As I pushed towards the ant, I went all out. This was my last resort, either I live or die.
Blood Control activated, my most powerful trait that I had been using to boost my overall capabilities throughout this desperate fight.
I pushed every remaining drop of mana into the ability. After this, I would be completely drained.
I took out nearly ten liters worth of blood vials from my storage ring. They all crashed to the forest floor, breaking and letting blood spread across the earth.
The ant was no longer oblivious to my Blood Control ability and kept its remaining eye focused on my movements.
But who cared if it was watching? My next attack would be the last, and it was going to be everything I had.
I controlled all of the spilled blood and began forming approximately ten spears. I could feel myself starting to lose control over them.
I wasn't proficient enough to manage so many projectiles simultaneously at my current trait level.
Still, I forced myself to create a shield as well, hoping to mitigate some of the damage I was inevitably going to take.
By now, I was face to face with the ant, close enough to see my reflection in its alien compound eye.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The blood spears behind me flew at rapid speed toward the creature. It was a direct assault, I couldn't control each one individually with the precision I needed.
The ant didn't stop its charge, believing that it could kill me and then dodge the projectiles, or perhaps thinking it could eliminate me and destroy my blood constructs once I was no longer controlling them. Either way, it was hell-bent on finishing me off.
The shield materialized on my left side. After being attacked so many times, I knew the creature favored its right limbs and consistently attacked from that direction.
And indeed, the ant struck me from my left hand side. My blood shield held for a few precious milliseconds before shattering, allowing the attack to continue its deadly approach.
My sword thrust deep into the ant's torso with all the force I could muster.
Shit!
Although the blade penetrated, the ant wasn't critically injured. I had clearly missed the vital organs I'd been aiming for as I watched its attack still approaching me.
I grabbed my sword that was embedded in its body and stored it inside the storage ring. Then moved my half-broken arms to defend once again, knowing that two shattered arms were better than a crushed skull.
Crack!
Once again my arms broke with sickening sounds, and I flew through the air like the countless times before.
Despite my terrible condition, a smirk emerged on my face as I watched my blood spears streak toward the wounded ant.
Clink! Clink!
My smug smirk faded instantly, as I witnessed another ant suddenly appear before the one I'd been fighting and block the attacks that might have killed my original opponent.
I stared in shock and disbelief.
No, there was no way. Had I ventured directly into ant territory?
Sensing the transcendent aura emerging from the second ant, a bitter, hopeless smile emerged on my face.
"Hahaha." I let out a hysterical chuckle.
I was dead.
Someone clearly wanted me dead. Otherwise, how could I possibly be this unlucky?
"Damn it!" I shouted with all my remaining energy. I no longer cared if other beasts heard me.
Why would it matter when two Transcendent beasts stood before me while I was in such a miserable state?
My arms were broken and my ankle ligaments were torn from the accumulated damage throughout the prolonged fight.
Slowly the ant approached my prone form. I lay on the forest floor, trying to get up but finding it incredibly difficult.
The damned ant approached me slowly, clearly enjoying itself and savoring their victory.
I turned my gaze to face them as they drew near before speaking.
"You filthy wretches… go to hell," I spat, maintaining a defiant grin despite everything.
The ant I'd been fighting seemed angered by my curse, as if it somehow understood my words.
My original enemy approached me slowly while the other simply waited at the side, content to watch.
I'm dead… aren't I? Was this it? Is this the end? Damn it, it's so fucking hard to survive in this world.
When all hope was lost, I suddenly felt the energy around us crackle with otherworldly power.
Before my eyes, a small crack in space appeared and rapidly expanded into a large circular portal. The gate glowed bright red, the color of fresh blood.
I stared at the gate before my eyes locked with the ant that seemed to understand my current thoughts.
I smirked before saying, "…Come after me if you dare, bastard."
I forced my broken body to stand and used every last bit of remaining energy to leap toward the mysterious portal.
I could see the ant dashing toward me, trying to catch me before I could escape, but it was too late.
I couldn't care less if the portal was dangerous or not. I was dead anyway.
Better to take my chances with the unknown than face certain death at the hands of these dirty ants.
...
The two ants glanced at each other before beginning some form of communication through rapid antenna movements and subtle body language.
After what appeared to be an argument, the injured ant that had been fighting Adrian made its decision. Without waiting for its companion's agreement, it leapt into the blood-red portal.
Watching his wounded friend disappear into the unknown gateway, the second ant felt conflicted. He turned to look in the direction of their colony, then back at the slowly pulsing portal. The thought of informing the colony before pursuing crossed his mind.
But before he could make up his mind, the portal suddenly began shrinking at an alarming rate. Put under immediate pressure, the ant decided to follow his companion rather than risk losing them forever.
The gateway closed just as he squeezed through, and the forest returned to its usual peaceful silence.
Inside the unknown realm...
The ant that had just entered found itself in a completely new environment. It appeared to be some form of jungle, but unlike anything from the natural world it knew.
The breeze carried an unnatural chill that seemed to seep into the very soul. The sky above was pitch black, choked with dense fog so thick it reduced visibility to a meter or so. Strange, otherworldly sounds echoed from the murky depths, the sounds were so chilling the ant regretted his action.
The ant's antennas twitched frantically, trying to locate its injured companion in this nightmarish landscape. The familiar scents and sounds of home were completely absent, replaced by an atmosphere of dread.
But before the creature could receive any meaningful sensory input or begin to understand where it had found itself...
A massive silhouette emerged from the impenetrable fog.
The shape was impossibly large, moving through the mist. Details were obscured by the darkness, but the presence radiated power that dwarfed Transcendent-rank beings completely.
Stomp!
The ant was crushed into paste instantaneously. Just like that, a Transcendent beast was eliminated by the casual footstep of whatever dwelled in this mysterious realm.
The enormous silhouette paused briefly, as if noticing the insignificant creature it had accidentally stepped on, before continuing its journey deeper into the fog-shrouded jungle.