Daniel's eyes hurt as he was greeted by the bright sun. They had just left the tunnels after they finished exploring the remaining tunnels that ran through the hill. Sadly, they found nothing else besides a few stragglers defending newborn rats; the ants quickly put an end to their lives and began moving the bodies to the outside.
After his eyes adjusted to the bright light, he was greeted with a sea of worker ants gathering the dead rodent bodies from the entrance that had been dropped off by the guard ants before they returned inside to look for more bodies. The worker ants handed the bodies over to other worker ants, who carried them off in a line towards their nest. Guard ants spread around this stream of ants, ensuring that no beast would dare to try and steal their kill. To his right, Daniel spotted a pile of wolf corpses, the same breed of black-haired wolves he had battled earlier he had faced earlier during the day.
Noticing his gaze, his teacher, who stood beside him, spoke up. “Not much can threaten the ants in these woods,” he said, pointing to a pile of dead worker and guard ants on the other side. “They don’t fear death like other beasts. They don’t mind laying their lives down as long as it means that the colony can achieve their goals.”
“Look,” he continued, pointing to the other side of the field. Following his teacher's direction, Daniel saw two wolves engaged with four worker ants. One of the worker ants clamped down on one of the wolves' legs with its mandibles. Agitated, the wolf chomped down on the ant’s neck, killing it. But before it could react further, another ant pinned its neck. A guard ant who stood nearby quickly scurried over and crushed both the wolf's head and the worker ant’s, killing them both instantly. The other wolf, seeing this, quickly ran off, howling as it fled. “What’s more fearsome than an army that doesn't fear losing their manpower?”
“Maybe an army of demons?” Daniel jokingly said.
Shadewoods usual stern expression changed as he smiled slightly “Demons can be scary.”
“Have you ever faced one Professor?” Daniel asked intrigued
Shadewood stood silently as he watched the ants carry the wolves' corpses and throw them on the pile. “A few times, but that’s a long story. Come we’re going to meet the queen.”
….
After a short flight on the disk, they finally landed at the base of the ant hill. Within moments, they were greeted by the imposing figure of the large ant general emerging from the hill's entrance. As the general approached, Daniel felt like he might break his neck from craning it so far back to take in the enormous ant.
Now, in better lighting, Daniel noticed that the general's exoskeleton was a dark shade of brown, gleaming as the sunlight reflected off it. While the general stood there, seemingly inspecting them, a small bird flew near its head. Annoyed, the general punched the air with one of his enormous arms, missing the bird by a few feet. However, the force of the blow created a shockwave that sent the bird tumbling to the ground, lifeless.
Daniel's eyes widened in shock. “Did he just kill a bird with a shockwave from his punch?” The sheer power of the ant general was terrifying.
The general pointed towards the entrance and began walking ahead, “Come, Daniel”, his professor said as he followed the general inside.
Eventually, they reached a large door. The general opened it, revealing a spacious room. A long table stood in the middle of the room, and at the far end sat the queen, looking thoroughly bored. She leaned her head on her palm while casually playing with two metal balls in her other hand, rotating them idly as she eyed the new arrivals with mild interest.
Shadewood gave a short bow and Daniel mirrored his teacher. “We have dealt with the rodents.”
“Take a seat,” the queen gestured to the chairs to her left side. After the pair sat down, Shadewood began recounting the events in a short and concise manner.
“Thank you for your assistance,” the queen began. “We couldn’t have done it without your help.”
Shadewood's expression hardened. “Your Majesty, we appreciate the gratitude, but there is a matter we need to address. The information you provided was severely inaccurate.”
The queen's eyes narrowed slightly. “Inaccurate? How so?”
“You claimed there were only a few hundred rats. We encountered and eliminated at least 4,538 rodents,” Shadewood said, his voice tinged with anger. “This isn't a slight miscalculation. It's grossly misleading, and it put my student and me at great risk.”
The queen leaned back, her mandibles clicking thoughtfully. “Are you accusing me of deception, Shadewood?”
“I am stating the facts,” Shadewood replied firmly. “Such a discrepancy suggests either negligence or intentional deceit. I want to know which it is.”
