"Boss!" shouted Andris and Doran.
Alex tightened his grip on the scarlet tongue of the chameleon.
The creature struggled, its bulging eyes rolling in pain, pulling with all its strength to retrieve its trapped tongue. Its claws dug into the ground, its muscles trembling, but Alex remained unmoved, immobile like a mountain, holding his grip without a single finger bending.
Alex scanned the scene.
Tessa, Fira, and Kiran lay on the ground, their bodies battered, their breaths ragged.
Seeing them like this, a torrent of rage surged through him, igniting his heart. His eyes turned a deep red, a blood-like glare radiating fury.
"…Bastard lizards…" he growled, his voice vibrating with icy hatred.
Then, with a roar that made the air tremble, he yelled:
"I'm going to make you regret ever touching my students!"
The other chameleons immediately felt the pressure of the murderous aura emanating from Alex. A danger so palpable it paralyzed them on the spot.
The red chameleon trembled in terror, unable to breathe.
They would have fled… but ten giant ants appeared from all sides, forming a perfect circle that blocked any escape.
And behind the red chameleon, the queen ant watched them, impassive, her icy gaze weighing on each of them.
With a gesture of telekinesis, Alex rose into the air, lifting the tongue of the alpha chameleon.
The reptile, suspended in midair, panicked, its bulging eyes betraying its fear.
Then, with a brutal motion, Alex spun it like a deadly top.
The speed became so extreme that a storm formed around them, sweeping dust, leaves, and debris into a chaotic whirlwind.
Then, in a violent motion, Alex slammed the chameleon to the ground like a hammer. It shot forward like a missile… and Alex shouted:
"Die, bastards!"
The chameleon's skull smashed against the earth. Silence. Death.
Despite their panic and the merciless circle of giant ants, the other chameleons tried to flee. The ants stopped them with a deafening screech, forcing them to retreat.
Still in the air, Alex raised his hand toward the obsidian stones suspended above him by his telekinesis.
With a brutal gesture, he slammed his hand down: the stones vibrated, then melted into a fiery rain, like meteors. They crashed onto the chameleons with a deafening crash, annihilating them completely.
From the air, Alex activated his Flash Bond skill and teleported to the ground, right in front of Kiran.
Without wasting a second, he placed his hand on him and cast a healing magic, using the knowledge he had copied from the mage.
His hand glowed emerald green, and Kiran's wounds gradually closed, his gashes disappearing under the benevolent light.
He did the same for Tessa and Fira, and a few minutes later, the three young dwarves opened their eyes at the same time. They found themselves surrounded by Alex, the giant ants, and the slimes.
"Argh… what happened?" said Tessa as she sat up. "And what are these ants? And why are you here, boss?"
"Leave it, boss," intervened Andris. "I'll explain everything, I can at least do that."
Thanks to his great eloquence, he explained every detail of what had happened.
"This is amazing, boss," said Kiran. "Not only did you save us, but you also completed your mission… and you even tamed these ants!"
"That's true… you're incredible, boss," added Tessa.
Doran clung to Alex's leg, crying:
"Really, thank you, boss… but please, don't send us alone again."
Alex gently stroked his hair and replied:
"Yes, alright. I'm sorry."
Then, he approached the trees. With a gesture of his hand, he used telekinesis to pluck all the fruits, making them float in the air before placing them in the baskets.
They were all impressed.
Andris, eyes wide, asked:
"Boss… how many powers do you actually have?"
Before Alex could answer, the queen ant stepped forward and declared in a deep voice:
"At least you know how to recognize the greatness of the Boss."
Everyone jumped, startled by the talking ant.
"Aaaah! A giant talking ant!" shouted Doran, trembling.
Alex raised his hand to calm them.
"Stop panicking. They are all under my command."
A sigh of relief swept through the group… except Doran, who still couldn't calm his fear.
Alex started walking toward the massive body of the defeated chameleon.
"Boss, where are you going?" asked Tessa, intrigued.
"Wait for me here," replied Alex calmly.
Arriving at the corpse, he crouched, grabbed the red chameleon's carcass, and sank his fangs into it, drinking its blood greedily.
The dwarves and slimes stepped back, disgusted.
"Ew… that's disgusting, Boss!" exclaimed Tessa. "But… what are you doing?"
A translucent screen appeared before Alex:
[Skill: Blood Acquisition – Activated]
You drink the blood of your target…
Skill acquired: Earthquake Slam
Description: Generates shockwaves capable of repelling or stunning enemies.
Skill acquired: Stone Claws
Description: Creates solid claws capable of piercing armor.
Skill acquired: Destructive Tail
Description: Forms a giant tail or arm to sweep and destroy everything in its path.
Skill acquired: Elemental Camouflage
Description: Dissolves your presence or body, making your silhouette almost invisible or hard to target.
Skill acquired: Tremor Roar
Description: Emits a sonic roar, disorienting nearby enemies and creatures.
Skill acquired: Fire-Ice Breath
Description: Projects an elemental breath combining burning heat and freezing cold, causing burns and frost simultaneously.
Alex wiped the blood still running from his mouth and simply declared:
"That's my nature."
Then he raised his hand and commanded:
"System, store all chameleon materials present here."
Sixteen portals immediately opened beneath the corpses, sucking the bodies one by one.
[Slytherik – level 13] stored.
[Rubryx – level 17] stored.
"Woooah!" exclaimed Andris. "He made them all disappear! At this level, even kings wouldn't stand a chance against the Boss!"
The queen ant laughed.
"Ha ha ha! The Boss truly is the greatest."
Alex, slightly out of breath, said firmly:
"Alright… now that we've all completed our missions, let's go home. Get on the backs of the ants."
He panted slightly—not from the fight, but from the immense effort of controlling so many obsidian stones at once.
"Hurry up."