Chapter 186 - 186: The ant king!

Words : 1323 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Grey had stood at the back of the group earlier, unlike the others who charged in. He chose instead to observe the beasts and figure out their abilities, especially since his appraisal skill was only bringing up question marks, which puzzled him—until he saw Vince being hit by the goo that rendered him unconscious. Their claws were clearly sharp; he saw Raze struggling to keep one from piercing him, his blood dripping to the floor. Their hard, orange-armored backs were next—he noticed it took high-level attacks just to break through them. Killing even one beast required significant effort. While watching, Grey formed different strategies to combat the beasts' strengths. Then, he finally decided. He stepped forward, revealing himself, and activated Fusion Magic. The magic hadn't fully unleashed when the room began to tremble. Winds howled through the cavern. Sparks and bolts of lightning danced across the ground, striking the walls. Grey stood calmly at the center, unaffected, as if this natural disaster was merely a side effect of his power. Even the ants paused in their attack, their antennae rattling as the air grew heavy. A sudden gust of wind whipped through the cavern, and the green goo that had been shot at the team evaporated mid-air from the heat rising around Grey. Sparks of lightning coiled around his feet, slithering up his legs like living serpents. When he raised his hand, the remaining ants halted mid-charge, their instincts screaming danger. Then he spoke. "Fusion Magic! Raijin Spiral." A tornado of wind and lightning swirled into existence, violent and magnificent. Those still fighting—including the second-years—quickly jumped back, retreating from the sudden tempest. The thirty remaining ant beasts, too shocked to move, hovered helplessly in the air. In a flash, the tornado surged forward—faster than the ants could react—and slammed into them. It tore through their armored shells, shredded their bodies, and even ripped open the steel door behind them. The cavern floor cracked, the ceiling shattered. The entire space trembled under the might of the spell. And just like that—within two seconds—thirty Level 6 ant beasts, who had overwhelmed even the second-years, were annihilated by a single spell. "A job well done, if I do say so myself," Grey smiled as he turned and walked away, leaving all the second-years speechless, their mouths wide open as they stared at the devastation. 'Did he...? D-Did he just eliminate thirty Level 6 beasts... alone? How is that even possible?' Kael, usually composed, trembled in fear. 'How? How strong is this guy? Were the rumors true? Did he really defeat Dave?' Dante clenched his fists, glancing at Grey walking back to his teammates. 'Grey… you've really changed. Stronger than when I last saw you. How is this possible in just one year? You've become a monster.' Charlotte thought, eyes filled with disbelief. 'Guess I have good taste. Not only is he handsome, he's stupidly strong. I like!' Lyra licked her lips, her eyes lingering on Grey. "Is he alright?" Grey asked, noticing Vince still unconscious with Scarlet guarding him. Her arms and body bore light wounds, and three ant bodies lay at her feet. "I think..." she began, only for a sudden twitch to make her look down. Vince stirred, groaning as he clutched his head. "Wh…what happened? Why do I feel like I'm recovering from a hangover?" Vince muttered, blinking rapidly as memories rushed back. He shot to his feet, summoning a metal sword and looking around—only to lower it moments later. "What happened? Where are the ants?" he asked. "I took care of them," Grey replied with a shrug, walking away. "Was I supposed to be surprised?" Vince sighed, shaking his head. "Guys!" a voice called from beyond the now-sliced steel door. "Check this out!" They rushed over to Selene, standing at the threshold of a vast chamber filled with golden coins, treasure chests, rubies, strange artifacts, and more. The sight left them stunned. "So the rumors are true. Dungeons really do have treasure," Raze said, stars practically glittering in his eyes. "Well, don't mind if I do!" Arthur grinned and stepped forward—only for Grey to yank him back by the collar just in time as a dart zipped from the wall and struck the far end. "You fool! Have you forgotten where we are? It's a dungeon filled with traps!" Dante snapped. "Sorry, I forgot," Arthur chuckled nervously, scratching his head. "So... how do we take all of this?" Charlotte asked. "That's where I come in," Selene replied, placing her hands on the ground. Shadowy hands emerged, slithering into the room and dragging chests of gold and artifacts back out. "Why aren't the traps activating?" Raze asked, fascinated. S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Because my magic isn't a living thing, duh! If it were one of you or something tangible, the traps would trigger. But shadows are intangible, so they pass right through." Selene smiled as her shadows retrieved chest after chest. Still, ten chests remained inside, plus several artifact-filled ones near the front. "I think this is enough. Let's not be greedy," Greg advised. "Speak for yourself. I want more," Lyra replied. "Hey Selene, see that beautiful necklace? Can you grab it for me?" "Of co—" Selene suddenly froze, eyes wide. The others felt it too. Their hearts skipped a beat as a suffocating pressure descended upon them. "Wh…what is… going on?" Charlotte gasped, clutching her chest as they instinctively backed away from the treasure chamber, returning to the center of the room, surrounded by the bodies of dead ants. 'I… I've felt this before. No… Don't tell me—this dungeon has a boss?! This aura… It's a beast boss!' Grey's mind screamed as lightning began crackling around his hands. A low buzzing echoed from the hole they had used to enter, like something large flying nearby. Then— "Humans." A deep voice echoed in their minds, and a shadow slowly revealed itself. 'It can talk? A… a beast that can talk?!' Dante gritted his teeth, earth swirling around his fists. And then they saw it—an ant, but unlike the others, it walked on two legs, stood taller, with pure crimson armor, and crimson wings twitching behind its back. Its claws clutched something. Squinting closer, they gasped. It was a human—a corpse. "This dungeon is on the border of another kingdom, right?" Vorden asked, dry-mouthed. "I was wondering why we hadn't encountered anyone else. So… the ant killed them?" Kael muttered, his body trembling. 'They wouldn't have sent weaklings. This ant must be insanely strong. But why can it speak?' Grey stared, his heart racing. "You are all trespassers. And not only that—you killed my beloved subordinates," the voice echoed in their minds once more. Scarlet stepped forward, two meters ahead of the group. Her red hair fluttered. "Wh…who are you?! How can a beast like you speak?" she asked, her voice trembling. "You can barely speak in front of me, and you dare question the Ant King?!" 'Ant King? Is this the dungeon boss?!' Lyra thought, pulse racing. "For the death of my children, your punishment is death!" the beast screeched. And in a blink, it moved—from the hole four meters away to directly in front of Scarlet. Its claw shot toward her stomach—so fast no one could react. Scarlet shut her eyes, bracing for death. "Scarlet!" Vince shouted, trying to move—when… "Huh? I feel... fine?" Scarlet mumbled, still trembling, her eyes still shut. Then—a scream. "GREY!" 'Grey? What happened to—' She opened her eyes—and froze. A brown-haired figure stood in front of her, blood pouring from his mouth. The Ant King's claw was buried in his stomach. "Shit… what did… Did I do?" Grey gasped, blood spilling from his lips as he collapsed. "ARGHHHHH! GREY!!!" Scarlet screamed.

Chapter 186 - 186: The ant king!

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