One Queen Survives
Not just the ants sprouted wings from the anomaly. The camp community grew wings of its own, expanding at a breakneck pace. It was all thanks to the atmosphere Yeonwoo valued so highly—the one where everyone pulled together with a spirited "let's go!" vibe.
Proof had emerged that they could take down a queen ant. And through what was arguably the safest gate hunt in the world, they grew stronger step by step.
"Me too. Think I'll give it a shot?"
"What? Come on, bro. You think we came here to be hunters? We got our licenses just to trade goods without one."
"I know that! But this chance... you don't get it twice in a lifetime. Worst case, no loss, right?"
"Hmm..."
Even those who hadn't joined the hunts naturally underwent a change of heart. Participation swelled as a result—a massive boon for the camp community.
To reach a queen ant, they had to carve through swarms of the creepy bastards crawling everywhere. The stronger the hunters and the more manpower, the smoother the queen hunts became.
Chaaaain—
A massive iron chain rattled deafeningly.
【8】
The number shifted again. Now, gaps in the sky-filling chains revealed glimpses of the Ant Nest's true sky.
"Phew."
Yeonwoo flicked the queen ant's fluids off her greatsword. Plenty of breathing room now. Thanks to stronger, more numerous hunters, no need to sprint like mad or force breakthroughs to kill queens anymore. Just swarm in, shove aside the ants, and finish the queen.
'This'll wrap up quick from here.'
In a word: frontal assault. Once it worked, no more obstacles.
'Not that quick, though?'
Considerable time had passed since entering the Ant Nest.
'Wonder if Yeonseo's worrying.'
Even normal gate runs often meant days inside, but this was special. No entry from outside, obviously. The anomaly must be making waves out there already. And over ten days had ticked by in that state.
"Must be chaos."
Outside didn't matter. Just worried about Yeonseo alone.
'She hates being by herself.'
A bitter pang hit. Nothing felt right, hands empty.
"Hey, what's this? Something shiny."
"Amber? Yeah, that's amber."
"Oh. Edible?"
"Idiot, it's amber. Gemstone!"
Sounds from the queen ant's direction.
"For real?!"
Yeonwoo bolted over, rummaging the corpse. A fist-sized amber gleamed inside, with something ant-like embedded within.
Yeonwoo snatched it greedily. Big, and valuable.
"Ooh, oooh."
She held it high triumphantly.
"Whoa, what is that?"
"Looks insanely pricey."
"Sell that and split the cash—we're set."
Spot on. Queen ants were rare. Likely an anomaly-exclusive drop too.
Hunters dreamed of rosy futures, cheering. Yeonwoo too—but her dreams were personal, so she swallowed the bitterness.
'...No helping it.'
Wanted to pocket it and play innocent, but the camp was a community now. Greed here could crack their unity.
Then—
"Share it!"
A white-haired middle-aged hunter bellowed.
"Y'all worked yer tails off—let's split the loot!"
Hands clasped, he shouted with earth-shaking dialect-fueled gusto.
"R-Really?"
"Guess so..."
The mood shifted.
"Sis is too pretty anyway—just give it to her!"
"With my skills, I ain't earning squat here. Let's hand it over."
"What're we gonna do with it? Get ripped off anywhere we take it."
Yeonwoo's lips twitched. This fair, upright vibe was hilarious, but she knew what to do.
She inhaled deeply.
"Thank you!"
Bowing deeply all around.
"...You earned it."
"Yeah, kid. Useless to us anyway!"
"True. Seeing that grin makes it worthwhile."
Hunters watched Yeonwoo beam greedily with the gem, rubbing noses contentedly. Rub, rub, rub.
Camp perimeter.
Bang!
-Kikikigi...
A fireball lanced into a soldier ant's jaws, exploding its head.
Hunter ant hunts raged on as usual.
"Whew."
A female hunter wiped sweat, scanning around. Dead ants everywhere.
"They really don't vanish."
"Less talk, more hauling. Hunters kill, others clean?"
Anomaly effect? Corpses lingered.
"Haha, our party's star firepower now—can't the dull uncles handle cleanup?"
"Bad habit. And I'm no uncle."
"Habit? I was born without one~"
"See?"
The trio bustled, gathering corpses. Yeonwoo's lessons turned practice into speed—even chatting, they mined mana stones fast.
Remains went to the camp-wasteland border. Unordered, but all hunters synced up. Barricades piled, evolving into an "entrance" over time.
【7】
Another queen down, proving the theory on unfamiliar foes.
"Take out the elite guards first—the ones protecting the queen."
Yeonwoo explained queen tactics. She knew the theory before, but no real sightings then. Now, hunts made it experience.
Seven queens left. Time to finish and return.
Realistic limit: food dwindling for the camp.
"This queen proliferation thing... does it really happen?"
Everyday Ant Nest chatter.
"Yeah, it does."
A bespectacled man answered. Diverse crowd here.
"Queens aren't supposed to multiply, right?"
"Sometimes one gets chosen, but usually communal. Better survival. They split at certain sizes."
Community. Ants and hunters alike.
【6】
Another queen gone. Joy at under half remaining—
Chaaaain—!
【5】
"They got one too."
Finally, the camp split into two parties for simultaneous queen raids—a triumph.
"Ahaha! So I said, 'Fire ants for booze? Gate queen ants are perfect!' And this punk goes pffft, ugh!"
"Sh-Shut up! Tossed 'em on the way here—didn't feel right!"
"Why? Pheromone-aged, you'd be popular. Hahaha!"
"Fill the cups and zip it!"
Festival vibes, naturally. Hunters gathered at the sealed entrance—now meeting square.
Laughing, eating, even toasting with booze.
Almost done. Everyone felt it.
"Week tops."
Yeonwoo chewed apple-flavored calorie bar, gazing skyward. Massive chains, once sky-blanketing, now under half.
"Anyway, foo—"
Chaaaain—
"...Huh?"
Yeonwoo paused, frowning. Chain moved for sure.
【4】
"Whoa?!"
Sky number dropped. Yeonwoo shot up, glaring heavenward.
Chaaaain—!
A gate-sealing chain rocketed skyward.
"Ack!"
"What? Sudden noise—huh?"
Commotion roused diners, looking around.
"Someone out hunting?"
"N-No...?"
"Ridiculous! Who solos that?!"
Eyes on Yeonwoo—the only one who could. Same spot, same meal, same sky.
Chaaaain!
【3】
Two chains moved at once. Chaos swallowed doubts.
"Why...?"
Yeonwoo stared blankly.
"Different meaning?"
Not likely. Timing synced perfectly with queen kills—no mistake.
"Only explains as queens dying."
Two suddenly? How? By who?
"...Ah!"
Drop.
Yeonwoo's calorie bar fell. She plunged into the crowd, hunting one hunter.
Chaaaain—!
She grabbed the bespectacled man's collar.
"What happens?!"
"Wh-What...?"
He'd explained queens earlier, casually dropping ant ecology.
Man stammered at her intensity.
No time for that.
"If one gets chosen—what happens? With multiple queens?!"
"Ah! Th-That..."
Chaaaain!
【2】
Chain clamor shook him, but he adjusted glasses, swallowed.
"When workers—troops, forces suffice... they cull all but the finest queen."
"Why?!"
"Maybe... the colony's ultimate evolution."
"...Evolution."
Chaaaain!
【1】
One chain left at last. The stark red sky bathed the camp.