I was Reincarnated as an ANT!, Vol. 1
Story by Gister (Pen Name)
Cover art owned by Author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
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So as I sit here on the mountain side, watching the moon on the cold calm night. I wonder when did I come to be where I am now. Oh, but I remember bits and bits that made me who I am now. It all started when I was a mere [Quad-Winged Evil Bat] monster that merely lived its whole life in caves.
Never thinking beyond the tunnels, until a human escaping from the tunnels happened to fall upon my sight, quick with hunger I attacked. Then at that moment, I was awoken to a new life. One full of conscious existence, color and yearning of tomorrow's actions.
Traveling from my tunnels and adventuring out into the world was something I never would've dreamt of as a lesser being. Ages of man came and went but I grew ever so as I had no challenges. One day as I soar through the skies with my new profound strengths, i would see below a war among monsters and humans.
Having lived for a long while now, these skirmishes kept on going on and on, why did humans hate monsters? Why did monsters hate humans? Rooted within me, an embedded dislike for humans never quelled, but I was always one to be quick to question my existence.
Throughout travels, I avoided confrontations with humans, for they always brought too much of something additive that made any mere monster becoming a slave to the EXP.
I would've also fallen into this trap, but I desired a simple normalcy of hunting only to eat. Not how most entities lived in this wretched world!
"WARNING! ████ , Primordial God of Wisdom and Foresight, has taken revere upon individual『Greater Grand Fagainor LV3,
→Enable
Disable"
When I thought on this, as I glared below on the scene of war while in the sky. The 'Voice of the World' spoke to me, which alerted me with surprise. The 'Voice of the World' had alway spoke in a universal tongue, for as long as one understand any language of their background and granted they had intelligence.
She spoke kindly and without any emotions or regards to a situations. The indifferent God to both monsters and humans alike. I knew at that moment, the war below would notice me now more than ever.
I had been noticed a while ago, but neither side took on any initiative to confront me as I was merely a bystander. Now within a 1000 mi radius, all intelligent creatures knew how much an EXP target I was now.
Creatures of [Divine Protections] granted a multiple of time five per EXP. In other words, I was worth postponing a war to be targeted. Despite my attitude in air to the ground, one would normally think they had a safe distance.
That would suddenly change as the [Demon Lord] below boasted immense speed. Her very initial bolt towards me would relocate her troops into disarray. Suddenly a human on a flying-horse like creature would follow suit closing the gap faster than the demon lord.
"Conditions met. Title『Primordial Deitiy's Acknowledgment』was acquired"
"By the effects of the title 『Primordial Deitiy's Acknowledgment』, skill 『Divine Magic Operation LV1』,『Divine Magic LV1』 was acquired"
Then as i attained now abilities, they merely took me down before i could even fathom how to use them, the mere attempts to defend myself only resulted in me dying. However, I wished to live, using the last of my 95% MP I had into [Divine Magic].
Our short-ended fight of me struggling, while having the protection of the Gods to give me some edge proved to not be enough!
Suddenly, I was back to the past!
HAD I REPEATED HISTORY?,...BUT THIS TIME I ALREADY HAD KNOWN MY ABILITIES!
The Voice of the World would announce to the world, suddenly the area below me would change their gaze upon me. Looking down, I would see them prepare to launch themselves towards me.
I would quickly notice, the change in the warzones below, but I had already once used [Divine Magic] to know what I could do. Peering at the opponents nearing me, knowingly i knew I wouldn't win against the Demon lord and the Hero.
"Ah! You Beast-Wretch!" the hero would roar in anger for some reason. He had hate for me that I didn't understand why, he appear more angry at me than the [Demon lord] besides him.
That didn't matter, [Divine Magic] had one major advantage despite is massive MP cost. It always worked in-favor of the user. Nearing me, I appeared to the battle field. Was it [Teleportation] ? Perhaps.
One thing I had learned before i had died to the hero's abilities was how inferior to them I was. The humans around me had armor that would place shame to a monster's defense and attack. That didn't matter.
[Divine Magic] cannot directly harm living things, so with quick thought. One can merely think a roundabout theory. At the moment as a swarm of humans leaped to take me down, knowingly they had appraised my status.
Shifting quickly to take me down, i poured my last MP max into [Divine Magic]. I requested one thing, the removal of all amor and weapons around me. Which divine magic granted as almost instant speed that even i was astonished by the very fact.
