Chapter 102
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Ant
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Long ago, all the creatures that lived in this field had turned into monsters called Mutants.
In a way, it's similar to what happened with the Apostles.
But in this case, it wasn't some accident caused by an Outer God.
The Mutants were simply the result of the alchemists' desired human evolution gone wrong.
They lived in a world plagued by endless wars and pondered how to stop people from killing each other.
One of their ideas was inspired by insects—specifically, ants.
Communication through pheromones. Movement dictated by a unified command structure.
-This has to be the pinnacle of evolution!
So, they set out to connect all human minds into one.
But the alchemist in the cabin rejected it.
He believed the essence of humanity lay in free will.
As a result, he was cast out by alchemist society, left the city on his own, and built a hut in the nearby forest to live out his days.
What to call it? It's like a sane person dropped into a one-eyed world.
Jun had seen a similar story in a movie once.
A future sci-fi flick where machines controlled human minds and such.
In the end, even the alchemist who wrote that journal accepted reality.
The two-eyed man in a one-eyed world couldn't bear the loneliness and gouged out his own eyes.
That was the true nature of the Mutant they encountered in the cabin.
"Anyway, the key takeaway here is... the alchemists of this world made the wrong choice."
"In what way? I hate to say it, but wasn't it pretty efficient for ending wars? Setting aside the results, the logic holds up."
Jun answered Eleanor's question matter-of-factly.
"The logic's flawed from the start. No such thing as a perfect lifeform exists in this world. Not even humans."
Ants' pheromone system is perfect?
If it were, every creature on earth would have evolved that way.
But they didn't—because it's not perfect.
"A prime example is the phenomenon called the 'death spiral' in ants."
"Death spiral?"
"Oh, I've read about that in a book!"
Aiden, who had once been obsessed with books, raised his hand.
"It's when pheromones malfunction, causing them to circle one spot until the entire colony dies, right?"
"Spot on. They don't think—they just follow orders blindly. No flexibility in their responses."
The Mutants' behavior in the city hadn't been much different.
They moved like terminals receiving commands. It seemed efficient at a glance, but it wasn't flawless.
That's how Jun and the others had escaped the city.
"And the most crucial part... kill the owner of the pheromones, and the rest plunge into total chaos."
"So, take out that guy sniping at us from afar?"
"That's one way... but not easy."
Instead, Jun opted for another method.
A highly efficient one.
"What if we copy the pheromones... or more precisely, the mana they use as a command system?"
It was an absurd idea.
Ants are social insects.
They live in colonies with hierarchies between individuals.
Pheromones distinguish those ranks.
But pheromones have plenty of weaknesses.
Samurai ants, for instance, exploit them masterfully to survive.
A samurai ant kills a worker from another colony, slathers itself in that ant's pheromones, and infiltrates.
No ant recognizes it as an enemy. It's coated in ally pheromones.
It reaches the queen's chamber, kills the queen ant, and coats itself in her pheromones while devouring the entire colony, eggs and all.
—In short, the moment pheromones fail, they're as good as blind.
Jun planned to blind them.
A week had passed since they arrived in the city.
"Huff... huff... Is this enough?"
"Yeah. More than enough. Good work, Aiden."
"N-No problem."
Behind the sweat-drenched Aiden lay five Mutant corpses.
He'd slipped in through the west gate, taken out a few, and dragged them back.
"This should do it."
Behind Jun now rolled dozens of mana flow cylinders.
"These cylinders were handling the pheromone role."
The Mutants identified each other via the mana in those implanted cylinders.
And now...
Jun had analyzed the patterns in the mana flows and, using the [Conversion] ability of Eleanor's staff, 'End of Lamentations,' implanted them into the party.
"They really... don't recognize us."
Aiden stared, cold sweat beading, as a Mutant brushed past him.
It glanced over as if he weren't there and kept walking.
The city's main thoroughfare.
They passed more Mutants, but none showed any sign of alarm.
"Don't let your guard down. We have to keep hiding."
"Got it."
These Mutants mimicked the pheromone system, but they weren't as irrational as real ants.
The commander probably had some self-awareness.
If it spotted them, it'd immediately order the Mutants to attack.
Kill it first, copy its mana pattern. That's how we'll roam the city.
Jun knew this wasn't a standard strategy.
Reading and mimicking mana flows required at least 7th-circle mastery.
They owed it to Eleanor's staff [Conversion].
In other words, they were cheating their way through.
Can't be helped. We fell into the unplanned 5th layer.
They'd use every tool available.
Anyway... head toward the signal source.
Jun eyed a six-story building in the distance.
There were ten-story ones too, but this six-story had high ceilings, offering a clear view of the western district.
If I were it, I'd be there.
Highest vantage, perfect for sniping the area.
Jun led the party straight to infiltrate it.
[Scan] is risky. They're hypersensitive to mana.
Using it would broadcast their presence.
Stay calm.
In <Blackout>, impatience was the greatest threat.
Rush ahead out of frustration, and everything could collapse.
Jun scanned the first floor carefully, step by step.
His [Bright Eyes] at peak performance missed nothing.
Aiden said it had a hunchbacked body like a Quasimodo, long arms.
About 1.5 meters tall.
Straightening up might make it over two, but gaunt overall.
Ranged attack pattern. Those types usually have soft exteriors.
Spot it first, strike first.
Otherwise, it'd command nearby Mutants via 'mind channel.'
One step. Another.
Cautiously ascending to the second floor... up to the sixth.
There it is.
A Mutant stood blankly by the window.
Look closely—something on its back... cylinders.
Three cylinders embedded from spine to head.
Jun signaled Maya: three fingers for the back cylinders, then an X with two fingers.
Don't damage those three.
Maya nodded, blending into the surroundings as she approached.
One step. Another.
Slowly closing in...
Swish—
Maya's Acander fang grazed its neck.
It still hadn't noticed her.
Thud. Crash.
Its head finally severed completely.
"D-Done?"
As Jun nodded to Eleanor...
"Fascinating. Mana like ours, yet different."
"...?!"
The rolling head spoke.
It stared directly at the party.
"Ah. You copied our mana patterns perfectly. Clever—a blind spot. I knew of it, but never thought anyone could pull it off."
"...Maya!"
"...!!"
Maya instantly sliced the ancient-speaking head.
Acander fangs shredded it repeatedly; blood and brains spilled across the floor.
The mangled lump didn't speak again.
"What was that? It talked after decapitation! Didn't die!"
"It stayed alive briefly. But that's not the issue now..."
Kiiiiiiii—!!
The city wailed.
The Mutant horde had sensed their leader's death and gone berserk.
"...Let's get out."
"Uh, now? Is that safe?"
"They won't fight each other. Should be fine."
"Hmm..."
True to Jun's word, no Mutants attacked as they moved along the road.
Instead, they howled incessantly, rampaging wildly through the city.
Like children who'd lost something precious—yet their grotesque forms twisted it into horror.
"Damn creeps."
Muttering in disgust, Eleanor hurried out the west gate with the others.