Spider ants were not good looking creatures.
With the head of an ant and the body of a spider, they looked ridiculous at first glance, like some cruel joke stitched together by a bored scientist. But the longer one stared at them, the harder it became to laugh. Their mandibles were large and jagged, clicking against each other as they moved, and some of them had massive stingers protruding from their abdomens, glistening with a wet sheen that promised poison.
The common spider ants were small, barely half a meter tall. They scurried across the floor in uneven, twitchy movements, their many legs scraping against the ground. The soldier spider ants were different. Roughly a meter tall, their bodies were thicker and their armor darker, with a dull green hue that looked far tougher than that of the common ones. And towering over them all was the bishop spider ant. It stood nearly two meters tall, its presence alone making the air feel heavier.
The common spider ants were nothing.
At least, that was how it felt at first.
A single bullet was enough to take them down. Their bodies burst apart with little resistance, green blood splashing against the floor and nearby containers. They tried to fight back, but their attacks were clumsy and slow. Reever moved with calm precision, his breathing steady, his eyes sharp. Every shot landed where it was meant to. Heads shattered. Bodies collapsed.
Conner was not left behind.
He moved with surprising confidence, his pair of silver blades flashing as he charged into the swarm. His attacks were fast and fluid, almost graceful. Watching him fight felt like watching a practiced routine, every step and swing flowing naturally into the next. Blades sliced cleanly through chitin and flesh, and spider ants fell one after another.
It did not take long.
Moments later, most of the common spider ants lay motionless on the ground, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles.
Then the green soldier spider ants moved.
Unlike the common ones, these creatures knew how to fight. Their mandibles snapped open as they advanced, and webs shot out from their mouths in rapid bursts. Thick strands flew toward Reever and Conner, spreading wide as they cut through the air.
Both of them reacted instantly.
Reever dodged with minimal movement, stepping just enough to avoid the sticky strands. Conner twisted his body, rolling across the ground and rising back to his feet in one smooth motion.
The bishop spider ant let out a piercing screech.
The sound was sharp and grating, sending a strange vibration through the air. The soldier ants reacted immediately. Their movements grew faster, more aggressive. Webs flew in greater numbers, filling the space around them.
"Let me block them. You attack," Conner said.
He stepped in front of Reever and crossed his blades in an X shape. A moment later, a small translucent shield formed before him. The webs struck it and dissolved on contact, falling uselessly to the ground.
"As expected of a legacy kid," Reever muttered.
He raised his gun and fired.
Ten shots rang out in rapid succession, aimed straight at the heads of the soldier ants.
Cling.
Cling.
Cling.
The bullets bounced off.
They left dents in the armor, but the creatures did not fall. Instead, they screeched in anger, their movements growing even more violent.
"What the hell," Reever cursed under his breath. "Are they made of metal or what?"
"Their armor is strong," Reever shouted, thinking quickly. "But they might have another weakness. Target their limbs first."
Conner did not hesitate.
He rushed forward, closing the distance in an instant. His blades moved in sharp arcs, and two of the soldier ants were beheaded before they could react. Their bodies collapsed heavily onto the ground.
"He's good," Reever thought.
He moved as well, but this time, he did not rely on his gun.
Unwilling to hold back any longer, he summoned a weapon he had never used in battle before. Tehom, the golden trident once wielded by the mafia Boerrhana boss, appeared in his hand. The weapon felt heavy, solid, and strangely familiar.
"Time to get serious," Reever said quietly.
He charged.
The trident cut through the air with terrifying force. Heads fell. Limbs were severed. Green blood sprayed across the floor as the remaining soldier ants were overwhelmed.
It was quick.
Moments later, all the soldier spider ants lay dead.
"What a cool weapon," Conner said, stepping closer and examining the trident. "I assume it's mystique ranked."
"Let's get the rook before we talk," Reever replied, ignoring what Conner had said earlier. "It looks mad, and I'm sure it has some skills."
The bishop spider ant had already turned its attention toward them. Its body tensed as it charged, mandibles snapping violently.
Reever tightened his grip on the trident.
He lifted it, aimed carefully, and threw.
The trident flew like a streak of gold and slammed into the rook spider ant, pinning it against the wall. The impact cracked the surface behind it, leaving the creature trapped and screeching in pain.
"Cool," Conner said, clearly impressed. "You're strong."
"I thought it would be stronger," Reever replied, a faint hint of pride slipping through. "I used too much force."
The rook spider ant struggled, but it was useless. The trident slowly absorbed its blood, draining the life from its body. Its movements grew weaker, until it was nothing more than a dried husk.
Reever summoned the trident back and stored it away.
"Let's move," he said.
They continued forward, the sound of their footsteps echoing faintly through the facility.
"How many points do you have?" Conner asked.
Reever checked his system panel.
"Two thousand points."
"I have eighteen hundred," Conner said with a grin. "Next round, I'll surpass you."
Reever did not respond immediately.
A memory surfaced in his mind. Long nights spent grinding for points. Endless competition. Constant pressure to improve. Those challenges had shaped him, forged him into what he was.
He glanced at Conner and sighed quietly.
"How good it is to be young," he muttered.