself. " I will tell you everything, master… "
Alex sighed and interrupted her: " First, stop calling me master. It sounds too much like a slave trader. Call me boss, or patron. "
" Alright… uh… boss! " she replied, happy. Behind her, the ants silently supported her.
Alex shook his head, half-amused, half-exasperated. " Start your story, queen. "
She recounted: " The day I faced that nasty striped fly queen, I felt death take me. That's when you came… like an angel. You bit me, took my blood… I cried, knowing I was going to die. Then you left, and I woke up different… more powerful… white… I understood I had received your blessing, boss. "
The ants behind were moved, even if they had already heard this story. Alex, for his part, was even more confused than at the beginning. He gestured for the queen to approach and placed his hand on her head.
Suddenly, the system intervened:
You are contacting one of your disciplines. No link has been established. Do you want to establish the link? Yes / No
Alex frowned. What is this? And what is a disciple?
A window appeared:
[User Manual] Disciple:
When a being drinks your vampire blood, they undergo an incomplete transformation.
The body and soul of the disciple are altered, taking shape in the image of their master.
Effects:
• Inherits part of the master's powers and physical traits.
• Bound by a pact of subordination: the master's will overrides theirs.
• Enhanced regeneration, strength, and longevity.
As long as the link exists, the disciple cannot betray their master.
Alex clicked "Yes".
A cold, mechanical voice resonated in his mind:
Your link with your disciple has been restored. As an artisan, do you wish to transmit your knowledge to your disciple, so that they may rise… and elevate you in turn?
A list appeared before him:
• Blacksmith
• Floral
• Sewing
• Fishing
• Sculpture
Alex blinked. " What is this…? " he murmured. " I can transmit one of my arts… but does that mean I will lose everything I know of this art? "
After a moment of hesitation, he thought it could be useful for her and an interesting experience. His finger rested on Sculpture, and he confirmed.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his skull. As if invisible blood flowed from his brain to lodge in the queen's.
" Wh… what's happening, Boss?! " she shouted, panic in her voice.
And then, the knowledge of the art of sculpture flooded her mind like a torrent of light and information. Her eyes widened.
" Wow… what is all this… incredible… " she murmured, fascinated.
A white window appeared before her. Alex could see it as well.
" What… is this? She also has a system? " he thought, surprised.
On the window, a message flashed:
As a disciple of the Blacksmith, you must prove yourself. Your training will soon begin. Wait time: 72:00h.
Alex smiled. " This is really amazing… I already have an idea… "
But a shiver ran through him as he realized: I must be careful with my blood now…
A strange feeling washed over him. All this knowledge… all these ants… they now belong to me.
" Yes… and I belong to you too, boss. " said the queen.
Alex gritted his teeth, satisfied. " Then bring me all the obsidian you possess! "
In a flash, the ants obeyed, gathering all the obsidian they could find.
A few dozen seconds later, they had formed a true mountain of obsidian.
Alex was speechless for a moment, then a huge smile spread across his face.
" Wow… this is incredible! " he murmured.
Without thinking, he jumped on the pile like in a ball pit, hands buried in the dark gleam of the stones.
He rubbed his face with joy and burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the room like a gust of freedom.
" You see… I told you! The boss is incredible! " exclaimed the Queen, eyes shining with admiration.
At that moment, the ants clapped their legs in rhythm, like a miniature thunder of applause, echoing through the room.
Alex smiled, amused by the spectacle, while the scene seemed straight out of a strange and fascinating dream.
Alex stood up and stared at the mountain of obsidian.
There were too many stones… far more than he could imagine.
" This isn't going to work with brute force… I must think differently… "
Alex searched the flow of knowledge he had copied.
There was so much that his brain hurt terribly.
His inner gaze fixed on the flow of mana coursing through him, colossal and vibrant.
An idea grew: he shouldn't lift these stones with his muscles. He had to manipulate the space around them, twist the mana density, and let gravity do the rest.
He took a deep breath, feeling every particle of mana concentrate in his hands.
Slowly, the mountain of obsidian began to tremble. Then, one by one, the stones started to levitate, floating above the ground as if guided by an invisible hand.
Alex opened his eyes, both surprised and exhilarated.
" So this is… telekinesis! Not just moving things… but using my mana so the world works for me! " he exclaimed.
Launching into the air, Alex carried the stones with him thanks to his telekinesis. " Ants! A new and better habitat awaits you by my side! Follow me outside! " Alex commanded.
Alex had trouble controlling all these stones. They were numerous and incredibly heavy.
" No way I'm going through my long tunnels… " he murmured.
He activated his Airhowl skill. A scream of incredible power burst from his mouth: " Ants, move away! "
The sound was so strong that the gallery trembled. Its speed and intensity were such that, even outside the tunnels, the ants heard it. Like programmed machines, they immediately obeyed and moved several meters away.
Seizing the opportunity, Alex decided to test his Draconic skill for the first time: Dragon Breath.
A destructive flame burst from his mouth like a laser beam. He aimed at the ceiling: the breath burned, split the rock, and opened a huge hole to the exit, sending dust and stone fragments flying in all directions.
Using his telekinesis, Alex rose into the sky, carrying the stones with him. Once out of the gallery, he shouted to the ants:
" Follow me! The village is that way! "
A smile crossed his face as he thought internally: Flying is awesome… even if it's super hard!