Having arrived in the middle of the swarming sides of both factions, I was besieged. Each solider would take chances and chunks from my body to take me down. I wasn't able to counter a single blade or slash. The armor and weapons were beyond my ability of natural skin to protect me. I couldn't tank a single assault.
I died.
Or so I thought awaking from the reality I had experienced, evading the first leaps towards me as more kept coming i was ready.
『Divine Protection of Wisdom and Foresight』gave me a preview of my life prior to my death, granted twice per day. This enabled me to learn how to survive and gain the advantage i needed to evolve.
I despised becoming a [Demon-Lord] as it limited you from acting freely in terms of humans. I never disliked humans, for I was indifferent towards them. This title granted me power that would enable me to survive against the odds.
Dispatching the first two humans in-mid air swarming me, and those around me that had realized they were naked now. Spreading thin my wings as i inhaled in air before releasing my [Corrosive Energy] + [Wavelength Energy] in a roar powerful enough to dismantle a diamond tough rock into sand.
With the two main threats arriving to the scene after my [Divine Magic] had stalled them enough for me to gain 10 seconds! Thanks to their confusion to my whereabouts for a few seconds, i was not able to advance and reattain the MP needed to confront them both.
"Experience points has reached a certain degree. Individual, Greater Grand Fagainor LV3,
"Every basic ability rose"
"Level Up Bonus:Skill Proficiency was acquired"
"Skill points gained"
Normally my EXP had reach a capacity that I had given up on ever seeing to allow me the chance evolve again. However, with a swam of Demon-kin and Humans around you and powerful large area-effect attack that all-living enemies bare-naked cannot tank.
Conditions met. Title 『Humanities's Bane』 was acquired"
"By the effects of the title 『Humanities's Bane』, skill 『Human Slayer LV1』『Evasion Enhancement LV1』 was acquired"
In mere moments, the two above me. The Demon lord and the Hero had forgotten they were mortal enemies. They had somehow became allies now, watching me below attain power beyond their reckoning.
Conditions met. Title 『Demon-Kin Killer』 was acquired"
"By the effects of the title 『Demon-Kin Killer』, skill 『War Impact Enhancement LV1』『Destruction Enhancement LV1』 was acquired"
The few that had survived had begun to scram from the battlefield, as they had used their best abilities in magic to manage against my attack. Which they had successfully did well, comparison to the two sides the humans didn't fair well in the aftermath.
Conditions met. Title 『Human-Kin Killer』 was acquired"
"By the effects of the title 『Human-Kin Killer』, skill 『Collision Enhancement LV1』『Murderous Enhancement LV1』 was acquired"
Now the battlefield was quiet as then had another in-sight of me becoming a [Demon lord] but then taken down by the [Hero]. The hero on his own was already stronger than me, wit his ability to counter the [Demon-Lord]. The humanity's main enemy, that divine role chosen by the Gods.
I, on the other hand was something that had never happened in history. A monster attaining a Divine Protection. To me, it was atonement for how I was a monster now standing on the same level as a human, something that allow me to understand how much the Gods cared for all life.
"...my Gods, I am now ashamed I have to become a demon to stand against the hero now."
"Whaaat...!" the Hero would speak as the demon-lord besides him shouted racing towards me. While the hero stood behind confused as he wrestled with his morals before launching himself off his flying-horse thingy.
Knowing how the Hero's might came from fighting Demons. I opted out for a quick evolution that had started to appear every single time I had leveled up. Since I was already at my finial evolution.
I didn't know what would come of my odds. If I stayed the same, sure the [Hero] and the [Demon Lord] would quickly dispatch me into pieces. My choice was to run and be sought after endlessly as an easy EXP target or evolve into a [Demon Lord] and quell the hunt.
So i decided.
[Divine Magic] using it to make an impregnable wall of light between the hero and the demon lord now. The two separated, I would face the hero alone. A match between a mere monster and hero isn't even something one would consider.
However, i had one massive advantage, [Divine Magic]. Using it remove the Hero's amor and weapons, i quickly would attempt to kill him, but he appeared far more composed in battle even without his armor and swift. He outclassed me.
In dire situations, it's known people attain skills that could help them. This theory was proven ages ago and still runs true. However, the unknown ability to use 'skill points' willingly has been the running theory that had every living intelligent creature baffled and defeated.
