Chapter 45: The Flashback (2) The New Perk

Mikhailis sat back against the ornate headboard of his bed, the quiet hum of the castle’s early morning settling into the room. He had just finished reviewing the latest data from the chimera colony through his interface, Rodion’s calm voice guiding him through the information. Everything seemed stable—until a sudden alert made him raise an eyebrow. <Rather fortuitous timing, Mikhailis. The eggs have hatched.> Mikhailis blinked, his tired mind processing the information. He rubbed his eyes, suddenly more alert, his attention fixed on the display in front of him. There, projected through his glasses, was the nest—a series of chambers, with dozens of newly hatched ants scurrying around, taking their places in the hierarchy of the colony. "Wait, all of them hatched?" he asked, a mix of surprise and excitement in his voice. <Precisely. The new batch consists of twenty more worker ants and ten more soldiers. This brings the total count to seventy workers and forty soldiers.> Mikhailis let out a low whistle, a grin spreading across his face. "That’s quite the upgrade. Seventy workers, forty soldiers... this place is starting to look like an underground fortress." He watched the new workers get right to work, some already carrying small grains of food to storage chambers, others assisting the older workers in maintenance tasks. The soldiers, larger and bulkier, took up positions at key points, their antennae twitching as they kept watch. <The workers have already split into groups. Some are widening the chambers further to accommodate the growing population. However, due to the current workforce’s limited numbers, they can only make minor expansions while still ensuring the nest’s security remains uncompromised.> Mikhailis nodded as he watched the ant activity unfold through his glasses. The camera feed followed a group of workers as they scurried through the cramped tunnels, their mandibles clicking, their legs moving in sync. He felt a strange sense of pride—a sense that this was more than just a pet project. It was an army, a force that could help him navigate the dangers of this world. Rodion continued, his voice detached but informative. <As it stands now, the nest consists of six chambers. Firstly, the Queen’s Chamber—located centrally and reinforced with double-layered chitin fortifications. It is the most spacious, approximately fifteen feet in diameter, housing the queen along with several workers that remain permanently to attend her. Then, there is the Hatchery, situated adjacent to the Queen’s Chamber, which houses all the eggs and hatchlings. The hatchery is around twelve feet wide and features softened walls to maintain ideal temperature and humidity.> Mikhailis let out an impressed hum. "Makes sense to keep the babies next to their mother. Easier to defend if anything happens, right?" <Indeed. Moving on, the Food Storage Chamber is located deeper underground to maintain freshness. It is smaller—ten feet in diameter—due to limited resources, but with recent additions of the Technomancers, its capacity is reaching a more optimal level.> Mikhailis raised an eyebrow, recalling the bound figures he’d ordered the ants to take. "Right, those guys... Well, at least they’re proving useful, one way or another." <Next, there is the Worker’s Chamber—used primarily for resting, situated towards the northeastern end of the nest, near the tunnel exits. It measures about eight feet across, enough for the workers to recuperate before resuming their tasks. The Soldier’s Chamber, similar in size, is closer to the surface for rapid deployment in case of intruders. Finally, we have the Resource Chamber, where harvested materials are stored for nest construction or reinforcement. Currently, the Resource Chamber holds leftover chitin from defeated enemies, as well as metal scraps obtained during tunneling.> Mikhailis leaned back, folding his arms across his chest, his expression contemplative. "This... this is incredible. We’ve got a fully functioning underground base—a fortress—and it’s all ours." He couldn’t help but smile wider. "And the best part is, no one else knows. Not even Elowen." There was a brief silence before Rodion spoke again, his voice carrying a subtle note of skepticism. <You are intending to keep this secret from your wife, the queen of this kingdom? That seems rather precarious, Mikhailis.> Mikhailis chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Relax, Rodion. I’m not saying I’m going to keep it from her forever. But for now... it’s better if she doesn’t know. I don’t want her worrying, and I need to make sure this can actually be useful before I spring it on her." "Tell me about it. This post is so boring... nothing ever happens here," the other guard replied, leaning against his spear. Mikhailis couldn’t help but chuckle. "Boring, huh? Well, maybe that’s a good thing for us." The ant continued to observe, its compound eyes capturing every detail. The guards eventually moved, switching places with two others who arrived to take over the post. Mikhailis noted the time, making a mental note of the shift change. <The guards appear to change shifts every two hours. This pattern could be useful for planning any future actions involving the castle grounds.> Mikhailis nodded, his mind already working through possibilities. "Yeah, if we ever need to move around unnoticed, knowing their schedule will definitely come in handy." ___ Chimera Ant Queen & Colony Status: Queen Chimera Ant: Evolved into a magical beast with heightened intelligence. Now resides in a newly constructed underground nest. Colony Units: Workers: 70. Digging and foraging specialists. Currently expanding tunnels and creating chambers for the nest. Soldiers: 40. Colony defenders. Successfully defended the queen against threats like the Burrow Grub. Equipped with enhanced coordination and strength. Colony Nest: Chamber System: - Hatchling Chamber: Designated for new eggs. Under construction. - Defense Chambers: Surrounding queen’s location for protection. - Queen’s Chamber: Centrally located, highly fortified. - Food Storage Chamber: Stocked with recent Technomancer captives, providing food security for eight weeks. - Worker’s Chamber: Rest area for workers, located near tunnel exits. - Soldier’s Chamber: Rest area for soldiers, positioned closer to the surface for quick deployment. - Resource Chamber: Stores harvested materials (chitin, metal scraps). Special Projects: - Variant Eggs: Four eggs potentially containing hybrid ants with unique traits (e.g., magical frog properties). - Neural Relay Chip: Installed on the queen, allowing real-time surveillance and control. Current Objective: - Defend the nest from the Glimmer Beetle. - Expand nest further to accommodate variant eggs and prepare for future adversaries.