If you wanna read ahead of my stories, you can check out the advanced chapters on my subcribestar, at the same username - 0Jordinio0
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Her eyes flickered to the base of the tree, where she could see a rather large pile of monster drops sitting. Killer Ant mandibles, orc hides, silverback fur and more.
Considering the amount there and the rate at which items dropped, he must have killed well over fifty monsters.
She saw no magic stones in sight.
If he fed all of them to that Killer Ant…and going by its appearance, she was sure he had, it had to already have gained strength comparable to a level two monster from the middle floors like a minotaur if not become stronger.
Yet, despite how it thrashed against its bonds, it could not break free.
"Calm down mate, I've got your dinner right here," The boy snorted and before her eyes, cut the Killer Ant off mid-screech at him as he thrust the magic stone in his hand into its mouth and forced it down its throat, "There, how's that, tasty huh?" he laughed again.
He was…kind of cocky. Like Bete, but without the same anger behind it? Actually, if anything, it was kind of the opposite of Bete's cockiness.
He seemed joyful, happy in a way. Like…Tiona? Tiona mixed with Bete?
Very odd.
Her attention was drawn to the Killer Ant as its thrashing and screeching settled down and it went completely still and silent.
And then her eyes widened as it let loose a horrible piercing shriek and its body creaked audible, then snapped.
"Oh!" the boy let out a noise of…glee?
While the Killer Ant seemed to grow and mutate, its body snapping and morphing. And he seemed very happy for that for some reason.
'Just how many magic stones has he fed it?' she wondered. Mutations that monsters went through upon becoming enhanced species, tended to be limited to becoming a bit smarter, larger, more powerful and differing in colour.
Full body changes, usually only came about if they ate a great many of magic stones and morphed beyond their natural bodies, full on mutating into something…more.
It was usually a very rare occurrence and not something that she could ever remember happening this early into the dungeon.
The blue metallic substance keeping it pinned to the tree shattered and exploded outwards in a reign of debris, the boy casually tilting his head to avoid any that would have impacted him.
And the tree shattered into splatters as the beast in its new form stepped forward. It was still recognisable as…an ant, kind of?
But the differences between it and a normal Killer Ant was as different as night and day. Its carapace was a pitch black and now…it stood on two of its legs taking a bipedal form, humanoid. Four of its six legs had changed, one set become long, razor sharp arms, while the other two curled around its waist like a set of sharp mandibles for stabbing into anything within close range, while two fly like wings had burst from its back.
And the size increase was incredible.
It had to stand at least eight feet tall, more maybe. Bigger even than a minotaur by her estimates and positively towered over the boy.
"Woah, now that's what I'm talking about!" the boy whooped.
For a moment, nothing happened, the mutated Killer Ant just stood there, arms hanging limp and staring at the boy, head tilted to the side, examining him.
'The rapid mutation has caused it to increase in intelligence as well.' she thought. How much, she did not know. What she did know, was that it was most likely confused by its new intelligence and it was clashing with its instincts.
In the deep floors, there were some capable of outright creating traps and luring adventurers into them, But, monsters like that, were usually far older than this monster would be.
No monster from the weaker level floors would last long, they were not nearly large enough for it to hide anywhere.
The boy grinned at the enhanced Killer Ant and spread his arms wide and welcoming, "Come on now lad, come give daddy a big hug." he taunted it.
It probably did not understand his words, but the meaning he was conveying was obvious.
Its crimson red eyes, similar to the boys own shone with rage and the wings on the mutated monsters back began to rapidly flicker, the speed and force behind them making a loud buzzing noise that echoed across the floor.
With a piercing shriek of fury it shot towards the boy and despite herself, her eyes widened at the sheer speed of it.
It was nothing compared to her own….but it moved in a blur that was approaching that of a level three!
"Woah!" the boy juked to the side, allowing the beast to blur right past him. It was a straight forward and predictable charge.
But the fact he dodged it at all spoke of his sheer ability that was beyond that of a level one.
The enhanced Killer Ant skidded to a halt and whirled around to face him, sharp mandibles clicking angrily.
It spread its arms wide, tilted its head up and let loose another screech.
Though…this one was different.
She felt something, almost like magic ripple across her skin as the sound spread across the area almost like a wave.
And she stared as the ground burst open in multiples places, monsters rising from the dungeon floor in the dozens.
Imps, Orcs and Silverbacks rose up while Bad Bats descended from the ceiling high above. Even two Infant Dragon's rose up behind the Killer Ant!
In just a few moments, at least thirty monsters had spawned at the Killer Ants…call? Command?
"You keep getting better and better! I can go all out here!" in reply, the boy only laughed, baring his teeth excitedly and raising one fist, "Blaze!" he chanted and fire exploded into existence around his body.