Re:Ant Lord-Chapter 124: Replenish and Rethink

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Brand etched, the beast convulsed, fur swapping to black-and-crimson chitin. It rose subordinate.

Name: Silvershadow.

Slots 7 / 10

Aura left: 200 / 3300 , utterly drained.

Kai staggered, forced deep breaths. "Hall’s yours now, Silvershadow, guard until recalled." He sensed lynx’s prideful assent.

He will rest today. Aura is very low. He needs to generate it. Many hours of rest later. In the morning his stats were.

HP 2900

Aura regen from lair perk gone; outside, regen slow—+100 overnight → 300/3300.

He needed star-ore or least stronger beast star cores to refill. Still, the path to Luna couldn’t wait.

He left the fortress with Galehorn mount, Blueloom circling ahead. Silvershadow was sent back to his lair, boars and Shadeclaw was already in the lair. He gave Silvershadow the location by his soul link. Told him to patrol the mountain until he returns.

Distance to Bunny Valley fell to under 120 km. He predicted arrival late the next night.

But midday brought an unplanned skirmish. A band of rogue Bark-Skull Gnolls harassing caravan of silkbush farmers. Gnolls are two-star each but numbers are high, totaling fifteen beast.

Kai weighed involvement. Saving beast civilians might foster rumours that a silver haired rescuer could leak to rumours. Not Acceptable but someone will die if he doesn’t help and also a lot of EXP. freēnovelkiss.com

He charged at them. Galehorn’s speed dazzled. Battle told quickly: Brand reserved, only spear and Bite. Eight gnolls died within a few seconds, rest fled. +160 EXP.

Farmers bowed, offered honey-sap jars. Kai accepted two, restoring Aura +100 (exotic carbs absorption). He vanished with the bodies before they asked name.

Rumours would spread anyway. After that he collected the star cores and used essence eater and gained +10 stats points. Now he has a total of 15 unallocated stats points.

Meanwhile, Inside the mountain lair Miryam the egg vibrated violently, the third rune cracked. Soon age will be born. Shadeclaw poured more star milk as Kai commanded them before leaving.

Egg calmed after sip, telepathy faint, <<HUNGRY-SOON... FATHER.>> First true mental word. Kai’s heart clenched. He could feel it from here. "Hold on, little queen," he whispered. "I will be back soon."

That night camp beside moonlit marsh. Bunny valley rumored to trade crystal nectar, they worship lunar dew.

The night clouds blanketed the forest, drizzle cooled air. At the ridge crest he saw a valley shaped like rabbit ears indeed, two gentle hills flanking a lake shaped like tear.

Moon-Wing reported huts woven of willow, soft lanterns, no high aura watchers above three-star. "So this is Luna’s clan."

He dismissed beasts to the perimeter, no need to scare villagers. He smoothed armour, tied crimson waist sash.

Then he realised, silver hair, crimson irises, black ant armor might still panic them. He unlatched chest plates, tucked them under cloak, appearing more traveller than warrior.

Midnight bells chimed from lakeside shrine. Kai inhaled, advanced down slope, Moon-Wing ghosting overhead.

His heart drummed a rhythm older than battles. Would Luna recognise him in a new form? Would she still want his company? Will she come with Kai? There were many questions inside his mind.

He grinned despite nerves. "I will take her with me. No matter the cost. She will be a good mother to raise the children (Ruler’s egg). And also my manly man needs." he says with a blush and Lustre’s face.

At 50 metres ahead he stepped into the lantern light, gate-watch bunnies froze, ears high. He raised empty hands.

"I came seeking Luna from the Evening Breeze clan. I mean no harm to this village."

Kai’s low voice drifted across the gate-terrace like distant thunder. A hush rippled through the rabbits posted along the woven willow palisade, two does in leather cuirasses, a lanky buck with pole-spear, and three powder-grey novices clutching horn lanterns.

Silver hair, crimson irises, bearing something dangerous even with a breastplate hidden beneath a travel cloak, the newcomer radiated command. Instinct shoved them to defensive stances.

The buck barked something in Lapinish (rabbit language), braided reeds at his shoulder tightened, signaling to pull the alarm cord but Kai’s gaze flashed and the buck hesitated, feeling the weight of a will that had broken scarab legions.

"I carry proof of friendship." Kai raised a small oilskin packet. Inside lay Luna’s neat hand-script, ink still smelling of night-violet, the map she had pressed into his palm a month ago.

A doe stepped forward cautiously, took the packet with a trembling paw. As her eyes scanned the strokes, ears perked. "This is Luna’s script," she whispered in their tongue.

Hope pricked in Kai’s chest, only to vanish a heartbeat later when half a dozen more warriors poured from the inner gatehouse, crossbows carved from yew, bolts tipped with sleep orchid sap. In seconds he was surrounded.

The lanky buck drew breath, voice shaky but firm. "Stranger, by authority of the Elder Council, you will submit for questioning. Any further step is aggression means fight."

Kai considered options. His aura reserves 2100, enough to Brand every soul here twice over but slaughtering innocents to see Luna would stain the first memory of him. He lifted hands, calm. "Very well. Lead. No chains. I’ll follow."

"That decision is not yours." Two warriors advanced, clicking manacles of polished bronze. To their credit they aimed for wrists, not necks, though a third circled behind in case he fought back.

Kai let cuffs close, mentally noting weight, maybe fifty grams each. Child’s jewellery compared to ant-forge in battle, but he kept still.

The gate swung inward. He was marched down a torchlit boardwalk that arched over moon-tear lake. Lantern reflections fractured on ripples, the wind carried a damask scent of lotus honey and cool reed wine. Villagers paused for chores, ears swivelling, eyes wide at silver demons escorted by guards.

Deep inside the clan compound they reached the Question House. A oval hall of clay brick, roof thatched with translucent leaves that glowed aquamarine under hidden fungus. They seated him on a stone chair, cuffs hooked to an iron ring sunken in the floor. Warriors formed a semicircle, novices barred doors.

The lanky buck, clearly the gate captain, opened the scroll. He asked, "What is your Name?"

"Kai." he replied.

"Species?"

He allowed a crooked smile. "Complicated."

Captain’s whiskers twitched. Lip lifted, revealing flat herbivore teeth that suddenly didn’t look harmless. "Answer."

"A warrior Ant, third rank." He said it softly, the word warrior made ears fold. An ant! Some guards shuffled their feet. Tales of the Ant-Kingdom’s conquests had reached even these remote groves.

"Purpose?"

"Friendship. And Luna."

The captain conferred quiet Lapinish with second-in-command. Finally he spoke, "Until the elders arrive, silence."