" Conditions met. Skill『Prediction LV1』was acquired. Remaining skill points: 24,452 "
While the [Demon Lord] couldn't see or hear us on the other end, but we could easily see her. The few minutes of the hero dodging my attacks and evading my assaults would soon end as his stamina would run out and my new skill gave me promising results.
The Sky-horse dashing down finally to rescue him, these actions would fall directly into my new basic ability "Why would the Gods choose you!"
"To end the skirmishes of both the humans and demons." i would say to him as he then appeared baffled by my statement. Then as he clutched his teeth, closing his eyes he would proclaim, "Demons don't unite, they conspire."
Those last words as I brought down his flying-horse creature that didn't even grant me enough EXP. Swiftly using my wings to slice through him at the same time.
"Experience points has reached a certain degree. Individual, Greater Grand Fagainor LV4,
"Every basic ability rose"
"Level Up Bonus:Skill Proficiency was acquired"
"Skill points gained"
"Oh, I guess he was worth that much." finally relaxing as my strength returned to my body with the power of leveling up.
"Experience points has reached a certain degree. Individual, Greater Grand Fagainor LV5,
"Every basic ability rose"
"Level Up Bonus:Skill Proficiency was acquired"
"Skill points gained"
Releasing my [Divine Magic] Wall that i had placed upon the area, the Demon-lord would then stumble to her feet as i now had the ability to win against her. [Divine Magic] really made the greatest change in the match.
At its lowest rank it still proved to be very devastating to even the strongest of opponents. All at the cost nearly depleting my MP to dire levels. For monsters, MP is our second source of life, for if sealed off, he lose the ability to fully function and slowly die.
Much like oxygen for humans or other lesser creatures, we depend on magic. [Divine Magic] has a MP cost that's such a dare to use. Thankfully, I made the right choices through 『Divine Protection of Wisdom and Foresight』now I can face the demon lord.
"Hey-y-yy, i wasn't trying to really fight you. I was merely playing along to get the Hero off guard...listen i CAN-" watching her attempt to dupe me as she made excuses, the words of the hero echo'd into my head.
"Demons don't unite, they conspire."
"WHAT!" she would stand and then prepare for combat noticing I wasn't planning on let her live. She had enough power to overwhelm as he outclassed me in stats, but having seen the power of [Divine Magic] at first hand she knew, that she was the one outclassed.
"Let me put an end to the trifles of Demons verse Humans. That era belongs to the bygone era that isn't needed any longer."
"Tsk. AHHHHH" she would race towards me knowing she was faster but had forgotten i had [Divine Magic]. This time, knowingly of how she was a monster, i would summon forth a sphere of light trapping her inside.
Suddenly the magic within that sphere would diminish. Thanks to my 『Divine Magic LV3』 I now had the ability to create objects and add effects to them. Trapping her within a sphere of no magic was exactly within the realms of divine magic.
Every attempt to use magic would further weaken her as she couldn't understand why her strength kept on failing.
"Daa-amn, Ber-retch!"
Her last words would leave a lasting impression, "...berretch. I guess, i am Berretch."
" Conditions met. Name『Berretch』was acquired. Individual, Greater Grand Fagainor LV6,
"Experience points has reached a certain degree. Individual, Greater Grand Fagainor LV6, Berretch has become LV7"
"Every basic ability rose"
"Level Up Bonus: Skill Proficiency was acquired"
"Skill points gained"
What! Dumbfounded by the event, i had a name now. The name i had thought of becoming really became my name! In turn I leveled up, and thus attain even a greater height. Watching her die in those moments made my laminate on my purpose.
Conditions met. Title 『Self-Proclaimed, Namer』 was acquired"
"By the effects of the title 『Monster Killer』, skill 『Powerful LV1』『Solid LV1』 was acquired""Experience points has reached a certain degree. Individual, Greater Grand Fagainor LV7, Berretch has become LV8"
"Every basic ability rose"
"Level Up Bonus: Skill Proficiency was acquired"
"Skill points gained"
"I don't want to be that type of Demon lord, am going to go against all the grains! I shall prove my worth to you my Gods! I promise!" with that promise, I became a demon lord.
"Conditions met. Restrictive Evolution acquired.
