Re:Ant Lord-Chapter 129: Moon-Blood Siege (Castle bonus)

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Miryam chimed with mental curiosity, Kai felt warmth. But she didn’t say anything. She was still hesitant. He knew Miryam needed time to adjust.

So, He guided Luna to the crystal bench. "Rest. You’re safe here."

She cupped his cheek. "And you?"

"This monarch has a kingdom to build." He looked over the cavern. "First decree, no one chains hearts."

Luna smiled with fatigue and hope. She lay to sleep under owl watch.

Kai turned to tasks, prepare double milk ration, assign Silvershadow to scout orphan star-deer herds, order boars to expand tunnel larders. War brewed, Silvertail retaliation inevitable.

He gazed across the hollow mountain, the throne-sky his to claim. In the distance thunder rumbled, the world sensing the rise of a new force.

"Come," he whispered to the storm, to the wolves, to an empire yet to be born. "Step into my web."

Kai remained on the high balcony of his hollow mountain, arms folded, eyes fixed on the storm bruised horizon. Far off, violet rain veiled the forest, but each flash of lightning silhouetted something moving, long columns of lupine banners, the unmistakable crescent-tail sigil of the Silvertail Wolf Clan.

He felt anger simmer inside him, not fear.

"They followed faster than I counted... Roddick must have crawled to his war priests and howled for a blood-hunt."

Behind him, the echoes of the lair bustled. Iron-Tusk Boars hauled fresh granite blocks into defensive rings. Shadeclaw crouched atop a pillar, nose twitching at every new scent. Blueloom glided lazy circles under the skylight, violet wings flicking dust motes.

And Luna, freshly bathed, wearing a borrowed tunic of ant-silk knelt beside Miryam the egg. She spooned a measured dipper of star-milk over the shell. Golden runes soaked, gleaming brighter than ever.

"Little one’s rune auras are spreading," Luna called across the cavern. "Her hunger grows faster every hour."

"Because she knows war approaches," Kai answered, dropping from parapet to floor in a single flip. "Today may be her birthday, we need to be careful."

Luna wiped milk from her cheek. "Then we had best be fast. Let’s defeat everyone as soon as possible."

Kai gathered his four elite vassals beneath the central starlight column, Shadeclaw, Silvershadow, the twin Iron-Tusks Grunt and Gore, and Blueloom. A luminous map-crystal projected Frost-Hem Ridge to the forest’s edge.

"Silvertail clan of one hundred warriors," Kai said. "Ranks: bulk two-star foot howlers, twelve three-star pike captains, one four-star vice-alpha, and their spiritual champion, Roddick." The name dripped with contempt. "He crawled out of the keep; he’ll be hungry for revenge. So am i." (He could see everything because of the spy he planted.)

Shadeclaw’s mandible-enhanced muzzle flared. Let me tear him.

"You will have that chance," Kai answered. "But first they must bleed on the slope."

He tapped each tunnel mouth. "Boars, collapse side shafts two and three. Force the wolves through the main throat, here." He stabbed crystal ridge. "Blueloom, cloud the skylight when battle starts. Their archers will expect overhead flanks."

Silvershadow, a hulking outline in the gloom, chitin hide lately patterned with dark runes thumped his chest. I guard the egg. Even a general cannot pass.

Kai’s eyes warmed. "Exactly. No wolf touches Miryam."

He drew breath, summoned Monarch Brand in palm. Crimson glyph flickered, stringing invisible threads to each subordinate.

"Today you all fight as my claws. Trust the Brand, let it guide your strikes. Luna, guide wounded to the grotto pool. Root Milk serum can seal cuts."

She saluted with a coy grin. "As you command, mighty Ant Lord."

The jest gladdened him briefly.

Morning sun climbed, painting the forest in gold. Then horns blared low, mournful notes that curdled blood. Wolves emerged, armor of ice-polished bone, war-paint stripes of ash across muzzles.

They stopped 300 metres shy of cliff base. Vice-alpha Harvak the Pale strode forward, gray fur braided by silver bells.

"ANT!" his voice thundered, echoing up the hollow mountain throat. "Return the bride, submit to clan justice, and we spare your brood."

Shadeclaw snarled on cleft lip. Kai raised his palm in silence.

He stepped to the ledge so all could see him: silver hair whipping, crimson cloak billowing.

"Tell Roddick," he answered, voice amplified by Monarch Aura, "his claim over Luna is broken. Come and retrieve my Luna, if he can."

Harvak’s hackles rippled. He lifted a conch horn. Answer was arrow volleys.

Wolven archers released storm of arrows. But Blueloom swept up the skylight, releasing a vortex of shimmering dust. Arrows whistled, struck invisible eddy, ricocheted off cavern rim harmlessly.

Harvak barked charge. Two-star shock troops surged.

Ridge path was a gauntlet of jagged shale. Grunt and Gore, masked behind fallen trunks, rammed tusks upward as first ranks scrambled. freewebnøvel.coɱ

CRACK!

Wolf torsos flipped. Boars trampled down, crushing spines. Shadeclaw blurred from pillar to pillar, severing hamstrings. Monarch link fed Kai real-time kill-tact: he felt Shadeclaw’s satisfaction like hot wine.

Kai himself remained mid-shelf, spear whirling. Wolves raised kite shields; he vaulted, planted drop-kicks that caved breastplates.

Two kills +20 EXP.

Harvak advanced with a three-star pike line. They rotated the spear fence, forcing Kai back step. He smiled, chitin splitting to release Devourer’s Bite. Mandibles punched through wooden shafts, snapping them. The edges sheared a warrior’s throat. +30 EXP.

Harvak snarled curse, slashed scimitar. Kai parried, feeling true weight. Worthy of a squad captain. They traded ten furious blows. On eleventh, Kai let strike glance off Adaptive Armor, seized wrist and flung wolf into his own phalanx.

Shrieking chaos. Pike line folded. Shadeclaw capitalised, ripping two star wolf hearts.

Vice-alpha wounded, signaled retreat halfway mark. Wolves dragged bodies downhill. First assault broken inside an hour, mountain sides ran with warm blood.

Kai checked the system panel: EXP +320 (two-star) + 30 (captain). +1 Level up!

But the aura cost 600. He inhaled, drank honey-sap vial from his soul storage cube. +150.

Wolves regrouped behind frost boulders. Kai ordered looters to yank shields, spears, and steel useful.

He met Luna at grotto. She dressed Shadeclaw’s superficial gash, surprised at her calm. "They will come again."