Once again, Ackster wasn't sure what to expect aside from ants, considering they were in an ant nest and could hear a lot of ant sounds coming from the front. And once again, he was wrong. He wasn't completely wrong. It just wasn't the kind of ants he had expected.
But he was forced to admit what they stood in front of made sense.
As they approached the end of the tunnel, it didn't only widen. It also began lighting up. At first, it was so little Ackster thought he was just getting used to the darkness, got a new skill, or Keen Senses ranked up. But after they finally left the tunnel, they entered a large, dome-like cavern with white stones dotting the ceiling like stars.
Those stones were what had given the tunnel's exit the eerie light tone. And they were what lit up the cavern Ackster and Karandiel entered upon leaving the tunnel. The stones' light was weak, but it was enough for even Karandiel to make out most details of the ants surrounding them.
Although the general shape was similar, most of the ants around were clearly a superior version of the soldier ants. Their exoskeletons looked like they were reinforced with an extra layer of thin armor. They even had something like helmets on their heads.
Ackster could also notice there was clear intelligence in their black eyes. However, while the lieutenant ants, as he decided to call them, were impressive and certainly more dangerous than their soldier or worker counterparts, his main focus was something else.
It had been pricking the back of his neck with danger warnings ever since they stepped into the chamber.
On the other side of the cavern, atop a raised dais, was what Ackster could only assume was the ant queen. A majority of her hill-like body was a disproportionally large abdomen. Other than that and its darker, almost black color, it looked mostly the same as the other ants.
Next to the queen, Ackster also noticed another ant.
'That's a general ant, then.'
As it seemed at least as dangerous as the hill-like ant queen, Ackster decided it was only fitting it received a greater name than the other ants. The humanoid ant, with two sets of arms and one pair of thick, seemingly muscular legs, met Ackster's eyes. Its folded, transparent insect wings trembled a little as the two stared at each other.
But even if the general ant was intelligent and clearly powerful, Ackster knew it wasn't in charge. It was still subservient to the queen, so he ignored the general and looked at the queen.
The queen's mouthpiece and mandibles trembled and clicked together several times, making sounds that sent shivers down Ackster's and Karandiel's spines.
"'Human.'"
Ackster and Karandiel's eyes widened in surprise as they held back their shock at the queen speaking the common language of the Tenger continent. There were some monsters intelligent enough to speak and converse with humans. Many also imitated human speech to trick humans, such as the Doppelganger Slime.
But as far as either of them knew, ants didn't have that capability. Rather than the necessary intelligence, ants didn't have the proper organs to talk the way humans did. They used pheromones and simpler sounds to communicate.
"'Wrong?'"
The queen's eerie voice continued as it tilted its head and looked at the two humans with a more pressing weight behind her gaze.
The ant queen could speak, but based on what it had said and how it said it, Ackster could assume it wasn't the most eloquent speaker.
"No, you're right. We're humans."
Ackster didn't know what the ant queen wanted. But if it could communicate, there was a possibility they could try and find a peaceful solution where Ackster and Karandiel could live. At the moment, their situation wasn't too bright, after all. The lieutenant ants around them, the soldier and worker ants outside, and finally, the general ant right next to the queen were all things they would have to defeat before they could leave. Not to mention the queen itself, which was just as much of a threat.
It was a challenge that even Ackster deemed a little too challenging, especially when he needed to maintain Karandiel's safety. She hadn't shown much of her future potential. But a day after losing her power, she had already regained enough to create a protective shield that didn't break even under the avalanche of thousands of ants.
Unfortunately, Ackster was pretty sure it wasn't easy for her to get power-ups like the way she got her golden egg. And her future potential was meaningless in front of present trouble. So, their best course of action would be to solve things peacefully.
The ant queen raised one of its legs and pointed at Ackster.
"'You. I eat."'
It moved the leg toward Karandiel.
'"You. Leave."'
Ackster put his hand on his sword as he glared at the ant queen. It seemed like the ant wanted to have him offer up his life in exchange for Karandiel leaving alive. It was scarily intelligent if it could analyze and devise a method like that, considering its background as a ground-dwelling ant.
But it didn't matter. Just because the ant queen was smart, Ackster wouldn't give up his life. Even if Karandiel lived, it would be meaningless if he died. After all, his purpose in keeping Karandiel alive was so she could eventually help keep him alive by stopping The Hero from destroying the world.
"No, thanks."
Karandiel didn't say anything since her answer would have been the same as Ackster's. She had not long ago almost been resolved to die so that Ackster wouldn't have to try and secure her safety. There was no way she would suddenly turn around and easily let Ackster die just for her to live.
In the first place, if the ant queen was smart enough to propose a trade of lives, it was definitely smart enough to lie.
The ant queen seemed to think for a few moments before glancing at the general ant next to her and exchanging a few clicks. It then looked at Ackster again.
'"You. Give arm. You. Leave.'"
'It's negotiating? Why does it want me so much?'
Ackster was confused about the entire situation. But what he really couldn't grasp was why the ant queen was willing to let Karandiel go for merely one of his arms. However, if it wanted his body, or parts of it at least, he realized there might be a relatively peaceful solution.