The guards of the Ant Hill on the first floor were enraged. Their massive mandibles closed with such speed that the air around them trembled with a crackling and whistling sound.
Each strike was capable of piercing the armor of a low-level player, and so I and Ak-32 were forced to act at the limit of our concentration.
One of the monsters lunged forward, and Ak-32 raised her shield. It shone with a dull, almost dark light, and the blow of the mandibles was reflected with a dull ringing sound. The Amazon took a step back, feeling a vibration run through her arm.
—These things bite like crazy!
She shouted, parrying a second blow and pushing the monster away.
—If it weren't for the shield, I'd be without a hand!
—Then don't let them get close!
I replied, jumping away from the second Guardian. I realized that my usual daggers would be useless against such a shell, as they merely glided over the surface, leaving shallow scratches.
I gritted my teeth and issued a quiet command, switching weapons:
—Activate [Blood Rose Knuckles]!
A crimson light flared on my arms, and the air seemed to grow heavier. The metal of my brass knuckles shimmered with crimson veins, and a soft hum echoed from within, as if the weapons themselves were craving blood.
I lunged forward, dodging the ant's mandibles, and slammed my fist directly into its chest plate. A dull thud echoed through the air.
Wham!
The chitinous shell cracked for the first time. Fritte, who was sitting on his shoulder, cried out:
—Disa! From below!
I instinctively went down on one knee, the monster's mandibles clicking a millimeter above my head.
I spun around, putting all my strength into the punch, and my fist crashed into the side of the enemy. The impact left a deep dent, from which a dark green liquid dripped.
The ant hissed, its body trembling, and it retreated for a second. I took advantage of the moment and delivered a series of short, sharp strikes, each accompanied by a flash of red light, as if the blood-rose thorns were blooming on the surface of the shell.
On the other side, Aka-32 slammed her shield into the second guard's head, knocking him against the wall. The stones trembled, and dust began to fall.
—You're doing great! Even I felt that hit!
—I don't want to get distracted!
I cut off the last hook under the ant's neck. It fell to the side, twitched, and was still.
Heavy breathing filled the tunnel. The air was thick with the smell of acid and iron.
Fritte hovered over the fallen monster, flapping its tiny wings thoughtfully.
—These creatures are getting smarter.
They're testing your reactions.
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and looked at the pixelated blood on my brass knuckles.
—Let them try. As long as I have the strength to respond.
***
In the end, we got a few Chitinous Shells and a couple of Ant Mandibles, valuable trophies that could be used for crafting or upgrading our equipment.
I struggled to catch my breath, put my weapons back behind my back, and listened.
Somewhere ahead, in the depths of the dim tunnel, I heard a clicking sound, intermittent and raspy, as if hundreds of tiny knives were scraping against stone.
—What is that...?
I muttered, moving slowly forward, trying not to step on the broken shells.
When I looked around the next corner, my eyes widened. Ahead of me was a cave, illuminated by the pale green light of bioluminescent mushrooms. The ground was covered with eggs, dozens, maybe even hundreds.
They pulsed with a soft light, like living hearts, and inside each one, I could see movement as the larvae of the acid ants stirred in their slimy cocoons.
The system reacted instantly, and a notification appeared:
[ Special Area Detected: Egg Zone ]
[ Attention: there is a high concentration of unstable cocoons.]
[Event activation condition [Swarm]:
°Severe noise;
°Damage to three or more eggs;
°Prolonged stay in an area without stealth.]
Aka-32 leaned in, whispering:
—Swarm? That doesn't sound good…
—It sounds like death. If the swarm activates, we won't get out.
The system added a short notification:
[Tip: Use stealth or silent movement skills.]
[Experience for surviving in the Egg Zone increased by 50%.]
—Go slowly, no sound. Not a single extra step.
I stepped closer, trying not to make a sound. The eggs swayed slightly, sending a chill down my spine.
—Ugh… disgusting…
Aka-32 whispered softly, wincing.
— It all reminds me of an old Tower-climbing game. Remember? There were also some horror levels, just insects, slime, and you have to shoot at anything that moves.
I gave her a sidelong glance.
—Don't tell me you want to see how similar it is?
— No, it was easier in that game. At least there you could go to the main menu.
The system pulsed quietly in the corner of my vision:
[ Warning: Noise level is high. Risk of activating the Swarm event is 17%. ]
Both of them froze instantly.
—Don't move, even the air is against us.
The pulsating eggs reflected the faint light, and it seemed that the entire tunnel was breathing with them.
Fritte flew behind, illuminating the path with a weak magical light just enough to see the outline of the passage. He nervously glanced back at the swaying eggs. They pulsated as if in time with the beating of a giant heart.
—Phew... I think we're safe this time...
Aka-32 exhaled as a wide passageway appeared ahead.
—Don't get too comfortable, we don't know what's next.
As soon as they passed the last masonry, the system flashed a soft golden light:
[ Reached the transition to the Second Floor of the Mountain of the Ant Nest of Adalaza. ]
A new level opened before them, a spacious hall where the air was noticeably drier. Giant cocoons hung from the ceiling, and the charred remains of insects lay under their feet. A nasty buzzing sound came from afar.
—These are no longer ants!
A shadow emerged from the darkness, followed by another. Huge creatures resembling mosquitoes but with pointed, demonic wings, like they were forged, flew over their heads. Their bodies glowed with blood-red lines, and their stingers shone like spearheads.
[ Demonic Mosquito - Level 20 ]
[ Aggressive type.]
[ Lives in the area of air tunnels. ]
— They are five levels above us!
Fritte breathed out, taking a step back under my cloak.
—We're dead if they notice.
—I agree, we need to reposition immediately.
We quietly backed up, keeping our eyes on the sky of the second floor. One of the mosquitoes flew right over us, but it didn't notice. Only when we stepped back onto the first floor did the tension subside.
—It seems like each floor has its own species, Ants, now mosquitoes... I wonder what's next?
Fritte chuckled darkly:
—I hope it's not a human.
A faint blue panel of the system flashed at the entrance to the second floor:
[ It's possible to save on the Second Floor and move to the city or at the hotel!]
[ Yes/No]
—That's lucky, as if the game itself understood that we needed a break.
We both activated the save. A soft light enveloped our game body skins, and the image of the tunnel dissolved as if it were crumbling into sand.
***
When the loading screen disappeared, I found myself in the game menu, no longer in the game world or the anthill. I exited the game, removing my VR headset, and sat for a while, listening to the silence of the room.
My heart was still beating faster than usual, and the battle with the Winged Ant Swordsman was still fresh in my mind.
Curiosity, however, did not let me rest. I opened the players forum, typed in the search:
[ The Ant Hill of Adalaza: floors, bosses, secrets. ]
Immediately dozens of messages surfaced:
[ First floor, acid ants and small bosses. ]
[Second floor, mosquitoes with bloody wings. Don't go there without reflective shields.]
[Third floor, armored larvae. You need an antiparalytic.]
But the most attention was drawn to a long post with the title:
[The Lower Levels of the Anthill: Myth or Hidden Area?]
In it, someone claimed that behind one of the wall passages on the first floor, you could find a secret entrance that led down, not up like the other floors, but deep into the ground.
I ran my finger thoughtfully across the screen.
—So there is indeed something hidden in that location...