The queen’s eyes flared with indignation. “Do not forget whom you are speaking to, human. My scouts reported what they saw. If their numbers were incorrect, it was not out of malice. Counting each rat accurately is an impossible task.”
Daniel could feel the tension in the room rise as Shadewood leaned forward, his gaze unwavering. “Your Majesty, we need to understand if there is a greater force driving them. Have you noticed anything unusual, anything at all?”
The queen was silent for a moment, her gaze piercing as she studied Shadewood. “There have been reports that some of my workers disappeared in areas they shouldn’t have,” she admitted reluctantly. “Normally, when this happens, it's due to a pack of wolves or kobolds looking for easy prey, but strangely, my scouts didn't find any traces of them or bodies for that matter. Personally, I thought maybe a large bird took them.”
“Something is definitely amiss,” Shadewood said, nodding. “We found traces that indicate the possibility that there might be something else at play here. We also discovered this artefact in the rats' nest.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a strange blue gem. “Do you recognize this gem or the mana emanating from it?”
The queen examined the gem carefully, her antennae twitching. “No, I do not recognize it. The mana is unfamiliar to me.”
Shadewood tucked the gem away. “Neither do I but I’ll study back at the academy. Additionally, I’ll send a team to investigate further.”
The queen's mandibles clicked as she considered his words. “Very well, Shadewood. I will allow you to investigate further. But understand this: my colony’s safety is paramount. Do not take unnecessary risks.”
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Shadewood looked her in the eyes with an expressionless face. “We will be thorough and respectful of your domain. But remember our goal is to ensure the academy’s safety. Your safety is a second thought.” he said while pressuring the queen with his mana.
The doors flung open, and the general who had guided them ran through, followed by a few soldier ants. The queen raised her hand, and they stopped in their tracks. She fixed Shadewood with a steely gaze. “I am fully aware of the pact I made with your academy, human. Now, return to your academy and do what you must.”
With that, the audience was over. Shadewood and Daniel stood, bowing once more before they exited the room. As they walked down the corridor, Daniel glanced at his teacher. “Do you really think there’s something more to this?”
Shadewood’s expression was grim. “I do, Daniel. And whatever it is, we need to be ready for it.”
….
After a few hours of travelling the teacher-student duo stepped out of the griffin carriage back at the academy. the sun had just begun to set as Daniel stepped out of the carriage followed by his Professor, after waving the driver goodbye and giving the griffons a few pets he stepped out of the courtyard following his Professor.
“So Daniel, I hope you have had enough practice for now,” Shadewood said with a smile. I have some matters to attend to. Could you come by my office on Monday afternoon for another runic lesson? Actually, let's hold it in your lab so we can finish the runic array afterwards.”
Daniel: “Yes, that would be perfect.” A thought flowed in his head; he had forgotten to ask about the fire lotus. “Actually, can I come by your office later in the evening? I have something I want to talk about.”
One of Shadewoods eyebrows raised “Is it about our thing?” he asked.
Daniel shook his head “No it is about a reward I received from Lucia's uncle but I don't know what to do with it.”
The Professor's expression turned curious. “Very well. I Should be free around nine o'clock. Could you come to my office around that time?”
“Sure”
The pair parted ways and Daniel headed towards his lab.
….
Turning the corner in a rush, Daniel collided with a cleaner employed by the academy. The impact sent the woman sprawling to the ground, her vacuum cleaner clattering loudly against the floor. Startled and immediately remorseful, Daniel knelt down quickly to help her up.
“I'm so sorry!” he exclaimed, extending his hand to the cleaner. “I didn't see you there.”
The cleaner, an older woman with kind eyes, accepted his help and got back to her feet. She glanced at the vacuum cleaner with a mixture of worry and frustration.
“These vacuum cleaners are quite expensive, you know,” she said, dusting herself off. “Not many have the luxury of using them. You’re lucky that it didn't break or the academy would have asked you to reimburse them!”
Daniel nodded, feeling even more guilty. He knew how rare and costly these enchanted devices were. Crafted by the renowned Mage Towers, each one was embedded with enchantments to suck up dirt and debris effortlessly. Only the wealthiest could afford them, and even then, they were considered a significant investment.
Inwardly, Daniel recalled the Baron's wife boasting to her friends about how she bought one for the maids. She had always liked to brag about her expensive purchases.
