Ari questioned if he was dead again because he felt nothing at all. He woke up to find himself surrounded by soft leaves, wrapped tightly around him, providing comfort. His head turned, and he saw Princess Tanya of the ant colony sleeping beside him, her tiny body curled up next to his.
"I thought I was a goner with that stab the termite queen gave me... I should've melted from the inside," Ari muttered to himself, still unsure of how he was alive. He slowly removed the leaves from his body to find that his chest, the very spot where the mandible had pierced him, was completely healed.
"Wait, how did this happen?" Ari wondered out loud. "It's almost as if I wasn't hurt at all." His memory of the quest screen came back to him. The quest for slaying fifty termites had popped up earlier, and he had completed it, receiving an unknown reward.
Curious, he opened the quest screen again. It displayed: "Quest Completed: Slay 50 Termites" and the reward stated: "Instant Recovery," with an additional line that read: "The potential to learn latent abilities by slaying insects or intimately interacting with their female counterparts."
Ari's eyes widened. "What...?" he said, more to himself than anyone else. He couldn't believe it. This must've been the cause of his miraculous healing. He stared at the screen, still trying to process everything when Tanya stirred beside him. She blinked her eyes open and gasped when she saw him awake.
"Ari, you're... you're alive!" Tanya exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion. Before Ari could respond, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I thought you were gone. I... I thought I lost you."
Ari gently patted her head, trying to comfort her. "I'm here, so you don't have to worry anymore."
Tanya pulled away slightly, wiping her tears as she smiled at him, relieved. Ari's heart warmed at her reaction, though he felt a bit overwhelmed.
At that moment, a voice from the doorway interrupted their reunion.
"Since you're back to full health, am I to assume that you're slacking off, Ari?" It was Commander Anastasia, her cold tone piercing through the room. Ari immediately froze, his body stiffening at her presence.
"U-Uh, no, Commander," Ari stammered, frightened by her glare.
Anastasia's expression softened, just a little, as she spoke again. "I don't know how you survived that death wound. It still puzzles me. But I'm glad you're okay." Her words were surprisingly gentle, almost kind, though her expression remained mostly serious.
Ari couldn't help but wonder. Does she actually care for me? he thought, but he quickly shook the thought away, refocusing on the present.
"Get yourself together, and come with me," Anastasia ordered. "You're five days behind in your training, and we need to catch you up."
Ari nodded, understanding that his time for rest was over. Despite everything he had been through, there was still work to do.
Back at the training grounds, Ari was greeted with a mix of surprise and joy. As soon as Isla and Rory saw him, their jaws dropped in disbelief.
Isla was the first to react. "Ari!" she shouted, rushing towards him. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "You're alive!" she said, voice full of relief.
Rory, though a bit more composed, walked over with a smile and clapped Ari on the back. "Welcome back, man. I thought we were gonna lose you there."
Ari chuckled, feeling genuinely touched by their concern. But before he could respond, Anastasia cleared her throat, and their joyful reunion was interrupted.
"Alright, enough of the pleasantries," she said firmly. "Ari, apart from Isla and Rory, I've selected you to be trained by me to become a military ant. You'll be placed under my command, which automatically makes you a Lance Corporal. That's one rank below Beatrice, who's a Corporal and responsible for training the other ants."
Ari's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what? Me? A Lance Corporal?"
"Yes," Anastasia replied with a stern nod. "You've proven yourself time and again, and it's time you started taking on more responsibility. Don't think this means you're off the hook for training, though. You've got a lot to catch up on."
Ari took a deep breath, trying to wrap his head around the sudden shift in his role. Just a few days ago, he had been a confused, disoriented outsider, but now he was being thrust into a position that is three level above an ant recruit. It was a lot to take in, but he had little choice but to accept it.
"I won't let you down, Commander," Ari said, his voice steady and determined.
Anastasia gave a small nod of approval. "I know you won't, but just remember: don't get too cocky. There's always someone better, and you'll need to train harder than ever to stay ahead."
Ari couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement bubbling up inside him. His life in this new world was strange, and he still had a long way to go, but maybe this was his chance to truly make a difference. To earn his place here—and perhaps, one day, even find a way back home.
"Now," Anastasia continued, "let's get to work. You've got a lot to prove."
As they made their way to the training grounds, Anastasia slowed her pace and turned to face the group, her eyes sharp and focused. The air around them felt heavy, as if the weight of her next words would shape their futures.
"You've all proven yourselves in battle, but what lies ahead will be much more difficult," Anastasia began, her voice serious and unwavering. "The insects we've faced so far were only a small fraction of the dangers that exist beyond these walls. From now on, the challenges will grow tougher, and the enemies will become stronger."
Ari could feel the tension building among the recruits, and he steeled himself for what was to come.
"Termites were just the beginning," she continued. "The insects we'll face now are smarter, more dangerous, and they won't hesitate to destroy everything in their path. There are creatures out there with abilities that you can't even imagine—some capable of overwhelming even the best of us if we're not prepared."
She paused, letting the weight of her words settle in before continuing, her gaze sweeping over each of them.
"But the most important thing you need to understand," Anastasia said with a fierce determination, "is that we are the last line of defense for this colony. If we fall, everything falls. The safety and survival of our people are in our hands. We need to protect this colony at all costs, no matter the enemy or the danger. Our Queen, our families, and everything we've built depend on us."
Ari felt the gravity of her statement hit him hard. It wasn't just about surviving anymore—it was about ensuring the survival of everyone in the colony. Ari nodded, his mind already racing through the possibilities. He had faced difficult situations before, but protecting an entire colony… that was a responsibility he hadn't truly understood until now.
"Prepare yourselves," Anastasia finished, her tone softening just slightly, but her gaze never faltering. "The trials ahead will not be easy. But if we stand together, we will overcome them."
With that, she turned toward the training grounds, and the group followed, their resolve hardening with every step. Ari knew now that the real battle was just beginning—and there would be no turning back. The future of the colony—and perhaps even their very lives—depended on their success.