Their mandibles clashed against Hopper's chitinous armor, only to glance off harmlessly, as if trying to pierce stone. The only exception was the deep, jagged scar stretching across Hopper's abdomen—a wound left by Captain Terrence, Anastasia's late father. It was the only spot where their blades could dig in, and Hopper guarded it with terrifying precision.
Ari and Anastasia moved like twin shadows, weaving around Hopper's massive frame. The battlefield shook with each clash, every impact echoing with brutal intensity. Ari darted in, his mandibles flashing, while Anastasia covered his flank, her sharp instincts reading Hopper's movement. They fought like one, checking each other's blind spots, shielding one another from the killing blows. For now, they were holding their ground.
Hopper let out a low, rumbling laugh that reverberated in their chests. "You two aren't half-bad. Moving in sync like that—I almost find it admirable. You've kept me from doing real damage so far."
Then the smirk returned to his face. "But it's over."
In the blink of an eye, Hopper vanished.
"Crap… where the hell did he go?" Anastasia muttered, scanning the area frantically.
Suddenly, she felt a shift in the air behind her.
"Anastasia, behind—!"
But it was too late. Hopper reappeared in a flash, slashing down with a deadly arc. Anastasia barely twisted in time, but his mandible grazed her back, sending a warm sting of blood trickling beneath her carapace. She cried in pain, gritting her teeth.
"He's fast… way faster than I imagined," Ari thought, bracing himself. Then Hopper vanished again, this time reappearing behind Ari.
Ari turned, barely in time to block the incoming strike. The force behind it knocked the breath out of him, launching him backward as he skated across the ground, dragging trenches in the dirt until he finally regained his footing.
"He's not just fast," Ari gasped, sweat beading his brow. "He's just as fast as Sly… No, I was able to match Sly's speed when we fought—he's definitely faster."
Hopper landed casually, stretching his limbs. "From the look on your face, you're figuring it out. Yes, I'm faster than Sly. I'm their leader. Why would I be weaker than my subordinates in any physical aptitude? My wings evolved beyond his over the years of gruesome training and conquering colonies. My explosive leg strength gives me skybound acceleration."
Then he vanished again.
"Stay close to me, Ari!" Anastasia shouted, lifting her mandibles defensively. "Watch my back. We have to stay together."
Both Ari and Anastasia turned back to back, nervously anticipating Hopper's assault.
A gust of wind signaled Hopper's next attack. He barreled into Anastasia with a knee to her chest, knocking the wind out of her as she staggered back. He slashed again with all four mandibles—Ari jumped in, intercepting the blow. The impact sent him flying, tumbling into a pile of rubble.
Gasping, Ari pushed himself up, coughing. Anastasia lunged at Hopper with fury, but Hopper deflected her strike effortlessly, then vanished again, reappearing behind her. A quick slash to her shoulder made her stumble forward.
Another punch came next, but she caught it with her forearms. She countered with her mandibles, but Hopper spun, landing a crushing kick into her abdomen that lifted her off the ground.
Ari watched, horrified. "His strength… it's terrifying. And our mandibles can't even scratch him with that damn carapace armor."
He staggered to his feet, wiping blood from his chin. "Only his scar is vulnerable. But he hides it too well."
The battlefield crackled with tension. The air was thick with dust and the faint metallic tang of blood. Anastasia staggered to her feet, mandibles gleaming under the faint, flickering glow of nearby fungi embedded in the fortress walls. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, each breath a small victory against the pain coursing through her.
"You finished already, Ari?" she called out, forcing herself to stand tall. Her voice trembled from exertion, but the fire in her eyes hadn't dimmed. "Are you cowering away from his strength?"
Ari, lying face down in the dirt, groaned as he pushed himself upright. Blood trickled from a split lip, and bruises mottled his torso beneath his battered armor. He lifted his head slowly, wincing as pain flared through his body. "Not a chance," he muttered, his voice raw. He wiped blood from his chin with the back of his hand. "I can't give up. It's just like you said back when we started training... and now I finally get it."
His voice grew steadier. "We are the last line of defense for our colony. If we fall here, the whole colony falls."
Anastasia nodded, a fierce glint in her eye. "I'm glad you understand. Now let's take this bastard down."
Together, they charged at Hopper again, kicking up a cloud of dust with every thundering step. Hopper, however, remained still, his green armor glinting like grass in the dim light. Then, in a blink, he vanished.
Ari barely had time to gasp before Hopper reappeared behind him, moving like a phantom. Ari turned just in time to see the massive fist barreling toward him.
The punch would have shattered his ribs had Anastasia not intervened, throwing herself between them. The impact boomed like thunder, sending a shockwave that flattened the dust around them. Anastasia cried out as she was flung backward, crashing into a heap of broken stone.
