Wind.
That was the first thing I noticed as I wandered deeper into the forest.
It rustled through the alien foliage, weaving around massive mushrooms and thick vines like whispers in a funeral procession. My tiny six-legged form scuttled across mossy bark and beneath twisted roots, every step sending vibrations through the ground. Every breath of air felt heavier the farther I moved from the nest. This place was… different. Wilder. Free.
But freedom didn't come without cost.
My legs ached as I pressed on. The taste of adventure lingered on my mandibles, but the promise of danger loomed like a shadow across my path. Instinctively, I clicked my mandibles together as I Appraised everything that moved—or didn't. Since my battle with the beetle, my Appraisal had grown sharper, more precise. It now revealed not just names but strengths, weaknesses, levels.
[Appraisal: Level 2 → Level 3]
Additional Feature Unlocked: Species Classification
Additional Feature Unlocked: Combat Trait Detection
A tiny, bulbous fruit caught my eye, its vibrant colors contrasting starkly against the forest's muted tones. I hesitated for a moment.
[Analyzing…]
Fleshfruit (Toxic Variant)
Contains: Cytotoxins, Hemotoxins, Organic neuro-disruptors.
Warning: Not suitable for standard ingestion.
I ate it anyway.
Not because I was suicidal but because my stomach growled like an angry bear, echoing through the hollow of my body. Hunger gnawed at my insides ever since gaining the Bookworm skill earlier. With it came perfect memory—images etched into my mind forever. Every ant's twitch. Every queen's lie. Every scream from the dying mutant ant who had once told me the truth.
But storing that much knowledge was taxing. It burned through energy faster than my new acid spit could corrode a shell. So I risked it.
And my gamble paid off.
[Skill Gained: Toxin Resistance I]
Subcategories:
Neurotoxin Resistance
Hemotoxin Resistance
Cytotoxin Resistance
Immunity: Partial
Tolerance: Moderate
Hunger Penalty: Reduced
I didn't vomit. That was a plus.
My legs carried me forward, following a scent I couldn't identify, a tantalizing mix of earth and decay that settled in my mind like a lingering dream. With every step away from the nest, I felt the weight of invisible webs of paranoia settle around me. Was the Queen still hunting me? Were her pheromone enforcers close behind? The thought sent a chill down my spine.
No. I'd made sure to disable my trail with spit acid and backtracking maneuvers. I was safe. For now.
Until something buzzed overhead.
My antennae twitched, sensing the air shift. I dropped flat against the bark of a fallen log and activated Appraisal.
[Species Detected: Forest Hornet – Class: Predator Insect]
Level: 7
Status: Hostile
Traits: Venomous Stinger, Flight, Agile Reflexes, Predatory Instincts
Weak Points: Wing Joints, Underbelly
Threat Level: Moderate–High
Panic surged through me like a jolt of electricity. And then it dived.
I dodged left as its stinger slammed into the wood beside me, piercing it clean through like a spear. Bark splintered upon impact, sending bits of wood flying. I rolled across the forest floor, quickly regaining my footing as I spat a glob of acid in a desperate attempt to fend it off. But the Hornet veered upward, avoiding my attack with a speed that sent a tremor of frustration through my tiny frame.
Shit.
I scuttled backward, heart racing, analyzing my options. This wasn't like the beetle. This thing flew. It had reach—a lethal advantage. And it was faster.
But I had one advantage. I was smaller.
And smarter.
"Let's play, birdbait," I whispered to myself, adrenaline sharpening my focus.
The hornet screeched and descended again, its large body casting a menacing shadow over me. This time, I leapt. With every ounce of strength, I propelled myself onto a vertical stalk and used it to pivot around, avoiding the second dive. I felt its buzzing wings slice through the air mere millimeters away from my body.
The moment it passed, I launched a bead of acid directly at its wings. One drop struck true. Smoke sizzled as part of the membrane blistered and burned, a satisfying sight that momentarily calmed my racing heart.
Not enough.
It turned in midair—still agile—and came again, its instincts honed by countless hunts.
I activated Hivebreaker Mandibles, a skill I'd developed for tearing through thick exoskeletons. The gleam of my mandibles fused with determination, but that wouldn't help unless I could reach it. I needed to ground it—ground this beast that loomed overhead, threatening my very existence.
So I ran—not away, but toward the biggest tree trunk I could find. My legs propelled me forward as the Hornet gave chase, its wings beating furiously against the air.
Five meters. Three. One.
I jumped, sheer desperation igniting my movements.
It followed.
Time slowed as I twisted midair, focusing on my target. I aimed down and shot a stream of acid at its face—you could almost see the fear flicker in its many eyes as it shrieked in response.
That bought me the precious moment I needed. With a burst of instinct-driven agility, I bounced off the tree trunk, grabbed a low vine with my mandibles, and slingshotted myself around. My tiny body collided with the hornet's back just as it recoiled from the acid, sending us both into a chaotic spiral.
