I Was a Loner, but My Class Got Summoned to Another World…-Chapter 272: Into the Canopy Pt.4
Logan closely monitored the ant's stats, waiting patiently for the moment the creature would evolve. After careful consideration, he decided to bestow the Monarch's Blessing upon the soldier ant. The blessing, he reasoned, would be invaluable—not only for capturing the ent safely but also for dealing with the powerful creatures deeper in the forest.
While Logan had initially considered reserving the blessing for both the hydra and the ents, he thought about his decision hard. The ents, after all, were deeply tied to the World Tree's ecosystem, and he could only take one with him, rendering the blessing unnecessary. As for the hydra, Logan doubted there was more than one to worry about. With that, he resolved to invest in the ant, betting on its promising potential in creating a vast colony.
As the soldier ant consumed the last of the earth mana crystals, its body began to glow. It grew another meter in size, making it a two-meter-wide creature. Its already thick, formidable shell evolved further, gaining an armor-like density reminiscent of a tank. The dark brown of its exoskeleton deepened to a sleek matte black, accented by shiny obsidian-like sections that gleamed under the faint light.
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Name: Iron
Species: Obsidian Commander Ant
Level: 40
Blood Mark: Right Forearm
Loyalty: 22/100
Str: 52 / Agi: 34 / Dex: 36 / Con: 56 / Int: 32 / Char: 36
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Tremor Stomp: Iron slams its legs into the ground, creating localized tremors that stagger nearby opponents and deal earth damage.
Stone Carapace (Passive): Iron's obsidian-like armor grants extreme durability, reducing incoming damage and reflecting a small portion back to attackers.
Earth Anchor: Burrows into the ground to stabilize itself and resist knockbacks, while also boosting its strength for a short period.
Crushing Mandibles: Executes a precise, powerful bite attack with its reinforced jaws, breaking through armor and dealing heavy physical damage.
Quake Charge: Rushes forward at high speed, channeling earth mana to create a shockwave upon impact that damages and disorients enemies in its path.
Ability:
Antenna Communication (Passive): Iron's enhanced antennae allow it to establish a telepathic link with allied units it touches. This communication boosts coordination in combat, granting nearby allies increased accuracy and evasion by 15%. Additionally, Iron can transmit signals like warnings of impending danger, briefly raising allied resistance to critical attacks.
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Checking the newly evolved ant's stats, Logan's mind drifted briefly to memories of Victor Rosengard's lab, recalling the ants they had experimented with in the past. A chuckle escaped him. "If only Scorch were here," he laughed softly, reminiscing about their training sessions involving ants and how they cause his creatures evolution.
To test its loyalty, Logan summoned the ant—now named Iron. Its metallic body clanked with each deliberate step as it approached him. The creature's obedience was evident, though it did not communicate verbally. Instead, it used its antennae, brushing them lightly against Logan's leg as if sensing him.
Logan froze momentarily, finding the gesture strange, until something entirely unexpected happened. He heard a voice—distinctly different from his other creatures—resonating faintly within his mind.
[Smell new master… You want cross ant colony.]
The metallic-sounding voice echoed in Logan's mind, its tone both mechanical and instinctual. It seemed the newly evolved ant, Iron, could comprehend exactly what Logan needed. Using its antennae, it sent out intricate signals—unique from any other beast in Logan's collection. What stood out most was how Iron could seemingly understand Logan's thoughts without words, as though it possessed a method of mental communication entirely its own.
[Will you help us, then? We just need to cross to the other side,] Logan projected, curious to see how Iron would respond.
The ant paused, its antennae twitching as it processed the order. [Will help, need to tell them you are safe,] it replied, turning as if to head back toward the colony.
"Wait," Logan called, stopping it in its tracks. [Will make you a monarch, wait.]
Without hesitation, Logan placed his palm over the mark on Iron's obsidian carapace and began channeling the Monarch's Blessing. At first, the ant seemed confused, its movements twitchy as it adjusted to the unfamiliar energy. But soon, its body visibly changed. A series of sharp, regal spikes emerged from its head, forming a crown-like structure that signified its newfound authority. The transformation radiated an aura of command, solidifying its position as a monarch.
Logan watched in fascination, his thoughts wandering briefly. Ant society was inherently matriarchal, with drone ants filling their designated roles. He couldn't help but wonder what the consequences of granting such power to a male ant would be.
"Do you feel any different?" Logan asked, a trace of curiosity in his voice.
[Yes, new power,] Iron replied confidently. [Can make followers come with me.]
