While dreaming of the future but not yet leaving the present behind, Ackster continued his day-less routine of giving the ant queen his blood and flesh, Nolding the bones in his feet, sparring, and eating ants. He didn't know how much time had passed since the stones used to illuminate the ant queen's hall gave off a constant light. But he had slept almost ten times, which meant at least two weeks had passed.
Ackster hadn't spent those two weeks doing nothing, and if he were to say it himself, he had achieved quite a lot. He had completely broken down both his feet, which hadn't been easy. Some parts were still mushy, but he had moved up his ankles and started pulverizing his lower legs.
Compared to how much he still had left, it was only a small part, but Ackster could feel the difference in the sturdiness of his legs. So far, it wasn't worth the pain he had endured. But it was at least a little promising. And that wasn't the only thing the last couple of weeks had done for him in terms of progress.
[Name: –]
[Profession: (Adventurer)]
[Stats:
[Strength: B]
[Agility: B]
[Fortitude: C]
[Mana: –]
[Spirit: C]
[Stamina: B]
[Skills:
[Strong Body]
[Pain Tolerance: A]
[Poison Resistance: E]
[Keen Senses: B]
[Iron Stomach: C]
[Sprint: C]
[Strike: B]
[Soft Footsteps: C]
[Iron Skin: D]
[Survivalist: F]
[Iron Fists: D]
[Iron Will: C]
[Clear Mind: E]
[Battlesight: D]
[Limit Breaker: F]
[Resilience: D]
[Monster Muncher: E]
[Iron Wall: D]
[Guardian: E]
[Block: D]
[Steel-Boned: F]
[Stubborn Well-Being: G]
[Superficial Martial Arts: F]
'It took fucking ages!'
Ackster had been so caught up in his training that he neglected to monitor his Nomi, so he didn't know when exactly he got it. But he had finally gotten a skill that supported his recovery. He hadn't heard or read about it before. But he could feel instinctively that Stubborn Well-Being, despite its unclear name, helped him recover faster.
Since most of his injuries by then were from Nold's secret technique, it had taken a little before he noticed that his bones healed quicker, and the bruises from the ant general faded in a matter of minutes. However, that could also be because he finally managed to evolve Leather Skin to Iron Skin, even if it was at the cost of its rank.
But from that, Ackster could practically confirm that Iron Skin was better at overall defense and that Leather Skin was better at more superficial and cutting attacks.
He had also acquired Block and Superficial Martial Arts. However, Ackster was still the most satisfied with Stubborn Well-Being and Steel-Boned. Thanks to Nold's secret technique, he had gotten a skill that surpassed the Iron type skills and went straight to steel. He wasn't sure how much better it was, but he knew that steel was better than Iron, and his skill was F-ranked.
Nolding only two feet and a couple of additional bones had been enough to net him a Steel-grade skill and rank it up. Ackster couldn't help but look forward to the future. What would he get, or what rank would Steel-Boned reach when he finished the first round of the first stage? What would happen when he completed several rounds of the first stage? And what would happen in the later stages?
Although the direct strength the secret technique had given Ackster wasn't anything to write home about just yet, the fact that he got Steel-Boned was proof enough of the secret technique's promised potential.
Ackster almost wanted to continue Nolding his legs just to see himself grow. However, it wasn't time for that. He was busy recovering from the last round. And, most importantly, he was preparing.
He had grown significantly during this period. But he wasn't the only one who had gained something. The ant queen hadn't missed out on a single meal, and once Ackster got Stubborn Well-Being, the ant queen had eaten with increased fervor. Since Ackster recovered quicker, thanks to the skill, he didn't mind it that much.
However, the ant queen's behavior was changing slightly. She vacillated between eating more and eating almost nothing while sleeping like the dead. Her carapace was also fluctuating with a beautiful gloss and a hollow dullness.
The ant queen had started achieving whatever objective she had in eating Ackster. That in itself wasn't necessarily a problem. But Ackster had either outlived his usefulness, or it had become time for the ant queen to finish the meal she had only nibbled on until now.
The ant general hadn't changed much, and it still didn't like Ackster very much. But it had started looking at him with malicious happiness. It was faint, but during his time in the ant nest, Ackster had gotten pretty good at picking up the signs the ants had and used when communicating. He also had a pretty decent sixth sense, thanks to Strong Body and Keen Senses, so he was pretty confident it wouldn't be long until the ant queen decided she needed his bones, brain, and internal organs to finish whatever she was going through.
And if he had to bet, the ant general would be more than happy to fulfill his queen's wish.
So, before the ant queen or the ant general could decide that their deal had run its course, Ackster had to take some life-saving measures. And in this place where he was surrounded by ants, who could communicate with the ant queen even from a distance, Ackster didn't really have much choice in how to survive.
He had to neutralize his enemies so he could take his time to break out of the nest.
He had left traces behind when he and Karandiel were first brought into the nest, but he did not doubt that they would be long gone. He had tried to sneak around and find a way that led to the surface, but he hadn't had any success. The ant general didn't seem to need rest, and whenever Ackster was about to move somewhere he shouldn't, it was there to invite Ackster to a spar.
The only way to survive that Ackster could imagine was to kill the ant queen, her general, and then any ant that attacked him.