Drake rushed to the entrance making sure to put himself in between it and Theodore, his defensive skills going off in rapid succession.
Outside of the Treasure Room and beyond that the throne chamber in the tunnel, thousands of stampeding ants ran past them.
"What is going on? They're all running to something? Or running away…?" Drake said absentmindedly.
Drake didn't let down his guard, motioning to Theodore to go invisible once again. Drake moved in closer to the tunnel curious about why the Ants were so adamant in their sudden fleeing.
He was close enough that he was sure the Ants could smell and see him, but not a single one stopped to turn towards him or fight him, they all continued to run at speed in a single direction.
"They're ignoring me? Theo, you can come out," Drake said not taking his eyes off the ants, a sinking feeling enveloping his stomach.
Theodore wisped back into view next to Drake, a curious look on his face as he too looked at the stampeding passerbys.
"What is occurring my Lord? Art thou's enemies completely and utterly foregoing us?" Theodore asked.
"No. I think they're all running from something. My best guess? It's the Prince's evolution… but he still has.." Drake paused to look at the quest, "He still has about 19 hours left. Could be that because he killed the others and the Queen they are just running away?" Drake proposed.
"Should we depart as well?" Theodore asked, "We have already searched for riches within the treasury, this one doubts we will find more."
Drake pursed his lips in thought for a moment, watching the never-ending trail of Ants as they passed the chamber.
"Damn, this means I won't be able to finish the last of my quests either… I'm just a few away from the Guard and Royal Knight's being finished. I was really hoping that I could at least finish those for a level-up. But Levels are starting to slow as it is… I still have time to stop the evolution. I just have to backtrack where the Ants are running from."
"Then shall we be on our way my Lord?" Theodore asked, rasing his cane.
"No Theo… Sorry, but I can't bring you on this one. I need you to go to the surface. Follow the Ants to whatever exit they are using and get back to Bjorn and the others. I don't know if I can beat this Prince if he finishes his evolution before I get to them."
"M-my Lord… Please do not discard this one in your time of need! This one can certainly help! Do not remove me from your side!" Theodore pleaded.
"No! I can't and won't ask you to do this Theo! I don't want to see you get hurt like last time. This monster is possibly out of my league so it is definitely out of everyone else's. I need you to get to the surface and prepare everyone in case I need to fall back and get help from the support buffs everyone has. Please, I need you to do this for me. This is how you help me," Drake said firmly, looking into Theodore's eyes with determination.
"My Lord…" Theodore murmured, unsure of what to respond with.
Theodore didn't want to leave his benefactor to fight on his own. But he couldn't refute that he may not be able to truly help and may in fact be a hindrance. Theodore was above average in level compared to the rest of the tutorial, but he was not made for direct combat. He was also a supporting class mage which made it nearly impossible for him to compete with the Prince. A monster nearly twice his level that even Drake was admittedly worried about defeating.
Bitting his lip, the sound of his gloves gripping his cane creaked.
"By your command, my Lord. It will be done," Theodore said solemnly as he chanted a spell and shimmered out of sight.
Drake gave a smirk as he moved his mask, speaking to the empty room.
"Thank you, Theo. Be safe, and don't die."
"Thou as well, my Lord. Come back safely."
With that Drake re-entered the treasury giving it one last look over for anything he could possibly use. But alas he only found some scrounges of decent armor and weapons as well as a few status pills that he pocketed with the rest.
"Well, at least we have a small boost. That's ten pills per stat. But I doubt it will be enough…" Drake sighed.
"Anything will help at this point, Drake. You are taking on something far out of your realm of experience. Are you sure you will not heed my warning and leave…?" Natto asked one more time.
"No can do. Manners, maketh man. And I'm a man of my word. I'll get stronger and protect those I care about. Or die trying."
—---------------------------
The surroundings were mute. Muffles of scratches and chittering reached Obiteron but he was unable to make out anything coherent enough to understand.
The moment he had accepted the sounds of the world in his head he was thrown into a dark place.
But he didn't fear it. Obiteron knew the darkness that had enveloped him was nothing more than the process of the world cementing his new power.
The power of a newborn King.
He did not know how long the process would take but he could slowly feel himself changing with the confines of this dark place he had been submerged.
Reveling in the feeling of growth, the anticipation was enough to run him ragged before ever emerging into the world as the victor. Finally the true King of the Tyrant Ants, the strongest of them all.
He had planned for years. Even before the voice of the world took them into this new landscape. His brothers had always mocked him for using all the tools at his disposal. Saying that it was unlike a Tyrant Ant to seek help through means outside one's self.
But now they were both dead. Along with their mother. And it was his doing.
Obiteron felt his carapace flex and mold to his growing body within the dark. What felt like an eternity to him continued as he fell back into thought.