Without waiting for further instruction, Iron began walking toward the colony. Its movements were purposeful, its newfound authority evident in its stride.
"Well, that went well. Let's follow him slowly and see if the other ants will recognize him as their leader," Logan said, his eyes fixed on Iron's movements. "I was hoping for a female ant to act as a queen, but it seems Iron is male."
"It shouldn't matter, right?" Lisa chimed in, gesturing to the endless line of ants marching back and forth. "If he can reach the queen and bring her under his rule, that would be ideal. The real issue is how you're going to handle so many creatures if that happens."
Logan nodded thoughtfully. "True. It would be problematic to have a queen and end up dragging the entire colony back to the kingdom. But maybe he could find a mate and bring her alone—that might work."
He set the thought aside for now, turning his attention back to Iron. The ant was busy interacting with three nearby soldier ants, using its antennae to send signals. Logan watched closely as the soldiers, initially hesitant, began to follow Iron, seemingly swayed by his authority.
Iron's movements grew bolder as he approached other large ants in the vicinity. One by one, they joined his growing group until a total of fifteen soldier ants surrounded him—the likely limit for his current level.
With his newfound followers, Iron returned to Logan, brimming with confidence. The ant then communicated its plan, its metallic voice resonating once more in Logan's mind.
[Need to ride on backs to cross and mistake scent of human,] Iron explained, brushing Logan's leg with its antenna again to ensure the connection.
Logan smirked at the cleverness of the plan, impressed with the intelligence of his new beast, given the type of creature it was and how it could not communicate normally.
"It seems we've got new rides until we reach the ents," Logan announced, gesturing toward the ants. "Everyone, pick one and get ready to move. Don't worry—Iron has already made them his subjects."
"Hey, wait! Couldn't you have done this with our beetles?" one of the soldiers asked, his tone tinged with mild disappointment. He was one of those who had been hoping his creature could gain powers like Logan's.
Logan sighed, clearly prepared for such questions. "We needed a way to cross this colony, and I don't have time to wait for the line to stop or search for another path. Now let's go," he responded firmly, hoping Isabel wouldn't question him further.
"You heard the hero—let's move," Isabel chimed in, her leadership evident as she climbed onto one of the smaller ants. Despite its size, the creature carried her with ease.
One by one, the group settled onto the backs of the soldier ants. They approached the massive river of dark brown worker ants, which momentarily paused their relentless march to allow the soldier ants and their riders to pass. With precision and coordination, the team crossed their first major hurdle.
Once they were ten meters beyond the worker colony, they dismounted from their temporary rides and resumed their journey on foot. This time, fifteen soldier ants surrounded them in a protective arrowhead formation. Their nimbleness in navigating the dense forest terrain impressed the group as Iron confidently led the way deeper into the heart of the canopy.
Logan walked alongside Iron, his hand lightly gripping one of the ant's antennae like a makeshift leash to strengthen their connection.
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[Do you know where the ents are?] Logan asked mentally, focusing on the link between them.
[Ent? Tree spawn. They love center. Fight ants to not invade. Dangerous. Can make tree mad, make branch fall,] Iron responded. As it spoke, Logan's mind was flooded with a vivid visual image—strange, shifting colors depicting massive tree branches swinging down like hammers to crush ants daring to encroach on the ents' territory.
Logan groaned audibly. "Ah, damn it. This won't be easy," he muttered. He turned to the others, relaying what Iron had told him. "My ant says the ents can actually communicate with the World Tree, and if we fight them, we could literally be smashed into paste by falling branches."
His gaze settled on Isabel, expecting her to have something to add.
"If it's about that," Isabel began, her tone calm but serious, "I can appease the tree for a short while. We've developed an old technique for communicating with it—something our people have refined over time."
"Well, I hope it works," Logan said with a sigh. "I'll set up safety measures before we make any moves."
Guided by Iron, they ventured deeper into the forest. The journey was filled with danger, but nothing they encountered so far could compare to the combined might of Kryst and Iron. Logan watched as Kryst's gelatinous body shifted, mimicking Iron's metallic form. Her body shimmered with a liquid shine, yet maintained the durability of solid metal. The two worked in seamless harmony, with Iron even teaching Kryst how to adjust her movements for maximum efficiency.
Logan, for his part, fought alongside them using his whips. While he scanned the forest for any extraordinary creatures worth taming, none seemed to catch his eye. That is, until something unusual emerged from the foliage.
Ahead of them, a creature appeared—a large ferret, its fur shimmering like blades of grass in the soft light. The sight of it stopped Logan in his tracks, its unique appearance sparking an instant interest.