We tumbled through the air, grappling for survival in a dance of life and death. I sank my mandibles into the thin joint where its wing met thorax, locking onto my prey with a tenacity borne of necessity. The hornet let out high-pitched screams that echoed between the trees, a shrill cry filled with confusion and pain.
It bucked, kicked, and jabbed its stinger, trying to shake me loose—
Which missed my vital core by half a centimeter. The danger was all too real, the risk acute, but I chomped harder, my resolve steeling in the face of imminent danger.
Crack.
Its left wing detached, releasing a spray of translucent yellow blood that painted the bark red. The thrum of the forest dulled for a moment, silenced by the weight of our battle. The hornet and I hit the ground hard. I rolled over once, then twice, the shock reverberating through my tiny frame. Still, I was up quickly, coughing to clear my senses, heart pounding in my chest.
The hornet buzzed weakly beside me, one wing flapping helplessly, the other little more than a ruined stub, crumpled and torn. It tried to crawl away, but I wouldn't let it.
With all my might, I jumped onto it, latching on and sinking my Hivebreaker Mandibles into its underbelly.
[Enemy Defeated: Forest Hornet – Level 7]
Experience Gained: +402
Skill Evolution Eligible
A rush flooded through me as I felt the connection of predator and prey. I knew what I had to do next—I didn't hesitate. I ate it raw, every bloody segment, every buzzing nerve cluster, the acidic sac, and the neural wings. I consumed it all.
[Skill Gained: Flight I]
Cost: 2x Energy per second of air time
Passive Drain: +5% stamina per second
Limitation: Cannot hover indefinitely. Requires glide and momentum.
An electric surge coursed through me, each bite enhancing my very being. My senses sharpened—colors became more vivid, sounds crystal clear. The aerodynamic wings of the defeated foe filled me with a newfound power that thrummed like a heartbeat within me.
[Species Evolution Available]
Triggered by Consumed DNA + Skill Unlock
Evolution Path: Winged Variant – Mana ant Drone
Time Required: 48 Hours (Dormant Cocoon State)
Risk: Vulnerable to predators during evolution.
Proceed with Evolution?
I looked up at the sky, the canopy filtering sunlight like stained glass, and felt a wave of exhilaration wash over me. I had defeated a predator, consumed its very essence, and stood on the cusp of transformation. The thrill of potential surged through my body, overpowering the fear of vulnerability during my evolution.
For a moment, I paused, contemplating my next move. The forest whispered around me, alive and ever-watchful. The intoxicating scent of adventure hung heavy in the air, tugging at my instincts.
Then I made my choice.
I said yes.
A ripple of energy pulsed through me as the decision took root, swirling around my core and igniting a change deep in my cells. I felt it first as a soft warmth, and then as a rush that propelled me forward, carrying me into the realm of the unknown.
As the world around me began to blur, I closed my eyes, feeling the earth slip away beneath my feet. I would be reborn. I would fly.
The transformation began.
I spiraled into darkness as the shift inside me deepened, an intricate tapestry of potential woven into my very being. My essence expanded outward, strands of energy intertwining in complex patterns of power and resilience. I found myself enveloped in a cocoon of shimmering light, a safe harbor amidst the storm of change.
Time became meaningless, each second stretching into infinity as I floated within the confines of my new reality. I could sense the heartbeat of the forest surrounding me, the pulse of life ebbing and flowing just beyond my reach. The vibrancy of the world thrummed against my cocoon, a reminder that life continued unabated outside.
But I was different now—as I would soon discover.
Then it happened.
Light pierced through the outer layer of my cocoon, bright and insistent. I felt myself writhing within, the energy of transformation coursing through me like lava. My wings unfurled, stretching into the expanse I could barely fathom. I felt the keen edges of my new self, the muscles gearing up for flight.
With one final push, I erupted from the confines of my previous existence, breaking free into the luminous forest, reborn and renewed.
I felt a rush of air against my body, lifting me, carrying me upward into the welcoming embrace of the sky. The world unfolded below me like a sprawling tapestry woven with intricate details, colors blending as if painted by a celestial artist.
I was now a Mana ant Drone—a creature of beauty and grace, my wings glimmering in the sunlight, shimmering with iridescent hues that caught the air's gentle winds.
Victory coursed through me, a reminder of my triumph over the Forest Hornet, an omen of the battles yet to come. With a newfound understanding of my power, I soared higher, feeling the currents guide me. I felt the thrill of flight in my very essence, the freedom echoing in my veins.
With each beat of my wings, I danced between the sunlit treetops, weaving through nature's delicate choreography. High above the forest, I could peer down into the depths, the hidden pathways of life stretching endlessly beneath me, a beautiful mosaic of existence.