The cold crystal struck Adam's heart.For a heartbeat, he thought it had pierced him through—his vision swam in darkness, the world fading at the edges. His chest burned, every nerve screaming as if his very soul was being wrenched apart.
The system's voice thundered inside his mind:
[Core Evolution complete. Initiating Host Evolution.]
Adam's body convulsed. His ants scrambled in panic, chirping and clawing at the ground, helpless before the sight of the Giant's spasms. His eyes glazed on the glowing bar that flickered across his vision.
Evolution progress: 18%... 31%...
He clenched his mandibles, forcing himself to stay conscious. "I can bear it. Just… a little longer." He gritted through his teeth, the words falling just short of fractured mumbles.
45% complete… 70% complete… 100% complete.
The moment the final number burned bright, a shockwave of mana erupted from Adam's chest. The air rippled outward, knocking several ants sprawling. Adam gasped, dragging in his first full breath with his new body.
Pop-ups cascaded across his vision, beginning with his panel.
[Ant King's Panel → Ant Lord]
Species:The Chosen RoyalTitle: Strategic Commander (New)Level: 4
Health & Resources
Health: 50/50
Stamina: 20/20
Mana: 400/400
Attributes
Strength: 16
Dexterity & Agility: 20
Defense: 27
Intelligence: 34
Perception: 23
Unique Abilities
Mana Heart (New):A heart formed of mana. Increases mana capacity and absorbance, allowing efficient conversion and granting new skills.
Mana Slash (New):(Cost: 20–50 Mana)The Mana Heart draws mana from the air, condensing it into a razor of raw energy. The size and force of the slash vary depending on mana invested.
Mana Shield (New):(Cost: 75–125 Mana)Conjures a translucent shield in front of the caster, its strength scaling with mana input.Durability: 25–75.
Mana Armor (New):(Cost: 200 Mana)Coats the body in a one-time armor of condensed mana.Durability: 50.
Active Abilities
Tactical Foresight:
Marked enemies' weak spots become instinctively targeted by allies.
When activated, reveals weak points of the target to the entire colony.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Analytical Appraisal (Upgraded):
Identifies and analyzes mana emitted from objects and creatures, constructing a reasonable hypothesis.
Royal Silk Gland:
Binding Silk: Reinforced, elastic strands. Ideal for combat.
Weaving Silk: Durable strands for architecture, traps, and light armor.
Mind Link (New):
Temporarily transfer consciousness into any ant of the colony.
Grants 20% of Adam's stats and weaker versions of his skills through the host.
Passive Abilities
Royal Command:
Ants obey with greater coordination and reduced hesitation.
Mana Accelerated Regeneration (Upgraded):
Absorbs mana from surroundings at +100 MP/day.
Adam's eyes widened as the changes sank in. His chest still glowed faintly, the Mana Heart pulsing like a second core inside him. "These are… incredible buffs. Have my cheat skills finally arrived?"
Before he could even test the new powers, another notification appeared.
[New Feature Unlocked: Colony Map]
A projection unfurled across his vision: a sprawling web of tunnels, chambers, and paths. At the center, a pulsing red dot marked himself. Smaller dots glittered across the map, each one an ant—colored differently according to their role. The living network of his colony revealed itself for the first time.
Adam's mandibles twitched in awe.
"This is incredible." The embodiment of success. He who controls the information, controls the world.
Another panel shimmered into existence.
[Mana Core Panel: Tier IV – Passive Mode]
Max Mana: 600
Current Mana: 600
Daily Mana Generation: +300
Daily Maintenance Cost: -72
Abilities (New):
Defense Mode (New):
Requires 50 Mana daily.
Shoots beams of concentrated mana at creatures identified as enemies.
Range Extenders (New):
Cost: 20 Mana + 5 Mana daily upkeep.
Extends Map radius by 50 ant-meters.
Current Available: 4.
Adam turned his gaze to the crystals glimmering beside the core, each resonating faintly with mana. "Absolutely amazing!" he shouted. Without hesitation, he clicked, buying eight more range extenders.
The system wasn't done yet. A new screen materialized:
[Royal Library]
A repository of knowledge bound within the core.
Contains indexed records.
Additional entries may be unlocked when certain conditions are met.
Adam noticed a mark etched faintly on its border. He touched it—suddenly, another panel bloomed to life.
[Symbiotic Species Log]
Species:Aetherpink Bacterial Fungus
Description: A symbiotic microorganism that thrives within the colony. Appears as a shimmering pink mist when spores are released.
Effect: Provides heightened immunity against most toxins,
diseases, and parasitic infections.
Cost: Consumes a steady trickle of mana from the host to sustain its bloom.
Adam's mandibles clicked as realization dawned. "So this… this was what saved us when the parasite spread through the colony." He remembered the pink haze that had hung in the air, dismissed at the time, as by then he was glad that they had survived.
If this was only the beginning of what the Library could show him… "Could I store the book as well? I mean It is a library after all." Adam's mind raced at this possibility.
He withdrew the tome gifted by the moth. With reverence, he pressed it against the shimmering core. The book quivered, its pages fluttering furiously as glowing letters lifted from the parchment. They streamed into the Mana Core like a river of fireflies.
[Foreign Text Detected.][Language Identified: Crion.][Contents are being analyzed…]
Adam felt his chest swell with a strange exhilaration. The Library had consumed the book, storing and translating its secrets.
Adam mandibles dropped, wondering what kind of secrets the book and the core were hiding. A new age of dawn has awoken in the colony. And Adam was determined to lead the way. Wasting no time he immediately started reading the hidden knowledge contained within the tome.