The morning sun trickled through the three branches and trunks as leaves swayed gently with the wind. Ken and Esme were making their way through the forest path.
A rather awkward reunion had taken place in the morning, which was to be expected.
"So? What are you going to do about Aria and Slene?"
"I don't know." Ken answered, annoyed by the question. He sped up a bit.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Esme asked, tilting her head.
"Yes," Ken grunted. "We were given directions. Left at the twisted cedar, right at the fallen log, straight past the mossy boulder, then keep walking until it smells like rotten eggs."
Esme sniffed dramatically. "Which fallen log, though? I've seen a couple already."
"Aren't you supposed to help me?" he muttered under his breath. "A System isn't supposed to be annoying."
She ignored him and tapped her chin. "Anyway! You need to understand your Skills properly before we reach the nest. It's useless to go there if you can't fight."
Ken reached into the bag on his shoulder and took out a jug of water. "That we can agree on."
A translucent screen appeared before his eyes.
[Status Window…]
"The fuck…?"
"Oh, that's my System I'm showing you. You unfortunately…"
"Whatever." Ken sighed, and continued reading.
[Status Window:
Name: Ken
Race: Human
Class: Insect Exterminator [SSS Rank]
Level: 0 (100 XP to Level Up)
Stats:
-Strength: 10
-Agility: 11
-Perception: 12
-Endurance: 12
-Vigor: 10
-Mana: 20
Skills:
Poison Immunity [S Rank]: Grants immunity to most insect venoms, poisons, and toxins.
Venom Immunity [S Rank]: Specialized immunity to injected insect venoms.
Pest Sense [S Rank]: Detects nearby insect presence, movement, and nests within a certain radius.
Pheromone Understanding [A Rank]: Allows comprehension of insect pheromone signals and communication
Swarm Control [A Rank]: Grants increased combat efficiency against groups of small to medium insects. AoE attacks' efficacy amplified.
]
"Hm… Is there a way for me to get more Skills? Right now, this is pretty light."
"You'll get more Skills as you level up and get achievements under your belt." Esme explained matter-of-factly with a raised index finger.
"I see."
"You need to understand that most of your Skills are built around control and extermination rather than brute force. Your physical stats are pretty good for now, but they'll increase with Levels as well."
Ken nodded silently, pleasantly surprised that Esme was finally taking up her role properly.
"Once you enter that colony, you'll be able to track them through walls, read their pheromones, and resist anything they throw at you."
Ken stared at the holographic window. "Pheromone Understanding, huh? Sounds kinda gross."
"It's very practical," Esme countered. "Ants rely heavily on pheromones, as do most insects. You'll sense when they're about to attack or retreat or anything else they might try to do."
"That…" Ken scratched his neck. "Actually sounds super useful."
"It is," she said firmly. "You're not just fighting bugs. You're invading an entire society."
"Insect society, here I come."
"Attaboy! Hehehe!" Esme chuckled as she pointed forward with an index finger. "Go get them!"
***
Further inside the forest,
Huff- Huff-
A young man stumbled through the undergrowth, panting. Sweat dripped down his temples as he followed a faint trail to a secluded clearing. There, leaning against boulders, were three figures dressed in battered leather armor.
"Well, well," said the tallest of the three, a man with a scar across his nose. "Took you long enough."
"You're late." A second one said.
"S-sorry," the villager gasped, clutching his side. "I had to make sure no one followed me."
The three chuckled. One, a thin man with a crooked smile, tossed him a heavy pouch. "Your share, kid. That was a good idea you came to us with."
The young villager caught the pouch. His heart pounded. The whole reason why he had betrayed his village and all the villagers living by his side. 'With this… With this money, I can finally get her attention.'
"Don't spend it all on whores," the thin man joked.
The villager didn't laugh. His jaw clenched. "By the way," he said. "They hired someone else."
He immediately caught their attention.
"What?"
"Some guy. Young. The son of a bitch… He carried Aria on his back… There's a blonde woman with him as well. They're going to try and clear the nest."
The scarred man barked a laugh. "Only two? You have to be kidding. That nest would chew through a dozen experienced Insect Hunters. It's a suicidal mission."
"They're serious," the villager insisted. "The Chief believes in them."
The thin one leaned closer. "We left torn clothes at the tunnel entrance. Made it look like we got ripped apart. If they find that, they'll either run away or get eaten. Either way, the village will give up."
"Yeah," the third man, a burly redhead, grunted. "They'll find the clothes, but that's fine. They'll assume our corpses were eaten."
The three whispered among themselves, while the villager's eyes glinted with something darker.
"Better to deal with them, I'd say. If they clear the colony… People will start asking questions about where you three disappeared to. About who helped you…." He clenched his fist. 'That son of a bitch…'
The image of Ken carrying Aria on his back had been burned into his mind, and continually filled him with anger and jealousy.
The three exchanged glances. The scarred one smirked. "More importantly, how much is the village paying them?"
The two smiled upon hearing that.
"Good thinking."
"Yeah, hehe."
The thin man thought for a bit. "We could rob them. Adventurers would never accept a quest without getting some of the compensation money in advance."
The redhead cracked his knuckles. "Easier than fighting bugs, that's for sure."
The scarred man nodded slowly. "Alright. You head back to your village. If anyone asks, you obviously never saw us. We'll take care of the newcomers. They'll never be seen again in these parts either."
The villager nodded and slipped away, heart pounding with a mix of guilt and excitement. Aria will see who truly protects the village, he told himself. She'll forget that outsider soon. Too much money had been expended. Too much had been lost due to the ants. Thanks to the pouch he was carrying, the village would be able to hang on for longer, and he will be hailed as a hero. Or so the villager thought.
The three Insect Hunters remained standing for a bit before they started walking through the forest in search of their prey.