After his increase in rank, he would no longer need the trinkets the Goblins had left. He would be the strongest being within this new land. And when its time was over they would move to a new prosperous land where he could grow a new Hive. His own colony in his image, where he stood at the top. Just like the voice of the world promised him.
Obiteron flexed his body and aura, feeling them like new muscles wanting to be tested.
Soon, very soon his evolution would be complete. He could feel it.
The sounds of the outside had quieted. But he could feel something approaching. Even within his dark prison, he could feel it.
The Human.
Cracks began forming in the dark, light spilling in from every direction blinding his sight momentarily.
Obiteron felt the pressure of something hitting him and his body but felt no pain.
Coming out of the dark, he saw the human, spells being thrown at him with considerable force.
Looking down Obiteron saw his necklace had shattered.
The human overloaded the magic negating trinket. Impressive, if nothing but futile.
The pressure Obiteron felt was the human's spells hitting him harmlessly.
Obiteron shook his body, releasing himself from the molted body he had emerged from. His body stretched as he felt the new muscles and the strength within them. He had grown wings.
Appropriate for a King. Why should I be confined to the ground like a lowly larvae? He thought, snapping his mandibles.
Once he was done flexing his new body, he began observing it. His chitin armor had turned from the dark black of before to a silver hue. Red streaks went down his body as they pulsed with vital energy and power.
Clenching and unclenching his serrated fingers, Obiteron let out a screech of joy.
He was complete. He was finally the King he always wished he would be. And all for the measly cost of his family.
Looking up his eyes fixed on the human that could have killed him easily before. One word reverberating in his mind.
Weak.
—--------
Drake heaved as he continued to throw spell after spell at the dark cocoon in front of him that he had finally found after no rest. But it was too late.
[Subjugation Quest: Prevent the Third Prince Obiteron Trikk from evolving their race to E-Rank has failed]
[New Subjugation Quest!]
[Defeat the King of the Tyrant Ant's Obiteron Trikk [E-Rank]
[Experience. Large amount of TP. Legendary Weapon of Your Choice [E-Grade]
"Fuck, I'm in danger…" Drake cursed with a self-deprecating smirk behind his mask.
Drake had followed the nearly endless trail of Ants back to the apparent Queen's Nursing chamber where he was able to get inside with the key he had gotten from the Nursers.
But instead of finding Obiteron in a vulnerable state. After 18 hours of searching the Hive, he had stumbled upon a jet-black cocoon.
Drake immediately began pummeling the cocoon with everything he had, expending his status in chunks as he pelted the thing with spell after mana-charged spell.
But the cocoon held strong against Drake even at full power with no resistance against his onslaught.
He lost count of how many times he cursed as he sent spell after spell at the thing over the course of the remaining hour.
Drake eventually convinced himself that the cocoon must have had increased defensive bonuses while the Prince was evolving inside. But Drake continued regardless.
At least that was until his time was up.
Once the last second ticked by and the quest had failed, Drake felt something he hadn't in a very long time since beginning the tutorial.
He felt pure dread. Fear.
With the cracking of the cocoon. Drake felt the immense pressure of the being inside push against his own and the world around it.
He could also feel that the aura wasn't malicious. He could feel it was as if a child had found a new toy and was testing it. Which made Drake all the more nervous.
"Drake…" Natto mumbled nervously, her teeth chattering.
I… I know… I threw everything I had at it and there isn't a scratch on him or the cocoon…. Drake stammered.
"You need to run! You don't stand a chance!"
Where am I going to run? I doubt he's going to just let us stroll out of here..
Drake joked while sweat began pooling down the side of his face, his status was still recovering from the bombardment of spells he used to assault the cocoon earlier. And now the Prince was emerging.
From the cocoon Drake felt the air pulse almost like a heartbeat as the cracks rippled through the sleek black covering of the cocoon, splintering it more and more with each pulse.
Finally, one large crack split it down the middle as the Prince emerged slowly from the shell.
[Obiteron Trikk Level 30]
The Prince took in the surroundings slowly, his body flexing here and there as he apparently tested his new body and extremities. With a flutter, the new wings on his back buzzed briefly shaking off the excess shell of the cocoon.
"This guy looks like one of the old school Big Bad Beetleborgs…. Silver edition," Drake muttered under his breath as he lowered his stance ready for a fight.
Obiteron flexed his claws and then let out a loud howl.
"Shit did he hear me or just not like the reference?!" Drake shuddered, raising a hand at the burst of aura pushing down on him with the screech.
Looking through his hands Drake saw the Prince snap to Drake, their eyes glaring at one another.
Through the Prince's eyes, Drake could tell what it was thinking and it brought fury into Drake's every fiber of his being overtaking the previous fear.
He thinks I'm weak?!