The Power of Ants
The sun rose.
"Mm."
I felt refreshed, like I hadn't slept this deeply in ages.
I think I had a dream...
I couldn't remember what it was about, but it must've been a good one. That's the only way to explain waking up this refreshed.
I vaguely recalled some familiar faces. Like Robed, or Robed, or maybe Robed again.
Hm.
I pictured her face floating in my mind for a moment, then shook my head vigorously. No time to laze around like this.
Today was the first joint group training session.
If it's training for all groups together, I'll have to see those Four Great Clans guys too... which is a bit awkward.
Just looking at their faces stirred up anger from deep inside. I wasn't so lacking in self-control that I'd show it outright, but it still soured my mood.
Still, this wasn't something I could choose, so no helping it.
I quickly got ready and stepped out of the dorm. Heading to the training grounds, I spotted a familiar silhouette up ahead.
"Katt senior?"
"Whoa! Oh, Aleck. Hey..."
He jumped in surprise at my call and greeted me. But he looked off— like someone caught red-handed after doing something wrong.
I tilted my head, eyeing him closely.
Bruises?
Peeking through his disheveled clothes were faint blue bruises and swollen red marks. Come to think of it, his left cheek looked a bit puffy too.
"Who hit you?"
"Huh? Oh, no, hit? Haha, do I look like the type who goes around getting beat up?"
"Yeah."
"What, really?"
"Then what's with your face?"
"Th-this? Oh... uh, I tumbled down the stairs yesterday..."
I narrowed my eyes at his words. Obvious lie. How do you get bruises like that from falling down stairs? Anyone could tell he'd been roughed up.
I wanted to grab him and grill him, but I let it go.
Might hurt his pride, and we're short on time anyway.
Pressing him like that right in his face would bruise his ego big time. I was his junior, after all. Besides, we needed to hustle to make training on time. I'd call him to the dorm later, ply him with some honey brew, and get the story then.
"Anyway, let's hurry."
"Uh... yeah! Right, we're gonna be late. Let's go."
I watched his hurried retreating back with a strange look. His leg seemed to be limping too?
What the hell happened while I was off handling that J Lab request...?
* * *
"Is everyone here?"
The overseer for Group 1 introduced himself as Binzar, from the Southern Stag Beetle clan. At his words, each group leader reported their attendees.
Result: Full attendance from Groups 1 through 10.
Not a single no-show.
I scanned the hundred trainees around me, excluding myself. The standouts were, predictably, the Four Great Clans members.
Group 1 leader, Hercules Stag Beetle clan. Max, was it?
I double-checked, wondering if I knew the face. Nope, total stranger.
To get into Chung Hak Gwan, he must have decent talent.
Why no memory of him? Probably one of two things: he never joined a Great Lord's forces in the future, or he never rose high enough to stick in my mind.
Like Gruwen or Jibain from the Hercules clan—those grand generals.
Only guys at that level lingered in my memories. Same for the others here.
Group 2 leader, Caucasus Stag Beetle clan's Polt. Group 5 leader, Amar King Centipede clan's Drvito. None rang a bell.
Maybe that's for the best.
If any had been future big shots, I might've schemed to nip them in the bud early. That could've complicated life at Chung Hak Gwan.
No chance to prune them, but at least I could focus on my own growth. Small mercies.
"Today's joint training is on how to fight Primal Species. They're inescapable parts of our world. Has anyone here ever encountered a wild Primal Species? Raise your hand if so."
Most hands shot up at Binzar's question. Makes sense—live twenty years on Abian Continent without bumping into one? Harder than a centipede swimming upstream.
Even I'd had plenty: the Irochi Primals during survival exams, and more since.
"Almost everyone. That's how intertwined our lives are with Primals. Now, those who've actually battled Primals—hands up?"
This time, only about half raised theirs.
Hm, fewer than expected.
Most were still in Growth Stage, so plenty lacked combat experience. But why wasn't Katt raising his? He faced Irochi in survival exams.
Ah, probably just dodged and hid.
Heard that happened sometimes. Got into warrior class on King Mantis prestige alone.
In our group, just two besides me.
Compared to 4-6 in others, pretty low.
And...