Individual, Greater Grand Fagainor can evolve"
"Do you wish to Evolve into Advanced Species 『Demon Lord』
→ Enable
Disable"
***
Years later to now, I, Berretch rule a land of multiple monsters of all kinds that serve me. I have a few rules that I have imposed, simple yet important to enable my dream into fruition. The kingdom i made is the prime example to all other Demon lords, yet they refuse my lifestyle.
Now as I have another batch of monster recruits that wish to lay their obedience to me, and live in my lands. I learned long ago that the hero's powers come from defeating demons, so to avoid enticing him to battle against my nation.
I rule monsters that aren't Demons, meaning he'd struggle to gain accelerated growth in challenging my nation. In the meantime, I grow stronger as my fellow [Demon Lord] kin die to Hero's skirmishes.
Of course, I have dealt with named monsters by me resulting in defying my rule as they sought to become demon lords in my very own land. Which I have easily dispatched. I have now even an army of admirable allies.
The latest [hero] died recently, but my『Ultimate Skill • Timeline Precognition』enabled me to see an era of a new great Hero who would destroy all six [Demon lords] and me included.
Seeing would be merely a suggestion, but thanks to my ultimate skill allowing me to experience an out of body projection on that timeline, my Divine protection seems to even work on such events which further explains the whole level of Divine!
Now that i know exactly why, I will tell Serpentine to waste some random beast-human territory and allow me to build my [Dungeon]. Have her be the admin of the dungeon while i go the [Demon Banquet].
While I do hate the demon meetings, I find them useful to trade information and learn about the other demons. Its a place where actual combat isn't possible due to it being a [Spiritual Physical Projection Realm]. We cannot per see kill each nor really hurt each but it's interesting to see people attempt.
Since once per one-hundred years every other demon-lord can request it. The impossible decline unless in combat or something of the sorts. Missing the banquet twice results in one losing the evolution of a Demon lord and unable to evolve.
Given you'd become a lesser being which is a horridly worse state than your previous stage to evolution. No one attempts to avoid it. Thankfully, its going to be my turn and I'll never ever call the stupid banquet ever again.
Now what's the point of such a skill. Well, simple. If the voting agrees, the [Demon Lord's Deity Sword] falls in the hand of the chosen demon lord that then has uneven matched power among all other demon-lords.
Which none shall ever agree unless of course the Hero is unbelievably powerful...ahem, that's a different timeline..anyways it requires 4 or more demon lords to be alive for the skill to be utilized.
"Well, i guess I'll get off this mountain and see tomorrows plans." i would say as [Telepathic] connection promptly begins to speak.
"My lord, the heaves, the sky, all the glory h-"
"Stop! Want do you want to tell me Cenail?
"O-ahem, my lord the human armies are on the broader but don't see be planning on attacking, it appears a single knight with crown, who we assume is the king of theirs. What do you plan on doing your majesty?"
"What happened to the [True God Dragon] that was sighted on the mountains?
"It hasn't moved from the cave in the mountain it harbors in..." a moment of silence would go on as wondered what the reason for one of the three great dragons of our world would lay close to our lands.
These creatures have an intelligence that is unpredictable, and no-living creature besides a [Demon Lord], [Hero], [Divine Beast], and other [True God Dragon] can sit on the same table to challenge a beast like that.
If one day it wakes to seek wreckage, it can just do just that. Un-stoppable natural disaster to all living even among [Demon Lords] we don't seek to challenge a creature old as history itself.
"Let the human King approach unharmed, I shall discuss with him on the matters. After-all, the human race has been the only race in history to ever defeat a [True God Dragon]." smirking as my immense magical power leaks out cutting off the telepathic connection to me from Cenail.
"Such weak things yet they always full of unpredictable variables." Flying to the castle, i would use my famous『Divine Magic LV5』arriving to the door step of the human king? No. Prince, definitely!