Hopper wasted no time. He lunged at Ari, slashes from his mandibles becoming blurs. Each blow cracked against Ari's mandibles, sending jolts of pain through his limbs. Hopper sneered with every strike, his voice laced with contempt. "Weak. You should just know your limits. Accept your death. Ants were meant to serve superior species. And you know it!"
He then grabbed Ari by the throat, lifting him off the ground with ease. Ari clawed at Hopper's arms, gasping, vision dimming. Hopper then slammed his head against the stone wall, scraping it along its rough surface before hurling him across the fortress.
Ari's body hit a pillar near where Anastasia lay. The collision left a deep crack in the stone, and Ari collapsed with a grunt, stone chipping off on impact. His chest heaved, gasping for air, vision swimming in and out.
"Ari!!!" Tanya screamed from her cage, her voice raw with desperation. Her hands clutched the jagged bars so tightly that thorns punctured her palms, blood streaking the cell. Her wings fluttered uselessly as her heart thudded wildly, her fear like a cage within a cage.
Ari lay slumped at the base of the pillar, the taste of copper in his mouth. Each breath rattled. Shit, he thought, at this rate, we'll die. Hopper's power was overwhelming—brutal speed, crushing force, relentless technique. Even with the two of us, we're not enough.
He groaned and sat up slowly, pain crackling through his limbs like fire licking the edges of parchment. He turned to look at Anastasia—her breathing labored, her stance slipping, her body covered in bruises. I'm the weak link, he realized. I'm holding her back. My speed means nothing if she's forced to protect me half the time.
Clenching his fists, Ari felt the sting of frustration boil over. Isn't there anything I can do? He thought of the others who fought to get them this far: Evelyn, the kind worker ant he first met when he was a prisoner to Queen Celeste's colony, who'd believed in him even when he hadn't believed in himself. Ruth and General Ivan—warriors from Queen Helena's army who had risked their lives. Lily's seductive but encouraging voice. Rory's determination and his rivalry. Beatrice's commitment to the colony. Brooks's guidance and wisdom. All of them. I can't let it end like this.
He turned his gaze up at Tanya. Her wide, tear-glazed eyes met his from across the battlefield. She was still gripping the bars, still bleeding. Her lips quivered, whispering his name. Tanya... I made you a promise.
Imagine being reincarnated just to die again, he thought bitterly. But then something snapped into place.
The System.
The memory surged back. The quest from before. "Quest Completed: Slay 50 Termites." Reward: "Instant Recovery." And another line he'd overlooked in the chaos: "The potential to learn latent abilities by slaying insects or intimately interacting with their female counterparts."
Ari blinked. His face turned red. "Oh no. No way... that's what it meant?" His heart pounded louder than any blow Hopper had landed. But in the face of death, embarrassment was a small price.
This is insane, he told himself. But if it gives me even a small chance...
He pushed himself up, wobbling on his feet. His body ached with every step he took toward Anastasia, who had just risen into her battle stance, mandibles gleaming.
"Anastasia!" he called out, his voice cracking.
She turned slightly, wary but alert. "What is it? Get ready, we don't have time to—"
"I'm about to do something really dumb, and I don't have time to explain." He walked up to her, his legs trembling. "You can beat the hell out of me after. Just... trust me."
"What are you—"
Before she could finish, Ari cupped her face and kissed her.
The world seemed to stop. Anastasia's body went rigid, mandibles twitching in disbelief. For a heartbeat, all the pain, the battle, the chaos melted away. Tanya gasped audibly from her cage, her voice caught in her throat. Tanya clutched her chest, eyes wide. She didn't understand why, but her heart hurt.
Anastasia's face went crimson. Then her fist shot out with terrifying speed.
"You bastard!!! That was my first—my first kiss!!" Her punch landed squarely in Ari's gut, releasing a shockwave that cracked the ground beneath them and sent Ari sliding ten feet away.
He groaned, clutching his stomach, yet smiling through the pain. "I didn't expect you to get flustered... more than me, honestly."
His vision flickered as a System message appeared:
Hidden Quest Completed: Intimacy with a Seasoned Ant Warrior.
Reward Unlocked: Passive Skills - Prime Ant Combat and Instincts.
Suddenly, Ari felt a shift inside him. His posture straightened. He could feel her instincts—how she moved, reacted, calculated. He could sense the rhythm of battle, predict movement, feel the subtle vibrations in the stone beneath them. This is real, he thought in awe.
Anastasia, red-faced and still breathing heavily, shouted, "How dare you take advantage of me! And in a life-or-death situation, no less!"
"Listen, I know that looked bad! But I had my reasons!" Ari raised his hands, defensive. "That kiss just made me stronger. It's not much, but now... you won't have to keep saving me. You won't have to hold back anymore."
A deep laugh cut through the moment.
Hopper stepped forward, eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. "Are you two quite done with your adolescent intimacy? Or do you need another minute or two to make out while I crush you to death?"
Anastasia snapped out of her flustered state. Her eyes sharpened. "Get ready, Ari."
"Right!"