“I'm really sorry,” Daniel repeated sincerely. “I should have been more careful.”
The cleaner gave him a small, understanding smile. “It's alright, dear. No harm done. Just be a bit more mindful next time, alright?”
Daniel nodded fervently, relieved that she wasn't angry. “I will. Thank you for understanding.”
With a final nod, the cleaner turned back to her work, and Daniel continued on his way.
Once he arrived at his lab, he closed the door, locked it, and activated the runes before walking towards his desk.
After he sat down in the chair, he retrieved the book and the egg from his ring and began feeding the egg his mana until it had consumed enough of it.
“Tsk, you greedy egg, when are you going to hatch?” Daniel mumbled. As if it could hear his words, the egg began shaking slightly before it stopped. “Tsk, you should hurry up. I'm not a mana battery.”
The egg stayed motionless while he stared at it for a while. Annoyed he opened the system menu and was greeted by a pop-up
[You have completed the quest: Kill 10 beasts using Abyssal Spells]
[You have exceeded expectations. you have killed 47 beasts using Abyssal Spells]
[Calculating rewards]
[Rewards: 142 Credits, Abyssal Mana Manipulation Guide, Red Steel chest plate]
As Daniel finished reading the notification, he noticed the book on his desk glowing faintly out of the corner of his eye. Curious, he turned his attention towards it, only to find a small chest plate materializing in his lap. It bore a faint red sheen.
Examining the chest plate closely, Daniel noted that it was too small for him, but he realized it would be a perfect fit for Gnarl. The chest plate was designed with curved, overlapping plates of Red Steel, allowing for flexibility and protection.
“Come out” A small portal opened next to his chair, and Gnarl stepped out. Daniel smiled as he observed Gnarl's happy screeches as he handed him the chest plate. “This should provide you with some solid defence, Gnarl,”
With a satisfied screech, Gnarl positioned the chest plate securely on his torso, adjusting the straps with his nimble fingers. Daniel nodded in approval as he watched his imp companion settle into the new armour. “Looks like it fits well,” he remarked.
After putting the armour on Gnarl eagerly inspected it, spreading his wings to test the flexibility it offered. The chest plate's design accommodated his wings perfectly, allowing them to move freely without restriction. The edges of the plates curved gracefully around Gnarl's body, providing coverage while ensuring his mobility remained unhindered.
As Gnarl continued to familiarize himself with the chest plate, Daniel turned his attention back to the purple book on his desk. He opened it eagerly, and after going through a few pages, he found the Abyssal Mana Manipulation Guide. Intrigued by its contents, Daniel began trying to read it, sadly some of the words were still a blur for him.
….
After abandoning the Abyssal Mana Manipulation Guide, Daniel realized it was nearly time to meet Shadewood. Hurrying down the corridor, he grabbed a croissant from the dining hall on the way.
Just as he approached Shadewood's office door to knock, it swung open abruptly. Standing there was a short, potbellied man with dark skin. "You have to help me! I've attended your sister's wedding, for Surya’s sake," the man pleaded.
“And I've been to five of yours, haven't I?” Shadewood replied dryly. “I'll consider it, Joshua.”
“Fine, but don’t take forever!” Joshua huffed as he stormed down the hallway, completely ignoring Daniel.
“Come in, Daniel,” Shadewood said, opening the door wider.
Daniel entered and took a seat on the couch. “Who was that man?”
“An old acquaintance needing assistance with his business, though I'm swamped at the moment,” Shadewood replied with a sigh. “But that's beside the point. What did you want to show me?”
Daniel summoned the container with the Fire Lotus and placed it on the table. “Lucia's uncle gave me a Fire Lotus as a reward for saving her life,” he said, while Shadewood carefully opened the container with a surprised look.
“Ah, a Fire Lotus,” Shadewood remarked with a hint of awe as he inspected the radiant flower. “These are rare!. Even the alchemy department has trouble acquiring these."
"Hmm but how to use it…” Shadewood took a moment while tapping his fingers on the container. “It depends on your constitution, as the energy of the Fire Lotus is quite potent. Have you checked your status? You should have levelled up from our trip,” Shadewood inquired.
“I haven't yet. Let me do that now.”