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Stats Predating her Demon Lord Evolution, exhibited below:
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Monster Encyclopedia: File. 00
『RACE: Greater Grand Fagainor NAME: Berretch LV: 7→ 8 STATUS: Ruler-Class
HP: 50,235→60,438 MP: 34,267→ 44,380 SP: 65,455→ 74,360 EXP: 975,439/ 234,434,000
AGE: 242y 2m 3w SKILL POINTS: 7,430→8,180 THREAT LEVEL: [A Rank] - Adversity Threat Class → [S Rank] - Subjugation Threat Class
STR: 30,993→50,903 DEF: 40,556→50,002 AGI: 50,770→60,754 DEX: 90,230→96,043 INT: 38,900→56,530
[SKILL SET LISTED]
" HP Rapid Recovery LV8 "" MP Rapid Recovery LV6 "" MP Minimized Consumption LV4 "" SP Rapid Recovery LV4 "" SP Minimized Consumption LV4 "" Longevity LV5 "" Magic Hoard LV4 "" Super Strength LV5 "" Sturdy LV8 "" Combat Boast LV7 "" Flight Mode LV7 "" Thought Acceleration LV8 "" Magic Power Attack LV7 "" Energy Attack LV7 "" Terrain Attack LV5 "" Sonar Blast Wave LV7 " " Sound Roar LV8 "" Dark Magic Energy LV6 "" Tail Smack LV9 "" Brute Offense LV3 "
" Terrain Enhancement LV7 "" Destruction Enhancement LV9 "" Slashing Enhancement LV8 "" Piercing Enhancement LV5 "" Impact Enhancement LV7 "" Basic Sense's Enhancement LV4 "" Thought Enhancement LV4 "" Memory Enhancement LV6 "" Durability Enhancement LV5 "" Warfare Enhancement LV4 "" Battle Sense Enhancement LV5 "" Sound Enhancement LV8 "" Flight Enhancement LV5 "" Lesser Magic Enhancement LV4 "" Sonar Enhancement LV9 "" Uncanny Vision Enhancement LV9 "" Uncanny Olfactory Enhancement LV7 "" Uncanny Auditory Enhancement LV8 "" Evasion Enhancement LV4 "" Sensing Enhancement LV6 "" Resistance Enhancement LV4 "" Fear Enhancement LV6 "" Communication Enhancement LV6 "" Magic Warfare LV4 "" Mental Warfare LV7 "" 1st Dimensional Maneuvering LV8 "" 2nd Dimensional Maneuvering LV6 "" 3rd Dimensional Maneuvering LV4 "" Telescopic Sight LV4 "" Future Sight LV4 "" Magic Power Perception LV10 "" Danger Perception MAX "" Presence Perception LV10 "" Heat Perception LV8 "" Probability Super-Correction LV4 "" Sound Perception LV4 "" Evasion MAX "" Magic Power Operation LV9 "" Earth Magic LV9 "" Wind Magic MAX "" Water Magic LV9 "" Holy Magic LV4 "" Divine Magic Operation LV3 "" Divine Magic LV3 "" Pheromone LV3 "" Powerful LV6 "" True Solid Core LV6 "" Magic Control LV9 "" Magic Manipulation LV9 "" Wind Magic Tier LV5 "" Magic Chant Shortening LV7 "" Pheromone LV3 "" Destruction Resistance LV6 "" Slash Resistance LV8 "" Piercing Resistance LV7 "" Impact Super-Resistance LV4 "" Shock Resistance LV6 "" Terrain Nullification LV4 "" Sound Nullification LV5 "" Wind Nullification MAX "" Fire Resistance LV4 "" Lightning Resistance LV6 "" Water Resistance LV5 "" Wind Resistance MAX "" Dark Resistance LV6 "" Status Condition Super-Resistance LV4 "" Rot Resistance LV5 "" Drackos Hard Armor LV6 "" Steel Body LV6 "" Stealth MAX "" Pain Super-Mitigation LV5 "" Day/ Night Vision MAX"" Vision Expansion LV5 "" Imperial Scales LV8 "" Pain Nullification MAX "" Tactile Enhancement MAX "" Pheromone LV3 "" Pheromone LV3 "" Divine Protection • Of Wisdom and Foresight "
TITLES:
『Self-Proclaimed, Namer』『Monster Killer』『Human Killer』『One-with-the-Wind』
『Primordial Deitiy's Acknowledgment』『Winged-Beast Killer』『Sea-Serpent Killer』
[Lore] : This legendary-class monster cannot be bested by S-ranked Adventurers. Appears much like a cursed humanoid being fused with reptilian bat features. Seen often lurking alone, while it's a selective beast in terms of prey and a hunter of weak or wounded. This creature of despair, is known to appear upon a bloody battle much like a moth attracted to a flame. In the world records, only twice has such a creature ever existed. Due to their very short life-spawns, these creatures tend to die out on their own.