The day of Integration:
As the sun began to set, Jason took another look at his mini map, realizing the red dot was situated in the top level of the science labs. He'd been inside them once before during the university tour 3 months prior.
Although, he knew that there were plenty of rewards to be found in danger, he was still cautious about whether or not he would try anything.
Jason cautiously approached the Science labs, not entering the building but checking the map again. He noticed that the lower levels inhabited multiple green/yellow dots, and the higher floors turned more yellow/orange. From his understanding this meant that the building had been overrun by something and the higher he went the stronger the enemies he would face.
Interestingly, as he surveyed the building he saw ants storming inside - almost as if they were being called there.
"There must be a queen ant or something on the top floor calling them, I'm almost certain of it" Jason thought to himself. "There's no way I can take all those ants on at my current level, but there's no harm in taking a look at how strong the queen ant is."
Jason hurried over to the fire ladder, avoiding the numerous ants inside the building as he made his way to the top from the outside.
A couple of minutes later he was outside the door to the top floor, looking through the glass window and at his mini map simultaneously. The florescent lights revealed three creatures inside.
"It seems like there are three monsters on this floor, the Queen Ant and two soldier ants." The system confirmed this, as the status windows popped up once more:
1 x Level 15 Queen Ant
1 x Level 14 Soldier Ant
1 x Level 14 Soldier Ant
"There's no way for me to fight them head on, and I don't know if they have any abilities. It seems like the Queen Ant has some time of communication/mind control ability from seeing the way those ants were scurrying to get in earlier."
As he peeped through the unlocked door Jason saw a large bottle of acetone on the shelf about 2 meters away.
"Perhaps I can do something after all, if things go south, I can always run away." He thought to himself before climbing down the fire escape ladders and heading to the mini mart.
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By now the sun was beginning to disappear....
As he entered the store, he noticed how empty it was, plenty of food was missing and there was no one tending to the til.
"I don't suppose anyone would keep working here given the state of things" Jason thought to himself, before swiping a lighter and heading back towards the top floor.
On arrival, Jason kept quiet, peeping through the window until he saw the two solider ants disappear down the corridor. Realizing this was his chance Jason quietly opened the emergency exit and grabbed the bottle of acetone, walking towards the sleeping queen.
Just by glancing at his surroundings Jason saw at least 50 eggs the size of rugby balls.
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Jason took out his rebar rod and quietly jammed it between the corridor doors to prevent the soldier ants from getting back in for some time. Next he spilt the bottle of acetone all over the floor near the sleeping queen before flicking the lighter and igniting the liquid.
Instantly, flames arose and the Queen woke up letting out a fierce shrill. Jason threw the rest of the chemicals onto the queen angering her further as the flames continued to spread.
Jason took the pincers off his back and attached them to his arms once more, now prepared to fight. He charged towards the wailing queen.
As he made his way towards her, he heard a voice in his head... "Serve me..... Serve me.... Serve me... Serve me"
"Let me serve you my Queen" Jason spoke out loud, not noticing the pink tinge that had suddenly appeared in his eye. He slowly walked closer and closer to the Queen preparing to get eaten by her, when his foot suddenly erupted with pain waking him from his daze.
"AH FUCK" he screamed, stomping the fire out off his boots "Did I just get controlled like those ants, that's insane" A looming sense of danger fell upon him, as he realized this was a lot more dangerous than he'd planned.
*SLAM* *SLAM* The soldier ants bashed their heads against the door, bending the rebar rod as they attempted to get in.
"Shit" Jason muttered to himself, "I don't have much time to do this."
He readied himself again and sprinted towards the Queen Ant, pincers in hand.
"Serve me... Serve me... Serve me... Serve me.." He heard in his head again
"No I must fight against it... Kill her... Kill her!" His head splitting with pain as he fought against the Queen's control.
Jason leapt into the air, and slammed his pincers into the queens abdomen, where his Hunters Instinct told him she was weak. The pincers penetrated straight through her midsection as green juices and eggs spilt from her body.
The Queen let out an inhuman scream as the pincers tore through her exoskeleton, destroying her from the inside while the flames engulfed her.
*SLAM SLAM SLAM* The soldier ants were growing more agitated by the second as the corridor door was about to be broken down.
"Time to finish this" Jason thought as he raised his pincers and slammed through the Queens head with all his might. The queens lifeless body slumped to the floor, the flames devouring her in seconds.
The pleasant rejuvenating sensation filled through his body as he leveled up
System Notification: You have slain Level 15 Queen Ant:
+ 3 endurance, + 10 health, + 4 agility, + 11 mana, + 3 strength
Level Up! x 4
All stats + 4,
Name: Jason Cole
Level: 10
Health: 27
Agility: 22
Endurance: 25
Strength: 23
Mana: 27
Unassigned Points: 18
Ecstatic with his new power, Jason almost missed the page that was laying on the ground. He quickly picked it up before darting out the emergency door just as the soldier ants had burst down the corridor entrance.
The rebar rod was gone now, no time to mourn it.
While making his way down the exit, Jason took a peek at the piece of paper
Active Skill: Level 1: Exoskeleton
Cost: 5 Mana per activation + 1 mana per second while active
Effect: Reinforces the user’s body with a tough exoskeleton.
Increasing Health + Strength by 20% and reducing all incoming damage by 15%
Would you like to equip this skill? - 5 Active skill slots left (Y / N)
"With this, I won't need to feel afraid anymore... I accept."
As soon as the words left his mouth the glowing page transformed into a rainbow mist and entered his heart, suddenly he felt part of his soul merge with the active skill and decided to try it out.
"Exoskeleton" Jason commanded.
The moment he cast the command Jason felt his mana drop as a wave of power coursed through his body. His skin tightened, taking on a new hardened texture, his bones grew longer and tougher, increasing his height to over six feet tall. His muscles hummed with newfound strength.
Jason clenched his fist, feeling the sheer force behind every action.it was like wearing an indestructible suit of armor, except it was his own body."
Status:
Name: Jason Cole
Level: 10
Health: 32 (27+ 20%)
Agility: 22
Endurance: 25
Strength: 28 (23 + 20%)
Mana: 22 / 27
Jason flexed his hands, feeling the raw power coursing through his veins. His gaze flicked toward the burning building, then to the darkened halls below.
A grin spread across his face. The ants fate had been sealed