"What, Hanks? No Primal fights?"
"..."
Group 6 leader Montiol's jab made Hanks clam up. On Abian, Growth Stage warriors without Primal experience got treated like greenhorns.
Montiol looked thrilled to have Hanks's weakness, opening his mouth again—
"Ahem."
Our eyes met, and he coughed awkwardly, turning away. Guess crushing him last time paid off. Otherwise, he'd have glared like always.
Anyway, surprising.
I eyed the other two in our group who raised hands. One was Rozhin from the Camel Spider clan—plausible, given their traits.
But this guy too?
Comji from the Grima clan. Tiny build, super shy—unexpected he'd fought Primals already. Grima durability's glass-like; how'd he survive?
No way he's a battle vet.
I chuckled inwardly, shaking my head. The guy's so shy he's barely peeking his hand out, head down—real combat vet? Nah.
"Half is more than I thought."
I scratched my cheek at Binzar's words. Really? Felt low to me.
My baseline was post-continent war, when systems crumbled and Primal encounters spiked.
"Those who've fought know: what's the hardest part?"
"Their defenses—my attacks bounced right off."
"Savage ferocity."
"Armor-like shells."
"Exoskeletons too tough..."
"They swarm in packs."
"Shells too hard."
"Size difference."
Various answers poured in: ferocity, packs, shells, size. But most harped on tough shells.
"Shells top the list, as expected."
Binzar smiled knowingly.
"Most Primals have exoskeletons—far more than those without."
He explained Primal traits: excluding arthropods and mollusks, nearly all had exos. Breaching them? Tough. That's why disaster-class Primals wrecked cities.
"But Abian natives have refined countless counters. Today's lesson: those methods."
Binzar detailed Primal types, counters per species. Long session, but no one seemed drained—he was a solid instructor.
"Finally: efficiently cracking shells."
To pierce tough shells: high cutting power, or concentrate force on one point for max destruction.
"Cutting power's hard. But focusing force? Practice makes possible for anyone."
Ether—the blessed power for common species.
"Demo time?"
Binzar grinned, producing a stag beetle shell.
"Watch closely."
His eyes flashed—
Tssing—
A horn as long as his arm sprouted from his head.
"Partial Primalization."
"Impressive level."
Trainees buzzed.
Maturity Stage 2-ish. Nailed partial horn Primalization.
Top-tier talent. High odds of horn as trait in Complete Body.
Stag Beetle elites—top species—'specialized' horns into staffs/spears in Complete Body. That's their peerless legend.
"Wild swings won't crack Primal shells easily."
Binzar leaned in, ramming the shell.
Boom—!
Explosive roar. Maturity physique plus clan strength: massive power from horn swing alone.
But...
"As you see, just scratches usually."
Despite noise, shell pristine. Primal exoskeleton shells' greatest strength: insane defense.
"But concentrate force..."
Ziiing.
Brown ether coated his horn.
"Hraaap!"
Another ram—
Kwaaaang—!
Totally different impact. Shell shattered, fragments flying.
"Ooh."
"Awesome, instructor!"
"Stag Beetle clan for a reason."
Trainees cheered.
Brute force clan, as expected.
I marveled at the demo. No need to condense that much if you see fault lines.
Pure smash—inefficient to my technique-focused eyes. But without mantis vision, seeing faults is near impossible.
Few mantises can even see them.
Monahan and Norton wowed examiners by hitting shell faults—not for nothing.
"Master this, and cracking shells is doable. Next: training to condense force."
Training ended.
"Great session."
"First structured training like this. Worth the tuition."
"Chung Hak Gwan lives up to the name."
Primal traits, counters, shell demo—nothing new for me, but others raved. Proof many clans lacked systematized training.
Norton's methods were elite.
Abian was still wild; half-baked systems counted as top-tier here.
Anyway, I came for facilities, ether crystals, fast growth. Stick to that.
As I rose to leave—
"Hold up! One announcement."
Everyone paused, staring blankly.
"Quick eval on today's training. Results: miles to top individual and top group—one each."
Oh. Miles? Can't pass that up. Two miles possible—personal and group.
I perked up, eyes sparkling more than ever.
"Eval's on the shell-cracking demo I showed."